“She’s undoing all of our hard work,” Ulrika spat.
“Silence, you two.” Marie grunted, turning around. “Iolanthe, get them out of here. Leave me with this man and his sister.”
“I don’t want you thinkin’ you can order me ‘round in my own home, Marie,” Iolanthe growled.
“Get out!” Marie shouted.
Iolanthe frowned. “I’ll leave,” she hissed, “but only because I’ve other responsibilities.” She tugged on Ulrika’s arm. “You and me need to have a little talk.”
“I’m not leaving.” Ulrika shook her head. “Neither is Arthur.”
“I think you’d better,” Iolanthe smiled grimly. “You offered me a partnership earlier. I might just have a mind to take you up on it.”
“Really?” Ulrika grinned, “how delightful.”
Arthur narrowed his eyes at Barbara Allen who met his gaze with an icy look of contempt.
“You’re nothin’ but a disappointment, Pet.” Arthur said plainly to his wife.
“You reap what you sow.” Barbara responded.
Mr. Punch howled in pain again.
As Iolanthe, Arthur and Ulrika left the room, Marie grabbed Barbara Allen’s hand. “You’ve done well to join me, girl. Now, share your strength with me so that we might revive this man.”
“I’ve very little strength to share.” Barbara said.
“You’re stronger than you think.” Marie nodded. “Tell me who this is so that I might know him and save him. He’s not what he seems. There are two spirits here—maybe more.”
“My brother is…different.” Barbara said softly.
“We must rid him of the extra force which clouds his spirit.” Marie said. “Otherwise, he won’t’ have the strength to survive.”
“You’re wrong.” Punch moaned. “Leave us alone!”
“Julian, would you rather die?” Barbara asked frantically.
“Yes!” Punch shouted. For a moment, it seemed to Barbara as if the sound which came from her brother’s chest was two voices instead of one—a chorus of certainty.
Marie and Barbara looked at one another in wonderment.
“There’s something in this man that I’ve never known before.” Marie whispered.
“Yes, there is!” A voice said from behind them. “Leave him.”
Barbara and Marie Laveau turned to see the plump silhouette of a woman in the doorway. She stepped into the dim light and seemed to glow from within—casting an amber light over Punch, Barbara and Marie.
The two women squinted at the figure, and, then, Barbara realized she’d seen the woman before.
“I done tol’ ya to leave the man.” Marjani said firmly.
“I know you,” Marie smiled. “I’ve heard rumblings of you, but I never thought I’d see you.”
“Step aside, Marie Laveau.” Marjani bellowed. “We don’t want none of your tainted magic here.”
Marie laughed. “You’re a bold one, ain’t ya?”
“You got no idea.” Marjani growled. “Leave that man alone.”
Marie backed away from Julian’s body, pulling Barbara by her arm.
“My brother is dying!” Barbara cried.
“I’ll look after him like he done looked after me,” Marjani said softly. “Girl, you got your own worries. Now you done sold yourself to two wicked women. They’re gonna eat ya alive—both of ‘em.”
Marjani strode forward and with a strength that she didn’t know she had, she picked up Julian from the floor and carried him toward the door.
“God bless ya, Lady Barbara. For all the evil you done, you don’t deserve what you’re ‘bout to get.” Marjani said as she carried Mr. Punch from the house.
Marie and Barbara stood over the pool of Julian’s blood that had been left on the floor and watched Marjani leave with Punch.
“You’ll come with me now,” Marie smiled at Barbara Allen. “You’re gonna help me put Iolanthe Evangeline deep in the ground.”
Meanwhile, Marjani carried Julian farther and farther from Iolanthe’s house. She didn’t strain, struggle or sweat despite the fact that the man’s body should have weighed her down.
The cold air stung the wound in Julian’s chest and Mr. Punch howled.
“Don’t fret, Great Man of the Rocks,” Marjani whispered. “Marjani’s got ya.”
“How’d you know?” Mr. Punch groaned.
“I jus’ knew.” Marjani smiled.
“Where are you takin’ me?” Mr. Punch asked.
“To the Holy Mother.” Marjani said.
Meanwhile, as Robert, Adrienne and Cecil hurried from the waxworks toward Iolanthe’s house, Robert stopped short and clutched his head in his hands.
“What is it, old man?” Cecil asked, gently patting his brother on the back.
“I don’t know.” Robert wheezed.
“We don’t have a minute to spare!” Adrienne said frantically. “We’ve got to get to Iolanthe’s. God knows what she’s done with him.”
“He’s not there.” Robert said slowly.
“Of course he is!” Cecil argued. “Where else would Iolanthe and that other witch have gone? Especially after the humiliation she just suffered!”
“No.” Robert shook his head. “St. Louis.” He muttered. “Julian’s at the cathedral.”
Did you miss Chapters 1-154? If so, you can read them here.
5 comments:
I was hoping that there'd be some deus ex machina. How wonderful that it was Margani. Clever.
It's magnificent to see Good brush away Evil that way. Iolanthe is powerful enough for Marie not to destroy her and Marie Laveau still reigns over New Orleans. I absolutely agree with Book Gurl.
I appreciate that, Dashwood. Good does triumph over evil every so often. The kindness that they've shown to Marjani has been returned to them.
I'm so glad you had Marjani come to save Mr. Punch/Juilian. I love the way she stood up to Marie Laveau.
Thanks, Darcy. Marjani saved them from a difficult decision between Punch and Julian. Marie (and Iolanthe) may have met their match.
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