A Witch's Rite Page 5

  Not wanting to waste any time, I prompted Patrick. "Should we go over the maps and report before we get going?"

  "O-oh, yes," he stuttered. "This way. Two other officers are joining us. It would've been three, but Brown got a nasty case of food poisoning this morning and we didn't have anyone else ready to go."

  I winced. "I hope he feels better soon."

  "So does he."

  Patrick led us back to his office where several maps were spread out on the table. Detective Randy Wells and Officer Noah Gudger were sitting on the far side of the table drinking coffee. While both men were shifters, they didn't look much alike. Gudger was a solid block of a man who could turn into a werebear. Other than the six fingers on both his hands, Wells was exceedingly average, though he was a very good police officer.

  "Morning, Michelle." Wells straightened in his seat. "Elron, I didn't know you were coming."

  "My fault," I broke in, not wanting us to go down memory lane. Wells helped Elron and me kill a demon. That had been a rough night for all of us and was a topic best avoided. "Since this disturbance is in the woods, I thought I would bring an expert."

  Wells nodded. "Sound plan."

  Gudger came around the table and shook hands with Elron. "It's been a while."

  Elron nodded. "Indeed."

  "So, where are we going?" Hopefully if I kept the conversation moving, we could avoid rehashing past events. While Elron and Wells's last encounter had been at an emotionally charged event, Gudger and Elron hadn't met on much better terms. Their previous interaction had been on the night Elron helped me rescue a friend from a crazy werewolf. It really would be for the best if we could focus on today's task.

  Bless Patrick, who pointed at the map and went right to the important stuff. "Up this trail."

  Elron and I leaned over to get a better look. He was pointing at a skinny line coming off an old forest service road that went through the Cohutta Wilderness Area, past a couple of local landmarks like Mulberry Gap. I glanced at Elron. That wasn't an area I'd ever frequented.

  "That trail runs for miles over some rough terrain. How far will we be walking?" Elron asked.

  Patrick traced a tiny line on the map. "According to the hikers, about five miles each way."

  "And we're looking for what exactly?" I asked.

  Wells answered, "I took the first report. They found piles of broken plates, shells, something like that, and when they went to get a better look, they found themselves walking away. They tried to go back once, and the shifter—turns into a reindeer of all things—said he felt like something was watching him. When they found themselves walking away again, they came here. Poor guys. On vacation from Canada, and this is what they find."

  "That sounds like a compulsion spell." Which was what I'd suspected after talking to Patrick last night. "It won't give off much or any magic until it's activated, making it hard to track. If it gets us, I should be able to break it."

  Privately I hoped there were some other magics there that I could use to guide us. I didn't want to be stumbling around, hoping we looked in just the right spot.

  Elron spoke up. "Do you have a map we could take with us? I would like to be able to track our progress."

  "Sure." Gudger tossed Elron two folding maps. They were thin paper that wouldn't fare well if it got wet but as accurate as any of the maps you could get for this area.

  "I think we're ready to go. We just need to decide how many cars we're taking, and I need to visit the bathroom." I wasn't going to miss my last chance at a real toilet until we got back from bonding with the wilderness.

  "We've got a department truck. The roads can be a little rough out there, and I didn't want to risk your car," Patrick said.

  "Thanks." I smiled at him.

  "Oh, before we load up…" Wells opened a small box that was on the table. "Radios and Personal Locator Beacons for each of us. I'm not expecting to need them, but if we do, we'll be glad to have them."

  "I've never used one," I said.

  "I'll brief you on the way."

  "Works for me. Can you pull the truck over to my car? Elron and I have some gear we want to bring." Patrick nodded, and I smiled in thanks. "Then I'll see you there in a little bit."

  Elron followed me out of the room, wearing a frown.

  That was a look I thought we'd gotten past, one I wanted to banish here and now. "What's wrong?"

  "I do not have any of those Personal Locator Beacons. I thought I had prepared adequately for your needs."

  Grabbing his arm, I turned him to face me. "You did an amazing amount of preparation. However, there have been some advances in technology that you don't have a reason be aware of. I mean, can elves even get lost in the woods?"

  His frown deepened. "Not easily. However, I should have done more research."

  "You purchased things you don't need on the off chance that I would go with you and you needed to see to my health and safety. You did beautifully. When we get back, I'll help you look at new gadgets. I think I might be able to teach you a thing or two."

  His eyebrows shot up. "About nature activities?"

  "The benefit of youth—I know about all the cool new technology."

  Elron sorted. "And when you have gained the wisdom that comes with age, you will know that no amount of technology can best experience and skill."

  "Spoken like an old man." I grinned at him, then closed the door to the ladies' bathroom before he had time to spit out a retort.

  He was in a better mood when we met up in the hall. We didn't say much as we walked outside. Patrick was good to his word, and there was a big silver pickup truck sitting next to my car. Lucky for us, it had one of those cabs with a real backseat and independently operating doors.

  There wasn't enough room for four backpacks inside, but Elron was content to leave them in the truck bed since it had a cover. Looking at the officer's packs, which were at least as large as ours, I was suddenly grateful for Elron's overpacking. If I'd shown up alone, I would've looked like the unprepared idiot.

