King Midas' Magic

by Amorette Anderson

  Blueberry was definitely on the trail of something. She kept her nose to the ground and never stopped wagging her tail as she trotted along. Penny and I did our best to follow her at a fast pace, even though the trail was steep.

  Turkey, in Penny’s bag, urged us along with bossy meows now and then. Skili flew above, silently slicing through the air and looking for signs of a hiding werewolf from above.

  It was my opinion that we should try to be as quiet as possible. I walked softly, careful not to snap twigs or rustle too many leaves as we walked.

  Penny, on the other hand, wasn't able to keep her motormouth from running. I tried to silence her a few times, but quickly realized that it wasn’t worth my effort. When my chatty friend wanted to talk, there was no stopping her. I just gave up.

  “How is it going with Hunky Hal?” she asked.

  “Not great,” I said. “Yesterday I was trying to question The Miser, and I ended up getting roped into this ridiculous role-playing exercise with him.”

  “That sounds hot!” Penny said.

  “No, no, not at all,” I said. “It was mostly just awkward. I had to confront him about my suspicion that he lied to me, you know, about his name.”

  “Oh my goodness!” Penny said. “You are so brave, girl! What did he say?”

  “He came right out and admitted that he was using a fake name,” I said. “He said he’d explain everything. We even met up in the lobby last night, so that we could talk.”

  “Ooooo!” Penny said. “Alone?” She wiggled her brows.

  “Yes, alone,” I said. “He wanted to talk in private.”

  “So that he could finally give you a kiss, probably,” Penny said.

  “There was no kissing involved,” I said. “I still love Justin, you know.”

  “Oh, right,” Penny said with a frown. “I got so excited I kinda forgot about Justin. Yikes. I’m being insensitive, aren’t I? Justin’s only been gone for, like, a few months and here I am encouraging you to kiss some other guy. Sheesh! What am I thinking? Sorry, Mar. I just want to see you smile, and having a new love interest can be fun.”

  “Believe me,” I said. “I know, and I think I could use a little fun, too. But Hal—or whoever he really is—can’t be my new love interest.”

  “Why not?” Penny asked. Then she gasped. “Oh my goodness! He’s really an assassin, isn’t he? Is he? Wait—then why are we chasing down this werewolf chick?”

  I shook my head. “I don’t think he’s an assassin,” I said. “I think maybe he’s a recruiter—for Sarin.”

  “That evil, manipulative lady from the Spirit Realm?” Penny asked. “The one that lured Justin away from you with the promise of a tour?”

  “That’s the one,” I said bitterly.

  “And now she’s baiting you with a hunky piano player guy?” Penny said.

  “It seems to be her strategy, though I don’t really understand all the details,” I said. I stepped around a particularly large boulder, and then used a nearby tree to hoist myself up a particularly steep section of the trail. My moccasins slipped a little bit in a patch of loose dirt, but I managed to find my balance and stayed upright.

  “Wow, Sarin really has it in for you,” Penny said. “This lady has some serious issues. What is her deal? Why does she have to have you at her inn? Don’t get me wrong, Mar, you’re an awesome person. You’re fun to dance with and laugh with, you make a mean tofu scramble, and you can really help a girl out when she has an elopement dress to choose. You’ve always been my best friend, and I love you.”

  She paused as she navigated the same steep section of the trail, using the tree for leverage just as I had. “If I was running an inn, I’d go to great lengths to recruit you. Don’t get me wrong—you’re awesome. But this Sarin lady doesn’t even know you! Why does she need you to stay at her inn so badly?”

  I walked a few paces, thinking over Penny’s question. The sunlight streaming through the trees created a dappled pattern of pale yellow patches on the dirt path. The woods around us hummed with life – birds singing, streams bubbling, and squirrels scurrying. If it wasn’t for the fact that I had an impending tax payment to make, and a possible murderer I was about to come head to head with, I might have enjoyed the surroundings more. As it was, I wasn't able to fully sink into the peace that I usually found when hiking.

  Blueberry strained against the leash. I quickened my pace, to keep up with her.

  “I’ve been thinking about that a lot, actually,” I said to Penny, who had fallen a little bit behind and was breathing hard.

  I waited as she climbed over another particularly steep section, and then continued. “I’ve been trying to figure out what I have to offer Sarin. Is it my healing powers? Is that what she wants?”

  I reached for a thin sapling and used it for help getting up another almost vertical section of rock. Then I turned and offered my hand to Penny. I hoisted her up. Turkey ducked down into her bag, as though he was scared. His head popped back out only after Penny’s feet were firmly planted on the trail once again.

  I went on. “But the other night, when I was lying in bed, I realized I was thinking about it all wrong. I don’t have to try to figure out what I have to offer Sarin.”

  “You don’t?” Penny said.

  “No,” I said. “I have to think about what Sarin has to offer me.”

  “Huh?” Penny said, clearly confused.

  I paused on the trail and looked at her. I felt Blueberry tug on the leash, but I didn’t budge. I needed to stop walking so I could really explain to Penny what was on my mind. It had been knocking around in my skull for a while, and it was time to get it out.

