When I got to the trees, I slowed down to a jog. In the distance I could see a fence that became my next goal. Odds were that was a property line or the edge of the land they visited regularly.
By the time I reached the fence, my breathing was labored. I climbed over it before pausing to suck in more air. This land was a forest as nature intended, with leaves on the ground, trees of every shape and size, and bushes scattered around.
Once I caught my breath, I kept moving until the fence was well behind me. The tree to my right had a nice-sized trunk, and the ground near its base was mostly smooth, so I sat down, arms around my legs and head resting on my knees.
As isolated as this spot seemed, it wasn't that far from the mansion, and with a little magic to aid the search, they could find me quickly. I needed to put some distance between us, which wasn't going to be easy on foot. A road and a car would be exceptionally helpful right now. Unfortunately, I was surrounded by trees.
Under my bracelet, my skin tingled. A road and a car would be easy for them to find. After all, the woods had helped me once before. Elron had said that the woods wanted to help, and I had a feeling they would hamper the Wapiti's efforts to recapture me. That was reason enough to stay in the forest.
I kissed my hand and pressed it to the earth. "Could you help me get home?"
The earth warmed under my hand, and I took that as a yes. Leaning back against the tree, I did my best to relax while the forest did its part. A couple of months ago a greater forest spirit, Leshy Apalchen, had blessed me. He hadn't been chatty, so I didn't know exactly what the blessing did, but I'd been told the earth and woods would be more likely to help me. This was the first time I'd asked the earth and forest for help, and I wasn't sure what to expect.
I took a few deep breaths and rolled my shoulders. The air smell like pine, a nice change after the perfumed rooms at the mansion. There was a soft plop as a pinecone fell to the ground. Looking up at the pine I was leaning against, I hoped it didn't drop pinecones on my head. Leaves crunched to my right; I twisted around and summoned my wand. They'd found me.
A squirrel raced around a tree and vanished into the branches. I dismissed my wand and flopped against the tree. It had been a squirrel, nothing more. I was as safe as I was going to be for the time being.
The wind picked up, and the rustle of the leaves dulled out ambient sound. Nearby a bird chirped before launching into a song. The joyful noise helped me calm down, and I relaxed against the tree. It must've felt my contentment, because it swayed with the breeze, branches creaking rhythmically. The motion lulled me into a light sleep.
The crack of a branch startled me, and I woke up gasping for breath and looking around frantically. I spotted Tammy and the brunette a short distance away, wands in hand. Neither one was looking at me, so I wasn't sure if they'd seen me.
I rolled away from the tree, putting a bush between us, summoned my wand, and took off running. If they hadn't seen me before, rolling across the leaves would've drawn their attention. There was a shout behind me, and I heard them crashing through the woods.
Glancing behind me, I saw a tree lift its root out of the ground and trip the brunette. She went down with a yelp. Tammy didn't pause in her forward charge.
Returning my eyes to a forward direction, which really was where they needed to be, I dodged right and narrowly avoided taking a branch in the eye. It dug into my cheek, taking some skin with it. Up ahead there was a holly tree that could conceal me long enough for me to get a spell off.
Darting to the left, I put a couple of trees and bushy somethings between Tammy and me before pivoting and diving behind the holly tree. Since I didn't know where the other witch was, I couldn't spell her, but I could deal with Tammy. A compulsion spell had worked before, so I quickly put together a spell that would make Tammy leave this area—or it would if it was strong enough.
Leaning around the holly tree, I cast the spell. It hit Tammy squarely, but nothing happened. Thinking it could take some time, I waited, but her pace didn't slow and she was focused on me. I wasn't sure what had gone wrong, but it wasn't working.
"Orzu." I softened the ground in front of her, thinking that she might get stuck and that would buy me enough time to come up with a better plan.