  Elron, Wells, and I squished into the back with Gudger riding shotgun. Patrick took the wheel. As soon as we were out of the parking lot, Wells started talking us through the operation of the radios and PLB. All I could think as he explained the functions was that I hoped I didn't manage to accidentally set mine off. It would be just my luck to fall, snag it on something, and turn it on.

  When Wells finished his instructions, he glanced at the road. "Enjoy the pavement. We'll be on dirt and gravel in a few minutes."

  That was hardly a surprise, but I appreciated the warning. I drained the last tea from my travel mug as were turning off the main road. We'd only gone half a mile when the blacktop vanished. I got a good grip on the loop over the window. We rolled onto the gravel and were engulfed by trees. A few moments later we went by a small house surrounded by a pasture. I relaxed my grip. So far it had just been average gravel-road bumpy, nothing to worry about.

  As we progressed, the trees returned, hills rose up on each side of us, and the road narrowed. After we passed Mulberry Gap, the conditions worsened. We bounced over rutted dirt and basketball-sized rocks peeking through the top layer of soil, making me immensely grateful they had volunteered the truck. I would have told them as much, but talking while bouncing was inviting a bitten tongue or sore teeth.

  About twenty minutes after we left the blacktop, Patrick pulled the truck onto the small shoulder of the road. There was a tiny gap in the trees a few feet in front of us, and I knew what was coming.

  Patrick twisted around. "We walk from here."

  "Figured as much," I muttered as I hopped out of the truck. Glancing around, I swallowed a curse. The road was the lowest point I could see in any direction, which meant we were going to be going uphill. In the mountains, up often meant around the hill because straight up wasn't really walkable. Reminding myself that this should be a nice payday, I headed for the back of the truck.

  Gudger opened the cover and handed my pack to
Elron. He held it up so I could slide my arms in, and the weight settled onto my shoulders. While he was getting into his own pack, I started fastening the straps on mine. When I went to buckle the chest strap, it pushed uncomfortably against the medallion. I pulled it out from under my shirt, eying the circle of brass that was etched with markings I didn't understand. Last night when it became apparent that the backpack and medallion interfered with one another, I considered leaving the medallion at home. I didn't like having it out where people could see it. The idea to leave it lasted all of a second before being dismissed. The medallion had saved my life in the past, so I was keeping it close.

  Elron had a companion to my medallion, made out of the same metal with the same markings, but it was a crescent moon that mine could nest inside, though we hadn't figured out a benefit to using them that way. His medallion would be staying out of sight today because it didn't get in the way of his pack.

  He hadn't been happy that my first time hiking with a real pack would be ten miles, but there was nothing we could do about it. As I buckled the hip strap, Elron's words came back to me. I was to let him know immediately if something was uncomfortable. It took time to get things adjusted correctly.

  Elron finished adjusting his pack and turned to me. "Let me check the straps." In a few short seconds, he had examined every strap, snap, and buckle. "It will do."

  I captured his hand. "Thank you."

  He squeezed my fingers. I squeezed back. If we were at home, he would have given me a kiss, but my elf was proper and at work he would maintain a professional demeanor.

  "Here's your PLB and radio. Keep them clipped to you," Wells said.

  I attached a carabiner to each of them and clipped the radio on the side of my pack, within easy reach. The PLB was a different matter. It needed to be on my person at all times, so I attached it to a belt loop. That way if I lost the pack, I'd still have the PLB. It wasn't a likely series of events, but I was from the better-safe-than-sorry school of thought. When I looked up, I saw the men had finished their own preparations. There was a moment where we were all silent, studying the woods.

  I shook off the feeling that there was more to this case than a simple compulsion. My voice cut through the soft sounds of nature. "Who's going first? I can tell you right now that it won't be me."

  Wells tipped his head. "I'm in the lead since I've hiked this area a few times. Westmoreland will take the back so we have a gun at each end. The three of you can choose any center position, but I'd rather Michelle was right behind me for spell detection."

  Gudger quickly piped up. "Have Elron follow Michelle. We're in the woods after all, and if I'm one person farther back in the line, it won't have a significant effect on what I can sense."

  Elron nodded his thanks to the werebear. He much preferred to be next to me as we hiked. "It is a sound plan."

  I motioned for Wells to head out. "Let get this over with."

  The officers gave me a puzzled look, but Elron simply shook his head. I should have tried to sound more excited. Instead, my voice had the same tone as that of a little girl being told she was going to the dentist.

  Come to think of it, I'd rather be at the dentist.

  Chapter Six

  "Let's take a break. Bathroom, food, water," Wells said.

  My bladder was begging for mercy, so I quickly found a secluded bush. Being in the middle of the woods, that was as good as it got.

  Returning to the group, I had to admit that so far things had been uneventful. The path was better than I'd expected with only one fallen tree I'd had to climb over, and my checks for magic had come up empty. That was the most annoying part of the excursion, remembering to check every few minutes.

