A Witch's Trial (Witch's Path Series: Book 3) Read online

  "You always do."

  "Would you mind getting a charm out of my workroom while I shower? The top right drawer of the old card catalog has the low-powered charms."

  "Card catalog?" Elron asked as we made it through the front door and started down the hall.

  It was hard to know what he would and wouldn't recognize. I'd thought the card catalog might be old enough to stir a memory, but I didn't really know when they'd been common.

  "It's a wooden cabinet with small drawers, each slightly larger than your palm. There are four drawers across and six down. Each one has a handle and a small label." That should be enough information. It was the only thing in my office with that many drawers.

  "I shall find the charm." He frowned as his pace slowed. "How did the ghoul attack you?"

  That was a question I hadn't wanted to answer. He wouldn't like the explanation, and I didn't need a scolding. I fixed my eyes on a painting at the end of the hall. "Well, I was riding Ty when it tackled me. It must've climbed up a tree or something. Anyway, it knocked me off Ty, but I used a spell to soften my landing."

  "Ty is thirteen feet tall." Elron's words were clipped and his voice tight.

  "Yes, he is. I need to get a helmet." The words slipped out before I could think better of them.

  "A helmet?"

  "A harness or saddle would be good too. There isn't much to hold on to up there." I was already in trouble; a bit more honesty wouldn't make it any worse.

  He took a few deep breaths, and after a long exhale said, "Are you planning on riding Ty in the future?"

  "Yup. Kids with big pet dogs ride them. People have been riding donkeys, horses, and mules for thousands of years. If they'd had pet dinosaurs, they would've ridden them too. It is perfectly safe to ride Ty. He's smart, understands what I say, and isn't prone to spooking." All very logical, but I was betting my parents wouldn't buy that argument, which was why I didn't plan on mentioning it until after Gremory was dead. Compared to fighting a demon, riding a T-Rex was nothing.

  "This is why you are an only child," Elron muttered as we walked into my apartment. "Will you be able to bathe yourself?"

  "Absolutely. I'll be back in a few minutes." When I limped into my room, Elron was shaking his head and rubbing his temples, but I thought I saw a hint of a smile.

  Uncomfortable showers were becoming a trend, and this was no exception. It did relax the angry muscles and clean the cuts. As careful as I was, putting on clothes managed to aggravate every one of my injuries. My hands were too cut up to make braiding my hair comfortable, so I brushed it and left it hanging, which left damp spots on my shirt.

  I sat on my bed and called Wells. He should be a part of the night's activities.

  "Oaks, what do you need?"

  "We're going to kill the demon in the morning, early morning. I thought you'd want to be here." My voice was soft and heavy. The waiting and worrying was about to come to an end.

  "What time?"

  "Be here at midnight."

  "Midnight tonight?" Wells asked.

  "Yes, just over eight hours from now at Landa's Lodge."

  "I'll be there." He hung up before I could reply. I couldn't blame him; it hadn't really been a social call.

  I tried not to look worried when I left my room. Elron had his own concerns and didn't need any of mine. As soon as I waked out of the bedroom, Elron handed me the charm. I rubbed it against a cut that was still oozing to activate it, then tucked it in my pocket. "Thank you."

  "It was my pleasure. Would you like something to eat? I took the liberty of fetching dinner." Elron motioned to the table.

  "Thank you. Food would be good." I followed him to the table where Varro and Julius where fixing plates.

  We ate in silence. It wasn't intentional; there was simply nothing we could discuss without ruining the meal. Varro was deteriorating before our eyes. He had transitioned from wiry strength to a frail old man. I could see worry and fatigue around his mouth and eyes. Julius was more difficult to read because I hadn't studied gargoyle faces, but there was something in the way he moved. There was fear, but he was mostly determined. Elron was lost in thought, his hand robotically moving food from the plate to his mouth. I didn't have to read his face to know what was going through his mind. There was Sylvia, Gremory, Varro, myself, and concern that he wouldn't be able to cope with the outcome.

