“Great news,” she said. “Viola’s still here. She and Henry are old friends, and a group of us ate dinner in town.”
“Okay. I’m happy for you, but why is your face flushed?”
Diana’s cheeks turned even redder. “Before you get too close to Laura, you might want to get to know my daughter. She’s incredibly sweet and says very nice things about you.”
I sighed. “Don’t get any matchmaking ideas. Laura and I are extremely close, committed to each other.”
“What’s wrong with having options?”
I groaned. “In this case, everything.” It was hard enough living near Diana without her meddling in my love life.
Before I could object, Diana held up her finger to stop me. She called out, “Darling, you can come in now.”
That made me nervous. Viola had obviously been hovering close by. She might have heard my comments.
She walked in from the open archway to the kitchen, looking as lovely as ever in a black pencil skirt and white blouse.
“I’m happy to see you again,” she said to me. “Mom told me how much you learned from Henry. Isn’t he amazing?”
I tried to forget how many times he’d sucker-punched me. Instead, I nodded and said in a deep, rumbling Southern accent. “Sho ’nuff.”
Diana winked at me and pointed for her daughter to sit on the sofa so I was sandwiched between them.
“Tell him about your walk along the beach on Crete.”
“So, a few weeks ago,” Viola said, “a friend and I were strolling along a deserted beach. We were heading toward a small fishing town to get dinner. The sun had already set when we came upon a rundown stone house. An old woman was working next to it, loading wood into an outdoor brick oven. Then she created a fireball with her hand and shot it into the oven to light the wood. Very impressive.”
“Pretty interesting, huh?” Diana nudged me with her elbow.
I fought a groan from Diana’s ham-handed effort to light a flame between me and Viola.
Viola gave me a crooked grin, which told me she felt as awkward as I did.
“Anyway,” she continued, “I said something like, ‘Amazing,’ to my friend. That startled the old woman. She turned and stared at us for few seconds before she ran into the house.”
Viola paused.
I was curious, so I said, “And?”
She grinned. “I dashed up to the front door and knocked. No one answered. I waited a moment and knocked louder.”
Diana laughed at some private joke.
“A woman my age opened the door,” Viola said, “and snarled at me in Greek to get lost. I told her in the same language that we meant no harm and that we wanted to learn the spell. The young woman pretended not to know anything about magic and kept trying to slam the door on us—except I was standing in the doorway.”
“I assume you didn’t leave.” I said to encourage her to finish the story.
“Of course not. I gave her my friendliest smile and kept talking.” She flashed her pearly whites at me, and I had to admit she had a winning grin.
“I offered to pay fifty euros for the old woman’s secret,” Viola said. “That’s when the younger woman’s eyes opened wide. We haggled for another few minutes before she brought the old woman back. It ended up costing me eighty bucks, but I learned how to make a fireball.”
She pointed her finger at her mom’s fireplace. A flaming sphere the size of a softball shot into the firebox. Several logs sitting on the grate burst into flames.
“Looks terrific,” I said. “How do I do it?”
Viola did her best to teach me, including coaching me how to speak the spell in Greek, but it was no use. After half an hour of failed attempts, I gave up. According to Diana, this was Kronos magic, completely different from everything I was used to.
Another failure.
-o-o-o-
Monday, September 16th
AFTER THAT FIASCO, I asked Diana to increase our training schedule to every day. She agreed, but we still spent half of the time on concentration exercises.
Right before sunset, I saddled Hercules and suggested a hell-raising run.
I climbed into the saddle, and he bolted from the barn, galloping across a pasture heading south. Four of the wolves gave chase, including Washta. Hercules ran faster than ever.
The wind cooled my face, and I forgot everything but the moment. Then I closed my eyes. When the darkness cleared, I found myself looking at the grassy field through Hercules’s eyes, and I felt his joy as he raced the wolves. His pleasure soaked into me.
Washta pulled up alongside us. Although the horse was running flat-out, Washta seemed to be grinning. Then he put on a burst of speed and shot ahead.