  Under different circumstances I'd let my power explore, but since we didn't know what we were dealing with, I couldn't do that. There were spells that could latch on to a witch or hedge-practitioner's magic, and once they attached they usually did terrible things to the source. Most of those traps were easy enough to avoid as long as I kept my magic contained and shielded.

  Protecting my magic wasn't difficult. It's how magic users—including myself—went through most of their lives, but it was annoying in this case. Rather than being able to continually search without expending much energy, I had to prioritize. Even with those limitations, I could have done continual searches. However, it would be an active use of power, requiring focus, concentration, and energy. That was energy I didn't have to spare if I was going to get through the ten-mile hike.

  Which left me with my current course of action. Every few minutes I'd pause, search for magic, and then get back to hiking. Patrick was stuck doing the same thing, and he wasn't any happier about it, but we didn't have a better option.

  Elron studied me as I rejoined the group. "How are you doing?"

  "Well enough."

  "Is the pack comfortable?"

  "It's fine. I promise I'll tell you if I'm having trouble." I pulled out a slightly squished peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich. "How much farther?"

  "Two miles." Wells frowned.

  "That's not too bad." I cheered up. Three miles down. This was almost fun. "When we get within a mile, I'll check for magic more frequently."

  "Do not get excited. In a short distance the path turns and we begin the climb," Elron said.

  "Climb? We've been climbing." Everything in north Georgia was up a hill or down another, and we'd done plenty of up and down, though mostly up, so far today.

  "No. We will be climbing that." Elron pointed behind me.

  Looking over my shoulder, I swallowed a curse. I'd been so distracted by my duties that I hadn't looked up. The hill rising above us wasn't one of the friendly ones; no, it was steep and mean, with drop-offs and dense tangles of undergrowth. The trail reflected the difficulty of the hill, zigzagging back and forth as it slowly moved toward the top.

  Patrick didn't look any more excited than I did, and Wells had a look on his face that made me think he hadn't had enough coffee this morning. Gudger, on the other hand, was the most cheerful of the lot of us. Apparently, the werebear felt right at home in these woods.

  After a few minutes of munching, Wells sighed. "Has anyone sensed something useful or out of the ordinary? I haven't."

  Gudger shrugged. "I wouldn't say out of the ordinary. I can smell the hikers who made the report and traces of other people. The trail has gotten some use lately."

  I shook my head.

  "Nothing," Patrick said.

  "The forest is not giving me much, but there have been people moving through this area. It is vague on the numbers. Perhaps as we get closer, the trees will have more useful information," Elron said.

  I washed down the last bite of sandwich with a gulp of water and tucked the empty bag in my pack. One nice thing about being out here was the lack of cell service. I hadn't gone this long without my phone ringing since I started my business a couple of years ago.

  Once everyone was ready to go, I took up my position behind Wells, and we continued up the trail. It was a shame that I spent most of the walk looking at the path, dodging rocks and roots. Our surroundings were beautiful, with towering trees casting deep shadows, and tiny springs running down the hill. From time to time we'd be in a high spot and could see over the trees and take in the rolling green hills shrouded in heavy fog. By this time of day, the fog had mostly burned off, but I knew it would be back.

  Reminding myself that I had a job to do, I checked the path. The next little ways was smooth enough that it didn't need my full attention. I sent out tendrils of magic to sweep the area. They quickly explored the nearby trees, plants, and earth, finding nothing. When I finished looking for magic, I returned my gaze to the path. Sure enough, there was a tangle of roots coming up. I kept my focus on the ground as we navigated a rough turn.

  "Tree down," Wells said.

  Technically, that was a perfectly accurate description, but I felt it failed to describe the scale of the issue. The ground was rapidly falling off on our
left side, eliminating the chance of detouring in that direction. To the right, the hill rose sharply, and our path was a narrow ribbon cut into the increasingly steep side of the hill. The tree was enormous, a solid three feet in diameter. Several of its sturdier branches were holding it off the ground, and on the sky side of the tree there were still enough branches that it would be impossible to climb over. We would have to find a way around.

  "Elron, can you do anything?" Wells asked.

  "I doubt that I can make a significant impact." His eyes roamed the area. "Besides, I would prefer not to alert the entire forest to the presence of an elf."

  "Michelle?" Wells prompted.

  Shaking my head, I said, "I'm with Elron. It would take a big spell to make a difference, and I would rather not do that, especially since we're looking for magic."

  Wells went back to studying the problem. There was really only one solution, but I knew why he was looking for an alternative. We were going to have to go deep into the woods to get around the tree. That meant walking, or crawling, up and down the steep side of the mountain.

  As intimidating as that was, I had something else on my mind. I'd seen Elron in the forest before, and he'd never looked around like that. It was almost as if he thought something was watching us.

  Leaning over, I whispered, "Is something wrong?"

  "I do not know. These woods feel disturbed. I am unsure of the cause."

  I took in our surroundings. Besides the downed tree, I couldn't find anything different from what we'd seen thus far. The air had the same scent of pine and earth with the same bugs and the soft chirp of birds.

  "Let me know if you find something."

  Elron nodded.

  "All right." Wells turned back to us. "It looks like we have to go up the hill to get around it."