The Dolls(31)

They join hands again, and this time, while their chanting is louder, I can’t understand most of the words.

“Fantom nan sot pase a, tande sa pledwaye nou an,” they say together. “Move lespri a sot pase a, tande sa pledwaye nou an.”

There’s a sudden chill in the air, like the temperature has dropped twenty degrees. I shiver and begin to back away slowly, but I stop in my tracks when I hear them say a familiar name—Justin Cooper. I also hear them chant the name of a guy I don’t know, someone named Beau Fontenot. I squint into the darkness to see what they’re doing, and my eyes widen when I see each of the girls holding up a small rag doll.

They throw the dolls into the shallow hole, then kneel on the ground and smooth dirt back over the open space. When the ground is flat and the dolls have been buried, each of them spits on the earth. Once they’re standing again, Peregrine begins to chant: “Dandelion and mojo beans, sandalwood and lemon balm, we draw your power. Spirits, open the gates of Carrefour on Saturday night.” She holds up a handful of herbs to the sky, then she drops them on the ground, reaches for the stone that dangles around her neck, and joins hands with the others.

I hear them say twice in unison something that sounds like “Mesi, zanset.” But before they can say the words a third time, Chloe pulls away.

“We can’t do this,” she says. “It’s wrong.”

Peregrine rolls her eyes and tries to grab Chloe’s hand. “Oh come on, goody-two-shoes,” she says. “You don’t have a problem when we’re making boys fall in love with you, but now you don’t want to complete my charm?”

Goose bumps prickle up and down my arms as I try to process what they’re saying.

“This is different,” Chloe says in a small voice. “Especially after Glory . . .”

Peregrine laughs, and the sound cuts through the still night air like a knife. “Glory’s death had nothing to do with this.”

“But don’t you think we should be trying to figure out what happened to her instead of playing?” Chloe asks.

“You don’t think I’m doing that?” Peregrine demands. “I’m exhausted. There’s no harm in creating a teeny, tiny exception to the protection charm so that we can have a little fun as a reward for all our hard work.”

“I just really, really don’t think it’s a good idea,” Chloe replies.

Peregrine’s eyes narrow, and she says, “Well, I didn’t think it was a good idea to cast a charm on Hazel Arceneaux when she tried to hit on Justin, did I? But I did it because it was important to you.”

“That’s different,” Chloe mumbles. “Justin’s my soul mate.”

“You’re being a hypocrite,” Peregrine says calmly. “Now are you in, or am I going to have to throw this party all by myself?”

I wait for Chloe to fight back, but instead she says something under her breath, grabs the hands of Peregrine and Pascal, and says along with them in a low voice, “Mesi, zanset.”

“There,” Peregrine says, dropping Chloe’s hand. “Was that so bad?”

“I hate you sometimes,” Chloe says, but I can see a small smile on her face, and Peregrine begins to laugh.

Pascal is watching them with his arms crossed over his chest. “Are you sure it worked?”

Peregrine glares at him.

“I was really looking forward to the idea of hot sorority girls arriving on our doorstep like pizza delivery,” he says. “But usually we can feel it if a charm works, and I didn’t feel a damned thing this time.”

“Me neither,” Chloe agrees. She hesitates and adds in a small voice. “Maybe we’re running out of power.”

“You two are so tiresome.” Peregrine sighs.

“Don’t you think it’s maybe time we get Eveny involved?” Chloe asks.

What the . . .

“It’s not like we have a choice,” Peregrine mutters.

“So we’ll talk to her tomorrow?” Chloe asks.

“You better hope you’re right about her,” Pascal says, “or everything goes to hell around here.”

Without waiting for a reply, he stomps off into the darkness, away from where I’m standing.

“I don’t think she knows anything yet,” Chloe says stiffly after the sound of his footsteps has faded. “At all.”

Peregrine makes a noise. “Well, her hippie aunt is completely senseless. What do you expect?”

Chloe kicks at the dirt. “I don’t know. In a way, it must have been kind of nice to have a normal life all these years, don’t you think?”