  “You know how we’ve learned that the outer world is a reflection of the inner world?” I said.

  My friend wore a serious expression as she nodded. “Of course,” she said. “That seems to be the thrust of every magical lesson we’ve ever learned. It’s like we’re dreaming all of this...” She motioned to the canopy of green leaves above us, the tall pinion pines, the dirt path, and the shadowy woods on either side. “All of this is connected, and all of it is us... me, and you, and everyone. We’re all connected. Thinking that we’re separate bodies is just an illusion. We become magical when we feel and live in that connection.”

  “Exactly,” I said. “So that means that this obsession that Sarin seems to have about me—that’s really, in a way, my obsession with her. We’re connected. This is a dream. And on some level, I’m dreaming Sarin. She’s a character in this dream I call life.”

  “What a nightmare!” Penny exclaimed. “A dream of an evil, manipulative, boyfriend-stealing woman!”

  “But is it really a nightmare?” I asked. “That’s what I’m trying to figure out. I mean, what if I think Sarin is evil, but she’s really just a part of my mind that wants me to surrender? Think about it, Penny. I could just give up. I could give it all up. Isn’t that what great spiritual traditions talk about? Surrendering?”

  She scrunched up her lips as though she’d just tasted a lemon. “Are you saying you want to go stay at her inn?” she asked. Then she looked hurt. “You would give everything up—even our coven? Even me?”

  I looked away from her. “I don’t know... I just don’t know,” I said. “That’s not what I’m saying, exactly. What I’m saying is, I shouldn’t be so sure that I know the difference between what’s good for me and what’s bad for me. I mean, maybe moving to a puffy, pink cloud and just checking out for a while is exactly what I need to do. I stayed here because I felt that I was needed. I stayed here because I want to help beings find truth. But I’m not doing very well at that, am I?”

  I felt my face flush, and a lump formed in my throat. The knot that I’d been trying to ignore in my stomach became even more tangled, too. “Maybe I’m not healing anyone, Penny,” I said. “I’m not helping anyone—not really. I’m in debt, and this workshop has been one big mess. I think I’ve hurt more people than I’ve healed this week. Poor Old Two-Cats is dead, and
that’s all my fault. I’m pretty sure that I invited a murderer to Hillcrest. If it wasn’t for my center, none of this would have happened.”

  Penny looked uncomfortable. “But is that really a reason to just throw in the towel?” she asked. “I mean, sure... a guy might have been shot because of a magical being that you invited into Hillcrest. And sure, that magical being is maybe still running around with the gun that they stole, and they’ll probably shoot again. And yes—we’re in the woods, maybe about to meet up with said killer and maybe we’ll get shot at, too, but—”

  I cut her off. “Are you trying to make me feel better, or worse?” I asked. “Because you’re making me feel worse.”

  Her shoulders slumped. “I’m trying to make you feel better,” she said. “But it’s not really working, is it?” She eyed me.

  I shook my head.

  At that moment, Blueberry let out a series of high-pitched barks. She ran forward, until she reached the end of her leash. It stopped her in her tracks, but it didn’t prevent her from pulling against it with all of her might—which wasn’t much, given her miniscule size.

  “What is it, Blueberry?” I asked.

  Penny tilted her head to the side. Then she said. “Turkey just told me that Blueberry caught a very strong smell in the air, that matches the scent from the sneaker! It’s coming from under that tall pine tree!”

  Penny pointed to a tall pine, to the right of us a little ways. There was a thick bunch of bushes at the base of the tree. As I focused on the bushes, a flash of movement caught my eye.

  It was a nose, emerging from within the bushes—a black wolf nose, followed by a snout, and then eyes, ears, and a thick, barrel-shaped black body.

  As the wolf emerged, she gave a howl. And then she ran straight for us, with her shiny white teeth barred.

  Chapter Sixteen

  I watched in horror as the black wolf charged toward Penny, Turkey, Blueberry, and me. The wolf’s form contracted and lengthened as she took long leaps over the leaves and pine needles that carpeted the forest floor.

  As she moved, it became clear that she was bounding toward one member of our little party in particular: Blueberry Muffin.

  Little Blueberry reared up to her hind legs and gave out a sharp bark as the wolf collided with her. The two tumbled, head over heels. First Blueberry was on top, then the wolf, then Blueberry, then the wolf. Their two furry forms became a blur of black and tan to me, with the occasional flash of lime green bow or pearly white, razor-sharp wolf teeth.

  Just like the night before, when I’d heard the gunshot, I felt frozen. I knew that I should react. I wanted to react. But my body rebelled. All I could do was look on in horror.

  As I watched the wolf-chihuahua blur, I sensed a familiar energy within me. It was organized, neat, and very concerned about little Blueberry.

  I could tell it was Cora.

