Free Avenge by Sarah M. Ross

information or
people willing to help. I’m surprised y’all don’t use them
yourself.”
    It made perfect sense. I couldn’t
believe none of us had thought of it before. James, seeing the
question on my face, explained. “Many of our Patroni are a little
more old fashioned and don’t always see the benefit of change. I’m
working on that.” He turned back to Sadie Ann. “Have your sources
given you any specifics on the coven?”
    “ Only that they’re large.
One of the largest we’ve ever seen as a matter of fact. I know this
may take several days, so I’ve arranged a few guest rooms for you.
Why don’t you go put your stuff down and meet me back here in say a
half hour? Louis here will take you to the quarters.”
    A very distinguishably handsome man in
his fifties with dark, ebony skin and a bright smile walked over.
“Welcome to our Parish. I’m Louis Boudoux, the New Member
Orientation Councilor for Louisiana.”
    “ Oh wow, I didn’t know
Patronus had those. It could have come in handy my first few
weeks.”
    Max leaned over and took my overnight
bag and placed his hand into mine. “We do have them. I convinced
James that you didn’t need one and that we—and by ‘we’ I mean
me—could train you ourselves. I didn’t want to leave you that long.
Usually, new recruits are sent for weeks of training in all aspects
of becoming a Patronus. Kinda like boot camp, but less
brutal.”
    Louis smiled and nodded. “Your beau
there is correct. Though I’m surprised they granted such an
exception. You must really be sumptin’ special.”
    Max squeezed my middle, causing me to
squirm under the uncomfortable spotlight and turn a few shades of
red. Everyone had heard that the “original souls” found their way
back to each other, but few on other realms actually knew who we
were.
    I needed to change the subject away
from me. “Louis, this place is beautiful. I’ve never seen anything
like it. It’s nothing like our realm. Ours reminds me of a college
campus.”
    “ No ma’am, I suppose it’s
not. Each realm is unique to the area in which it resides. This
here is a replication of a turn of the century plantation home.” He
motioned toward one of the stately homes closest to him. “We have a
total of twenty on our grounds, all slightly different. I’d say
that it’s been recently remodeled, but that was over 100 years
now.”
    I looked around at the expansive
grounds, littered in giant oak trees covered in Spanish moss that
people lounged under. Beautiful large houses with giant white
pillars and wrap around verandas with rocking chairs were all
around me. It was so peaceful, it was no surprise several people
were napping. “I love it.”
    “ This one here,” he said,
pointing to one of the smaller houses with a sunny yellow façade
trimmed in black with big, black shudders on each of the outside
windows, “is modeled after the famous Houmas Plantation where I
served as cook for the masters of the house during my
lifetime.”
    “ You were a slave?” Cassie
asked. She was such an advocate for equal rights during her human
life, I could imagine the things that she might say about the
slavery that occurred in this area. Her eyebrows were already
raised and she was balling her fists.
    “ Yess’um. I was born into
slavery and was so until I was whipped to death in 1857 for trying
to help my wife and son escape. Since then, I’ve happily been a
Patronus and helped other souls escape a doomed destiny. I think
it’s kinda poetic that I am doin’ now what I died for. But, I’m
happy about it. I wouldn’t have changed nuthin.”
    I didn’t have any reply to that and
was glad when he stopped walking. “Here we are, the guest quarters.
We have reserved four rooms for you. Ladies, you’ll be sharing the
master suite since there are three of you. Gentleman, you’ll be
doubling up in rooms two, three, and four. I hope you don’t mind
bunk beds.”
    I resisted the urge to pout that I
didn’t get a