“But it could have been from any plantation,” said Trak. “This person could have been on any one of the properties.”
“Always have to ruin the moment, don’t you,” frowned Miller. Trak just shrugged. “Hey. What about asking your grandfather? He was a shaman, a medicine man of sorts. What if he could feel it or know who it might be?”
“It’s possible,” said Trak. “I’m headed back now. I’ll have a conversation with him.”
“Alright, let’s see if we can find any information about this. I don’t condone what Hampton is doing, but if he’s trulygoing mad because of the voices, alleged hauntings, then I can understand his desperation,” said Nine.
“Miss Ruby? Mama? Promise me you won’t mess with any of this magic or voodoo? Y’all could get hurt,” said Gaspar.
“I’m happy you’re worried about us,” laughed Ruby, “but if you haven’t figured it out yet, your mama and me can take care of ourselves. Ain’t no magic, voodoo, or shadow that can hurt us.”
Gaspar and the others stared at the two women. They were as different as two people could be. One tiny, white-haired, and short. The other tall, full-figured, robust, some might say, and as dark as chocolate.
“Why is that?” asked Antoine.
“Why is what, baby?” smirked Irene.
“Why is it that the two of you can’t be harmed? What sort of charm or spell is protecting the two of you?” he grinned.
Irene chuckled, turning to head back up to her perch in the tree. Ruby just laughed, patting his cheek.
“Oh, baby, you ain’t old enough for that information yet.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
“Grandfather, have you felt a spirit near that might be holding dark magic?” asked Trak.
Nathan stared at his grandson. They spoke daily about many things, but rarely about anything to do with magic. Trak held some of the magic that he’d taught him, and had magic of his own that he didn’t speak of, but he never outright asked about it.
“I feel many spirits in this area. Louisiana, New Orleans, especially, has had many men and women who understood magic and how to make the earth their own.”
“Grandfather, I don’t know what that means. The spirit we are trying to help, he was hanged in the Square in the city. His plantation owner was cruel beyond imagination. We think that it’s possible that someone placed a spell on his family, cursing them for what they’d done.”
Nathan nodded his head, closing his eyes. Trak didn’t interrupt the moment of contemplation. He knew better. Whatever his grandfather was seeing was important.
Suddenly, Martha appeared, gripping Nathan’s shoulder.
“What are you doing? Why are you thinking of those people?” she asked. Nathan stared at her as Trak frowned.
“You knew who he was thinking of?” asked Trak.
“He doesn’t know who he is thinking of,” said Martha. “He could feel them. Don’t bring that evil here.”
“Miss Martha,” said Trak, “there is a young man, a former slave whose spirit is held captive in the Square. We believe that this man, Hamp-“
“Stop! Do not say his name here.”
“Martha, he would have been dead by the time you were running Belle Fleur,” said Nathan.
“He was, but his son was not. He tried to court me, tried to get our land to merge, and I refused him. I knew the stories of his father, and his stories weren’t much better. I bought more than fifty people from him, most of whom I got to the North so they would never have to face a man like him again.”
“I bet that angered him,” frowned Trak.
“More than you could possibly imagine. He was one of the men that tried to accuse me of witchcraft and voodoo. I had too many people that knew me well enough to know that was a lie, but he was determined to ruin my reputation.”
“We knew that the family was evil,” said Trak, careful not to say the family name. “What we need to know is if there was anyone capable of placing a curse on the family?”
“Pfft!” scoffed Martha. “Hundreds. Thousands! No one liked them and what they did. I believe his granddaughter was committed to an asylum.”
