Page 120 of Last Witch Attempt
“Who created these planes?”
“That’s a very good question. I don’t know the answer. I believe the other planes have always existed. It’s like when you ask who created the Goddess. There is no answer. Some things just are.”
Steve remained rooted to his spot. He wasn’t going anywhere until I finished my story.
“The harder a plane door is to access, the better the world … at least usually,” I continued. “Greg used his magic to climb the construction ladder in this area. He discovered the plane door—whether by accident or through rumors I can’t say—and became obsessed with accessing it. He didn’t have the power.
“He kept coming out here, and winning the bid for the resort construction played into that. He wanted a reason to be here without being questioned or amassing suspicion. Then he ran into the naiads. They were also looking for the plane door.
“Due to the nature of his magic, he was able to start weaving a web,” I explained. “He wasn’t strong enough to take on the naiads without help. He turned the men into killers, and he expected them to kill both of the naiads. They made a mistake when they didn’t finish off the second naiad.”
“What did the naiads want?” Steve demanded.
“An escape from this world. They wanted to go through the door too. They knew better than to allow Greg to use it. Once the first naiad was killed, her sister wanted revenge. She didn’tunderstand the men had been coerced into what they did. She went after them.”
“She killed them,” Steve clarified.
“She avenged her sister.” The look I shot him promised that I wasn’t going to back down on this. “If it had been your sister, you would’ve done the same.”
Steve opened his mouth, then shut it. When he nodded, I knew he would agree to whatever I put forth.
“He convinced Millie to help him because she didn’t think she had any other options,” I said. “She distracted me. He dosed me with chloroform. Then they transported me here.”
“But why?” Spencer asked. “That’s the part I don’t understand.”
“He thought I could open the plane door.”
“You can’t?” Steve’s confusion was profound.
“No.”
“Why would he think you could?”
It was time to lie. “Because several plane doors have been opened in the area over the past year or so. He assumed we were responsible. His knowledge of the paranormal world was limited, so he ascribed everything that happened in the area to us.”
“Who was opening the plane doors?”
Of course Steve couldn’t let it go. “There are a variety of paranormals who can open plane doors. I’m not one of them.”
Apparently—at least for now—that was enough to placate Steve. “So he kidnapped you with your aunt’s doppelgänger and expected you to open the door. Instead, he’s here—trying to eat his own nose—and the naiad and Millie are gone.”
“They left through the plane door.”
“We can’t go after them?”
“No.” I wouldn’t give him that option. Ever. “That avenue is closed to us.”
“And we’re supposed to pin this all on him?” Steve gestured to Greg. “How does that work? He didn’t kill those men.”
“No, but he is responsible for the naiad’s death … and he was dangerous. Now he’s not.”
“He looks fried.” Steve leaned down and stared into Greg’s eyes. “What’s your name, buddy?”
“Greg Prentiss. I killed four men.”
I cringed at the dead way Greg delivered the line. “He’ll get better,” I promised. “He needs a few hours to sleep it off. When he wakes in the morning, he won’t be confused.”
“And we just pin all of this on him?” Steve couldn’t wrap his head around it, which meant I was going to have to lay it out for him.