  I was glad I couldn't see my face. The feelings inside were more than enough to keep me occupied. There was fear, determination, and a healthy dose of avoidance. The best thing I could do for my peace of mind was to ignore the potentially deadly events looming on the horizon. When the time came, I would do my job to the very best of my ability, and that was the most anyone could ask of me.

  We finished eating and cleared the table before returning to our seats. When this was finished, I might need to paint the table and change the art, give this area a new look so it didn't remind me of the unhappiness.

  Varro rapped his knuckles on the table. "The ghoul has been situated in a clearing out of sight of the house. Before you protest"—he looked at me—"should it get loose, one of us would feel it and it will return to kill Michelle. With that, it is time to discuss the abilities Julius has to offer."

  I kept my mouth shut. His logic was sound; so far the ghouls had been persistent in their murderous tendencies.

  "I don't have Varro's experience, but I am familiar with creatures demons can bring to the fight and will be able to combat them. Fey and elves may be difficult hosts, but demons can't take a gargoyle as their host. Another ability of ours is that we can see the spirit. I will be able to tell when the demon is dead."

  I swallowed. Well, that would come in handy.

  Chapter 18: Elron

  We took time to rest, or I presumed the rest of the group was resting. Sleep did not find me, and my thoughts were less than enjoyable company. Upon hearing movement in Michelle's bedroom, I softly rapped on the door and heard an equally soft, "Enter."

  I stepped inside and asked, "Did I wake you?"

  "No." Michelle sat up and pushed her hair out of her face. "Are you okay?"

  "No. I cannot sleep."

  "Neither can I," Michelle whispered. "My brain won't stop long enough for me to fall asleep. I keep thinking of what I need to do and what could go wrong. Maybe when I'm battle hardened like Varro I can fall asleep on command."

  "I haven't been in enough battles to acquire that ability." I walked over and sat down next to her bed. This was what I had been missing, the calm that washed over me when I was near her. Tonight would change many things, and this was one of them. One way or another, Michelle mattered, and I needed her in my life.

  "I'm scared."

  "Why?" I asked.

  "What we're about to do is dangerous, and I don't want to see any of us hurt. Even if we get through the night without a mishap, we won't be the same because this is a night that will affect us for years to come. I've said it enough that it's beginning to lose its power, but a demon isn't to be taken lightly." She paused, rolled onto her side, and reached a hand over the ends of the bed.

  I took her hand in mine. "We will make it through this. When dawn comes, I will be here to help and comfort you."

  "What if you need help?"

  "I am sure you would come to my aid. No matter what happens, I am here to stay." The words sounded hollow to my ears. Although they were heartfelt, I knew it would be a difficult promise to keep. The night would hurt me, and the potential for physical injury was not my largest concern.

  "I hope so. Let's get some sleep." Michelle pulled an extra blanket off the chest at the foot of her bed and handed it to me along with a pillow. "Good night, Elron." She settled against the bed, and her breathing deepened.

  My arm was numb when her fingers slid off mine. I rearranged myself into a more comfortable position, relaxing even though I wasn't falling asleep. The Call was showing no sign of abating, leading me to believe that Sylvia would not be my end. Its unrelenting pressure gav
e me hope that the future would be better than the present.

  I couldn't see myself without Michelle, in adventure or quiet moments in the house. It had always been her. The dream came back in a rush, the moments with the hummingbirds, the kiss, and the conversation.

  Sitting up, I kissed the back of her hand, careful not to wake her. Lying back down, I let the emotions wash over me. Yes, it had always been Michelle, and I owed her an equally magical evening that was firmly based in reality. It hardly counted as a date if my subconscious cut it short.

  Looking back, it was clear—everything had been part of the journey, but my travels were far from over. I needed to stay sane and healthy through the coming events if I wanted to be with Michelle. There was no way around it; the coming days would determine if I had a future with her, and most of it hinged on me.

  I had to be strong enough to face Sylvia, Gremory, my past choices, and the slew of emotions that I would find in the morning light. I had to get through this, not just to have a chance at being with Michelle, but because I needed to be my best before I could find my happy ending.

