Witch for Hire

by Conneely, N. E.

  "Silly, isn't she?" He was looking right at me. I couldn't get out of this one.

  "It's in her nature. Besides, isn't the idea of a spirit of the woods and a woodland hunter getting together funny?"

  His eyes twinkled. "Perhaps, but I also think you are being very kind with that charm. They take skill to make."

  "I make a good living, and I wouldn't want them to do without." I looked back at my food.

  "What do you do?"

  "I'm a police consultant. I provide the extra magic they need at a lower cost than the witching firms, for most things. Some things just require several witches, but those are rare."

  "Fascinating. Is it a trait of the young to be so enterprising?" He looked interested, and he wasn't asking about my clan so I humored him, sort of.

  "Many of us need to make our way in the world, or have you forgotten that in your many years? How many years would that be?" I smiled as I finished.

  "Ah, in to older men I take it? I assure you, I am your elder, but if you were wondering our precise age gap I would need to know your age." He smiled back. It was breathtaking.

  "Twenty-five. I try not to be involved with people who pass through. It's bad for the heart and hard on the sheets."

  A chuckle rolled out of him, bringing a smile to my face. "Been saving that one, haven't you?" He chuckled a bit more before continuing, "There are roughly one thousand, five hundred twenty years between us. Is that old enough for you?"

  "Too old for me. Few of my kind live that long, and you could live another thousand years or more." I turned to my desert, a nice slice of key lime pie.

  "Healthy eating, really. Genetics has far less to do with it than healthy eating." He popped the last grape into his mouth. "Good night. Don't forget that charm." He whistled as he walked off.

  As he moved out of my sight I looked down, realizing I had stabbed through the very center of my pie. I finished the pie with significantly less zeal than I'd started with, halfheartedly participating in the conversation. Good eating indeed. I didn't think elves could get fat, healthy diet or not. After I finished my food, I quickly retrieved two charms for the wolves. Brushing off their thanks, and the pout of Priscele, I headed back to my apartment.

  I never slept well when I was upset. I would toss and turn, falling into a real sleep just as the alarm went off. It was unpleasant and left me grumpy. Tiredness was dragging at me again, and I had lots of paperwork to do tomorrow. With those thoughts in mind, I walked past the door to my apartment, hoping Elron wasn't in the garden to annoy me.

  Something showed me favor because the garden was empty. I knelt down, and opened myself to the earth and moon. Twenty minutes later, feeling calm enough to sleep, I went to bed.

  I dreamed of silver hair, an elusive smile, and whistling. I dreamed those elegant hands were holding me close. I woke up in an evil mood, angry that he had invaded my life and my dreams; even angrier since dreams usually had meaning for me. It was one of the problems with being a witch, dreams were seldom simply dreams.

  Breakfast was in my room because of my mood. The tattered bagel could attest to the dangers of my temper. Later, I gratefully attacked some paperwork, not in the mood to see people. It might be annoying and stubborn, but it wouldn't talk back. My mind wasn't fully on my task, but by lunch I had accomplished most of my day's to-do list. I snuck down, grabbed a plate to take back to my room, and managed not to see a single person in the process. I finished my paperwork, still grumpy, but triumphant in my isolation.

  Remembering what the unicorn had told me, I called Gordon.

  "Gordon."

  "It's Michelle. I have a tip for you about the source of the disturbance at the mayor's house."

  "Really? That would make my day. Though, your sources tend to be vague."

  "This is better than most."

  "It better be," he grumbled.

  "If you'd let me talk you'd have the information by now. A unicorn staying at the lodge told me there was someone experimenting with magical creatures, and lives in the southern part of Cherokee, where it borders Cobb County."

  "You called to tell me that?"

  "Come on. Now, you know there's someone breeding these things, and an area to search. As tips go, this is a good one."

  "Fine, but I hate coordinating searches between two counties."

  "Be that as it may, this is good information."

