A Witch's Rite Read online

  Elron closed the door and started toward the kitchen.

  "Oh no, come back here." I kept my voice light and teasing.

  He turned around, waist-length silver hair swishing, one eyebrow arched.

  "Thank you for inviting me over. Left to my own devices I might have worked all night." I swallowed. The next part was more difficult. "I'm sorry for how this morning and last night went. You're right. I didn't live up to the spirit of our agreement. That's something I can't go back in time and change, but I'm hoping you'll give me another chance."

  "Of course you are forgiven." The smile he gave me was soft and loving. "I need forgiveness as well. As I thought about the events, I came to understand that we had different views on what would be occurring. It would be wise for us to consider this a learning experience and endeavor to have better communication in the future."

  "You were forgiven hours ago." I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around him, leaning against his chest.

  "I was worried." Elron rested his head against mine.

  "Me too, but it's going to take more than that to get rid of me."

  He pulled away and frowned. I met his gaze, unsure what had changed.

  "Michelle, I am not going anywhere." Elron brushed a stray hair away from my face. "One unpleasant night will not change my feelings for you. I love you. I will be at your side to fight clans, demons, danger, and death."

  "I will move mountains and walk through fire to keep you safe and by my side." Biting the inside of my cheek to keep my tears at bay, I rested a hand over his heart. "My love for you is tougher than dragon hide and as unrelenting as the ocean."

  He crushed me against his chest, and this time when his head rested against mine, I could feel his smile. There would always be fights, miscommunications, and the occasional lack of understanding. Those times would hurt, but we were stronger than that. Over time, we would work through some of the challenges of being a witch and an elf with a sizable age gap and a plethora of baggage.

  A buzzer sounded, and with a grumble, Elron broke away. "That will be dinner."

  Leaning against the counter, I watched him turn off the timer and remove a dish from the oven. "What are we eating?"

  "Manicotti stuffed with cheese, spinach, mushrooms, and onion."

  "Yum. What can I do to help?"

  He stuck a serving spoon in the manicotti, grabbed two potholders, and picked up the dish. "Sit. Everything else is at the table."

  Sure enough, there were two places set with filled water glasses, small bowls of oil and vinegar, and a basket of bread. After we settled in, I passed him my plate so he could spoon out the manicotti. Two bites into the pasta, I was in love.

  I gave him a satisfied smile. "You know why we work?"

  He paused with a forkful of food halfway to his mouth. "Why?"

  "Because you can cook."

  Laughing, Elron said, "If we relied on your cooking, we would starve."

  "Hey, it's not that bad. We would be able to eat."

  "I will grant you that, but your taste buds would cry out for mercy. They would crave sustenance with flavor."

  "Everyone's a critic," I grumbled.

  "You burned toast to a pan."

  "It sounds worse than it was when you say it like that."

  "You had to soak the pan for more than a day and scrub it with steel wool to get the charred remains of the bread off."

  "All right, all right!" I laughed. "You win. My cooking is less than ideal."

  Elron reached over and squeezed my hand. "However, you are a marvelous witch."

  I tugged my hand away and reached for the bread. "Such a grumpy elf."

  "Always." He sighed. "How was your meeting with Ethel?"

  As I chewed, I tried to figure out the best way to answer. "Did you know she's three hundred and twenty-eight?"

  His eyes widened. "No. I thought she was forty or fifty years younger than that."

  "Well, she's not." I ripped a piece of bread in half. "I think she lied, at least exaggerated, when she told me it would be many years before I was expected to become the premier. That's why she's been giving me so many assignments."

  "She needs you ready immediately." He shook his head. "No, Ethel is savvy enough to know you need time."

  "Exactly. At the fall convention, she will announce me as her successor and Mom as an interim premier."

  "What if she dies before then?"

  I sighed. "Ethel told me she knows when she will die. She assured me that there would be enough time to make this work."

  "How? To be ready in time, you would need to spend all your time preparing. You could not do that and continue your business."

