He nodded, already pulling out his phone and texting someone to make plans, she assumed. “Someday they’ll sing songs about this act of friendship.”
“I’m a peach. I know.”
Jade settled back into work, stopping only to grab something from the cafeteria for her lunch and eating at her desk, for which her keyboard suffered mercilessly. She used a quick air spell to blast out the crumbs that she lost under the keys, but couldn’t get a lonely staple out from underneath the ‘CTRL’ button. She didn’t have enough finesse with the magic to focus that finely. Yet. She was determined to keep at it. She’d get it. Someday.
At the end of the day, her boss, Josef, came out of his office and headed straight for her cube. Jade immediately checked that all browser tabs she had opened earlier looking at boots and some leggings were closed and the only programs she had up were email, word processing and link in to the Coven library database. Not a shopping tab in sight.
“Jade, I was hoping to ask you a favor.”
With his impressive height, he towered over her even when she was standing, and she was five-ten. While she sat at her desk, she felt a little like Alice in Wonderland - looking way up after taking the ‘drink me’ shrinking potion. Josef was one of those super fit older guys - like a Patrick Stewart or Clint Eastwood type. Tall and lean. But he wasn’t one of those men that used his bulk to loom over people. Jade never felt that he was trying to bully her with his size or his attitude. In fact, she was surprised by how comfortable working with him was. She really liked the vibe he put out. He’d asked for her specifically to join Counter-Magic after she’d decided to stay with the Coven. She’d never officially asked him why, but Paris had indicated that Josef had said he got a ‘good feeling’ off Jade and was impressed with her power.
“Uh, sure,” she said, feeling a little nervous. She liked Josef, but when your boss asked you a favor, was saying ‘no’ ever an option? She was pretty sure she would be committed to whatever he wanted before he even asked.
“Most witches have never had a chance to see a familiar in person. I was wondering if you would bring your lizard by the Coven.”
“Bruce?” she asked inanely, as if she had more than one lizard. “You mean for a show and tell?”
Josef nodded. “If you’re both okay with it.”
Jade shrugged. “I guess so.” She had a horrible thought. She’d have to ask for a ride from someone. There was no way she’d be able to get Bruce on the bus. It was too crowded in the morning and he’d get stepped on. Or squished. Or he’d hiss and spit at people. “Oh crap,” she muttered.
“Problem?”
Jade waved her hand. “Uh, just logistics. But, yeah, I’m sure I can bring him in. And then just… show him around?”
“If that’s okay by you. I didn’t get a chance to learn much about him while he was here briefly before,” Josef said, which was a nice way of putting it. When Jade had rescued Bruce from the sewer, he’d been stuck in a pipe, causing a magical kind of blockage. Jade happened to be the witch that freed him and he sort of imprinted on her, breaking away from Josef and Counter-Magic and finding his way to Jade’s cottage. He’d been there ever since. “I understand he’s fairly tame?” Josef asked.
Jade nodded. “Definitely. He sleeps in the house, eats crumbs from the table. He’s kind of like a dog. Except he can do magic.” She paused for a moment to consider. “And he spits. And hisses. And sometimes flips up his lizard collar.” She made flapping motions around her neck to illustrate. “Plus, you know. Really big lizard.”
Josef seemed amused by her descriptions. “Well, I think the other witches in the Coven would really appreciate a chance to see a familiar close up and maybe interact with him. And you. Both of you.”
Jade nodded slowly. She wasn’t an idiot. She knew she wasn’t a favorite around the Coven, no matter how Josef was trying to phrase it. “I’ll bring him by. Any particular day you were thinking?”
“No, whenever works for you and your familiar.”
“Bruce.”
“Pardon?”
“That’s his name. Bruce.”
Daniel poked his head around the cubicle. “Because he’s green and gets angry. Bruce Banner.”
“Cubicle etiquette dictates that you pretend not to be hearing this conversation,” Josef said dryly.