  He grunted. "Thanks, Michelle. Oh, those critters you captured are being sterilized, and are on their way to a permanent home."

  "Good." I loved knowing I've helped a creature have a better life.

  "Thanks for the information. We'll get back to you if we find anything off the tip."

  "Good luck."

  After getting off the phone I wasn't sure what to do with the rest of my afternoon until I looked outside. Passing up a sunny afternoon that I didn't need to work would've been criminal. I strapped on my shoes and headed out to jog one of the trails behind the lodge. It was cool this time of year, with fall starting to turn into winter, so I grabbed a light jacket.

  I love being outside with the leaves falling all around me. It was like I was a princess and all the trees were laying down a path of gold, yellow, orange, and red for me to traverse. Forty-five minutes in wonderland left me striding back to the lodge breathless, but filled with peace and joy.

  Elron

  For the first time in two hundred years I didn't lose sleep because of unhappy memories that preferred to haunt me at night, but from nerves. A person my age shouldn't spend an entire night with sweat running down them, or shivers creeping up them, from thoughts of doing something new. I hadn't had many new experiences since my mate died. The only new thing I'd really experienced was grief. I didn't think I would be focused on that tomorrow.

  Dawn arrived all too swiftly. The sleepless night was best left behind, but I didn't want to face the interview. I hurried through my morning tasks and was sitting in the dining room, regretting that speed all too soon. I was hungry, but every bite of fruit tasted too sweet before turning my stomach upside down.

  "Nervous are you?" Landa set a box of cereal on the side board.

  "It shows?"

  "Only to one who knows you. It brightens my heart to see you here again. I wasn't sure I would."

  "Neither was I," I looked her in the eye. "But I'm glad I am."

  "That is some fine news. I'll be right back." She walked into the kitchen to bring something else out.

  "Have you been to this Kennesaw University before?" I could trust what Landa said about this place.

  Her voice was muffled as she called back, "Yes, and like any other place it has good intentions and you see people of every type." She returned carrying a basket of bagels, muffins, and scones. "Well, mostly good intentions. They want to educate and explore the boundaries, especially of science. I'm not sure everything should be poked at and dissected to see how it works. There are many marvels in this world; some of them should stay marvels." Once the basket was on the table she placed a blueberry muffin on a plate.

  "I agree. Humans want to figure everything out. They are unwilling to let something be."

  "Have a muffin; it will sit better than the fruit." She whisked away the remains of my first dish, leaving me staring at the muffin. A brown bag appeared next to me. "You'll be hungry later, and I doubt you'll be done before lunch. This will tide you over."

  "Thank you Landa."

  "Not a problem, dear. Now, I must go finish breakfast. A few other guests came in late last night and will be down shortly." I leaned down so she could give me a kiss on the cheek. "Good luck, Elron."

  "Thank you, Landa, and thank you for the food." She waved as she walked back into the kitchen.

  I eyed the car before I sat down. Landa had been right about the muffin. I settled the bag she'd given me in the passenger seat with the directions. Breathing deeply, I started the car. I still wasn't accustomed to driving these blasted machines even with the year of practice I'd completed to be a lic
ensed driver. I would have been much more comfortable on the back of a horse, but they didn't travel quickly enough for this modern area.

  Thirty minutes later I released my white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel. A man walked out of the building and stopped a polite distance from the car. I emerged, remembering to take the keys with me and lock the car—in that order. Keeping the keys with me was a lesson I'd learned the hard way.

  "Hello, I'm Professor Johnson. Call me Brandon." This lanky man didn't look anything like the scholar I had pictured. He didn't wear glasses and his dirty blond hair was carefully combed.

  "You may address me as Elron."

  "It is a pleasure to have you here. If you will follow me we can talk in my office before visiting the greenhouses." I was glad he didn't offer to shake hands. To me it was a strange human custom, but one I was attempting to remember as a normal greeting.

