Chapter Thirteen-Jed

When I was alone in the room I made my way over to the bedside table. Pulling out the box, I quickly took out the old picture, looking at it for a moment before flipping it over and studying the symbol again. I needed to ask someone about it.

I gently slid the picture into the back pocket of my jeans and pulled out a red short sleeved shirt, hastily putting it on before leaving the apartment and walking out into the rain.

Wasting no time, I made a beeline straight for Lady Josephine's World Of Wonders. It was a small corner shop where Delilah's witch friend used to work. Apparently the business was sold years ago, but perhaps the current owners would be able to assist in some way.

I walked in, the bell to the shop announcing my arrival as the strong smell of incense greeted me. Two customers momentarily looked up at me before resuming their shopping.

This time of year didn't really bring a lot of tourists to New Orleans, however a few still roamed the aisles in silence, looking for either a tarot deck or crystal souvenirs. Not that any of them would work the way they were meant to.

All witches trading in an industry so close to their natural form are not permitted to sell any paraphernalia that holds any magical quality of any kind.

The crystals had to be stripped of influence, the cards altered so that their predictions were way off each time and the spell books slightly reworded so that nothing created from it would actually burn someone's hair off or turn ex- boyfriends into toads.

Nothing on the shelves would help me, I knew I'd have to speak to the woman at the front desk to get anything of value. For that, I'd need to wait until the humans left.

After fifteen minutes, the shop was finally empty and I walked up to the two women standing behind the front counter.

One was young, with slanted green eyes and jet black hair that was neatly cropped and fell to her shoulders like a sheet of ink, the other one was slightly older. She had hazel eyes, light brown hair that curled at the ends and dark skin that was almost as flawless as a vampire's. Both women were dressed in dark violet robe-like dresses.

The eldest one looked up from the counter, smiling brightly as she extended her arms and spoke, "Good morning and welcome to Josephine's World Of Wonder. My name is Josephine, how may I help you, young man?"

I stared down at her, remembering what Delilah told me about her not being around anymore. "You're Josephine?" I asked, just to be certain I'd heard her correctly.

"Yes, how may I be of service?" She asked, looking up at me, her smile still firmly in place until I let my eyes flash gold.

Her face paled as she realized what my form was and she kept her eyes on me, dropping her smile and taking two steps back as she spoke to the young girl, "Annalisa, go to the back. I'll come get you once I've dealt with this customer."

She waited for the girl to disappear through the beaded curtain leading to the back of the shop before she spoke again, "You're a Jaguar." She stated, "We want no trouble. We've broken no laws whatsoever, in business or otherwise. I know you have no interest in a fake tarot deck or a reading so what brings you by?."

I shook my head, trying to reign in my irritation as I replied, "You know a friend of mine. Her name is Delilah, remember her? She called you recently regarding an issue we're having. We were told that you no longer owned the business, that it was sold years ago because you retired." I noticed the way her body became rigid at the mention of Delilah's name.

"Perhaps there was a misunderstanding. I simply told Miss Delilah that I wouldn't be able to assist her. Many years ago I helped her with an extremely powerful spell that ended up getting me and my family in trouble. I was banned from practicing witchcraft, almost had my power stripped; imagine that, a witch without her ability. About as useful as one of those rocks over there," She said, pointing to the bowl of crystals on a shelf behind me, "even if I wanted to help her, which I don't, I simply cannot."

"I don't understand. What type of help would she have asked for that would have ended up with you being banned from practicing your craft?"

She shook her head, a hint of sadness visible in her eyes, "I couldn't tell you even if I wanted to, can't even tell you the names of those involved. What I can tell you is that there was a spell put in place. Everyone that was present and witnessed the events that took place that night have been spelled to secrecy. Now please, leave. You're beginning to attract unwanted attention." She said, looking over her shoulder.

As she did this, an eerie atmosphere seemed to gradually build in the small shop. I knew we were being watched.

"Okay," I said slowly, bringing her attention back to me, "I'll leave right now, I swear. I just need your opinion on something. Many years ago I lost my mate. There was an attack at our home and I wasn't there to help her. Maybe I'm grasping at straws here, but do you think this could have anything to do with the people who attacked her that night?" I asked, holding the photo out to her, "Maybe the symbol stands for something important, I don't know. Please, just have a look at it."

Josephine looked at me for a few moments before sighing and taking the photo. she ran her fingers along the words, "ascholitheíte me ton diávolo," she whispered softly, looking up to meet my eyes, "it means 'deal with the devil' The symbol above that is called Uroboros, it's a symbol to signify infinity. Most commonly used in black magic.

Back in my day, people would attempt to resurrect loved ones only to bring back beasts instead. Now it's written in the book of Pharo; it is illegal for witches to practice anything relating to symbolism like this. I haven't seen it in years. Sorry, I can't help you." She said as she handed the picture back to me, turning it over as she did.

When she looked down as saw the picture of Tara and I, her hands began shaking and she looked up at me with a fearful expression, "You need to leave. Now." Gone was the friendly woman who was ready to assist me just moments ago.

Josephine scribbled something onto a piece of paper before walking hastily around the counter and to the door. She opened it for me and spoke loudly, "I'm sorry, but we're closed."

I raised my eyebrows, glancing at the time to see that it was only eleven in the morning. "Wait. Did you know Tara?" I asked her but she glared at me and shook her head slightly. As I walked through the door she gripped my arm and pushed the piece of paper into my palm. Looking up at me with pleading eyes she said, "That friend of yours, be careful of her. We are often blinded to the evil intentions of those we hold in the highest regard. Do not be a fool."

She closed the door and flipped the sign so the word "closed" faced the busy street.

At least I knew what the words meant and exactly what the symbol was called. What's baffling is the fact that Tara wrote them both on the back of a picture she knew only I would find. Was she trying to leave a message for me the night she was attacked?

The answers lay in the rituals involving this symbol, I just knew it. I waited until I was a few blocks away before unravelling the note. The words, Meet me at The Lost Pond at 10pm.

It was going to be extremely difficult to get my hands on the spells by myself. Because it has something to do with black magic, not many people dealing in witchcraft will be open to discussing the topic freely, so if she was prepared to share any information, I wanted to hear it. In the meantime, perhaps there was something on the internet that could help me learn a bit more about the history of the symbol.