Ghost Light

The gates were held shut with a thick, stainless steel chain and large padlock.  I unrolled the cloth containing my lock picking tools and glanced to my left and right.  Satisfied that no one was coming, I began picking the padlock.

It would have been faster to cut through the chain, but I was fresh out of bolt cutters.  Plus, if I got caught, trespassing was bad enough without adding vandalism to my rap sheet.

I inserted an L-shaped torsion wrench into the bottom of the keyhole.  I applied tension to the lock cylinder, first clockwise and then counterclockwise.  The cylinder turned a fraction of an inch counterclockwise.  I applied gentle torque to the wrench in the counterclockwise direction and held it there with my left hand.

Next, I inserted a hook pick into the upper part of the keyhole.  Working back to front, I pressed up with the pick, feeling each of the four pins.  Starting with the pin which offered the most resistance, I pressed the pick upward setting the pin.  I repeated the procedure, continuing with the final three pins.  I removed the pick and turned the torsion wrench counterclockwise, holding my breath.  The padlock clicked opened.

I slid the chain carefully from one of the gates and left it hanging in a loop.  I’d lock up behind us when we finished.  I took a deep breath and pushed the oiled gate halfway open.  I needed to allow enough space for Ceff to enter without coming into contact with the iron.  With one final glance at the grounds, I ducked back out onto the sidewalk and waved my friends forward.

My phone rang and my heart leapt into my throat.  I rushed to answer it, chiding myself for not turning off the ringer.

“I’ve been researching the Danse Macabre,” Father Michael said in a rush.  He sounded out of breath.  “I think I know how the dance can be stopped.  But Ivy?  I spoke with Kaye and she believes the number of fae children taken is significant.  The Piper may need a particular number of fae to begin the spell.  Do you know how many children have already been abducted?”

“Just a sec,” I said.  I jogged over to Jinx who was walking slowly toward the cemetery gate.  Ceff was leaning heavily against her, the nearby iron taking its toll.  “Jinx, Father Michael needs to know the number of kids who’ve gone missing.”

Jinx raised one painted eyebrow, but didn’t ask questions.  She shifted Ceff to one side and pulled out her phone.  She accessed her case files, tongue pressed against her cheek.  Within seconds Jinx had the information we needed.  I was glad that one of us was organized.

“Thirty-three,” she said.

“We have thirty-three kids reported missing,” I said into my phone.

I heard a quick intake of air on the other end.

“If The Piper already has thirty-three children, then you don’t have much time,” Father Michael said.  “He has what he needs to complete the spell.”

“Are you sure?” I asked.

“Yes,” he said.  “When Kaye told me her theory, I looked more closely at medieval paintings and carvings of the Danse Macabre.  The artwork often depicts thirty-three living dancers and thirty-three of the risen dead.”

Numbers, like names, hold power.  I knew from spending time with Kaye that the number three was often used when casting spells.  The number of children who had been taken made sense.  I just wished I’d noticed that detail sooner.

“Don’t worry,” I said.  “Torn helped narrow our search to two Harborsmouth cemeteries.  We’re at the gates of Ocean Overlook now.  If the children aren’t here, we’ll head over to Far Point.”

“No, you don’t understand,” he said, voice shrill.  “There’s no time.  Kaye thinks that once The Piper has the thirty-three children needed to complete the spell, he will begin the dance at midnight.”

Midnight?  I checked the time.  Talk about the eleventh freakin’ hour.  It was eleven forty-five.  The priest was right—we were running out of time.

Far Point cemetery was too far away and both cemeteries were huge.  It would be impossible to cover that much ground in fifteen, make that fourteen minutes, even if we split up.

I glanced at Ceff, his skin pale in the moonlight.  He was our fastest runner, especially if he shifted to horse form, but he’d never make it through Far Point’s iron gates on his own.

I set my jaw and looked my companions in the eye.  We had to stick together.  It was our best chance of defeating Melusine and The Piper and bringing those kids home alive.  I just hoped we had the right cemetery.  I waved Jinx and Ceff through the gates while continuing my conversation with the priest, voice tight.

“What else can you tell me?” I asked.

“If you find the children…” Father Michael said.

“When,” I said, correcting him.  I pushed the gate closed behind my friends.  It would fool a casual passerby, but not someone working security.  I just hoped that there were no guards on duty.  “When we find the children.”