Hercules wasn’t going to let a mutt beat him. Despite his tired legs, he reached deep inside for more energy. We caught up with the wolf, and the horse’s sides heaved as he breathed as hard as he could to keep up.
I somehow felt the wolf’s excitement, too, and before I knew it, I was running through the grass instead of far above it. I’d slipped into the Washta’s mind. We glanced up at the horse as we ran. I’d heard that wolves had greater stamina than horses, and Washta wasn’t running at his limit.
Hercules was still wearing his saddle, but I wasn’t sitting in it anymore. How was that possible?
I stayed in the wolf’s head as long as I could, but Hercules ran out of gas and slowed. Then, my spirit somehow floated back into him. I felt my body take shape again, sitting in the saddle. What a crazy world I’m living in.
At the boundary fence, Hercules and the wolves stopped and staggered about as they caught their breath. What a wild evening.
My heart was beating fast too, but from excitement instead of exertion. Something strange was happening to me. Why couldn’t anyone explain it?
-o-o-o-
Tuesday, September 17th
I BREAKFASTED WITH TESS, Rascal, Laura, and Christina. My mind was still filled with questions about my ability to move from animal to animal, but neither Laura nor Tess could explain what had happened to me. I got the sense they thought I was exaggerating, so I dropped the subject.
Then Diana entered the room and sat at a distant table alone. If anyone would know what was happening to me, it would be her.
I grabbed my glass of orange juice and approached my mentor. “I’d like to talk to you about vanishing again. It’s getting even weirder.”
She blew out a deep breath. “You? Weird? Seems impossible.”
I ignored her sarcasm. “You’re the one who wants me to understand magic.”
She nodded. “I grant you leave to speak while I eat, minion.”
I described my ride on Hercules and told her how I’d shifted from beast to beast.
Diana waved a finger in the air. “Crystal and I are trying to understand this. Nobody in in this country or the British Isles seems to know what you’re doing. I’ve sought guidance from master magicians in Europe, Asia, and North Africa, but the closest we’ve come to an answer so far is an ancient Mongolian transference spell. It’s complex magic performed by very few.”
I stared in confusion at my hands. “Mongolia? That’s Asia, isn’t it? You’ve gotta do better than that.”
Diana’s eyes flashed. “We don’t ‘gotta’ do a damned thing, Farm Boy. We’re in charge here, and you’re the flunky, remember? And to be sure you do, you’re giving me your apprenticeship oath tomorrow.”
I’d been expecting that—I had no choice. No other clan existed for over a thousand miles in any direction, so Diana was my only hope of staying close to Laura and my family in Oklahoma. “Fine. I’ll be sticking around for how long?”
Diana thought for a moment. “Commit to nine months. Then we’ll reassess.”
“Okay. You’re stuck with me, too.”
Diana grimaced as she chewed a mouthful of sausage. After she’d swallowed it, she said, “I’m looking forward to the experience. At least I
won’t hear any more snide comments from you. The spell will make you so much more pleasant.”
My breath caught in my throat. What was I signing up for? I started to ask, but stopped. Diana was more annoying than anyone in the clan, but she was also damned helpful. “As you wish, Your Majesty.”
“Say that again. A thrill just shot through me.”
I did.
She closed her eyes and smiled.
“Listen,” she said after a pause, “Viola is eager to try to teach you the fireball spell again.”
The way Diana said it made it sound like it was a romantic escapade.
“You’re as crazy as I am.” I snickered. “I know she isn’t right for me, despite her considerable charms. I’m with Laura, remember?”
Diana shook her head. “You haven’t given Viola a fair chance. Go on at least one date.”
I rolled my eyes. “Forget it. End of subject.”
Diana glowered at me. “Do what you want, minion. I won’t use my power as your master to force you, although I should. Just so you know, she’s next in line for the Warrior’s Kiss.”
“Does she know that?”
