The Hunters: Phantom Chapter 24

Elena hung up her cel ph i as they puled up to the boardinghouse in Stefans car. The she-goat at the hospital says Calebs stil unconscious, she utter.Good, said Stefan. She gave him a reproving glance and he stared back at her in exasperation. If hes unconscious, he explained, itl give us more than of a chance to figure extinct what spel hes cast on us.Theyd fil ed three fat black trash bags with the papers, clippings, and books theyd order in the Smal woodsgarden shed. Elena had been afraid to disturb the pentagram with the roses and photographs around it on the shed floor, in case that would affect the spel somehow, hardly shed shortenn a couple of pictures of it with her cel phone. phlegm came out and picked up one of the bags. Bringing all everyplace some garbage?Something give care that, Elena said grimly, and fil ed him in on what theyd discovered at the Smal wood house. planeness grimaced. Wow. But maybe now we can concluding y do something about whats been happe ning.How come youre here so azoic? Elena asked, fol owing him toward the house. I thought you werent coming onto guard duty until ten. Stefan trailed on shag her.I spent the night, monotonous told her. After averages name appeared, I didnt want to let her out of my sight. fairs name appeared? Elena whirled accusingly on Stefan. wherefore didnt you tel me?Stefan shrugged uncomfortably. I didnt know, he confessed hesitantly.Stefan, I told you to protect Meredith and Celia, she snapped. You were supposed to be here. stock-still before Bonnies name showed up, it was Meredith and Celia who were in danger. I was relying on you to watch over them.Stefan glared back at her. Im not your lapdog, Elena, he said quietly. I cut a mysterious threat that I thought bore investigation. I acted to protect you. And I was right. The danger was more immediate to you than the others. And now we bring in a chance to piece together the spel .Elena blinked at his tone scarcely couldnt deny the tru th in his words. Im sorry, she said contritely. Youre right. Im glad we discovered Calebs shed. matting opened the front door. They dumped the bags in the hal and went through to the kitchen, where Mrs. Flowers, Alaric, and Meredith were enjoying a breakfast of croissants, jam, fruit, and sausages.Celias gone, Meredith said to Elena as soon as they entered the room. Her tone was casual y informative, but her usual y cool gray calculate were twinkling, and Elena shared a secret smile with her friend.Whered she go? Elena asked, equal y casual y, reaching for a croissant. It had been a long morning, and she was starving.University of Virginia, Alaric answered. Shes hoping to get some leads by doing seek on curses and folk conjuration.We might fox some more randomness now, Elena announced around a mouthful of deliciously buttery croissant. She explained what they had found in the shed.We brought al the papers and Calebs notebooks with us. And heres what hed laid out on the floor. She pul ed out her phone, loaded the picture, and handed it to Mrs. Flowers.My goodness, said the old woman. This certainly steps the like dark magic. I wonder what that child thought he was doing.Stefan snorted. Hes no child, Mrs. Flowers. I strongly suspect hes a werewolf as wel as a dark magician.Mrs. Flowers looked at him sternly. Hes found the wrong way of outlet about feel for his cousin, thats for certain. But this magic looks rather amateurish to me. If it has worked, it wil have been more by accident than design.If its worked? Meredith asked. I think the evidence suggests that whatsoever hes done worked.Surely it would be too much of a concurrence for Caleb to be try to cast spel s on us and for an undetermined curse to be affecting us as wel , Alaric noted.Wheres Caleb now? Matt asked, frowning. Does he know you found al this? Do we pack to tail him down and keep an eye on him? Stefan crossed his arms. Hes in the hospital. on that point was a little pause as the others looked at one some other and decided, based on Stefans stony demeanor, not to delve deeper. Meredith glanced questioningly at Elena, and Elena nodded s piano to say, Ill explain later. She turned to Mrs. Flowers. Can you tel what spel Caleb was using? What was he trying to do?Mrs. Flowers stared thoughtful y at the picture. Its an interesting question, she said. Roses are characteristic y used in love spel s, but the pentagram and triple pictures around it suggest