It was her turn to frown. “Nothing is right about any of his rituals. He changes them to suit him and you just can’t do that. I would have to say he’s never had a teacher, at least that’s my best guess. Where I might use water, he had blood. He has a sacrifice. I’d use an apple, he has an actual heart.”

“He’s bastardizin’ actual rituals,” Remy asked, trying to understand.

“Yes. Exactly. But he’s also mixing them up, which makes me think he’s just getting everything out of a book. The hanging man’s hand must be cut off while the victim is still hanging, but then it’s dried over a fire. If he truly knew what he was doing, he could eventually create a handyman as it were to carry out his orders. He did tie candles to the fingers, which, if you didn’t dip the hand in oil ahead of time to use as candles, then you’d do it that way.”

“I’m particularly interested in the string with the knots.”

Something in Remy’s voice, although he sounded very casual, maybe too casual, centered Bijou’s attention on the answer. Whatever that string meant, Remy considered important.

Eulalie nodded. “Ah, yes, that is a definite misfit of a ritual in the middle of all this. The seven knots in the string can be used to bind a woman or man to you, to ask for them to love you, but the string should be put under your pillow, not into a bowl of blood. He turned the string red using the blood, but it isn’t the same thing. The candle is thrown into running water. And there were no symbols on the ground anywhere. No protections. No god or deity or even a demon he’s distinctly calling on. Nothing at all to say what he’s doing. Remy, these rituals are sacred. We don’t abuse them and we don’t dare make mistakes. You don’t play around with this.”

“Thanks, Eulalie,” Remy said. “Can I call you on your cell if I need to discuss more with you?”

“Of course. I’ll help in any way I can,” she assured. “Why was the string so important?”

“Because he’s never done it before,” Remy said.

Chapter 5

5

IN the dark of Saria’s kitchen, Remy paced restlessly back and forth. He was silent, not making a sound as he moved across the tiled floor. His leopard was riding him hard and he knew he had to let the animal out for a run, but there was danger if what he suspected was true.