  "I know, and I told her as much." I took a sip of water. "It took some negotiating, but we found a compromise that will work for both of us. I take lessons, which I'd previously refused, and do reading on my own time."

  "You can back out. You do not have to do this."

  Looking up, I caught his gaze with my own. "I do. I have to do whatever I can to make sure no one has to live through what happened to me."

  I didn't have to explain. Elron had been there when Grandmother Gretchen had violated the law of the land and gotten away with it because it was a matter among witches and she was the clan minister. He had seen my parents held hostage and abused to bring me back to the clan. The senseless deaths, destruction, and pain would never have happened if the police had been able to do their job. No one had to worry about my grandmother trying that again. She'd given her life to protect me from the anger of some of her clan members. However, that wouldn't stop another minister from taking similar actions.

  "Ethel has gotten the clans to the edge of change, but she can't be the one to push them over," I said. "Someone who can be there for many years needs to do that. Ethel thinks I'm the best person for the job, mostly because of my determination."

  "That may very well be part of it, but that prophecy she believes in is a more significant factor."

  Thinking back, I couldn't recall hearing the full prophecy. "Did Ethel ever tell you the details of it? All I remember her saying is that my clan scar is the same as the one on the first premier, the mother of all clans, whatever you want to call her."

  "She was reluctant to discuss that topic." He shrugged. "I wish I knew more, but even for elves that was long ago, and it is difficult to separate fact from myth. I would say you have the most determination to see the job through. Ethel strikes me as the type to value that over qualifications."

  My phone rang, and I sent Elron an apologetic look. Being tethered to a phone twenty-four seven was one of the few downsides of being the go-to consultant for magical problems. For some reason, emergencies always happened at the most inconvenient times.

  "Oaks Consulting," I said.

  "Hey, Michelle. This is Officer Westmoreland."

  "What can I do for you?" Patrick Westmoreland was the hedge-practitioner with the Gilmer County Sheriff's Office.

  "Are you busy tomorrow?"

  "It depends on what you need."

  "Two hikers reported seeing some suspicious items and feeling magic up in the woods. I was hoping you could come take a look with me. From what they were saying, it will likely take all day to locate the site, look around, and hike back."

  "Don't you want to make the initial evaluation yourself?"

  "Normally I would, but I'm not sure what's up there, and I'm not very good at locating magic in that type of a setting."

  "Ah." That was why they called me. As a witch, and a good one at that, I could do things outside the abilities of hedge-practitioners. "What's kind of magic are we looking for?"

  "They weren't very clear. They saw some odd things, broken plates or shells, more than a group of hikers would've left behind. This is a quote: 'Then I felt what could only have been a magically induced need to leave. It was so strong I was walking away before I made the decision to leave.'"

  Now that was most definitely magic, likely some kind of compulsion. "What
time do you want me up there?"

  "Six?"

  I winced but agreed. Since I had a forty-five-minute drive to reach his office, it would be an early morning for me. "I might pull in an associate who has more experience in nature magic. Would that be all right?"

  "It's only a problem if it changes our price."

  "Same price. Let me go so I can pack and get things set up. I'll see you in the morning."

  "Thanks, Michelle."

  "Thank me after," I said as I hung up. Getting any thanks before a job was finished felt like a good way to jinx it.

  "Would I be the colleague you wished to consult?" Elron asked.

  "Yes, you would." I tucked the phone back in my pocket. "Would you like to go for a hike tomorrow? Patrick, up in Gilmer County, has a report of strange, potentially magical activity in the woods. I thought you might like to come, talk to the trees, and help us find the mysterious magic."

  "I could accompany you. How long of a hike is it to this problem area?"

  "He said it would likely take most of the day to get there, do our job, and return to town."

  "Ah," Elron said. "When we are finished with dinner, we should do some packing to ensure we are prepared."

  "I was afraid you would say that." It looked like I was going to have to prove that I was game to learn about the great outdoors far sooner than I'd anticipated. Lucky me.