  As offices go, Brandon's was a good one. It had nice furniture, a window, and no one else using it. Brandon's office was also remarkably tidy, and the chairs were comfortable.

  "I understand you need someone with my expertise, but why you would need an elf wasn't explained." I had started looking for a job. If I wanted to live I needed new things to focus on, but I wouldn't take just any job.

  "The school and I want to start a garden. A very special garden."

  Michelle

  I can do this, I thought. The elf won't bother me. I can make small talk like anyone else and not be bothered by his questions. It didn't matter if his questions brought back memories of strange things and questions I'd had most of my life. He didn't know what he was asking. Though, you'd think someone who was as old as him would have learned to leave some things alone. I should stop answering the questions I didn't want to, and start asking him more questions.

  Determined to go to dinner with a good mood, I turned on some Bach and hopped in the shower. Unable to resist, I indulged in a game I played as a child. I turned the water different colors, and projected a rainbow on the back wall. I changed the color of the water every few minutes, enjoying the novelty. The rainbow on the back wall was over a field, and had a pot of gold at each end. I laughed as the light reflected off the colored water, casting beautiful shadows on the walls.

  Bracing myself I walked into the dining room. Elron was already seated across from Landa and Mander, the brownie couple who owned the lodge. The seat between Elron and the end of the table was open, but on the other side of him was a male satyr sitting across from a male Centaur. I wouldn't be seeing Aksi again; his conference ended today and he was leaving directly from the closing dinner to the airport.

  Narzel, the god of trickery and mayhem, should take a special interest in Elron. It would serve him right.

  "Michelle, I thought you might be down. Gather your food, we just started eating." Landa called out.

  I did as I was bid and settled into the seat next to Elron. It was better than the other choice, and it would look strange if I refused the seat that had been reserved for me. Frankly, Elron was the better option. Satyrs and Centaurs tended to be a lusty lot. Neither species cared much if they were with their own kind or humanoids. I think it had something to do with being part humanoid themselves, but I'd never know one well enough to ask. Satyrs liked to drink, and Centaurs were known for being temperamental. I wasn't a human, but I was definitely the most fragile of the group, and as the only single female I would attract a lot of their attentions. Tonight, I would take any protection I could get.

  Mander introduced everyone. "I don't believe any of you know each other. Ch'que, the centaur, will be staying with us overnight, and Tironious, the satyr, will be here for a few days. Elron arrived yesterday, and Michelle, a witch, is a permanent resident." The last part, about me living here and being a witch, was intended as a warning. Mander wanted them to know that he would take it amiss if anything happened to me and that I wasn't defenseless. I would have rather they thought me powerless because they wouldn't have been prepared for me to defend myself. Now they were warned that I had some power. They were also warned that two brownies would come after them if they caused me harm, and that was no small threat.

  "Are you passing through?" Elron addressed the question to the men.

  Ch'que answered first. "I am traveling to the fall assembly of our people. Not all of our people, of course, but leaders, elders, and those looking for something." He was eating matzo ball soup like everyone but Tironious, who was eating fruit.

  "What are you searching for?" Elron was bold tonight, but he was also correct. Ch'que did not have the markings of a chief or elder.

  "I am looking for a herd that will allow me to join and court their daughters. It is time that I took a mate." The glare Ch'que was wearing made it clear he was finished answering questions on that subject.

  Elron switched his gaze to the satyr who answered without being prompted. "I was in trouble with the law down south. I pursued a girl, who I thought was amenable, but was too young according to the modern laws. I am returning to my hometown, Philadelphia. I miss my community of satyrs and other non-humans. I think I will do better there. I lived in the swamp with several nymphs and naiads for many years, but civilization has moved too close to me." Tironious slurped down an orange slice before asking, "How about yourself?"

  "I had business in town. I will be returning to the forest." Not one to leave room for questions, his tone scared off anyone pushy.

  "What is it that you do, Michelle?" Ch'que's question was nearly a demand.

