Lucía had officially been a hunter syndicate agent for a couple of years, not to mention all the years she spent accompanying Luke during her upbringing, despite his efforts to keep her away from danger in those early years. She had plenty of experience in the field, but even she had never come across a place like Hertford, so small yet so saturated with supernatural activity.
Though, to be fair, the supernatural world in North America was probably the calmest and most elusive in existence. Cryptids and abominations were common enough, for some reason.
Putting those thoughts aside, she straightened her posture and gave Elena a more direct look. "Do you think it's all connected?"
Elena narrowed her eyes and remained silent for a long moment before answering.
"That's what worries me. It doesn't seem to be. But that's not necessarily a good thing."
Lucía crossed her arms while processing the new information. Disappearances, rituals… things were beginning to drift away from her usual operating framework.
"The thing with the travelers is troubling," she admitted, maintaining her steady tone. "But the rituals…"
Elena observed her with the patience of someone who already sensed what was coming. "You don't know what to do with them, do you?"
Lucía gave her an ironic smile. "Want to know how many books on magic I've read in my life? Zero. Witches aren't exactly abundant in the USA. From what I understand, our history of witch hunting had a lot to do with that."
Elena gave a small nod, not out of disappointment, but because she had expected exactly that answer. "I understand. Over here in Europe, they were better at staying hidden and preserving their legacies. Which is why issues related to that are more frequent here. Unfortunately, that doesn't make them any easier to solve."
Lucía processed her words and waited for Elena to finish her thought while she reflected. "The reason is simple. Magic doesn't operate by universal rules. Only intentions," Elena said at last.
"What exactly does that mean?" Lucía frowned. Frankly, it sounded like a lot of esoteric nonsense. But that was the problem with magic, that kind of nonsense could cause all sorts of trouble. Things she couldn't simply shoot and forget about.
Elena gripped the cross around her neck with her free hand, her eyes drifting toward the religious iconography in front of her, as if searching for a way to explain something even she couldn't simplify. "Rituals don't work like equations. There isn't a table that says this symbol means this and always does the same thing. Practically speaking, only the one who designed it knows what they're trying to achieve."
Lucía exhaled with a faint gesture of frustration. That meant any interpretation of the traces they found could be flawed or incomplete. Assuming she even had a starting point to work from. "So there's no reliable catalog for any of this."
Elena inhaled slowly before continuing. Her voice took on a more solemn edge.
"One of the greatest dangers when dealing with the arcane is not knowing the origin of a fragment of knowledge," she murmured.
"The unknown might come from nature, from incomprehensible beings beyond our reality, even from heaven itself… but more often than not, its source is infernal."
Lucía felt a chill run down her back. This wasn't just a matter of deciphering symbols or understanding intentions. There was something deeper at play.
She had witnessed something infernal only once before, and the memory was something she'd rather never revisit. Luke had barely survived that encounter.
"So what do I do with this?" Lucía asked once she was finally able to form words after such a revelation.
Elena stopped gently stroking Katherine's hair and, for the first time since the conversation began, looked Lucía directly in the eyes before replying.
"We confirm whether the rituals and the attacks are connected. Then we find out who's behind them."
Lucía agreed with that approach, but there was too much happening in the town all at once. She'd need to prioritize. "First, the werewolf." She said, determination returning to her voice, a quiet promise of violence woven into her tone. "It's the most active threat right now."
Elena nodded slowly. She was there to support, to provide information and sanctuary, not to tell the foreign hunter how to do her job.
"Tracking it and taking it out is best," Elena replied. "There's a herbalist in town where you could find aconite, if you choose the most efficient route."
Lucía tensed slightly at the mention of aconite but said nothing. Silver was also an option, but she didn't carry many silver bullets — they were expensive and hard to craft. Aconite would still be effective, but without a reliable delivery method, getting close enough to use it was always a problem.
"I'll sort out the details, but I'll handle it."
Then Lucía glanced at Katherine, still resting on the pew, her breathing steady and calm. She remembered the contents of her file and what she had seen the girl do earlier that day. "I want Katherine to help with the investigation. Her gift for seeing and interacting with ghosts could be useful. Especially if I run into those poltergeist-class phenomena by accident."
Elena held her silence for a moment, with her gaze resting on the redhead. She exhaled softly. Conflict showed on her face with startling clarity. A surprise, considering how composed she had been so far.
"If she agrees, it will be her decision." That was all she said. Only she and God knew how much it cost her to speak those words. Just make sure you protect her. And do not involve her when you confront the werewolf. She is not ready for that kind of encounter.
Lucía nodded with quiet certainty. She did not press the matter any further for now, but she was already convinced. Katherine would be a crucial part of this. Once she woke up, they would have a long conversation. As for keeping her safe, any werewolf or other horror lurking in Hertford would have to tear Lucía apart to reach the girl.
Lucía allowed silence to fill the space and watched Katherine closely. Her breathing remained steady. Her face was relaxed, untouched by the weight of the concerns that filled the air around her.
Without breaking her gaze, Lucía asked the question that had been circling her thoughts. "Did you train her to be an exorcist?"
Elena did not answer immediately. The topic had never been easy. "I taught her enough to defend herself. But I never wanted her to be involved in the supernatural."
Lucía narrowed her eyes. Something about that did not add up. "Why do things halfway? Especially when Katherine's gifts nearly guarantee she will find herself in that world."
Elena kept her face unreadable. "Once you cross that line, it is hard to come back."
Lucía watched carefully. Every word Elena spoke was measured. Not too much. Not too little. She was protecting something. Maybe Katherine. Maybe something more. Lucía could have pushed harder, but secrets deserved respect. She knew that better than most.
She let the weight of the exchange rest for a moment and studied Elena's pensive expression. The older woman had likely shared all she was willing to, at least for now.
Lucía straightened, preparing to leave. Her gaze drifted one last time to Katherine. The redhead slept beside Elena, surrounded by an unlikely peace. Elena watched over her with quiet calm. Her tenderness needed no explanation. It spoke louder than words.
Lucía placed a hand on the pew and kept her eyes on the girl. Longing stirred beneath her thoughts. "You care about her deeply. The words came out more as an observation than a question."
Elena exhaled softly without confirming or denying anything. Her next breath carried the weariness of an entire lifetime. "The world is far too dark and dangerous for someone as pure and special as her."
Lucía lingered one more moment before whispering a sigh of her own. "Yes. It is."
She straightened fully, regaining her focus. The conversation stayed behind her, but its impact did not. As she stepped past the threshold of the church, she felt something shift inside. It was not doubt or uncertainty. It was a quiet reminder of why she walked this path.
True horrors wait in the shadows for perfect moments to strike. Not everyone sees them. Not everyone can face them. But Lucía could.
Her purpose was not only to fight, hunt, or destroy these monsters. It was to protect the innocent. Those without weapons or knowledge. Those too vulnerable to defend themselves against what hides in the dark. Moreover, her mission was one of penance.
Every creature she brought down, every sleepless night she spent chasing predators through the black, brought her closer to repaying the debt she owed the man who raised her. And the one she owed to God. However, she knew that the debt would only be settled on the day of her death.
Lucía exhaled once more as she stepped into the night. The darkness stood in her way. But it had never stopped her before.