Sneak Peek for Blood Debts by Terry J. Benton-Walker

Author:Terry J. Benton-Walker
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tor Publishing Group

FOUR

CRISTINA

The late-afternoon air in the French Quarter smells like cigar smoke mingled with the scent of seafood frying in a nearby restaurant. Trolley bells ring a couple of streets over, the sound bounding across rooftops of the pastel-colored historic buildings. It feels sinister that the world outside continues trundling along while my universe was almost upended for a second time just this morning.

Despite the short walk from the car, my shirt sticks to my back with sweat by the time Clem and I arrive at Ursula’s bar. It’s an expansive corner unit with a plain brick front and an umbrella-lined balcony upstairs. A hand-painted sign that reads THE WISHING WELL hangs above the front door.

I try not to look, but my eyes stray to the place that birthed most of my guilt and pain. This July—next month—will be the first anniversary of Dad’s death, which happened across the street at Spirits of Nola.

He’d gone out with friends and ended up at that bar. He usually frequented the Wishing Well, so it was always strange they chose to go somewhere else that night. The bartender said that after several drinks Dad had slumped in his seat, let out a muffled groan for help, and fallen to the floor. The coroner said Dad had died of a heart attack. But I’m the only one who knows what really happened.

The Scales of Justice took him.

When I first read the disclaimer scrawled across the top of the page in my great-grandma Angeline’s elaborate script, I was certain it didn’t apply to me. I went to bed confident I’d finally deflected some of Valentina’s malice back at her. But instead, I woke the next morning to discover that Dad had died overnight while Valentina continued to thrive. There was only one explanation.

I must’ve scoured that entire spell a thousand times, searching for a loophole. Something. Anything that would remit me of the responsibility for Dad’s death—and the guilt.

I will never forget those cryptic words that I wished to the gods I’d heeded.

Warning to the conjurer who seeks to tip the Scales of Justice:

The fortunes of two individuals may ever be weighed.

If the conjurer feels an enemy has unfairly shifted their fortune, this spell will tip the Scales back into the conjurer’s favor, thus restoring justice.

But woe be to the conjurer who misjudges their fortune, for this spell will irrevocably tip the Scales out of their favor.

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