Of Blood and Bone (Chronicles of The One #2)(48)

Katie had heard this song before. “Attempting to create a tropical climate within a designated space inside a mid-Atlantic climate—what could go wrong? Oh, yeah.” Katie tapped a finger to her temple as if just remembering. “Several tornadoes.”

“Really small ones,” Marlene said with a smile. “And minimal damage.”

“We lost six trees.”

“More firewood.”

“One of them fell on Holden Masterson’s garage and started a fire.”

“A really tiny fire, which Kevin put out right away. And Holden didn’t need that garage. They’ve worked out the kinks in the spell.”

Katie stared up at the ceiling. “Kinks.”

“Honey, I don’t know any more about spells and all that than you do, but Fred’s pretty high on the idea.”

“Fred’s pregnant and hormonal and wants chocolate.”

“That may be. I’m not pregnant and hormones haven’t been my problem for a long time. I want some damn chocolate. More than that. Lemons, oranges, bananas—and not the little guys they’re growing in the greenhouse. Sugarcane. Pepper—more than we’ve managed from what the group brought in from down south. Medication,” Marlene continued, ticking off items on her fingers. “Our herbalists and holistic groups are all for it.”

Kim chaired the holistic group, and no one was more sensible to Katie’s mind. But still. Tornadoes.

“And, Katie, Fred says if they can do this, they can do other climates. We could find a way to mine salt so instead of having to send people farther and farther out to scavenge for those basic needs, we’d generate our own.”

The salt stung. Salt had been a top priority on the scavenge list when Austin had died.

But as mayor she had to put that aside, handle the right now.

“I’ll take it up with the town council. I will, but I can tell you that Fred and her group are going to have to come in and make the case. Make a strong case.”

“I’ll let them know. And I should let you know they think they have a secret weapon. The twins.”

“My kids?”

“ ‘Power boosters,’ Fred said. She thinks they have enough, but she claims with Duncan and Tonia, they’ll have a better shot at making it work.”

“Has she said anything to them?”

“Katie, you know she wouldn’t without talking to you. She’s a mom, too.”

“Okay, all right.” Katie pressed her fingers to her eyes. “I need to process, and I need to talk to the council. Then we’ll talk to Fred and her group of climate wizards. God.”

“You wanted the job, Mayor.”

“Did I?” Katie gave the ceiling another wistful look. “I can’t imagine why.”

“How about I have LeRoy zap you up some of his energy tea? It ain’t a good cup of joe, but—Hey there, Arlys.”

“Hi, Marlene. Would LeRoy have enough for two cups of that tea?”

“Don’t see why not.” She pushed to her feet. “Have a chair.”

“I will, thanks. Got time for me?” Arlys asked Katie.

“Which hat are you wearing?”

Arlys smiled. “All of them.”

“It’s a shame because your hair looks fabulous.”

“Carlotta’s a genius.” Arlys gave her short, sleek brown bob—with subtle highlights of bronze—a fluff. “Plus, Fred popped in while I was in there.”

Now Katie sighed. “So you know about Project Tropics.”

“I do, and I won’t report anything on it. Yet.”

“Appreciated.” She paused as Marlene came back with two steaming mugs. “And ditto, Marlene.”

“Happy to serve. Want the door closed?”

“Do we?” Katie asked Arlys.

“If you wouldn’t mind.”

“No problem.” Marlene went out, shut the door.

Arlys didn’t waste time. “Chuck hacked into some communications. Purity Warriors. They’re planning a major raid.”

“Where?”

“An Uncanny settlement in Shenandoah National Park. From what he could tell, they’ve created a kind of commune there. Peaceful. The PWs’ intel says there are between thirty and forty of them, and they don’t have any weapons.”

“What? No weapons?”

Shifting, Arlys leaned forward. “They’ve taken some sort of vow, something—it’s not clear from the communiqué—that forbids the use of weapons, the use of magicks.”

“To harm, you mean? That’s the basic tenet—the do no harm, not even against an attack, not to protect, defend.”

“No use of magicks, period. I’m assuming religious sect, and I’m working to verify that. In any case, they’ll be defenseless. The PWs are mobilizing, and plan to move into that area by day after tomorrow. They’re going to surround the commune, and wipe it out.”

“Can our people get word to them, warn them?”

“We can try, but Chuck doesn’t think it’ll make any difference. They won’t fight back. Among the thirty to forty are approximately twelve children, including infants.”

“Okay.” After blowing out a breath, Katie pressed her fingers to her temples. “Take it to Jonah. We’ll need Will and Eddie as soon as they get back. We need Chuck to try to pinpoint the location of the commune from his intel, then we need one of the Uncannys who’s good at astral projection. Not my kids,” she said before Arlys could speak.