When her foot sank into the ground, I sprinted away. It wasn't the best plan, but distance and time were my friends. I was running low on energy and wasn't sure how many more spells I could cast. It was one thing to drain myself when I was working with the police and there was someone there to care for me if I passed out or needed help. Expending that much energy in this situation could be dangerous. It could help me avoid the Wapiti, but I might die of exposure.
A spell hit my right arm, and I lost all feeling. Somehow I had managed to keep a grip on my wand, but the arm was useless. I transferred it to my left hand, not that I could wield or dismiss it left-handed, but at least I wouldn't lose the wand now.
Looking around, I saw someone moving in the distance. I leaped over a log, stumbled on the landing, and fell down a slope. Luck was not with me, because I managed to roll over several sizable rocks and more branches than I cared to count, and I clipped two trees.
Each hit hurt a little more than the last, and I knew I was going to be covered in bruises and stiff in the morning. At least I couldn't blame this on my job, since the entire series of events had family problems written over them in big neon letters. When I got home, the police and I were going to have a long talk about these people. Family or not, when my grandmother kidnapped me, it became a legal matter, and I was pretty sure they put people in jail for that type of thing. The mental image of Gretchen in an orange jumpsuit had a certain charm.
At the bottom of the hill I shook my head, trying to focus on my surroundings. I'd lost my grip on my wand during the tumble and hadn't a clue where it ended up. That would reduce my casting ability since wands helped focus energy. I saw Tammy start down the hill, and I knew I had to do something.
Sitting on the ground, ankle throbbing and the rest of me in only slightly better shape, I held out my left hand, gathered every bit of energy I could spare, and said, "Esaz en sowil kannu."
If I hadn't been sitting down, I would've fallen. As it was, the spell stole the breath out of my chest, my vision faded to black, and I could hear a roaring in my ears. I swayed but didn't end up any closer to the ground. That wasn't my smartest move, casting a variation of a spell that was strong enough to hold a demon, but I'd panicked, and it was a spell I'd practiced until I could do it in my sleep. That practice had paid off when we'd fought the demon, and today it was the spell that came to mind when I couldn't think of anything else to do the job.
When my vision cleared, I could see Tammy trapped inside a shield with a rather stunned expression. "How did you do that?"
"Magic," I said tartly.
While recovering my wand was my first priority, avoiding any other witches in the area, including the brunette, was a close second. I pried the wooden cuff bracelet off my still-numb right arm and wedged it against my chest, where I could force it onto my left hand. It was a lot more difficult to put on without two working hands.
The cuff slid on, and I did my best wrist twist. Nothing. I tried it again, turning my hand in the other direction while I pictured the wand vanishing; then I tried to summon it again. The wand plopped into my hand, where it slid through my fingers and onto the ground. I sighed. This was going to take some practice. Since it was safely recovered, I dismissed it. In my current state, it wasn't all that useful anyway.
Standing up turned into quite the adventure. One ankle was banged up enough that it didn't want to bear my weight. I scooted over to a nearby tree and clung to it as I wobbled into a standing position. The shield spell had been strong enough to get the attention of every witch out looking for me, and I needed to keep moving if I was going to avoid being captured. I slowly transferred weight onto my injured side, gritting my teeth as pain shot up my leg.
It felt like a sprain.
It was too fresh for me to tell how bad, but it wasn't any worse than the one that had taken three days to feel normalish. Not that a three-day recovery helped me now. I had another trick up my bracelet, but in the past it had taken two hands to make it work.
I tried to wiggle the fingers of my right hand, but nothing happened. I poked the arm in a couple of places and still couldn't feel anything. There was a three-inch scrape on my forearm where the top layer of skin had been removed, but I couldn't see any other damage, which I hoped was an accurate assessment since typical sensory feedback was out of the question.
With my left hand, I moved the fingers of my right hand into a loose fist, made sure my arm was hanging a couple of inches away from my body, and matched the position with my left hand. Squeezing my hand together ever so slightly, I willed my staff into my hands. It appeared and promptly fell out of my numb hand. No surprise there.
