A Witch's Concern (A Witch's Path Book 4)

by N. E. Conneely

  I didn't summon my wand; I just pictured a ball of pain and sent it at Gretchen. It hit her in the chest. She clenched her jaw and rocked back in the chair. Dad had always told me not to hurt people with magic, but I was betting he'd forgive me this time. I didn't regret it.

  A spell came out of the audience and I deflected it. Someone in the third row managed to disperse it before it hurt anyone.

  "Enough," Gretchen yelled. "This is between the two of us."

  Taking a deep breath, I steadied my nerves. My voice was steady and loud enough to be heard through the auditorium. "Do that again, and I will kill you."

  There was a collective gasp followed by soft voices behind me. That got their attention.

  She shook her head, and I knew the next words out of her mouth would be about how I didn't have any leverage and how my parents would only be safe if I was a good girl and did as I was told.

  "You are simply a child having a tantrum," Gretchen said.

  I answered, facing the crowd so they could see the truth in my eyes. "No, it was the promise of a woman who's defending her loved ones. Since you chose not to understand my rejection of your membership offer and have since been violent to me and mine, it was communication in the only way you seem to comprehend. If you hurt my family, I will destroy yours. That appears to be the only way to keep me and mine safe."

  The first few rows, the ones who could see me clearly, looked downright uncertain. I guess they realized that if I went on a killing spree they'd be first in line. What they didn't know was that I really didn't want to kill anyone. I just wanted Gretchen to leave all of us alone.

  "Empty threats, all of it."

  "You're ignoring a threat to us? The very people you've been sworn to protect?" said an indignant voice behind me.

  "She's a murderer." That was a man's voice, and I had a good guess whose.

  There were a few mutters of agreement.

  The woman continued. "By all rights, we should toss you out of the clan."

  "Women from my family have been leading this clan for generations, and we've taken the Wapiti from a minor clan to a respected power."

  "And now you're endangering us out of a misguided desire to have your bloodline continue their reign." This time it was the booming voice of a man.

  "Quiet," Gretchen yelled, her cheeks turning pink. "Michelle will join this clan, and that will be the end of this disrespect."

  "Oh, I rather doubt that," I said.

  "You will join this clan or… or…"

  "Or what?" I taunted.

  Gretchen reached for her wand, and I looked at my parents, willing a shield bubble into existence. When it formed, it knocked Josh back a step. It wouldn't hold against a determined attack, but it would slow Gretchen down.

  Elron screamed, and I knew I'd made a mistake. He was hunched over, magic crackling across his skin. She was hitting him with thousands of electrical shocks, not enough to kill but more than enough to cause pain.

  The spell ended before I could figure out what to do, leaving Elron kneeling on the floor gasping for air. That was the second person she'd injured because of me. I didn't have to feel guilty now, but later I'd regret their pain. Elron glanced at me and nodded, letting me know that he would be okay. Any remaining softness in my heart vanished.

  I hit her with a blast of power, rocking her back in her chair. I followed that with a compulsion to leave me alone and a shield bubble. From what I'd seen, neither of those spells were likely to hold, but I wanted to try.

  While Gretchen was distracted, I spelled Josh with a smaller compulsion. It had a better chance of working since he didn't seem to be particularly strong willed. That was if no one removed it.

  I made it two steps closer to them before Gretchen regained control of herself and dismissed the shield around my parents. At this point, I'd figured one of her enemies or one of my allies would've done something. It would be good timing. I needed a good distraction to give me time to free my parents.

  Before I could do anything, a spell hit the seat next to Gretchen, sending bits of fabric, cushion, and wood into the air.

  "I have had enough of this. You won't destroy our clan over something as petty as bloodlines." It was Sarah.

  "I'm banishing you from the clan," Gretchen yelled.

  "Until you do, I'm a member of the elders, and I'm starting a motion to end your time as minister," Sarah shouted back.

  "You're off the elders."

  "Not until half the elders agree with you." Whatever Gretchen was going to say was lost because Sarah kept going. "To boot me out of the clan you'll have to do a full ceremony, and the new moon is five days away."

