Hexed

Sean, God rest him, « she crossed herself at the mention of her deceased husband, » but I don’t think he’d mind if she popped out for a bit to help some souls down here goin’ through a dark patch right now. ’Twould be a mighty blessing, an’ that’s no lie. But whether she comes or no, it does me heart good to think she might and that there’s hope fer those benighted people who might find God in the kindness of her smile. Thank ye fer suggestin’ the prayer to me. «
    I took the widow’s small, spotted hand and gave it a brief squeeze. We sat together on the porch and watched the storm clouds boil in from the east until it was time for me to meet Coyote.
    » Off ye go, then, « the widow said when I made my farewell and told Oberon it was time to leave the cats alone. » Tell Mary I love her if ye see her. Oh, and Atticus me boy? «
    » Yes, Mrs. MacDonagh? «
    » Maybe ye should wear a helmet this time, « she teased me, » in case the demon wants to nibble on yer nose or something. «

Chapter 8
    Coyote was only five minutes late.
    The tires of a Ford Escape hybrid squealed as he rounded the corner. He braked sharply in front of my house, marking the pavement and sending up the smell of burned rubber. He got out of the cab and laughed. » This here is one hot ride, Mr. Druid, yessiree! « He slapped the hood a couple of times to punctuate his enthusiasm.
    » You really think so? I’d think something sportier would be more fun to drive than that. «
    » I meant hot as in ‘freshly stolen.’ Stealin’ cars is almost as fun as stealin’ horses used to be a couple centuries ago. You ready? «
    » Yep. « I held my bow, and the quiver of arrows was strapped to my back. Oberon was all set up inside with One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest on DVD. I’d promised to get him the audiobook version later so that he could appreciate the trip from inside Chief Bromden’s head. » Did you remember to bring a bow? «
    » Sure did. An’ I got me a squirt gun filled with holy water for laughs. «
    » All right, then. Mind if I drive? «
    Coyote laughed. » Sure, Mr. Druid. This is your rodeo. I can’t wait to see where you’re gonna find us some holy arrows. «
    » Arrows are right here, « I said, jerking a thumb over my shoulder at my quiver. » They’re just not holy yet. «
    Coyote laughed again. » You’re just gonna dip ’em in holy water, aren’tcha? «
    » Maybe. « I grinned to hide my irritation. » Maybe not. Wait and see. «
    Apache Boulevard wasn’t nearly as bad as Mos Eisley. After the light rail was built, developers began to reinvest in the area and relieve some of the urban blight. But there were still stretches of low-rent trailer parks and cheap stucco boxes that passed for shelter, unpaved driveways, and yards full of soiled mattresses and rusted car parts—visual cues in America that signify poverty and discord and a spiritual wasteland.
    At a few minutes after ten in the morning, all the meth addicts were asleep and there was very little for Mary to do. The people walking around Apache Boulevard at that time all had someplace to go; they all had a shred of hope in their lives. Nevertheless, there was a small knot of people crowded around her when I saw a navy-blue dress and white headband between Martin Lane and River Drive. There were even a few stray dogs and some alley cats rubbing up against her legs, as if they were gentle domestics.
    To double-check whether I was looking at a true manifestation of Mary, I activated a charm on my necklace that I call » faerie specs. « It’s a spell that shows me what’s going on in the magical and supernatural spectrum—if there’s anything more to look at than the normal collection of proteins, minerals, and water.
    » Aggh! « I squeezed my eyes and turned off the specs immediately, jerking the wheel of the Ford a bit.
    » What’s wrong, Mr. Druid? « Coyote asked.
    I blinked and saw spots. » That’s definitely the Virgin. Bright white light. « I turned the Ford into the first driveway I saw and put it in park. It was the entrance to a decrepit trailer park, covered in gravel and broken glass. Nothing grew there but misery and despair, the people living there cut off from nature and walking the world unbound from it.
    Coyote and I got out, and I retrieved my quiver of arrows from the cargo area. As we approached, Mary was blessing a large Latino man dressed like a tough guy—a vato loco would be the slang term. He wore a blue