Free Hexed by Kevin Hearne

didn’t want to do it, I placed a call to North Carolina, dialing a number Granuaile had given me when she returned from there last week. It was the number of Laksha Kulasekaran, an Indian witch who now went by the name of Selai Chamkanni. The name change was necessary because Laksha’s spirit now inhabited the body of Selai, a Pashtun immigrant from Pakistan who had been in a coma for a year after an auto accident. Since Selai had already become an American citizen years ago and had convenient documents and bank accounts already in place—and, more importantly, no desire to awaken from her coma—Laksha slipped out of Granuaile’s head and into Selai’s, thereby acquiring such accoutrements as a house and a husband.
    The husband was foremost in Laksha’s mind when I asked how she was adjusting to her new life.
    » He is disturbed that I emerged from a coma with a strange accent and a new sense of independence but so thrilled that I seem to have lost all sexual inhibitions that he’s willing to overlook my disrespect. «
    » Men are so predictable, are they not? « I grinned into the phone.
    » For the most part. You have managed to surprise me so far, « she replied.
    » I’d like to invite you back to Arizona for a short while. «
    » See? That is most surprising. «
    » Killing Radomila and half her coven has left something of a power vacuum in the area, and some undesirable things are rushing in to fill it. I could use your help, Selai. «
    » Please, when we are in private, continue to call me Laksha. What kind of undesirables are you dealing with? «
    » Bacchants. «
    » Real Bacchants? « Her voice sharpened. » Genuine maenads from the Old World? «
    » They’re coming here by way of Las Vegas, but, yes, they are that kind. «
    » Ah, then that sword of yours will be of no use against them. «
    » Right, « I agreed. » Could you catch a plane out here? I will pay for it. «
    » You will pay for much more than the plane, « Laksha said. » You want me to bring karma to these Bacchants, am I correct? «
    » Yes, « I admitted. » My old archdruid would have said the only good Bacchant is a dead Bacchant. «
    » But by doing so I will increase my bad karma, and I have a dire karmic debt as it is. You will owe me a great service in return. «
    » I can pay you a significant sum of money. «
    » I do not speak of money. I will require a service of you, as you are requiring a service of me. «
    » What kind of service? «
    » The sort that you can perform and I cannot. I will call you from the airport when I arrive and explain then. It will probably be late in the afternoon or the evening by the time I get there. «
    » That’s fine. I will look forward to seeing you, Laksha. «
    I tried to think of what service a scary body-snatching witch might require of me, but after a few seconds I dismissed it as idle speculation when I had other things to do. I called my apprentice to give her instructions for the morning.
    » Atticus? Are you all right? « she asked when I called her. » You kind of worried me last night. «
    » Sorry about that, « I said, blushing in embarrassment and glad she could not see. » I was demented after fending off a demon attack. I’m going out to kill another one—a big one—with Coyote, but I should be back after lunch. Couple things I need you to do. Got a pen? «
    Granuaile snagged something to write with and took down Malina’s name and address for the yarrow delivery. » Don’t go yourself; make sure it’s a courier. « I didn’t want my apprentice unwittingly delivering her hair into one of Malina’s glass jars. » Then have Perry show you where we keep the applications—I need to hire some more help. Thumb through those, make some calls, and line up a few interviews for later this afternoon. If they’re still unemployed, they should be available. «
    » You seriously need more help? It’s been dead in here. «
    » I’m going to be gone more often. That dead patch of land