  "I second the motion to remove Gretchen from the ministry," a woman hollered.

  "Stay out of this, Ashley," Gretchen said.

  "Gretchen has every right to bring a family member into the clan."

  "How stupid can you be? Even the premier reprimanded her."

  "Couldn't have been much of a rebuke if she got Gretchen out of jail."

  "Michelle murdered my son. Make her pay!" That was definitely Mrs. Blackwell.

  "Gretchen is to blame for Thomas's death. She sent him after Michelle."

  "A life for a life."

  The sound of a large gong vibrated through the room, ending the arguments. I couldn't see a gong anywhere, so I guessed the sound had a magical origin. That was a trick I needed to learn.

  "That's enough. We can address your concerns later, but Michelle is joining the clan."

  "We'll sort this out now, before you can do any more harm," Sarah said.

  In the blink of an eye, ice encased Sarah. Sure enough, Gretchen's wand was pointed in that direction, and she had a satisfied look.

  There was a shout, and the podium caught on fire. Gretchen leaped back, knocking over her chair. While cheerful flames were eating away at the wood, I moved closer to my parents. If this kept up for a little longer, I'd be able to free them.

  Gretchen extinguished the flames with a word and pointed her wand at the audience. "Ashley, I know that was you."

  I looked over my shoulder and saw magical ropes snake around a short witch in the last row. The ropes pulled her legs together, and Ashley started to fall. The gray-haired man in the next seat caught her and lowered her to the ground.

  There was a crackling sound, and I twisted around to see the cause. Sarah had fractured the ice, and chunks were falling off of her. If she'd been angry before, the look she had now was all determination. This was going to get ugly.

  With everyone's attention firmly on Sarah and Gretchen, I drew even with Elron.

  A cloud appeared over Gretchen and proceeded to dump rain on her. That was a clever trick as water reduced the effectiveness of spells and made it more difficult to cast.

  Gretchen pushed the dripping hair off her face and shot a bolt of energy at Sarah, who conjured a concaved shield and deflected the spell back at Gretchen. She absorbed the energy. Sarah did something that transformed the rain into a cylinder of fog. It surrounded Gretchen and was dense enough that I couldn't see her. I doubted she could see out.

  Small fights were breaking out around the room. There were witches yelling at one another, two guys brawling, and a handful of spells zipping between people.

  Taking advantage of the distraction, I summoned my wand and trapped Josh in a shield bubble. He prodded it once with his wand, and when it zapped him, he shrugged and left it alone. I took that as a sign that the compulsion spell was working. Someone had to have noticed it, and it said a lot that they hadn't been willing to do anything about the spell.

  Not wanting to leave Elron defenseless, I put a shield around him. He nodded his understanding and motioned for me to keep moving.

  When I reached Mom and Dad, I made a hole in the shield large enough for me to crawl in. "I'm going to get you out of here. Sorry about earlier, I should've stopped her."

  "It didn't do any lasting damage," Mom said. "You shouldn't have come."

  "Too l
ate," I muttered.

  Dad couldn't say anything until I undid his bonds. The gag spell was overkill considering how their magic had been bound, and I unmade half the spell before violently tearing apart the rest. It wasn't the neatest job, but it did the trick.

  He wiggled his jaw and moved around. "You shouldn't have come, but I'm glad you did."

  I activated a magic-eating charm and handed it to him. It should go after the spells binding his magic, since they were more accessible than his power, but if it misbehaved, I was ready to deactivate it. I set to work on Mom's bonds, tearing through them almost as brutally as I had the last set.

  While I was working, I kept an eye on the magic-eating charm. It was doing its job and sucking away the spells attached to Dad. Unfortunately, it was almost spent, and there was still a ways to go. I hoped I would have time to unbind both of them, but given the choice, Dad came first because he was the more capable witch. We'd have to roll the dice and hope the binding didn't do any lasting harm. Truth be told, I was more worried about the Blackwells than the binding.