  Chapter 19: Michelle

  Wells spotted me as soon as he pulled into the parking lot. He took the spot next to me, got out of the car, and quickly put on his jacket, gloves, and hat. Thermos dangling from his fingers, he walked over to me and shook my hand.

  "Thanks for the invitation," he said.

  "No problem. I thought you'd want to see the end." I fumbled for the right words.

  Wells nodded. "I'll be glad to help, or stay out of the way, whatever works for y'all."

  "We'll figure it out. This way." I guided him around the corner of the lodge, through the garden, and into the woods. We made it to the clearing with minor injuries, and I only tripped over three roots and one rock.

  The ghoul was right where it had been on my last trip out here, slightly off center in the clearing, sitting in the opalescent sphere, playing with its fingers. It detached its pinkies and tossed one in the air before tossing the second. It made it through a few rounds of juggling and managed to add a ring finger before it fumbled a catch.

  The moon cast enough light for me to see the look of disgust on Wells's face. If I never saw another ghoul again for my entire life, I'd be a happy girl. Between the rotted flesh hanging off the bones and their attitude, they were repulsive creatures.

  I saw Varro and Julius coming out of the woods with Elron trailing behind them and called out, "Varro, Julius, would you like to meet Detective Wells?"

  The men came over, and we rushed through introductions so we could focus on the important thing—like killing a demon. Varro and then Elron stepped forward and shook Wells's hand. As they exchanged pleasantries, Julius took flight. He'd volunteered to keep watch from the air and would be running interference with any of Gremory's creatures.

  The men moved off, and I turned to Wells. "Would you mind staying here while I prepare spells? I'll need you to stay outside the clearing because some of these spells are delicate. If you have any questions, I'll be glad to answer."

  "Do your job, Oaks. I'll be fine," Wells said.

  I nodded and turned to walk away.

  "Thank you for the invitation," he added.

  Flashing a smile, I said, "No problem. Besides, I knew you'd want proof that the demon was dead."

  He saluted me with the thermos and took a swig of coffee.

  My pack was a few feet to the left and hidden under a holly bush. I avoided the sharp leaves as I extracted the backpack. Once I retrieved both of the half-gallon mason jars, I made my way to the center of the circle.

  This was a tricky part, not because it was difficult but because it had to be done by memory. In the center of the clearing, I stripped off my glove, slid on a different glove made from purified cloth, and grabbed a handful of salt. This wasn't regular table salt but a mixture of finely ground salt and herbs, including powdered demon's bane. It would serve as the base of the spell used to capture and contain the demon. While it was possible to cast the spell without using the salt foundation, it would be more difficult and power intensive.

  Starting in the middle of the clearing, I sprinkled thin lines of salt in overlapping circles, including one that surrounded the ghoul but left enough room for someone to stand next to the undead. It was tedious and challenging to remember where the circles were and intersect them without scuffing a line. When I'd finished laying small circles inside the clearing, I laid a circle around the clearing. This would be the first circle I cast, trapping Gremory even if I couldn't get him in a smaller circle. It wouldn't be ideal because he'd still have a lot of room to move around, and we wanted to avoid including the ghoul in the target area.

  Varro had stressed how important it was to get Gremory in a small area. One of us, mostly likely Julius, would have to deliver the killing blow, and if that person had to enter the circle to kill Gremory, they stood a good chance of becoming a victim of the spells. The smaller circles would keep Gremory within sword's reach no matter how he dodged and shifted.

  I returned the two empty mason jars to my backpack, took a sip from my thermos, and dug around for the next supplies. A vial of demon's bane went into my pocket, as did index cards with the spells written out, and two healing charms. After some debate, I strapped my spare wand to my arm. It wasn't something I wanted to use; the one Elron had given me was superior, but I didn't plan on being unarmed today.

  Hands in gloves and tucked under my arms, I joined Elron, Varro, and Wells. As soon as my fingers limbered up, it would be time to cast the first spell, and like everything I would be attempting tonight, a misstep would be problematic. Varro had been frustratingly vague on what the challenges might be, only mentioning that many Hunters had died doing what we were about to attempt, and their deaths had not been pleasant. Considering what he'd seen in his life, I didn't want to experience anything he considered an unpleasant end.

