After rubbing tears from my eyes, I took a deep breath and headed for the front door. I didn’t want to go down to breakfast and face everyone, but I was out of food. Jerking open the door, I saw a tray sitting off to the left. Bless Landa for knowing I’d want to be alone today.
As I ate, I started on my report for the police. It was one of the longer ones I’d written, and by the time I finished, my butt was numb and my heart was heavy. Stepping away from the computer, I went out into the back garden where there was a small altar. I sat cross-legged in the grass and gave myself over to my reflections. There was a very special comfort in the steadiness of the earth below me and the warmth of the sun above me.
I couldn’t shake my soul-deep guilt. If I’d been a better witch, Gudger would still be alive. Half of me felt that I had done my best in a bad situation. The other half felt that I should’ve done more. There was some truth in both directions and a lot of guilt. It was going to take time for me to find my peace with his death.
I wasn’t proud of how I’d acted when I’d been flooded with all that power. I’d injured Burly, and even though there’d been purpose behind my actions, I should’ve searched for a better way to handle the situation. Luckily, the magic had healed Burly, and he’d been very understanding.
My actions with Ned also shamed me. While I’d had reason to take his memories, there had been other ways to accomplish the same effect. Then there was the burn. Wells had let it slip that Ned’s arm would never be the same again. I had done that. I’d done that for no better reason than I was filled with magic and didn’t want to control it. In that moment, I’d felt fully justified at being his judge. That was a choice I would have to live with the rest of my life.
I could feel Ty’s footsteps, and after a simple prayer to the earth, I turned to greet him. He exuberantly wagged his tail, and I rubbed his cheek. Between the belly rubs and cuddles, I was in better spirits in no time. Before I went inside, I found a tendril of ivy curling around my ankle. It felt good to have the earth show me favor and feel the warmth of Varro’s medallion against my chest.
Since I still hadn’t gone shopping, I scrounged around the kitchen and found a can of soup. After slurping down lunch, I sat down with my phone and computer. It took more than two hours to catch up on the calls and correspondence I’d missed. When that was taken care of, I turned my attention to the scroll I’d found in the golem’s remains. I couldn’t read it, but that was hardly a surprise. I set it to the side, intending to do some research before I attempted to use magic to allow me to understand the writing. There was an energy about the scroll that made me think it would be a bad idea to use a spell. Laying one magic on top of another was a recipe for disaster. Considering the golem had given off the feeling of ancient and otherworldly magic and how much power it had taken to turn it to dust, I wasn’t willing to take any risks.
A knock on the door interrupted any further musings. When I opened the door, a young officer greeted me by name. After signing too many forms, I was the proud caretaker of a box of evidence that included a live snail. I found a note in the box from Wells.
I read through it quickly and then pulled out the travel tank with the giant snail. It had a colorful shell, and its head was up as it looked around.
“Can I call you Earl?”
It kinda looked like its head bobbed.
“I’ll take that for a yes.” I carried Earl back to my workroom. “It looks like we’re going to be roommates for a while.”
I settled Earl in a corner that got indirect light and unpacked the rest of the box. There were a couple of evidence bags of white powder. One had a note that said it was still magical. Another evidence bag contained another bag, and the last one held a large piece of snail shell.
Wells had sent me all the magical evidence he could for a full evaluation. In the note he apologized for how little he’d been able to claim. I was shocked that he’d gotten anything at all. There was an alphabet’s worth of agencies involved, and I’d figured nothing would trickle down to a lowly consultant. However, he’d gotten quality evidence to me, and with this I might be able to figure out how Ned had gotten so much magic out of the snails.
As for the rest of the investigative work, I was happy to leave that to the local and state police, FBI, ATF, and NSA. They were swarming all over the mountains, trying to track down everything Ned had ever touched. There were still a lot of loose ends to figure out, and given a little time the authorities would know all the secrets he’d been hiding. It was truly amazing how much work Ned had created for a lot of people. If he’d been half as dedicated to helping people as he’d been to taking magic for himself, he could’ve done a lot of good in the world.
I called Elron to see if he had a larger tank for Earl. He said he’d bring back a good home for Earl but couldn’t stay for long. Wells had sent him several samples of rhododendrons from the mountain. With a totally new and unique type of magical plant in Elron’s hands, the university was willing to consider his time away a work trip. He was eager to get to work but promised to stop by later.
Earl was oblivious to the discussion of his living situation, but I had plenty of curiosity about him. Now that I wasn’t stressed and on a mountain, I had time to give him a better magical examination. Since I knew there was energy in his shell, I could look at it a different way, and what I found was rather fascinating. The creature was putting excess energy it consumed into its shell, where it stayed even after death.
I picked up an evidence bag with a large chunk of shell. It had a little less energy than what I could feel in the snail, which made sense since Earl was alive and producing energy. However, it didn’t have nearly the energy I’d found in the powder, and the energy it did have was bonded to the shell. That was different from what I’d experienced, where the energy was readily available and easy to use.