  *******

  As soon as dinner was cleaned up, Elron focused on packing. When I was talking to Patrick, I thought packing would mean filling a few water bottles and sticking most of my gear in a backpack rather than the duffel it typically occupied. Before I knew what was going on, Elron had pulled two hiking backpacks out of the closet.

  "Where did those come from?"

  "I have had one for many years. I acquired one for you a few weeks ago. I thought you would find it useful."

  "Oh."

  Several moments later, Elron said, "I hope I was not overstepping a boundary."

  "No, you're fine. I'm just surprised." That part was true, but I was also hoping he wasn't starting a get-Michelle-backpacking crusade. While I was willing to try camping again, I saw no reason to carry my supplies into the wilderness, spend the night, then haul everything back to civilization.

  "Patrick said we would be going into the Cohutta, correct?" Elron asked.

  "Yes."

  "Then we need to go through what you should bring."

  "Bring? It's a day hike. Aren't water, snacks, and a small first aid kit the extent of our needs?"

  Elron shook his head.

  I closed my eyes and asked the earth for patience. "What do I need?"

  "Would you rather I pack for you, or would you like a lesson?"

  "I'll take the lesson." As I said the words, I knew I was likely to regret it.

  An hour later, my fear had been confirmed, but I had to admit we were going to be prepared for anything. Really, anything. There was an impressive assortment of small odds and ends, like a multifunction eating utensil, toilet paper, and hand sanitizer. The pile of stuff didn't end there. We also had several canteens as well as a water filter, tablets to treat water, rope, matches in a waterproof container, a compass, flashlights, two first aid kits, emergency blankets, sleeping bags, a tent—something I prayed I wouldn't need on this trip.

  The reason for bringing each item was explained as we slowly filled the packs. I was also given a quick education on the correct way to organize everything in the backpack. Before then, I hadn't realized there was a wrong way.

  "Are you sure we need all this?" I asked, eying the clothing that had been stashed in plastic bags. Those were the extras. We'd also selected my outfit for tomorrow, a delightful ten minutes I hoped to never repeat. The way he was packing, you would think we were going to be out there for days.

  I could hear him grinding his teeth. "I am sure that should need arise, we will be grateful for these items."

  "We're walking a couple of miles looking for strange magic. There's no reports of anything that would merit enough gear to survive for days."

  "That is precisely the point." Elron stopped filling the pack. "These supplies are for emergencies, in the event that something out of the ordinary does happen. Which, in my experience, is all too likely when you are involved in a mysterious magical situation."

  While I couldn't argue with his logic, I saw a hole in his preparations. I picked up the multitool and pulled out the knife. "So if I need to eat, I should hunt down a bunny with this thing?"

  He laughed. "I truly hope I am there should you attempt such a thing."

  Sighing, I put the knife up. If it ever came to that, I would starve.

  "However, that was an excellent reminder since we have yet to pack emergency rations." Elron hopped up and went over to the pantry, returning with a bag. "You should package up some snack food. In the morning we will put together some sandwiches for our lunch."

  He set a couple of bags of jerky, fruit, and nuts to the side before placing several jars on the floor. I picked one up and tried to figure out under what circumstance I would be hungry enough to eat what looked like light brown glop dotted with tan flakes.

  "What is this stuff?"

  "Emergency rations."

  "That doesn't tell me what's in it."

  "It is a secret." Elron winked at me and held out his hand.

  "Oh really?" I gave the jar another look. "If you think I'm going to eat this stuff, you better tell me what's in it."

  "Hand it over, and I'll tell you."

  I smacked the jar into his hand. He knew me well enough to know that if I didn't get an answer, I would open the jar. He quickly packed them so they were safe from my curiosity.

  "That was a mix of chunky peanut butter, honey, and oatmeal. There are enough calories in those jars to sustain you for days. I cannot recommend it as a casual snack. It is not the most delicious of foods, very sweet, and it will stick your teeth together and make you thirsty."

