Page 65 of Witches of Dubious Origin
“Why doesn’t Moran smell?” I repeated. “I about passed out from the stench of him when he unanimated back into his decaying form. Why doesn’t he reek now? Shouldn’t he be getting worse and worse?”
I saw Jasper glance at me in the driver’s rearview mirror. His gaze left me and moved to Olive, but he didn’t say anything.
Olive opened one eye. “I took care of it.”
“How?” I asked. Eloise sucked in a breath behind me as if she couldn’t believe I was questioning Olive, but I was a librarian and lived for information. There was no way I was settling for less than full disclosure.
“You’re a curious one, aren’t you?” Olive asked.
I didn’t answer. I just stared at her. Maybe it was the drama of the day, but I found I wasn’t backing down.
“Fine.” Olive reached into her coat pocket and handed me a small vial.
I turned the small brown bottle in my hand around. There was no label. I felt her eyes upon me and defiantly unstoppered the bottle. A familiar scent mingled with something I couldn’t identify wafted from the glass vial.
“Lavender?”
Olive nodded. “It masks the scent of decay.”
“That’s it?” I handed the bottle back.
“No, but it’s all you need to know until Tariq teaches you the potion,” she said. “I sprinkled Moran’s body before we pulled the sheet over him. That’s why no one noticed the smell in the elevator.”
“Brilliant,” Eloise muttered.
Olive pocketed the bottle and tipped her head back, closing her eyes. I couldn’t wait to ask Tariq about it.
I felt someone watching me and glanced up, meeting Jasper’s gaze in the rearview mirror. The corner of his mouth turned up and I felt myself mirroring the action. I had the feeling he understood my need for answers, which was very validating. The cars ahead started to move and he returned his gaze to the road while I stared at the white tile walls of the tunnel in which we were doing time.
As we left the city, darkness fell and I realized I was starving. I wouldn’t have thought I’d ever eat again after being cooped up in a shuttle bus with a dead body, but Olive’s masking potion worked so well that I could have eaten my body weight in lasagna or pizza or Chinese food. My stomach growled loud enough that I thought it might rouse Moran.
A chocolate chip granola bar appeared in my line of vision. “Eat.”
I took the bar from Olive. “Thanks.” I wanted to devour the entire thing at once, but instead, I forced myself to take small bites and chew them thoroughly. After all, who knew when I’d get the chance to eat again?
It took us another hour of stop-and-go traffic to get to our exit. Several miles later, in the heart of a Boston suburb, our bougie hotel appeared. Jasper parked the shuttle in thevisitor’s lot and Olive hopped out and strode into the lobby of the Newtonian Hotel. It had valets standing outside, wearing long burgundy coats with matching short-brimmed caps. One of them hurried to open the door for her and Olive swept in, never breaking stride.
“Does she intimidate everyone she meets?” I asked.
“Everyone,” Jasper confirmed. “Tariq and I agree that if ever we’re in a pub fight, we want Olive to have our backs.”
I laughed. The mere idea of Olive in a bar brawl struck me as funny. I glanced at Jasper and his smile widened and I knew he had said what he did specifically to cheer me up.
“Try not to worry about the graveyard tonight,” he said. “You don’t have to do anything but be a lookout.”
I shook my head. “I can be more help than that.”
His gaze moved over my face, assessing my words. Then he nodded and said, “All right.”
It was more than just assent. I felt as if he was agreeing that I had more value than just being an extra pair of eyes. I appreciated the confidence even as I had no idea what I had just agreed to do. Idiot.
Olive returned and Jasper opened the doors, letting a blast of cold air in with her. She stood on the steps and said, “Come on, Eloise, let’s get you inside.” She turned to Jasper. “We’re booked in the penthouse, as it’s a suite with four bedrooms. We’ll see you two here when you’re done.”
Jasper nodded and I did, too. Eloise shuffled up the aisle and paused beside me. She patted my shoulder and with a worried expression she said, “Be careful, Zoe. Powerful beings lurk in cemeteries at night.”
If she was trying to comfort me, this was not the thing tosay. I forced a smile and said, “I’m sure we’ll be fine.” I was sure of no such thing, but I didn’t want to appear to be a doubter.
Eloise followed Olive into the hotel and Jasper started up the bus, leaving behind the penthouse suite, which was undoubtedly warm and had hot showers and room service. I tried not to pout.