  I talked as I dismantled the rest of Dad's binding. "Stick with Elron. He knows the best way out of here, and he can help you disappear into the woods."

  "We aren't leaving you," Dad said.

  "I plan on getting out of here with you, but I'm bringing up the rear. Gretchen won't try anything that could hurt me."

  "We can help. Mother will listen to me." Mom didn't sound sure of that.

  "It doesn't matter. Thomas's family has threatened to kill you. You've got to get out of here."

  "Nancy, we're leaving. That includes you, Michelle. It's the best for all of us right now."

  While we'd been talking, Gretchen had gotten rid of the fog and was doing the electricity thing to Sarah. It didn't look like it was having the desired effect, because Sarah was smiling, and I could see her mouth moving. Gretchen's podium went up in flames again. A small twister sucked up the fire, spinning ever closer to Gretchen and spitting flames at her.

  This didn't seem like the time to reason with her, but I moved on to more important matters. I pulled wands out of my arm sheath and handed them to my parents. Mom wasn't the best witch, but I wasn't going to leave her unarmed, and one of us would unbind her magic.

  Before Mom could remind us of Gretchen's determination, I focused on Dad. "Can you bring me into your clan without a ceremony?"

  "Yes."

  Mom sighed and shook her head, but that was as far as her disagreement got. A bolt of energy hit the shield, creating a web of fractures. The shield wouldn't survive a second blow.

  "Be ready to do that."

  We ducked as another blast of magic hit the shield, shattering it around us. I rolled away, keeping an eye on my parents. Dad had things well in hand, having redirected the third blast of energy.

  Elron tapped the inside of his shield, and I released the spell. He hurried over to my parents and got them to their feet. With the fighting, only a few people noticed the three of them moving toward the exit that led to Gretchen's office. I had a feeling some of those people weren't interested in my parents' long-term health.

  I felt magic swirl around my feet and looked down to see rock solidifying around my lower legs. Looking up, I saw Gretchen give a satisfied nod. While she was focused on someone else, I cast another, more complex spell around her. This one allowed spells to come in, though not out, and should be more difficult for her to break.

  The fighting was occupying most of the witches, and while my parents had moved across the room, Dad had broken the spell binding Mom's magic. Out of the corner of my eye I saw something, and I cast a reflective shield around my parents. The first spell was deflected but it shattered the shield. Dad turned and countered the second spell before it hit, but I saw him stagger a little.

  When the third spell came after them, Dad absorbed it. I traced the spells to a couple in the back of the auditorium. The woman, who I assumed was Mrs. Blackwell, was working on a complex spell that would maim or kill.

  "No you don't." Pointing my wand in her direction, I said, "Obala Purisaz."

  The spell sucked power out of me, but the floor opened up under them, and the Blackwells, along with several of their friends, fell into the hole.

  "Haglaz." The floor closed, and that was one less threat we had to deal with. I doubted it would hold that many witches for very long, but every second counted. Dad nodded at me, and they continued to move closer to the door.

  Gretchen cast a stun spell that Sarah reflected back at her. She mostly dodged it, taking it on her shoulder. I conjured the ever-popular magic ropes and wrapped her up like a mummy. It should take her a moment to get out of those.

  Wiggling around, I got a charm out of my belt and wedged it against the stone at my legs. I didn't activate the charm because Gretchen would feel the spell go off, and as long as she thought she had me, she'd leave my parents alone.

  While I was distracted, Gretchen had escaped my spells. The twister of fire seemed to be under her control now, because if anyone so much as lifted a wand in her direction, it went after them. After the fourth person was burned, people stopped attacking her directly. Gretchen cornered Sarah with the twister. Sarah flicked her wand, and it disappeared, raining sparks on the floor.

  "Gretchen, that's enough. We can work this out like civilized people," Sarah said.

  Mom, Dad, and Elron froze. They were within sprinting distance of the door, but that didn't do them any good right now. Moving would attract more attention than standing still.

  "Yes, we should act civilized." Gretchen focused on me. "Will you join the clan and put an end to this debate?"