a darker intent here. The roses unusual crimson pretense would probably get hold of them more effective. They might be used to lecture other passions as wel . My best guess would be that Caleb was trying to authorization your emotions in some way.Elena cast a sudden glance at Stefan, taking in his guarded expression and tense shoulders.But thats as much as I can tel you for now, Mrs. Flowers continued. If the rest of you want to look through Calebs notebooks for clues, Bonnie and I can research the magical p roperties of roses and what spel s they could be used in.Where is Bonnie? Elena asked. Although shed had the sense that something was missing, shed solely just consciously veryized that the petite redhead wasnt among the group in the kitchen.Stil resting, Meredith said. You know how she loves to sleep in. She grinned. Bonnie was definitely enjoying being the damsel in peril and having everybody fussing over her last night.I thought she was being real y brave, Matt said unexpectedly. Elena eyed him. Was he beginning to feel something romantic for Bonnie? Theyd be good together, she thought, and was surprised to feel a tiny anguish of possessive anger mixed in with her speculative matchmaking. Matt has forever been yours, after all, a hard voice whispered to her.Il go up and wake her, Meredith said cheerful y. No rest for the witches. She swung to her feet and headed for the stairs, limping nevertheless slightly.Hows your ankle? Elena asked. You look a lot better.I heal fast, Mer edith said. I guess its part of the vampire-hunter thing. I didnt need the cane by the era I went to bed last night, and this morning it feels almost back to normal. fortunate you, said Elena.Lucky me, Meredith agreed, grinning at Alaric, who smiled back admiringly. Showing off, she ran lightly up the stairs, leaning only a little on the balusters for support. Elena took another croissant and spread jam on it. The rest of us should start going through al the papers and things we took from Calebs shed. Alaric, as youre the only one other than Mrs. Flowers and Bonnie who knows much about magic, you can take his notebooks and Il She broke off as a scream came from overhead.Meredith shouted Alaric.Later, Elena didnt real y remember getting upstairs. There was just a inflation of shoving limbs and pandemonium as everyone tried to get up the narrow staircase as quickly as possible. At the door of the little cream-and-rose chamber at the end of the hal , Meredith stood, white-faced a nd stricken. She turned large panicked gray eyeball toward them and whispered, Bonnie.Inside, Bonnies smal figure lay motionless facedown on the floor, one pajamaed arm flung out toward the door. Unlit black and white candles were in a ring behind her, one black candle knocked over. There was a smudge of what looked like mostly dried blood inside the candle ring, and a brave out book lay open beside it.Elena pushed past Meredith and knelt beside the stil figure, feeling at her deal for a pulse. She let out the breath shed been holding as she tangle Bonnies heartbeat, steatimedy and strong, beneath her fingers.Bonnie, she said, shaking her by the shoulder, then gently rol ing her over. Bonnie flopped without resistance onto her back. She was breathing regularly, but her eyes stayed closed, her long lashes dark against her freckle cheeks.Somebody cal an ambulance, Elena said quickly.Il do it, Meredith said, breaking out of her frozen stance.We dont need an ambulance, Mrs. Flowers said quietly, gazing down at Bonnie with an expression of sorrow on her face.What are you talking about? Meredith snapped. Shes unconscious We have to get her help.Mrs. Flowerss eyes were grave. The doctors and nurses at the hospital wont be able to help Bonnie, she said. They might in time hurt her by interfering with ineffective medical solutions to a nonmedical problem. Bonnies not sick shes under a spel . I can feel the magic thick in the air. The best thing we can do is to make her as comfortable as we can here while we look for a cure.Matt stepped forward into the room. His face was aghast, but he wasnt looking at Bonnies motionless form on the floor. He raised one hand and pointed. Look, he said.Near the bed, a tray containing a smal teapot, a cup, and a plate had been knocked over onto the floor. The cup had smashed and the teapot lay on its side, tea leaves spil ing out in a long, dark curve across the floor.A curve that spel ed out a name.