“But then how would we all learn all the gossip we do and spread it around?” Daniel asked with a wicked grin.
Josef turned back to Jade. “I appreciate you agreeing to bring him. “
“No problem,” Jade said.
Josef headed back to his office and Jade turned to Daniel.
“Hey, think my lizard will fit in your back seat?”
CHAPTER TWO
Prior to resetting Coven magic, if Paris had been asked how his Coven would respond to the challenge of learning a new norm, he would have said he was sure they would handle it with grace, diligence and strength of character.
He truly hadn’t expected this level of complaint. Or, if he were honest, bitching. It made him question whether he was the right person for the job of leading the Coven. This was another instance of what was becoming a trend. He was continually being surprised by the actions and reactions of his Coven members.
He didn’t regret resetting Coven magic to Jade’s natural resonance. Indeed, he hadn’t had a choice. The spell Dex cast on the entirety of the Coven had warped its usual tone and when Dex’s spell had been broken, Paris had acted in the moment - wanting to immediately to bring it back in alignment with working, functioning magic. It just happened at the time that Jade’s magic had been the only magic working. He hadn’t had another option. He wished the rest of the Coven realized that.
It would do more harm than good to toss the latest reports from Counter-Magic and Research and Development into the fireplace, but the idea was certainly tempting. Although Josef personally had little problem with Jade’s magic, his department, Counter-Magic, was facing significant workload issues with all the incidents reported from the other witches of the Coven. No one seemed to be adjusting quickly or easily to the shift in the balance. Witches who primarily used Earth spells found their magic sluggish. Those who used Fire found it too responsive, likely due to Jade’s own proficiency with it. Those who used scrying, psychomanteum and tarot said their results were unpredictable and confusing. Those who used Water were dismally desperate; they couldn’t get a thing to work, finding their spell work collapsing around them. While Counter-Magic took calls for magic that needed work or fixing, the incident log had recently turned into some sort of complaint line, with witches calling or emailing in only to protest the new magic, even when they were able to make their spells work.
Paris wasn’t sure if he should issue a formal statement or not. He would not be resetting Coven magic. At the moment, he had no way of knowing if he could get it back to the way it had been before. He could be trading one problem for another. Additionally, he found his own spell work… interesting, now that it lined up with Jade’s magic. He’d always been powerful, but now it seemed like there was something… more. Something else, just beyond his reach. He’d always known he could be doing more powerful spells, if only he had the time to study and research them. But now, he felt as though they were just out of the corner of his eye. Waiting patiently for him to turn his head and catch sight of them.
Paris didn’t consider himself power hungry nor a vain man, but there was certainly something alluring about the new Coven magic. It was no wonder Jade was so cocky in her power and so sure of trying new spells if she felt this way all the time. Hannah had mentioned her own magic hadn’t felt so fresh in years. She was quite sorry leaving the Coven to head back to her Council duties, wistfully waxing on about all the magic she’d not done in years but was itching to try again with the new ‘normal.’
The desk phone ringing distracted him from his thoughts and he pushed them away, turning his mind back to Coven business.
“Paris, here.”
�
��Paris, it’s Josef.”
“Good morning. How are things in Counter-Magic?”
“Mostly the usual. I’ve got a couple of kids that ended up turning themselves blue. Not sure if it’s the new magic or if it’s just kids and their spell work being shoddy. No serious damage. The parents have decided to let it wear off on its own as a lesson to the kids. Although one of the fathers wants Counter-Magic to get involved, claiming it must be because of the magic reset. It’s winter season picture time in school and I think his son is a bit of a prince-type. Raising hell complaining about his pictures being ruined.”
“What are your thoughts?”
“That family is… difficult. The kid needs some blue-faced pictures in his life. Might sort him out a bit.”
Paris smiled wryly, hearing Josef’s chuckle over the phone. “I remember having to wait out a spell gone bad that turned one of my eyes lazy. Horrid six weeks.”