Diana didn’t answer, which confirmed what I’d guessed. Viola wasn’t any more interested in a relationship than I was. This was her mother’s idea, but I couldn’t imagine the point of her scheme.
The conversation died out for a few minutes, and I plotted ways to protect myself from my new master.
Then Diana interrupted my thoughts. “By the way, I heard about another battle lost. A witch in Fort Collins just vanished, leaving behind a husband and a two-year-old son.”
I gasped.
She nodded. “It’s a terrible situation. I don’t have all the details yet, but she cleaned out her bank account before she disappeared. The bank security video shows Pestone waiting for her outside in a car.”
My stomach roiled at the thought of a two-year-old boy losing his mom.
After Diana had finished eating, we headed to her office. There, she lit a balsam candle, and I used my magical core to concentrate. I seemed to be making progress, but it was painfully slow.
Chapter 19
Friday, September 20th
SEVERAL DAYS LATER, I was sitting with Diana and many others. It was French toast day, and I’d piled my plate high. Rascal snuck a small piece of bacon off my plate, and I pretended not to notice.
After the kids had left for their first class, Diana said, “I’ve found out more about Pestone.” She pointed at me. “Remember how I talked about hiring a private investigator to help you find sorcerers to eliminate?”
“Sure,” I replied.
“Nicky recommended someone, and, to give him a trial run, I asked him to research Pestone’s background. The detective called me late last night with a report. Pestone grew up in Greeley. His grandmother owns a huge house there. The neighbors said they see Pestone there all the time.”
“Great,” I replied. “Let’s go get him.”
Diana shook her head. “As I’ve said before, none of us is strong enough to defeat him, and certainly not you. Until one of us becomes powerful enough, we need to avoid him at all costs.”
“Doesn’t sound like much of a strategy for success,” I replied.
She shrugged. “I’m a mere mortal, subject to the whims of fate. We can always pray that misfortune finds him. My sources within the sorcerer community tell me that Pestone is scheduled for a match fight next month in Miami. Unfortunately, the odds-makers have listed him as a heavy favorite.”
“So, that’s our best plan? Hope that some faraway asshole will beat our asshole? We’re in real trouble. How the heck are we supposed to avoid him when he’s stalking us?”
Our Fearless Leader gazed into the distance for a moment. “Everyone will stay out of public places, particularly out of Boulder. Sorcerers stick to towns, so the mountains are safer, except for communities like Nederland.”
I was still learning about the mountains, so there were plenty of quiet places I could go. I wouldn’t miss visiting the towns at all.
-o-o-o-
AFTER EVERYONE HAD FINISHED eating, Katie herded the adults into the council chamber. Diana, Katie, and Crystal stood in front of the bench and conducted the ceremony to collect oaths and power. As before, Diana hardly cut the back of my neck, and she seemed to give me a significant amount of magic rather than taking any.
After that ritual ended, Diana said, “Today, for the first time in a decade, I take a disciple.”
She stared at me with a hollow expression that told me she wasn’t looking forward to this any more than I was.
I was sitting on a back bench between Tess and Laura.
“Approach, Ian O’Rourke,” she said.
With growing misgivings, I walked forward and knelt in front of her again.
She spoke in Gaelic, waved her athamé around, and then she said in English, “Do you, of your own free will, pledge yourself to me as your lord and master, swearing fealty and complete subjugation for a period of nine months, to be extended by mutual consent?”
I shivered and wondered what the woman meant by complete subjugation, but it was way too late to back out. “I do, my liege.”
“Present your right arm,” she said.
I extended it, and Diana turned my hand so the underside of my forearm faced up. Then she held the blade over my arm with the tip down and released it. The athamé dropped slowly and carved a bloody Celtic cross, like some unseen spirit was writing on me. The cut stung as though it was being etched with acid. I tried to jerk my arm away, but it wouldn’t budge.