  "I'll remember that."

  Elron nodded. "Now it is time to fill the packs. Scoot closer to me, and we can get this done quickly."

  As I was setting the emergency blanket and sleeping bag in the bottom of my pack, I looked at all the gear. When he had first started pulling all these things out of the closet, I'd been so surprised that I hadn't questioned the supplies. However, this seemed like more than most elves would bring when going into the woods.

  "Elron, why do you have all this?"

  "The equipment?"

  I nodded.

  "Even elves can use help surviving in the woods. We have a connection to nature and special abilities, but that does not make surviving without supplies any more fun."

  "And the rest of the equipment? I've never heard of an elf needing to purify water."

  "Can you blame a man for wanting the woman he loves to participate in an activity he enjoys and preparing for her needs?"

  Smiling at him, I said, "I love you, but I'm not promising I'll love hiking or camping."

  He laughed, gave me a hug that made my bones creak, and we finished preparing for the case the next day.

  Chapter Five

  In the morning, Elron and I hurried through breakfast, packed sandwiches, loaded up my car, and headed north. I sipped my tea as I drove, trying not to think about the mass of stuff in the backseat.

  Last night it had been easy to tease Elron about overpreparing, but today, with an early-morning wake-up and sturdy boots on my feet, it was a different story. The past few times I'd ended up in the woods, it had been under distinctly unfriendly circumstances. Should that bad luck continue, we might not have enough gear.

  I tried to shake off the bad feeling. This was all unnecessary worry. Odds were that we would go out there and find nothing of concern. After all, this was very different from my usual cases. In those, the police would have already looked at the scary, magical thing and determined they were out of their depth. From there, I would get a phone call and arrive on the scene with information and
a plan to tackle the problem.

  Tired of the silence, I said, "With all the packing, I forgot to ask. How was work yesterday?"

  "Well enough. Though I did receive an unusual plant."

  "What's different about it?" It had to be a really strange plant to get that title from him. Elron's job at the Kennesaw University was to collect and curate a collection of magical plants, mostly ones that were difficult to manage. Standing out from that crowd couldn't be easy.

  "I can feel some type of magic, almost like an aura around the plant. However, when I speak to it or interact with it, I do not get any of the responses that I would typically get from a magical plant."

  "Weird."

  "It is odd. I was thinking of running several more tests on it, but perhaps it would be prudent for you to look at it before I do so."

  "Not a bad idea. It could've been spelled, and if you manage to trigger something… Well, odds are it would be bad." That wasn't me being cautious, just practical. Illegal spell-work of any type was almost always bad. People weren't trying to make their neighbor's garden gnome do a party trick but rather bite the homeowner.

  "I will bring it home tomorrow night." Elron sighed. "I know I said you owed me an outdoors lesson as reparations for using magic to warm your feet, but I believe our time in the woods today will suffice."

  I perked up. "Really?"

  "You have already learned about packing for the trip. Plus today will give you experience managing resources and time in unfamiliar woods. Those experiences are sufficient to fill out a lesson."

  "I'll take it," I said, turning the car into the parking lot at the Gilmer County Sheriff's Office.

  "Should we bring the packs?" Elron asked.

  I shrugged. "Let's leave them for now. We may be taking my car up to the trailhead."

  Elron nodded, and we walked inside the brick building. Patrick Westmoreland, a young officer with red hair, was waiting for us in the lobby.

  "Thanks for getting here so early." Patrick shook my hand.

  "No problem." I motioned toward Elron. "I don't think the two of you have met. Officer Patrick Westmoreland, this is my associate Elron." I didn't think Elron would use Patrick's first name, but I included it because when I'd first met Patrick he'd asked me to use his first name. There were two Westmorelands at the sheriff's office, and Patrick felt that first names were easier. Though he probably shouldn't have said that to the rest of the men. They insisted on using Westmoreland to irritate him.