Puzzled, I started examining the shell powder. It didn’t take me long to figure out that it had been treated with something that increased the potency and availability of the magic. While I knew of several herbs that could have one of those effects, finding a combination of herbs that would work together and with the snail shell was a feat.
The good news was it would be very difficult for anyone to recreate Ned’s work, and I doubted any witch who could do it would agree to the job. Herbs that amplified magic had terrible side effects. Sure, an herb might increase the availability or potency of magic, but it might also change the user’s mood and brain patterns. The side effect list of those herbs was rather grim reading, and more often than not the witches who experimented with them became addicted, suffered mental breakdowns, and tried to kill themselves.
As bad as that sounded, there was really awesome news. I’d been afraid the powder could end up being common, used by anyone who could pay for it, but that wasn’t going to happen. Herbs that had those effects on witches usually had an even worse effect on humans. Even if someone replicated Ned’s herbal mix and process, this was never going to become a commercial product. There was no risk of people being able to buy buckets of magic at the grocery store.
Leaning back in my desk chair, I took a moment to thank the earth for her blessings. I’d been so afraid of what this powder could do if it was widely available. That would never be the case.
Sheer relief gave me the energy to start on my evidence report. I was nearing the end of what I’d learned so far when I heard another knock on the door. This time I knew exactly who it was and rushed to let Elron in.
We set up Earl’s new home. Elron took a few moments to get to know the snail. He had reports of his own to do, and his impressions of Earl would be a sizable part.
After declaring Earl happy with his new home and the snail food, Elron made us dinner. We ate pasta, drank wine, and talked. Elron had examined the plant samples. He suspected a great many rhododendrons were permanently changed thanks to Ned’s use of magic. We both thanked the earth that we weren’t in charge of figuring out what to do with a mountain full of mutant
plants.
Elron had spoken to Wells after the plant delivery, and Ned was in a maximum-security prison, being held without bail. There would be a trial, but it was just a formality. After everything that had happened, Ned would never be a free man again.
I didn’t say it, but I still had some concerns. With so many people involved, I suspected the story of magical snails and powder would get out. Hopefully there would be enough useless speculation included that people wouldn’t start experimenting on snails. I really didn’t want to see that much evidence of death again.
On the bright side, there were a lot of old tales about readily available magic. Not one of them had been proven, so this was likely to end up as just another crazy story.
I cried when I finally got around to asking Elron if he’d go to Gudger’s memorial service with me next week. Elron wiped away my tears and told me he was going with or without me. At first I smiled, and then I cried. I cried for a good man taken too soon, and I cried because I hadn’t been able to save him. I was pretty sure Elron cried a little too.
Hours later, when I kissed Elron good night, I couldn’t help but think how lucky I was to have him. My heart ached, reminding me that not everyone was feeling lucky right now. I said a quiet prayer and asked the earth to watch over Gudger’s family. Going to bed, I wished I’d been a little less lucky and Gudger was still alive. Sadly, all the wishing in the world wouldn’t bring him back.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Elron
Studying the blooms in the greenhouse, I debated the correct placement of the table. I wanted this night to be special, a celebration of life and our time together. Everything had to be perfect. When I’d been thinking about locations, I’d had trouble selecting the appropriate venue. Several prominent restaurants tempted me, but Michelle had always loved the greenhouse, so this place won out.
The menu was set. The groceries were at my apartment, waiting for me to turn them into a culinary delight, and I had an order in for dessert. I had to remember to pick that up on the way home.
The only thing left to do was perfect this place. With a little coaxing, I’d gotten some of the greenhouse’s residents to move and give us a delightful alcove. The small table was perfect for a cozy night together, something we both needed after the recent excitement. All that was missing was some mood lighting, but I had that covered too. I’d picked up a charm for limited-use witch lights. I’d read through the directions, and they should work as desired; I simply had to activate them when we arrived.
Checking the time, I realized I needed to be going. I gave the greenhouse one last look on the way out and hoped Michelle appreciated all the work I had put into this night.
On the way home, I swung by the bakery Brownies and Treats by a Brownie. Contrary to the pedestrian name, the place was filled with some of the most artistic and decadent creations in the entire city. Brownies were rather perfect for that type of work, and Maya was especially good.
I took my place in the back of the line and watched as the three people in front of me picked up exquisitely crafted chocolate sculpted in the shape of a flying dragon, a ten-inch-tall cake that looked like a ballerina en pointe, and what appeared to be a delicate rose but was really an exceptionally lifelike sugar cookie.
When the customer in front of me left, I found myself smiling at a young brownie standing on a stool in order to reach the register.
She smiled up at me. “Name?”
“Elron.”
“Oh,” she said softly. “You’re the very special order.”
Blushing, I nodded.
“I’ll be right back.” She hopped off the stool and headed for the back of the bakery. She paused with one hand on the door. “She’s going to love it.”