  "Are you ready?" Varro asked.

  Elron's lips pursed and he nodded. I shook out my hands, summoned my wand, and shrugged.

  "Nothing would make me feel like I'm ready, but I'm as prepared and willing as I'm going to get. Does Julius know we are starting?" I asked. For a moment I hoped Varro would fall down laughing about how this was some elaborate joke and demons didn't exist, but that didn't happen because this was real. I had to be at my best, not because Varro was counting on me, but because the children in the morgue were going to have company if I failed.

  "I've been warned," Julius said as he tucked his wings and dropped to the ground.

  I said a quick prayer, asking the earth for help. Raising my hand, I started writing runes in the air and whispering more under my breath. With each rune, the spell got stronger, taking on the desired shape and form. As the minutes passed, the men didn't move, each of them completely focused on my work. Varro had drilled me on this spell, but I hadn't been able to put it together until now, and it felt different—bigger and hungrier. When we were practicing, he'd told me he'd know if I did the spell incorrectly, so I could only hope no news was good news.

  After sketching and saying the last rune, I held my breath. The spell wiggled and shifted before forming. It anchored itself in the clearing, and a line of magic shot out, heading for Ellijay. The line pulled taut, and the anchor flexed but held firm in the center of the clearing.

  "Well done, Michelle," Varro said. "I have rarely seen better. Now, we need to settle into our hiding spots and wait for Gremory. Julius will be keeping watch from the sky. Questions?"

  "Where am I going?" Wells asked.

  "You're with me," I said.

  Wells nodded.

  "If there aren't any other questions, it's time to find your places, and good luck." When none of us said anything, Varro nodded, walked away, and blended into the woods by his fifth step.

  When Varro was gone, Julius took off, and in seconds his wingbeats had faded away.

  Elron gave me a mysterious look as he followed Varro into the night. I shook it off because
I couldn't think about his moods or problems right now. My attention had to be on this moment and my part in Gremory's death. What I didn't need to think about was my part in Sylvia's death.

  "We're over here." I looked in the opposite direction of Elron and Varro. Twenty feet away, a fallen tree and a holly bush would conceal us while providing a good view of the clearing.

  Wells took the holly bush, and I settled under the tree. There was nothing to do but stay alert. Most days I'd pass the time with idle thoughts, but none of mine were idle enough. They hinged on what would happen tonight, and dwelling on the ways this could go wrong wasn't helpful. After a couple of unsuccessful attempts at focusing on other things, I gave up and did my best to think about the sounds, smells, and look of the surrounding area. Once I had a good feel for things, I started looking for changes. It was harder than it sounded, because every leaf or bump could look different with the slightest flutter of wind.

  The sluggish passing of time came to a rapid end when a shape moved on the edge of the clearing. As I watched, the form moved around, stepping into the moonlight. Sylvia, and presumably Gremory, had arrived. I was too far away to see her eyes, so I couldn't be sure that the demon was in charge, but Sylvia didn't have a reason to be here unless Gremory was in the driver's seat. After examining the ghoul and the clearing, Sylvia stepped out of the trees.

  My stomach clenched. She needed to take two more steps to be inside the first circle, and I had to be lucky enough for the line of salt be intact. This was the circle that had to go up without a hitch or she could escape. Sylvia shifted from foot to foot, the line of magic still connecting her to the anchor and drawing her into the clearing.

  She took three steps forward.

  I twisted my hand and felt the wand settle into my grip. Jabbing the wand at the circle, I cast the spell. "Alkaz a esaz en sowil kannu."

  It came into being full-fledged and ready to hold Gremory in place. My heaving chest had to be from stress, because the spell hadn't been difficult to cast. I watched as Sylvia knelt down, inspecting the ground, running her fingers over it and sniffing the residue, then touching it to her tongue. I wasn't sure that touching the demon's-bane-laced salt would do the trick.