But Jesse made no move to stand. “Why keep that a secret?” he asked. “What’s the big deal?”
Kirsten took a long sip of coffee, like she was delaying. Her eyes jumped between Jesse and me. “Because of nulls,” she said finally, and I straightened up in surprise.
“Me? What did I do?”
“Not just you, all nulls. Witches have worked to keep such artifacts away from you, because their power is only borrowed.”
“I’m sorry, I don’t get it,” Jesse said.
Kirsten nodded like she was expecting that and got up. “Watch.”
She looked around for a moment and then stepped across the kitchen and out of my radius. Picking up a small saltshaker, she held it against her mouth and whispered something. Holding her hand flat again, the little saltshaker began to rock back and forth on its edges, like it was trying to walk. “Holy crap!” Jesse said, then bit his lip. I elbowed him. “Sorry,” he added. Ignoring us, Kirsten took a few steps toward me, the little shaker still rocking. I felt it when she entered my radius; even felt the tiny zing of the active spell shorting out, like a fly crashing into a bug zapper. The saltshaker stilled in Kirsten’s hand. Meeting my eyes, Kirsten took a few steps backward, out of my radius. The saltshaker remained still.
“When I come close to Scarlett, my abilities vanish, but when I walk away again they return to me, because the power to manipulate magic comes from me. That’s what being a witch means. The saltshaker has no power of its own, so when I walk away again it’s still dead.” She shrugged. “This is just a tiny little spell, but real artifacts take years to build, sometimes using the power of an entire coven. And a null can take that away in one second.”
“You’re saying that I can undo magical objects,” I stated. “Permanently.”
“Yes. It’s happened before. The emerald table in Ireland, Stonehenge.”
“Stonehenge?” Jesse said incredulously. “Nulls neutralized Stonehenge?”
“Yes. It was too big to move or hide, and it was really only a matter of time before a null showed up. It might even have been accidental.”
I realized then that she’d been politely answering Jesse’s questions this whole time. And at the meeting the night before, she had ceased shooting her death-ray glare his way too. Maybe that was just because she was more pissed at Dashiell, but was it my imagination, or was she softening toward Jesse? “That’s why you don’t tell nulls about magical objects?” I asked, trying to keep that line of thought off my face.
“Yes. There are only a handful of artifacts left in the world that have dangerous power. Some witches believe we should expose all of them to nulls, for the safety of the world. Others believe those objects are part of our history and should be preserved.” She shrugged. “Both sides have a point.”
“Now explain the part where this connects to the witch murders,” Jesse prompted.
“In the car,” Kirsten promised him.
“Why can’t I come?” I asked, trying really hard not to sound like a whiny kid sister.
“Because,” Kirsten said gravely, “there was more than one magical object hidden at Beth Israel. I can’t let you get anywhere near the temple without compromising thousands of years of magical history.”
“Oh,” I said. “That.”
“But I’m supposed to be keeping an eye on Scarlett,” Jesse objected. “In case Olivia’s witch pal tries something during the day.”
“Right.” Kirsten frowned. “I’m sorry, I forgot for a moment. Okay, both of you get your things. I’m going to make a couple of calls, and I’ll meet you out front.”
She picked up her coffee and glided back toward the front door before Jesse and I could do more than gape at each other.
Jesse filled Max’s food and water bowls while I jerked a brush through my damp hair and rolled it into a bun. We grabbed our jackets and headed outside, where Kirsten was off the phone and waiting for us. “We’ll drop Scarlett off somewhere safe,” she announced.
“Can’t I just go to Hair of the Dog?” I asked with perhaps a little bit of whining in my voice. I was still angry with Eli, but at least he was a knowable factor, unlike whatever hidey-hole Kirsten was going to stick me in. I could hang out with Caroline or something.
She shook her head. “I did try Eli first. There was a big fight at Will’s bar last night, among the wolves. No one was killed, but I gather there’s quite a bit of blood to clean up. Besides, Hair of the Dog is too obviously a place where you might be found.”
Don’t worry, we’re going someplace very safe.” I saw Jesse open his mouth, and she held up a hand to silence him. “Somewhere Dashiell-approved,” she added, with a twinkle in her eye. I was very suspicious of that twinkle, but she was giving off a definite don’t-ask-questions vibe, so I decided to let it play out. One hidey-hole was pretty much as good as the next, right?
After a moment’s discussion, Kirsten persuaded Jesse to drive us in his car so they could use the flashing light on their way down to San Diego. She told him to go toward the 101, and I slumped back in the low car, trying to balance my coffee and missing the White Whale, which was still parked in the garage next to Molly’s house. I had gotten used to riding upright, and Jesse’s stupid sedan felt like a tilted bed.