Leo ran a hand along herself in fine show model form. "You couldn't handle this much woman."
"A little goes a long way," I teased, alluding to her height.
"So I've been told on many an occasion." She winked lewdly at me.
11AM came and went.
As did 11:10, 11:20, and 11:30.
I placed my cup in the sink. "She's not phoning."
"We'll try again tomorrow. Come on," Leo hooked her arm in mine. "I'll walk you out. I need to check my mailbox." We'd said our schmugs, and I had the front door to the building open when Leo called me back. She held a letter up. "It's for you."
There was no return address and the postmark was smudged. We ran back to her apartment and I tore it open. A faint hint of cigarette smoke clung to it like perfume.
Dear Nava,
If the cancer hasn't killed me, you can be sure the Brotherhood won't. It'll take more than some mutant fiend to rid them of me. I promised you the ritual, and you'll have it, but first: remember that Vashar amulet I gave you?
I stopped reading aloud. "Vashar. That's what the gogota kept saying when it attacked me. Why the amulet?"
Leo jogged my elbow to get me to resume reading.
It's a powerful artifact. In fact, it's the only thing capable of stopping a …
I trailed off as I read the next word.
"I get if you don't want to share that with me." Leo didn't look perturbed.
There were so many reasons to keep this information from her. She wasn't Rasha. She was a half-goblin. This information could seriously harm the Brotherhood if it got out to the demon world. It would get me killed if I was seen as the source of the leak. There was only one reason to tell her. After Ari and Rohan, Leo was the person I trusted most with my life. I kept reading aloud.
… stopping a Rasha induction. Use the amulet during a traditional ceremony and it sucks the magic into itself.
Leo whistled.
The Brotherhood knows you have it. They also know that you've been causing trouble for Isaac, insisting that there is no point in testing your brother further. That you are the only rightful Rasha in your family.
"Isaac?" Leo asked.
"Rabbi Abrams."
"That's ballsy of them. Make the Brotherhood think you're a whiny, petty bitch, which they're probably inclined to think anyway. Then you team up with a witch who gives you an amulet capable of stopping Rashas from being made."
"Yup." I squinted at the postmark again but its point of origin remained a mystery. "When Ari proves to be Rasha, the Brotherhood will believe it happened via the usual ceremony and if I'm not happy about it, that will make them very happy."
I'd have to turn the amulet over to Rabbi Abrams, but I could have kissed Dr. Gelman and her devious mind. The gogota wasn't sent to kill me because of the secret ritual. It was sent to kill me for the Vashar. Well, I'd be handing over the amulet soon. Eliminating one strike against me. I might live awhile after all. Even better, Ari was safe. I was the bad guy in this situation.
The rest of the letter detailed the ritual. How to prepare for it, what to say, how to use the vials of water and dirt that I'd brought back from Prague. The rabbi would have no problem following it.
Final item and I can't stress its importance enough. You must be the one to perform this ritual. The fact that the first ceremony to determine initiate status was never performed on you, combined with your Rasha essence asserting itself during Ari's induction has caused any division between you and your twin to disappear in this matter. This ceremony will separate you both as it inducts your brother. It is simple to follow, but know this. If the ceremony fails –
"It'll kill me?! What the fuck?" I glared at the letter but there was no "Psych! Kidding!"
Leo squeezed my shoulder.
I realize this may not seem different from Brotherhood actions, but there is a difference. If this works, and I believe it will, then you and Ari will both have magic with no harm done. But more importantly, now it's your choice. For once, you should be the deciding factor in your fate.
She'd underlined "your choice" twice. The letter ended with Gelman wryly admitting that should I live, she expected to see me live and in person to yell at her. We'd also discuss that other matter at that time.
"What other matter?" Leo shook out the envelope but there was nothing else in it.
"I might have more magic tricks than previously assumed," I said.
"The force is strong in you?"
"Apparently." I peered into my mug as if more caffeine might magically appear. Or rum.
Leo tucked her legs under her on the couch. "Are you gonna go through with it?"
"Do I have a choice?'
"D'uh. She didn't say you'd die if you did nothing."