The staff was slightly longer than I was tall and had been intended as a fighting staff. Today it was going to be a walking stick. Getting out of the woods and back to civilization would be a good thing. I'd already ruined my parents' wedding, but I could reassure them of my relative safety. When I got home, Elron could scold me for misusing a weapon and make me clean it.
I sucked in a deep breath, gritted my teeth, and took my first step. It hurt, but it was pain that wouldn't stop me from getting out of here.
By step ten, I was starting to doubt that bravado. Around step twenty, I vowed to keep moving because every second that passed brought other witches closer to me and I needed to get while the getting was good.
Suddenly a shield popped up around me. I stumbled to a stop, folding the injured ankle again. That was one more injury I could blame on the Wapiti. When I wasn't in danger of falling, I looked around and spotted the brunette—I really wish I'd caught her name—uphill of me. She had me this time. I was out of tricks.
"Sit down so you don't hurt yourself anymore."
"I'm very happy to stand."
"Please sit. I don't want you to fall when I knock you unconscious and tie you up for transport."
I didn't think I had the power to deflect any spells, but I might be able to tinker with the shield so that it would mangle the spell. If that didn't work, I needed to dismiss the staff so it wouldn't be left behind or examined by them.
The witch started the spell, and I got to work on the shield. As I started picking at sections of it, I could feel just how weak I was, and I started to doubt that I would make it through even this simple manipulation. She moved her wand, and I could feel the sleeping spell coming at me. Out of time and out of options, I willed the staff to vanish and used the last of my power to deflect the spell.
The deflection worked better than I'd hoped. Rather than falling asleep instantly, my eyes got heavy and I yawned. I sank to the ground, and between rubbing my eyes I saw her gear up for the next spell. This was it.
A blur with silver hair was sprinting between the witch and me, but I couldn't tell if Elron was here or if I was hallucinating. He yelled something, and she sent a compulsion spell at him. Even if he was here, he wouldn't be able to help after that.
There was a golden glow from his chest and the compulsion was gone. Elron closed the remaining distance and hit her on the head with the pommel of his sword. Either I'd been rescued, or I'd had the best daydream.
Chapter 8: Elron
"You are safe. I will get you home." I doubted she could hear me, but I wanted to say the words. If she was aware, they would reassure her.
I brushed her hair away from her face. She was covered in dirt from head to toe, her clothing was torn, and her visible skin had an abundance of scratches and bruises. I quickly examined her, noting the swollen ankle and the awkwardly positioned arm. Considering how I'd found her, she was in remarkably good shape.
"I am sorry for the way I must carry you," I said, pressing a kiss to her forehead.
After rearranging her limbs, I set her over my shoulders in a fireman's carry. Perhaps it was for the best that she was unconscious for this process. It was not a comfortable position, and I would be moving briskly through the woods.
If my Calling had been more proactive, she would not have suffered these injuries. As much as I wanted to dwell on my failure, it was unwise. Had I arrived earlier, there was a chance I would have ended up a captive as well. Once I exited my car, the earth guided me to her. My arrival had been well-timed, and I had her. I would keep her safe.
The trek through the woods was slowed by our bulk. It was not easy to select a path that would allow for unimpeded travel, and I did not want her to sustain additional injuries, no matter how trivial. Even with the difficulty of carrying her, I was able to maintain a good pace, and we would reach the car in another twenty minutes.
As I walked, I thought about how I could not take full credit for the rescue. When the witch had attempted to spell me, I was unprepared and feared that she would succeed. However, the medallion had absorbed or destroyed the spell. Since I was not a witch, I did not know the exact mechanics, but the medallion had made my rescue possible. Without its action, I would not have been able to disable the witch. I was also fortunate that the spell holding Michelle had vanished when I rendered the witch unconscious.
Michelle did not stir during the trip through the woods or when I belted her into the car.