Josef laughed even louder. “I remember that. Your mother would come into the Coven offices every day and tell us what you’d run into - poles, animals, other witches.”
Paris groaned in embarrassment. That was the problem when your mother had been Coven Leader before you - everyone knew you as a child and still remembered all your infractions.
“She’d been absolutely adamant that it recover on its own and wouldn’t let me wear an eye-patch to cover it up. I still have the scar from the stitches I needed from when I accidentally tripped over that rabid dog.”
“If I remember correctly, that rabid dog was a twelve-pound schnauzer.”
“It was fourteen pounds and their claws can be quite sharp if not kept well,” Paris mused. “But, I assume you’re not calling to discuss some truant schoolchildren. What can I do for you this morning, Josef?”
Josef sighed and Paris could feel the tone of the conversation change. “Well, I’m getting more complaints.”
“You’re Counter-Magic. There are always complaints. Spells gone awry, spells overlapping where they shouldn’t, spells not working correctly. But you don’t generally call me about them.”
“No. No, I don’t. These complaints are about the lake.”
Paris felt his good humor drain out, replaced by slight confusion. The lake area in the Nature Preserve was well-known among the Coven, or perhaps ‘notorious’ was a better description. An accident years ago had left the area magically tainted. The lake had previously been a popular picnic and recreation spot, but after the accident, many of the Coven’s witches abandoned it, feeling as though the area had been corrupted or changed. Some witches wouldn’t work magic anywhere near the area, some witches couldn’t. Most complained of an ‘off’ or ‘spoiled’ sensation and gave the area a wide berth. Other alternate areas had become popular in the Nature Preserve as a result and now the lake area tended to be abandoned year-round. It was something Coven witches never had to clarify when speaking. All they had to say was ‘the lake’ and everyone understood.
“What sort of complaints?”
“Witches out in the woods for nature walks or spell casting are feeling ‘weirded out’ further out from the lake than usual. Spells not working in some parts of the Preserve that used to be okay. Then, just recently, the kindergarten class was out last week doing a nature walk. It was one of the nicer days and we don’t get many of those this time of year. A few of the kids started crying and wouldn’t stop until they left. That led to some parents heading out and noticing more power in the area than usual.”
“Power?” asked Paris. “People don’t usually get a sense of power from the area. A bad vibration or sensation maybe. But power usually is indicative of working magic.”
“I know.”
Paris paused for a moment, choosing his wording carefully. “These complaints must be serious if they’ve reached you.” The accident in the lake area had involved Josef’s family. Over the years, it had become customary for witches to be cautious around him and make an effort not to mention any discomfort the lake area caused.
“Yeah,” Josef said, his tone regretful. “To be fair, I think Daniel was keeping a log of all the complaints and was going to investigate it himself, but after the kindergarten kids, it was hard to keep a lid on it. Also, I think more people feel uncomfortable talking to me about it than I actually feel myself.”
“I think most people just want to be respectful of your loss and not remind you unnecessarily of it.”
“I’m sure that’s true, but it’s not like I ever forget about it.”
“No, I’m sure you don’t.” Paris shifted in his chair. “I understand of course if you’d rather pass this along to someone else. I can certainly ask one of the other Department heads to investigate this for you. Perhaps transfer someone temporarily to work on it.”
“I appreciate the offer, but that’s not why I called.”
Paris blinked, taking in Josef’s words. “Oh, I see. If not that, then is there another problem?”
“The problem is, I think the issue at the lake has something to do with Jade.”
“Jade?” Paris repeated. “I’m afraid I don’t follow.”
“Well,” Josef began, dragging the word out slightly. “The complaints coming in say the disturbances at the lake feel like her magic.”
Paris was glad he was on the phone and not in person because he was certain the look on his face was less than professional. “I’ve just reset Coven magic to Jade’s power. I’m sure everything feels like her magic at this point. It’s an adjustment and I understand witches are struggling, but I’m positive this change will prove good for us.”