I nodded, not that she was there to see it. Hopefully the girl was right. I’d worked with Maya for rather a long time, trying to get the details just right. We had rather a difficult time finding a mutually satisfying design until I told her that I needed something magical for a woman of magic. Maya had smiled and assured me she knew just the thing. Now I was hoping she was right.
Maya came bustling out of the back, carefully holding a stout box in both hands. Most of the box was a deep blue, but the blue lightened as it moved closer to the front of the box. The front vertical panel was covered in the purples, pinks, and reds of a rising sun.
“It’s exactly what she talked about.” She set the box on the counter and looked up at me with brilliant green eyes that always seemed a little brighter because of her dark brown skin. Like other brownies, she was only four feet tall, but I was sure she was all the more magical because of her smaller size.
“You were able to…”
“Yes.” Maya gave me an encouraging smile. “It should travel just fine and can go a short time without refrigeration. Don’t take it out of the box to serve it. Simply set it on the table and touch this spot.” She pointed to the rising sun on the front of the box.
Swallowing hard, I nodded. “Thank you.”
She handed me the box, and I started toward the door.
“You’ll let me know how it goes, won’t you?” Maya asked.
Turning back, I nodded. “I will. If it goes well, we might have another special order for you.”
Maya nodded briskly. “I’m counting on it.”
Chapter Forty
Michelle
Four days after we got back from the mountain, I found an envelope from Elron under my door. I opened it to find a note and an oak leaf.
Please join me tonight for a special dinner. I will pick you up at your door at seven o’clock in the evening. Please relay your answer to the oak leaf.
I held the leaf up. “Yes, I’ll go to dinner with you.”
It wiggled a little, and I took that to mean he’d gotten the message.
The rest of morning and all afternoon I spent far too much time thinking about our dinner. Luckily, I was just disenchanting illegal items, so the only thing lost was a little time. While I half expected to get an emergency call, I’d been blessed with a lull. I didn’t know if word had gotten around that I’d had a rough time or if things were simply quiet, but I appreciated the break.
I gave up trying to work at four thirty. Not because of a lack of things to do, but because I was ready to get to the date. I put extra care into my appearance because it felt so good to do something normal. The additional effort didn’t take as much time as I’d hoped, and I ended up sitting on the sofa, reading one of the books Ethel had assigned, feet tucked up under me, and high heels sitting on the floor.
It was hard to compete with my current level of distraction, but the book managed. In part because recent events had given me an appreciation for older texts on spells. I was reading about various herbal concoctions that could increase magical ability when a knock startled me. I tucked a bookmark in the text before glancing at the clock. It was precisely seven.
“Come on in,” I yelled as I hurried to put on my shoes. I wasn’t used to wearing heels, and I wobbled a little when I stood up.
Hearing the door swing open, I turned around. This wasn’t my usual Elron. Today he was in a black suit with his silver hair held back by three clips on each side, leaving most of it flowing down his back. Even when he gave me a dazzling smile, I could see his nerves. His posture was a little too stiff, his smile a little too wide.
Elron offered me his hand. “You look enchanting.”
I picked up a gray shawl to go with my blue dress and grabbed my purse before taking his hand. “And you, sir, are gorgeously handsome tonight.”
He blushed lightly. “Are you ready to be on our way?”
“Absolutely.” I let him guide me out of the apartment and down the hall. “I’ve been curious about this date. You don’t usually use walls and leaves to ask me out or dress so formally.”
“I want tonight to be special. We’ve been through so much lately.” He smiled down at me. “Some time for the two of us seems to be overdue.”
“A
greed. A relaxing night is just what the doctor ordered.” When we exited the lodge, we walked over to his car. He held the door open for me as I got in and closed it when I was safely inside before rounding the car to take the driver’s seat.
Taking advantage of the time alone, I tried to find any clue about our date. While I didn’t see any papers with directions or addresses, I did spot a large picnic basket in the back. While I’d typically think that meant we were going to one of the greenhouses, I doubted Elron would take me there when he’d put so much effort into a formal outing.
We didn’t talk as he got settled in, turned the car around, and headed down the driveway. He still looked a little nervous. For a while I waited for him to say something, but eventually I had to ask one question. “So, where are we going?”
His eyes darted over to me before focusing on the road. “To the university.”
“A greenhouse date?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, this will be fun.” I grinned. “I haven’t seen it in the spring.”
He let out a breath and relaxed a little. “It is lovely. I hope you enjoy the area I set up. The plants were very cooperative when I asked them to rearrange.”
“I’m sure it will be beautiful.”
Elron nodded. “Good. I want you to enjoy the evening.”
I giggled. “I was about to say that I always enjoy evenings with you, but that hasn’t always been the case. We hated each other when you first moved in.”
“No. You hated me.” He turned the car into the parking lot next to the greenhouses. “I liked you but did not express myself well.”
“You liked me?” I pinned him with my eyes. “When did that start?”
Elron held my gaze. “The very first time we met.”
A Witch's Rite (Witch's Path Series: Book 5) Page 26