Her hair had escaped again, and I took a moment to brush it back, pulling out leaves and twigs. I placed a neck pillow on her, not wanting her head to wobble too much as I drove. I repositioned fluids and snacks so that I could easily hand them to her when she awakened. Replenishing her energy would be an important part of her recovery.
When we were on the road, I relaxed a little. We were still in danger, but we were away from the witches. They would have to identify my car before they could target it, and even if they found us, we would be in the city for hours. The witches would not risk that many witnesses.
I could not stop myself from glancing at her from time to time. She was here, with me, and safe. Each time she shifted in the seat or made a sound, I found myself looking at her, trying to determine if she was injured or if I could do anything to make her more comfortable.
Her disappearance had frightened me. It had taken every bit of my self-control not to confuse the current situation with Sylvia's disappearance years ago. Those were not memories I wanted to revive, as that event had trigged a painful and lonely stage in my life. It had helped to remember that Michelle and Sylvia were very different women, and Michelle was capable of defending herself. Rescuing Michelle and bringing her home was healing the last rough edges of that long-ago wound. I was strong enough to be her savior when she was in need.
My car's navigation might have been as frustrating as it was beneficial on the way here, but it was ideal for the return trip. I didn't know where we were, but I knew where we wanted to go. I tapped on a couple of buttons, and it was telling me which way to go. Now I hoped it would operate correctly until we were in an area I recognized.
An hour later we were on the west side of Atlanta, merging onto 575, when Michelle mumbled and her eyes fluttered. She tensed and jerked upright, looking in every direction, flinging the neck pillow at the windshield and swearing when she bumped her injured foot into the door.
"Take a deep breath. You are safe," I said.
"Where are we?" she asked.
"Almost home. We will be passing Woodstock shortly." I handed her a bottle of juice and some snacks. As soon as my hand was empty, she grabbed it in both of hers and pressed it against her cool cheek.
"I am so happy to see you. I… I was sure that I wasn't getting out of that." Her voice wobbled, and a tear dripped onto my hand. "Thank you for being my hero."
"I will always rescue you."
She smiled slightly and released my hand.
I patted her leg before returning my hand to the steering wheel. The sound of her voice, rough but steady, steadied me. I'd gotten her away from the bad witches, and she was going to
be fine.
"How long was I gone? Where did you find me?" Michelle asked as she dug into the food.
"Roughly a day. I am unsure of the town name, but you were east of Atlanta."
"And you're taking me home?"
"Yes," I said gently, trying to balance the tension in her voice.
"We need to go back, talk to the local police. It's their jurisdiction. They need to know what happened so they can arrest Gretchen."
"No, I'm taking you home."
"What?"
"I do not know those policemen. My first priority is not justice but your safety. You were abducted in your hometown. We know and trust Rodriguez; you can talk to him. If we must return to that area for legal reasons, we will do so when you are rested and able to defend yourself."
"But…"
"I called the lodge and Rodriguez while you were asleep. He will be at the lodge when we arrive, and your parents have been informed that you are safe." I pushed another bag of trail mix into her hands. "When I spoke to Rodriguez, he said he was coordinating with several departments."
"We did cross a lot of jurisdictions."
She seemed content with the food. I kept glancing at her, relieved that her skin was approaching its typical olive color rather than the powdery white she'd been when I'd found her in the forest.
"Elron?"
"Hmm?"
"I need to use the bathroom."
Women had not changed in fifteen hundred years.
Chapter 9: Michelle
The worry lines around Elron's eyes and mouth had relaxed, but from the way he kept sneaking looks at me, I knew he was worried. I'd gotten a good look at myself in the bathroom mirror and had been very grateful that this bathroom was on the side of the gas station. If someone had gotten a good look at me, we'd still be there trying to explain to the police that Elron wasn't the cause of my injuries. There wasn't much I could do about my appearance right now, but cleaning up was on my agenda, right behind reassuring my family and talking to the police.
A Witch's Concern (A Witch's Path Book 4) Page 5