Page 28 of Equalizer
“You know the area covens—both the independent ones and the ones that are part of the Mob Families,” Winston put in. “Has there been any recent interest in necromancy or grave magic?”
Arabella whispered a word of power under her breath in protection. “Those are dark magics. No reputable coven would traffic in them.”
“What about the disreputable ones?” Calvin asked. “There’s always someone willing to use whatever power they’ve got to make money.”
“You sure you want to know? Knowledge is dangerous,” she warned.
Calvin shrugged. “It goes with the job. And if our hunch is right and there’s money to be made, how long will it be before they start shopping for bodies with particular attributes? No one will be safe.”
“You make a compelling case,” Arabella said. “I don’t think any witches involved are part of covens. There are plenty of lone practitioners who don’t play well with others. The covens tend to ignore them until there’s a problem, and then it all gets complicated.”
Calvin didn’t want to ponder what witch wars might involve.
“I don’t know any names. This is serious enough I might be tempted to share if I did,” Arabella said. “But I have heard some general gossip that might be related.”
She pushed a strand of dark hair behind her ear. “There have been inquiries about sources of elemental power—in particular, the Vril and Zodiac Force. Serious practitioners don’t take those fads seriously, but they seem irresistible to non-witches who want to be something they aren’t.”
“I’m not familiar with either of those,” Calvin said.
“I must admit, neither am I,” Winston admitted.
“The Vril comes from an awful book by Bulwar-Lytton,” Arabella said, distaste clear in her voice. “Those who believe in it say it’s a mysterious energy source, but they can’t tell you any more about where it comes from, and they’re fairly unclear about how to harness and use it.”
“Sounds like chasing fool’s gold,” Calvin observed.
“Very much. So is Zodiac Force, which takes the astrological signs and concocts a theory that someone could learn to manipulate all of the occult elements associated with a Zodiac sign and use them like a tool. Utter rubbish, but it keeps the dabblers intrigued.” Her lip curled in disdain. Winston’s expression wasn’t quite as easily read, but Calvin had the impression that he shared her sentiments.
“If those are bogus, then what’s real?”
“Necromancy and grave magic are discouraged because the power is enormous, but so is the temptation,” Arabella said. “Both tend to corrupt the practitioner beyond the usual dangers of magic. I’ve always suspected it’s because they deal with harnessing souls and forcing them to do the bidding of the witch.”
“It’s been said that absolute power corrupts absolutely,” Winston observed. “That would seem to apply.”
Arabella nodded. “We are witches, not gods. Our powers are meant to protect, help, and heal. Not to make ourselves overlords or corrupt the natural order of the world. And yet, there are always those who do not heed the warnings. They eventually fail, but usually after they have caused dangerous havoc.”
“Have there also been inquiries about reanimation and necromancy?” Calvin pressed.
Arabella frowned. “Not to my coven. We would not answer. As for the other groups, I can’t say for sure. It’s been done quietly if someone is asking around. My suspicion is that whoever might be behind this situation is either a witch of some power or has a person with powers as a partner. Usually, they are deluded about their strength and ability to control whatever they raise.”
“Hypothetically, if someone were able to harness enough energy—from electricity or some other source—to reanimate a body part from a corpse so it could be transplanted to a living person, would it require a powerful witch?” Calvin asked.
Arabella thought for a moment. “It’s not always the power behind a spell that requires skill; it’s the nuance of wielding it. Brute force will open a door or blow up a barn, but for something like what you’re talking about, it’s the magical equivalency of surgery. There aren’t a lot of witches capable of doing that, assuming that whoever is stealing the bodies understands how to gauge a magic user’s competency.”
The idea of anincompetentnecromancer made Calvin shiver.
“Does it suggest anyone in particular?” he asked.
She gave a knowing smile. “We are a tight-knit community. Accusations like that can’t be made lightly. I will make inquiries and look into it in my own way. If I find something suitable for your agency to handle, I’ll let you know. Otherwise, depending on what I find, we will deal with this as an internal matter.”
Translation: She doesn’t think the Supernatural Secret Service or Winston, Owen, and I can handle this. Maybe she’s right. I don’t mind handing off something to someone better suited, as long as the problem is taken care of—and the perpetrator is dealt with.
“I can respect that,” Calvin said. “At the end of the day, I just want an end to the problem—both the body snatching and the reanimated parts.”
“That would be best for everyone,” Arabella agreed. “Let me see what I find out. I’ll reach out to Winston when I know more. But please—do not meddle with the covens. Many of our people are very private. I can’t protect you if you earn their ire.”
“Oh, good. You’re back,”Calvin greeted Owen when he returned to the Pullman. “We’re having dinner early tonight. Louisa got us tickets to the galvanism demonstration.”
“Tonight?” Owen echoed.