When the design was complete, a drop of blood remained on the tip of the blade. Diana grasped the handle and placed the athamé over the candle. My blood vanished in a puff of smoke, and the design on my arm burned with a yellow flame. It hurt like I’d been branded with red-hot steel, but I tried not to let anyone see my pain. Seconds later, the symbol vanished and the burning sensation ended.
“Kiss my feet,” Diana ordered with a smirk on her face.
When I didn’t move, my forearm exploded with pain, as though her blade had stabbed through the cross deep into my arm. A glance confirmed that Diana hadn’t touched me with the athamé at all. Magic was enforcing her will.
The pain intensified until I bent down and planted a kiss on each of her black shoes. With the second kiss, the pain stopped, and the blood that had coated my arm vanished to reveal a white Celtic cross two inches wide. I’d been tattooed.
Most of the members of the audience applauded, including Tess.
I was about to curse, but Diana merely arched an eyebrow. That stopped me cold. She wanted me to resist some more so she could prove to everybody, including me, how she now completely controlled me.
Point made. I bowed my head.
Diana spoke in Gaelic to close the ceremony.
I stood and returned to my friends, broken to her will. Most of the people in the room lined up to congratulate me for being accepted as her disciple. They thought our Fearless Leader had bestowed on me a great honor.
-o-o-o-
Saturday, September 21st
KATIE, HERMAN, AND I were bailing hay in the pastures, but, unlike back on my farm in Oklahoma, this was cool, comfortable, work. They were sure snow would come any day, and we had to get the hay into the barn before it was too late.
Haying was exhausting work, but satisfying.
After we’d finished, I ran into Laura on the patio outside the dining hall.
“Did you work up an appetite?” she asked.
I nodded. “First, though, I need a cold beer. Can we eat together?”
Laura grabbed my arm and pulled me close. “I can, and so can Rascal, but Christina will be late. She went with a busload of kids to the park. They haven’t returned yet.”
“Which park?”
“Rocky Mountain. Have you seen it?”
I shook my head.
“You’ve g
ot to go this fall. It’s the best time of the year there. In another week or two, the aspens in the park will blaze yellow. The elk bulls will gather huge harems of cows. It’s quite a sight.”
“Great, but aren’t there lots of people visiting?”
She grimaced. “Oh, right, that’s a problem.”
We headed to our apartment to pick up the cat.
“You still could use a day in the mountains,” she said. “I know a great waterfall hike. It’s not popular because the trail is long and steep. We should get a trip in before snow closes the high country. And maybe I can talk a couple of others into coming.”
“The hike sounds perfect.”
-o-o-o-
AS WE ATE, I held Laura close and listened as she pitched the waterfall excursion to our friends. Everybody’s eyes lit up, but most of them had commitments. Only Tess and Crystal could come with us.
I was a little surprised that Crystal spoke up. She’d been giving me the cold shoulder since I’d refused to screw her. Hopefully, she was done pouting.
“Can we ride instead of walk?” Crystal asked.
“Parts of the trail would make horses nervous,” Tess said. “We’ll take our time on the way up so it’s not too much of a strain.”
“All right,” Crystal said. “But we can’t do it tomorrow. Diana has been coaxing Ian’s grandfather to come, and she’s finally managed it. He’ll help us understand Ian’s Osage magic. We expect him tomorrow afternoon.”
That made my day. I hadn’t seen any of my family since that terrible day at the beginning of the month.
-o-o-o-
Sunday, September 22nd
ALL MORNING, I WORKED in the fields to bring the hay in. We finished shortly before two p.m., when Grandpa was expected.
A few minutes later, I met Samuel Standing Bear and my first cousins Francis and Matthew at the entrance to the commons building. They’d driven Grandpa’s truck and mine.
He looked much older than the last time I’d seen him, a month ago. In particular, his deeply tanned face was more wrinkled. For the first time, he looked his true age, namely sixty-one. His grip remained strong, which encouraged me.
Like most Osage, my relatives were tall, powerfully built men.
Lone Survivor: The Sorcerers' Scourge Series: Book One Page 21