Voodoo Queens of New Orleans - Vol. I | ✓

Chapter 61: Settling In

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I waited in the living room of Sajida's treehouse. Sasi One had directed me to a chair once I had come up the ladder; Sajida wasn't present.

"Mere will be down shortly," she said to me, her skin even more sickly looking than before and her teeth seemingly moments away from falling out due to rot and decay. "Would you like a beverage? Perhaps a cup of tea? Water?"

I nodded, "Water would be nice."

Sasi One smiled even wider. "Be right back!" she said, pivoting and sashaying down a hallway to the kitchen. I sat alone with my backpack on my lap, looking around at my surroundings. The treehouse wasn't as frightening to me as it was before, and neither was the bayou. The journey here felt like a normality. Maybe it was because the sun was out, leaving nothing to lurk too deep in the shadows. The Gatekeeper had again helped me onto the canoe and helped me onto the dock, and upon knocking on the door, I was welcomed to the triplets—Sasi One, Sasi Two, and Sasi Three—ecstatic at my presence. All of this didn't seem out of the ordinary. At this time, I felt like the bayou could become part of me if I let it.

Sasi one had come back with a glass filled with water. I thanked her, taking the glass from her but not drinking any; I had water in my canteen. I only asked for water to be polite and make Sasi One happy.

Sasi One sat in a chair across from me, combing her straggly hair with her fingers. I heard the two other sisters somewhere upstairs speaking to someone. It sounded like the third voice was Sajida's.

"When did you break your glasses?" Sasi suddenly asked me, pointing at the hinge of the temple that was held together with tape.

I adjusted them self-consciously. "Oh. A couple of weeks ago. I just haven't had the time to get them fixed or buy new ones."

Sasi squirmed with excitement. "You know, my beautiful mere can make you see without glasses. She is all powerful; you would never need glasses again!"

I smiled, "You're right, she is very powerful."

"All you need to do is ask." Sasi One's eyes sparkled like she had seen this wonder more than once; like she had a secret she wouldn't tell me.

A creak in the stairs brought our attention to Sajida, who was descending the stairs into the living room. She was wearing the same tattered dress she wore when I first met her, but this time, it enchanted me.

When her bare feet stepped off the last step, she smiled at me like she knew I would be coming. I swallowed hard and stood up, returning her smile.

"So, you came." Her arms crossed over her chest. "I can sense it on you. Something happened."

She was right. Something did happen; I was surprised she wasn't aware of it already. Or maybe she was, but she wanted me to tell her the story. Either way, she nodded upstairs, and I followed her up the path that she had come down. The triplets followed us with their eyes as we entered Sajida's study, and when she closed the door, the last thing I saw was three sets of white eyes staring at me before the door closed shut.

Sajida seemed to sway to her desk. The charms and hanging trinkets danced like she did—softly, elegantly; sentient.

I walked over to sit on the couch across from her desk, finding it in myself to get a little more comfortable in the cushions. Sajida sat on the edge of the desk, crossing her legs and bouncing her feet as she looked at me. Her face was dripping with "I told you so." Saturated, practically oozing, with it. But I couldn't hate the fact that she was right.

Her bright green eyes seemed to bore deep into my soul. "It wasn't no trouble getting down here on your own?"

I shook my head. "I know the way pretty well."