“Um,” said Harvey. “Could be.”
“I know the Pythons,” said Aunt Zelda. “Good witch family. But I don’t think I know a Monty. How do you know him?”
“Oh, like … around,” said Harvey.
Theo intervened to rescue Harvey. “I don’t know anything about the Lady of the Lake!”
Aunt Zelda went back into lecture mode. “The Lady is a minor goddess witches worshipped before they devoted themselves exclusively to the service of Satan. Our Lady was often approached by pilgrims who sought strength on a quest. The stories say the Lady’s hundred silver eyes are always watching. The Lady can see you. She will know if you are unworthy.”
Aunt Zelda watched the effect of her creepy whisper on the mortals with satisfaction. Aunt Z enjoyed making an impression.
I’d fought a river demon once, an incident I remembered with no fondness, but Aunt Zelda was talking about a goddess. Surely a goddess would be different. A goddess would help.
“Any witch can summon the Lady, but every witch knows it is not safe. When the warlock Merlin summoned her, the Lady tested Merlin and his mortal companion Arthur, and did not find them wanting. She gifted Arthur with a magic sword, which Merlin and Arthur used to create a kingdom and change the world. The legend goes that any who quests for truth with a pure heart will obtain the Lady’s aid, but those whom she does not find worthy, she consumes.”
A smile illuminated Aunt Zelda’s countenance. Theo appeared to be going cross-eyed.
“It is almost April. We approach the celebration of your false god’s son.”
Roz made a face of agonized protest.
“Some witches believe this is a dangerous time for us, but I don’t think we should permit the mortals to take our feast days. The Lady is also called Eostre. Before this month was called April, it was Eostremonath, and it was dedicated to our Lady’s honor. We witches once chanted her names as we danced with bright swords and leaped toward the dawn. Eostre, Freyja, Kaguya, Austra, Lady of a Hundred Eyes, Shining Princess, Lady Star. She is the white maid of the water who cannot be fooled or denied. Carry tribute to the foot of her mountains. Her star-bright eyes will see what your soul is worth.”
Aunt Zelda lowered her uplifted arms. The illumination in her face flickered as she recalled that she was addressing mortals she didn’t approve of.
“Any questions?”
I am the Dark Lord’s sword. I shuddered at the thought.
“Does the Lady of the Lake always give you a sword?”
“No, Sabrina. It should be perfectly clear the Lady gives supplicants what they most need to complete their quest. I understand she gifted one musician with the perfect song. She always knows what to give.”
“She’s like a personal shopper for quests,” said Roz.
“That’s a horrifying mortal way to sum up an ancient goddess,” said Aunt Zelda, “but … essentially, yes.”
She gave Roz a nod of measured approval.
“Do you feel edified, mortals?” Aunt Zelda consulted her embossed brass pocket watch. “I need time to fortify myself before I must deal with the students again. Collectively, I admire and respect all witches. Individually, I dream of strangling those noisy, shower-hogging wretches in their sleep.”
Aunt Zelda never even wanted me to have my friends over. Having our entire surviving coven stay at our place was wearing on her nerves. Plus, there was the responsibility of being the coven’s new leader.
Leadership was complicated. I remembered Lilith, the new Queen of Hell, with her crown of gold and bones shining against her dark hair. The red curve of her smile as she bore Nick alive into hell was a stain on the darkness behind my eyelids each night. I wondered if Lilith found ruling everything she desired.
I didn’t trust Lilith, even if she had helped us against Lucifer, but I trusted Aunt Zelda. Besides, Aunt Zelda couldn’t be a worse leader than Father Blackwood.
“Thanks, Aunt Z. We feel enlightened. Endarkened.”
Aunt Zelda’s eyes searched my face. I knew the real reason she’d given this lecture. She worried for me too.
“It was a great deal of trouble … but I don’t mind.” She gave my mortals a nod, then departed Ambrose’s attic with a click of heels shaped like silver serpents.
I waited until the door closed. “Doesn’t that sound perfect? We summon the Lady, and she gives us what we need to rescue Nick! Think about Orpheus playing a song and being allowed into the underworld. He was given permission to take Eurydice, and if he hadn’t looked back, he would’ve rescued her. We could learn that song. Or we can storm the gates of hell with a magic sword. Whatever we need, the Lady will give us.”
I gazed around, searching for excitement to answer my own, and was disappointed.
“Wait, so Orpheus didn’t get Eurydice out?” Harvey asked.
“Well … no.”
Maybe Operation Eurydice wasn’t such a great name. I slumped onto the pile of cushions where my friends sat.
“Okay,” said Harvey. “Good to know.”
Roz blinked. “Ah, how is it good?”
“Orpheus was alone,” said Harvey. “We’re with Sabrina. We’ll get it done together.”
The four of us drew in close for a group hug. I hid my face in Harvey’s shoulder, as I did when I most needed strength. Then I straightened my spine and looked around.
“So we’re agreed? I’ll find the summoning spell for the Lady of the Lake. Let’s set off on our quest tomorrow.”
“Let’s do it,” said Harvey.
Theo drew in a deep breath. “Better than mugging angels.”
Roz was silent.
I tried to be reassuring. “I can summon her, Roz. I can do it.”
Roz gave me another sideways hug. “I believe in you. I was just wondering, not to be a killjoy, but … once we get Nick back from hell, what do we do about him being—er, possessed by Satan?”
“We’ve discussed this, Roz,” said Theo. “We’re taking it one impossible problem at a time.”
“I will find somebody else to pop Satan into, when the time comes!” I announced. “It will be fine.”
Roz seemed unconvinced.
“Maybe a politician?” Harvey suggested. “A bad one?”
“Oh, good idea,” I said, impressed.
“Harvey?” said Roz. “I think ‘kidnapping evil politicians’ should go on the list with ‘mugging angels.’ ”
Theo laughed. Harvey and I exchanged rueful grins. I scrambled to my feet to pull down the whiteboard again and dole out library books I’d stolen from the Academy. By the time we discovered the chant to summon the Lady, the hour was growing late.
Roz and Theo hurried home for dinner, but Harvey said his dad was working a shift in the mines. He bid Roz goodbye with a kiss, then returned to sit by me on the attic stairs. I memorized the spell for the Lady of the Lake. Harvey got out his sketchbook and drew a woman in white.
I was absorbed until I felt tension creeping through Harvey’s frame. My head jerked up, and I scanned the passage, searching for the threat.
The ghost children were a pallid cluster, with Quentin, the ghost boy I knew best, at their head. Harvey was staring at the dead children with wide, scared eyes.