When Hecate had been dead, it was Luna who had helped her find errant Serene (the difficult whelp!) and then fed and cared for them both until the return of her great mistress. Luna had gained extra favour by feeding Hecuba an entire plate of bacon and sausages from a real dinner plate (which showed a proper level of respect) and had then scratched her behind the ears and rubbed her belly (which was almost even better).
But now Luna was missing, and Hecate and Qebhet were on the hunt, following their intuition. Hecuba was following her own intuition and the scent that she associated with Luna.
It wasnβt pure scent, the thing Hecuba followed. It was a scent that was a feeling, and in some ways it was easier to follow than any other kind of magic.
She had spent all day nosing through Brooklyn, apart from her mistress but always connected, and it had led her right to the place where Luna was. Or where, perhaps, she had been. Scents - even the spiritual kind - lingered on.
Hecuba had been going to find Hecate, but the sudden sense of Luna hit her nostrils again and she stopped, this time outside of a big dark building.
Both a dog and a woman, Hecuba trusted her intuition.
She wasnβt supposed to find Hecate yet.
She was supposed to find this mortal girl who was standing outside the building on her phone, this girl who felt connected to Luna.
But the girl was paying her no attention and so Hecuba barked loudly to make her pay attention.
Hecuba was a very big dog. Hecuba demanded to be paid attention to.