65: Chapter 65 The Supreme Witch's Troubles

It seemed that before Cordelia became the Supreme Witch, she really wasn't that capable.

Shaun asked, "What about Fiona?"

Cordelia gave a bitter smile. "My mother is the Supreme Witch. Her power is stronger than mine. If she took action, she could indeed help, but she..."

Cordelia didn't finish her sentence.

But Shaun understood.

Fiona Goode only cared about her own lifespan, her own power, and her own treasure.

She wouldn't bother with something like this.

Hmm...

Maybe...

Then again, the version of her cooperating with him now might be different!

But that wasn't certain either, so Shaun asked, "Then what should I do?"

Cordelia walked back and sat down across from him.

She looked into his eyes with a serious expression. "Shaun, the power within you is greater than you think. You used telekinesis to block it today and failed, not because you aren't strong enough, but because you aren't skilled yet. You need to practice."

Practice telekinesis?

This was truly something Shaun had never considered.

Shaun was stunned for a moment. "Practice?"

"Yes!" Cordelia affirmed. "Since you can use your telekinesis, you can practice it. It's like a muscle; the more you use it, the stronger it gets."

"That kind of power is precious," Cordelia said. "Since you've obtained it, you can't just rely on instinct. You need to practice!"

Shaun didn't say anything.

He felt that practicing telekinesis was a good idea, but the problem was that distant water couldn't quench a present thirst. This matter... he still had to ask the Supreme Witch.

...

Shaun left Cordelia's study and walked along the corridor toward the hall.

The wall lamps were lit, casting shifting shadows on the ancient oil paintings on the walls.

Cordelia's words were still spinning in his head...

An evil spirit or a demon. Whichever it was, it would return.

He was wondering whether to go find Fiona Goode.

That Old Hag had lived for over three hundred years; there was nothing in New Orleans she didn't know.

If something was hiding in the cathedral, she should know.

But Shaun still hesitated about whether to see her.

Just as he was thinking, the sound of high heels clicking on the floor came from the end of the corridor—unhurried, each step steady.

Shaun stopped in his tracks.

The sound drew closer, and a figure turned the corner.

A dark red gown, blonde hair tied back, and the ruby necklace around her neck glinted with a dull light under the lamps.

Fiona Goode leaned against the corridor wall, arms crossed, looking at him.

"I heard you were here."

Fiona Goode's tone was as casual as if she were greeting a neighbor.

Shaun stood where he was and said, "I was asking Cordelia about something."

Fiona smiled. "Finished asking?"

Shaun nodded quickly. "Yes, I'm finished."

Fiona nodded but didn't move.

She looked at Shaun, her eyes bottomless in the dim light of the corridor. "How is your investigation into the treasure going?"

Shaun's heart skipped a beat.

The treasure... there hadn't been any progress!

But he couldn't tell Fiona that there was no progress. In a flash of inspiration, Shaun simply said, "I have some clues."

Fiona raised an eyebrow. "What clues?"

Shaun said, "I'm not sure yet; I need to verify them."

Fiona stared at him, her eyes narrowing. "That's it?"

Shaun took a deep breath. "There's something else more urgent than the investigation."

Fiona's eyebrow twitched. "What is it?"

"This afternoon, at St. Louis Cathedral, a woman was possessed by something." Shaun looked into her eyes. "Her eyes turned into golden vertical slits, her strength was unnaturally great, and she could swat a person away with one hand."

"The voice she spoke with wasn't her own. She asked me what I was. It felt like I was the target."

"That thing got away, but it will be back. Cordelia said it might be an evil spirit or a demon, and she told me to be careful."

Fiona didn't speak for a moment, then said with a hint of intimidation, "The thing you're talking about is more trouble than you imagine. It's targeted you."

Shaun didn't speak, just listening as Fiona continued.

"Cordelia was right. It's not an ordinary evil spirit. A demon... that's close enough."

Fiona let out a sneer, seemingly not thinking much of the thing in the cathedral.

Shaun waited for her to continue.

He didn't dare to make any suggestions himself.

Fiona took a step back and leaned against the wall again, arms crossed. "I'll go check out that cathedral tomorrow."

Shaun was stunned.

He hadn't expected Fiona to offer to go. He said with surprise, "You're going?"

"What, don't believe me?" Fiona raised an eyebrow. "I've lived for three hundred years. There's nothing in New Orleans I don't know about. I can't handle something hiding in a cathedral?"

Seeing the Supreme Witch so serious, Shaun couldn't help but ask, "Don't you only care about the treasure?"

Fiona looked at him and suddenly smiled.

The smile was cold, but her words gave Shaun a sense of security. "The matter of the treasure and your matter are one and the same."

Shaun frowned. "What do you mean?"

Fiona didn't answer Shaun's question.

She turned around and walked deeper into the corridor.

The sound of her high heels clicking on the tiles grew distant. "Meet me at the cathedral entrance tomorrow night. Don't be late."

What the...?

Since when was the Supreme Witch so easy to talk to?

Shaun found it a bit strange, but thinking that Fiona was willing to take action was definitely a good thing.

With that in mind, Shaun didn't bother to analyze Fiona's motives any further.

...

Fiona walked into her room and closed the door.

Her high heels stepped onto the thick carpet, making no sound.

She walked to the vanity, sat down, and looked at herself in the mirror.

Her face was still exquisite and well-maintained, showing no sign of age.

But she knew that something underneath was giving way...

She reached out and looked at her fingers.

Fair and slender, her nails painted with dark red polish.

She moved her finger slightly. The candlestick on the vanity wobbled a bit and then stopped.

She frowned and moved it again, but this time the candlestick didn't budge.

Fiona withdrew her hand and clenched it into a fist.

This feeling had been happening more and more frequently lately.

Her power was draining away like sand through her fingers—impossible to grasp or keep.

Before, she could make the whole house tremble with a flick of her finger; now, she couldn't even push a candlestick.

Fiona closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

She thought of the faces of her predecessors, the women who had held this position before her.

They were all dead, died in the vacuum of power, died under the crushing weight of time.

She didn't want to die!

She wouldn't die!

She couldn't die!

That treasure, the power buried by her predecessors, was her only hope.

As long as she found it, she could reclaim the power she was losing, live longer, and break this damned cycle!

So Shaun had to stay; nothing could be allowed to go wrong!