  I hated the question. It was one I answered far more often that I felt that I should. "I work with police departments to dispose of enchanted items and solve magical problems. I do a little bit of everything." I pasted my best professional smile on my face, the one that didn't look sexy, just polite.

  Mander asked Ch'que about the herds and how they were fairing and Landa inquired about the neighborhood Tironious was from. Elron turned to me. "How was your day?"

  "All right. What did you do today?"

  "I had several meetings."

  "Did they go well?"

  "Brilliantly." Wordy, he was not today. "What did you do with your day at home?"

  I blinked at him for a moment, speechless. He wasn't even supposed to be at dinner tonight, never mind asking questions like that. "How did you know I didn't leave today?"

  "The trees along the drive told me."

  "They told you I didn't leave?"

  "Yes."

  "Did you talk to the trees behind the lodge?"

  "Not yet, but I can go ask and then we can talk about it." He grinned.

  "No need. I went for a jog along the trails. It was lovely." For a brief moment I imagined outrunning him, but elves were fantastic runners.

  "Yes," he studied my face, "I imagine it was."

  "What does that mean?"

  "Nothing. I agreed that it must have been lovely to walk among the trees as they rain down the glory of fall before they are fully prepared for the long sleep. It is a lovely time, though I liked it more before so many of the trees were murdered for progress." His voice deepened with sorrow.

  "The loss of the forest land was tragic, but I don't feel the sorrow as you do. I didn't see the beginning of the destruction. Perhaps, if you had taught the young ones better, such a loss might not have occurred." I didn't want to see him as vulnerable; I didn't want to care for him that way.

  With slightly glowing eyes and whiter skin he growled, "You dare question our treatment of the humans? We were one of the few races that didn't enslave them. We helped them gain freedom."

  "Yes," I said gently, "but what did you do to help them after that? You are not the first elf I've known. Your kind is renowned for disinterest in anything but the forest and wildlife."

  Frowning, he stopped glowing. "I don't recall."

  "Let me know when you have an answer to that one."

  "I will young one, I will." He slowly ate more soup.

  I listed to the others long enough to realize they
were talking about how the marriage rituals had changed, in all groups, over the years. I couldn't summon any desire to participate in their conversation.

  "Huh?" Elron had asked me something, but I hadn't been listening.

  "What else did you do with your day?"

  "Paperwork," I smiled to myself, "and I gave myself a light show in the shower." Standing, I made my excuses, set my dishes in the bin and with a few words shot a rainbow across the table.

  Landa and Mander clapped, while the two newest guests just looked back and forth from the rainbow to me. Elron had wide eyes and was leaning away from the table.

  "Good night everyone. It should last an hour or so." Smirking, I walked out the door. I had managed to surprise the elf. Score for me.

  Chapter Three

  Michelle

  I answered the phone on the fourth ring. "Oaks Magical Consulting, how may I help you?" It was six in the morning, but I made a point of being up early. It bothered me less when the phone rang, and phones tended to ring early in the morning for people who worked with the police. Morning was the time when all of the night's mischief was discovered.

  "Michelle, it's Jones. We need you up here, or I think we do. Look, even if we don't, we'll compensate you for driving, but get here fast."

  "Fine, but I need directions, an address, and an idea of what happened." Jones was usually more upbeat than this. He sounded serious right now.

  "You don't need directions. We're at the south side of the troll preserve. Just get to the south entrance and you'll find us. As for what happened, get down here and take a look. We have a crater the size of a small house over here. Something exploded at five, and we're trying to pick up the pieces." Someone shouted in the background and he hung up before I could answer.

  I hurried to grab a few extra bags of supplies, packed some food, and hit the road. Driving along the highway, a little bit over the speed limit, I started to wonder why they had called me. I hadn't been doing this very long. I'd only set up the business eighteen months ago, and while it was going well I wasn't a policeman, or a detective, or an investigator. I was a witch.