Page 36 of Into the Fire

“Yes, they do. And what you’ve said tracks with what I was going to tell you,” Cassidy replied. “Sorren recognized the name of that book you mentioned, the Twilight Compendium. And from what he could find out, it was a grimoire, a powerful one. The compendium was around for a long time before the hotel was even built.”

It didn’t surprise Simon that the vampire brought a different perspective on the time frame.

“It was notorious for having successful versions of very risky spells. Everything from calling a demon, to opening a hell gate, to summoning ancient energies and elemental spirits and binding them to the witch’s will.”

“What happened to it, and to the witches that owned it?” Simon thought the book sounded like a perfect match to the problems at the Ocean Visions.

“There were several different stories about that,” Cassidy said. “The first version of the book appeared in the 1700s, and it was passed from one generation of witches to another through one family, and over the years the owners added to it, in spells, rituals, and stored power. It was said to not only contain rare spells, but to also help anchor and lend energy to the witch strong enough to use it.”

“Sounds like a perfect set-up for a witch war,” Simon commented.

“And you’d be right. The owners moved across Europe and to Canada, then down into what was then the colonies, the United States. Each time, there was a magical feud that most people thought was an act of nature: forest fire, hurricane, earthquake. The Mason family managed to keep control of the compendium into the 1920s, when it passed to Andrea Mason, the family’s senior practitioner and one of their most powerful witches,” Cassidy added. “Then she and the book vanished at the Ocean Visions Hotel.”

“Why would the fire spirit be afraid of Andrea and the spellbook?” Simon asked.

“No one is completely sure, but with what you’ve told me, the most likely theory is that she intended to use the grimoire to weaken, control, or expel the spirit, and it didn’t want to take any chances,” Cassidy replied.

“Regardless of whether the family wanted Andrea back, I’d think there would have been a mad hunt for the grimoire,” Simon speculated.

Cassidy laughed. “Oh, there was. Witches, mediums, mobsters, and fraudsters all put out a bounty on Andrea Mason and the compendium. They used every tool at their disposal, including quite a bit of magic, calling on the spirits, and even dowsing. No one ever claimed to have found it, and with all that power attuned to the book, others would have known.”

“What if they never left the hotel? Could they have been hidden by spells of concealment?” Simon explained Vic’s theory, and Cassidy listened with interest.

“I’d imagine that the known hotel building was thoroughly searched,” she replied. “But if there’s been a hidden chamber all these years to hold the fire ghost and another room where witches bound it, there could be other secret places, although it would take powerful magic to shield it for such a long time.”

“Could other witches have known if someone used the spells from the compendium?” Simon asked.

“Theoretically, yes. At least, they certainly believed so,” Cassidy said. “And no one ever claimed to have felt its energy signature. Even if someone had kept that knowledge close to the vest, secrets like that don’t keep, especially among psychics.”

“That was one reason the idea of it being hidden inside the hotel rang possibly true to me,” Simon replied. “It wasn’t the kind of thing that someone could change their name and move to Argentina to hide. Witches around the world would have been looking. Destroying the grimoire—if that’s even possible—would have been noticed. Madame Mason didn’t benefit from vanishing with the book if it was never used again. All of which makes me think that very old magic had to be involved to hide her and the book away.”

“But the magic-wielder didn’t benefit either if they didn’t use the spells,” Cassidy countered.

“How would we know? Maybe hiding spells is one of their abilities. Or if the book’s magic is being used as a power source, that would be a benefit that might not show up as a regular incantation,” Simon spitballed. “Someone or something physically blocked the room, but we don’t know if there’s concealment and magic-dampening spells inside to keep whatever’s hidden there from being found.”

“Good point,” Cassidy conceded.

“Or there could be another player,” Simon ventured. “We’re already thinking that there are three presences involved: the main fire spirit, a minor troublemaking spirit, and malicious ghosts. Could one of those be strong enough to sense a threat from Madam Mason and the compendium and make them disappear into another hidden room?”

“Yikes. That’s interesting. I’m going to have to think about that,” Cassidy replied. “In the meantime, I’ll keep digging. It just seems like someone must know more than they’ve admitted.”

“I can’t help wondering if there were groups aside from the usual covens who were looking for the compendium. Like the CIA or some of the even more covert organizations. We know the government considered using ghosts as spies and developing psychic powers to read minds and manipulate people,” Simon said. “The compendium and a witch of Andrea’s abilities would have been a windfall.”

“Except that would have been anathema to her,” Cassidy responded. “She would have never agreed willingly to participate. She wouldn’t have wanted to be controlled or limited or be under surveillance. And witches guard their magic and secrets jealously. Money alone wouldn’t have been enough to win her over. There’s little the government could threaten that she couldn’t counter with her magic.”

“Could the fire ghost have been powerful enough to make her and the compendium disappear and then keep them hidden?” Simon asked.

“Interesting theory. I’ll float it by my contacts.” Cassidy was quiet for a moment. “You realize how dangerous this is, don’t you, Simon? Whether it’s master witches or government warlocks, they aren’t people who are used to having anyone tell them ‘No,’ or get in their way. If they think you know something, they’ll do their best to find out, and they won’t be gentle.”

“I know. Warning taken. It would be nice if the people interested in the compendium were also focused on stopping the fire entity and putting it, or the fire salamanders it attracts, back in containment,” Simon groused. “I’d be glad to leave them to their power games if that spirit wasn’t dead set on lighting Myrtle Beach on fire. There’ve been waves of suspicious fires since it got loose, then nothing for a day or two, then more arson. The danger and loss are already a lot, but it’s just a matter of time until people get killed.”

“Sorren thinks there may be a way to enact some magical protections to limit how much damage the entity can do until you bind it again. I’ll let you know what I hear back from him,” Cassidy said.

Simon felt a wave of relief. “Yes, please. That would be a huge help. Getting it under control won’t do much good if everything else is burned to a cinder.”

“If it wanted to take a scorched earth approach in anger over being bound, it would have already done so. Have you looked at the targets? Why them and not other places? Maybe there are old links you don’t know about.”

“I’ll see what I can find,” Simon replied. “Thank you.”