Josef chuckled in his ear. “No need to sell me the party line. I’ve been a Coven member for years and worked for your mother before you. I recognize the buzz words when I hear them.”
Paris’ lips curled slightly at the older man’s tone. “That bad, huh?”
“You might have gotten some younger ones with that speech, but this isn’t my first rodeo.”
“I suppose not. So, I take it then this is not just the Coven adjusting to the new norm.”
“I don’t think so,” Josef answered. “If it were just the complaints about magic in general feeling ‘off,’ then I would be inclined to agree with you - the Coven needs time to adjust. But it’s not just complaints about magic. It’s complaints about the lake area and the Coven doesn’t really have a reason to attribute anything in that area to Jade.”
“Other than the fact that Jade stopped Dex out in the Preserve,” Paris interrupted and then wanted to chastise himself. As Coven Leader, he was supposed to remain neutral. Thankfully, Josef was an older Coven member and wasn’t perturbed by Paris’ outburst.
“You’re correct - Jade did do some magic out in the Preserve to stop Dex. But unless I’m mistaken, not in the vicinity of the lake.”
Paris paused. Josef was completely correct. While Paris and Jade had travelled out into the Preserve to work on some of her magic skills, and Jade had stopped Dex’s attempt to re-cast a Hex on the Coven out in the forest, she’d not been around the lake area when she’d done it. In fact, when Paris had brought Jade out to the Preserve to work on her magic, Jade had felt a strong aversion to the lake area - much further out than Coven witches generally felt anything.
“No, you’re not mistaken. Jade wasn’t at the lake area when she stopped Dex. She was further north.”
“That and the reaction of the children. While the adults in the Coven may have some issues with their magic being reset to a new norm, the kids aren’t likely to have the same problems. They’re usually still figuring out their powers and it’s all new to them. They may hear things from their parents, but I don’t think overhearing gossip and grousing is likely to make them burst into tears.”
Feeling the need to play devil’s advocate, Paris hedged, “They could still be reacting to something they heard.”
“They could,” Josef agreed. “But I don’t think so and neither do you.”
“No,” Paris said quietly. “No, I don’t.”
There was a silence over the phone for a moment before Josef said, “I can head out there and check it myself, if you like.”
Paris felt a fondness swell in his chest for the older man. Josef had avoided the lake area for years. While Paris couldn’t be absolutely certain, he didn’t think Josef had been back to the lake since the accident that led to a death in his family.
“I heartily appreciate the offer, but that won’t be necessary. I think given the circumstances and the likelihood of this somehow being tied to Jade, I should head out there myself and see what I can learn.”
“I can send Daniel. I know as Coven Leader you don’t have a lot of free time to go gallivanting around in the Preserve. He’s one of my best and if there is anything… sensitive out there, he’ll be quiet about it.”
Paris smiled at Josef’s kind offer and tone. “I’ll keep that in mind, but I think for now, I should handle this. I’ll let you know what I find out. But, I would appreciate it if you could set up some perimeter spells - you or one of your agents. Just to monitor the area.”
“I’ll try, but I’m not sure if they’ll work. Sakkara already set some powerful wards in the area. I was wondering if something about this was causing them all to fail.”
Paris paused at the mention of his mother’s name. “I don’t recall that. I don’t recall that at all.”
“I’m not surprised. You were young when the incident at the lake happened.”
“I think I was eight or nine. Old enough to remember,” Paris replied. Additionally, his mother often took him with her when she did magic for the Coven, wanting him to learn by example and watching. “What sort of wards? I’ve never felt anything like her magic out there.”
“If I understood correctly, Sakkara set them to neutralize some of the bad energy surrounding the area. Her own magical essence was probably cancelled out in the process. I doubt if anyone from the Coven gets a sense of her magic at all out there. I’m worried that with the Coven starting to sense Jade’s magic out there, she’s somehow nullifying your mother’s wards. Or maybe your mother’s wards have finally failed. It has been years.”
Double-Sided Witch (Covencraft Book 3) Page 3