  "Nothing I say is going to change their opinion of you."

  "That wasn't the question."

  "Maybe not, but it's the truth."

  "Will you join the clan?"

  "No." I activated the charm, dissolving the rock. As soon as my legs were free, I rolled away, a spell striking the floor next to my shoulder.

  "Mother, you will stop this right now." Mom marched up to the podium, wand in hand, ready to throw spells.

  "She's my granddaughter."

  "That doesn't make this acceptable. You can't kidnap her because she's family. What you're doing is wrong, and you're ruining any chance you have of getting to know her." How Mom kept from shouting at Gretchen, I didn't know. I was ready to yell at the woman.

  "No," Gretchen said slowly. "You're plotting something, just like when you told me her father was human."

  "I never said he was human. You assumed he was human when I wouldn't give you a name. I simply didn't correct you."

  "Because he's from the Docga."

  "That's right. How dare I be bold enough to find a man who loves me and makes me happy? The horror."

  "Michelle belongs in this clan. It's her birthright."

  Mom rolled her eyes. "By birth she has two clans and the ability to choose what to do with her life. The only one trying to deny her rights is you."

  "How dare you talk back to me?"

  "You've threatened my child and my husband. I'll do anything to protect them."

  "You're a useless witch."

  "And you're still a rotten excuse for a mother."

  Gretchen ignored her, returning her attention to me. "Will you join or not?"

  She was unhinged. That was the only explanation. "My answer hasn't changed."

  Gretchen raised her wand but didn't have a chance to use it. Mom shot her with a blast of power, knocking her backward. She vanished behind the podium, and I held my breath. Maybe Mom had defeated the beast.

  That hope was short-lived. Gretchen popped up, and in the blink of an eye, Mom was restrained by magical bonds and in a shield bubble. She toppled over, and I hurried to cast a spell. "Orzu."

  The floor softened right before her head made contact. There was still a dull thump, but I didn't think she'd been injured. Dad yelled and surged forward. Elron pulled him back, slapping a hand over his mouth, and whispering something in hi
s ear. After a moment, Dad pushed away from Elron, glaring at Gretchen, who was standing behind the podium with a satisfied smile.

  I risked a look at the audience and saw equal parts shock and disgust. This might be the action that ended Gretchen's ministry, but I couldn't count on them helping me. I felt magic swirling around my legs, but this time I recognized the spell.

  "Now, Dad!" I screamed, reaching out even though we were separated by the width of the room.

  Dad mirrored my action, holding out his hand as if he could grab mine, and a beam of white light came rushing at me. I dropped every shield and safeguard I had, opening myself to the power. A moment before the light reached me, rock solidified around me, encasing me from the hips down.

  The magic hit me, and without the rock holding me in place, I would've been pushed back. It rushed in, filling every part of me, from my toes to my fingers, with burning light. I screamed as hundreds of voices rushed into my mind.

  I could hear Nana scolding Dad for initiating me without the proper ceremony, and Martha's surprised chatter. Someone else was surprised, though not by Dad doing something so unorthodox, and quickly reassured me that it would all be over in a moment, I just needed to be strong. There were voices I couldn't identify, each of them offering an opinion—some supportive, others surprised, and a few dismayed. With each new voice, I lost a little more of myself. Somewhere I had a body, opinions, and thoughts, but all I could find was the clan. It was vibrant, overflowing with hope, love, and generosity.

  As the voices faced, and the connection with the heart of what the Docga stood for strengthened, the burning was replaced by a wash of cool energy. The soothing tide faded, taking the remaining voices, and leaving me refreshed but with a connection to the hub of the clan. The last voice I heard was Nana's, telling me that she'd explain everything later. The connection faded until it was no more than a thread, a faint and unobtrusive link.

  Opening my eyes, I saw Dad studying me while Elron stood guard. Gretchen's mouth was agape. She shook herself and shifted her attention from me to Dad. Things were going to get ugly. I pulled another charm out of my belt, activated it, and stuck it to the rock that encased my lower body.