  Ever since I became a part of a coven, when I first started studying witchcraft, I have noticed that my friendship with the ladies who used to merely be my knitting friends became much closer. A bond formed between us that was stronger than friendship, and even stronger than the family bonds that I’d experienced. It was like on some deep level, we were connected; as though all those nights of casting spells and holding hands and transferring energy around had actually swirled our energy so much so that each of us contained some of the others. My body no longer delineated a separate unit from the rest of the world. I could sense a connection with my witch sisters that trespassed beyond the outlines of my body.

  And at that moment, as I watched Blueberry go head over heels with the black wolf, I sensed that Cora knew something was wrong. Of course she did! She was intricately bonded to her familiar. And me. And both Blueberry and I had every reason to be concerned at that very moment.

  Though I was frozen in place—paralyzed by fear for Blueberry’s safety—and also dealing with Cora’s concern, I had enough awareness to pick up on the fact that the shriek I heard was coming from Penny.

  “Eeeeie! That wolf is going to freaking eat Blueberry!” she screamed. “Marley, do something!”

  I also, at that moment, heard a whistling sound in the air. With a flash of white, I saw Skili dive bombing through the treetops, heading straight for the wolf.

  But before she reached the wolf-Chihuahua tangle, she veered upwards, leveled out, and didn’t attack.

  “Skili, what are you waiting for?” I telepathically transmitted. “Get that wolf, before Blueberry is hurt!”

  After sending this message, my mind went into a whirlwind of activity, trying to search for a spell that might be effective in this instance. I mentally scrolled through a few defensive spells, but none that I could think of would be effective for extracting a tiny fur baby from the fangs of a much larger creature.

  Then I heard Skili’s response. “Look closer,” she said. “I did not attack because they are playing.”

  It took me a few seconds to know what Skili meant. Skili flew in a big arc, circled the canine kerfuffle, and then swooped down to my shoulder. “Blueberry is happy to see a shifter,” Skili transmitted as she landed. “And the shifter is happy to see a four-legged being.”

  Could it be?

  I looked closer at the mix of fur and fangs. Sure enough, the black wolf’s pearly white teeth were flashing due to a big, toothy grin. Blueberry’s high-pitched barks were yips of excitement, not distress or pain. Their tumble slowed, and when they finally came to a rest with Blueberry right on top of the wolf’s thick barrel chest, Blueberry bounced up and down a few times, and licked the wolf playfully.

  “Wait a sec—they’re just playing!” Penny said, as recognition dawned on her, as well. “Look at that, Mar! Blueberry’s not dead!”

  Relief washed over me as I took in Blueberry’s happy posturing. I felt Cora’s energy become peaceful, too. One nice thing about being connected internally to other witchy beings is that it cuts down on the annoying text messages or phone calls we have to make. Cora didn’t need to contact me long distance from the Water Realm. I sensed that in that moment, she knew right along with me that Blueberry was just fine.

  My sense of relief was short lived. In its place, I felt confused. If this wolf was Polly, why wasn’t she running from us, or worse—attacking?

  “Polly?” I said to the wolf, who was lying on her back, playfully batting at the chest-sitting Blueberry with one paw. “Is that you?”

  She turned her head just slightly, which rustled the leaves beneath her. Her eyes bored into mine.

  I held my breath. Was she assessing the level of threat that I posed?

  Was she going to spare Blueberry, a fellow four-legged canine, yet attack Penny and me?

  I just didn’t know.

  I met her gaze, and tried to keep my breath even.

  She rolled over gently, spilling Blueberry off of her. Then she rose up onto her feet. She stood, facing me.

  Blueberry pawed at the earth around the black wolf’s feet, and kept wagging her tail. She wanted to play more, that much was clear.

  But the wolf was clearly done with playful matters. Even when Blueberry reared up and pawed the wolf’s side, the wolf remained stock-still.

  Staring at me.

  Then, the air around her wavered, like heat was coming off of her body. Her muzzle began to flatten. She pulled up one front paw, and then the other, so that she was balanced on her back legs. Her back legs began to lengthen and get narrower. The black fur of her torso transformed before my very eyes into folds of shimmery, sapphire blue velour. The folds of fabric rippled, lengthened, and took on the form of a zip-up hoodie.

  Soon, slacks also unfolded until they brushed the forest floor, hiding the last of the hind paws, which were quickly morphing into feet. I noticed the tips of two running shoes, just barely visible beneath the pants’ hemline. My eyes traveled up her torso, which was now the velour hoodie-clad chest of a woman. I caught sight of her face just as the last tufts of black fur disappeared from the sides of her cheeks.<
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  Even though her face wasn’t fully shifted into human form yet, I recognized Polly’s emerging features. Her large wolf eyes narrowed into human form. The fur on her head turned from black to brown, and then it grew longer right before my very eyes. She started to shake, as though she was trying to shake off a chill.

  With a few finally jostles of her shoulders and flicks of her wrists, she spoke. “Ah... that’s better. Now we can talk. So—you found me, hm?”

  I was speechless. Her transformation was astounding. I’d seen wolves before, and I’d seen werewolves in human form—I was even friends with a few—but I had never witnessed a complete shift from animal to human form in person.

  Shifters were usually very private about that, when amongst beings of other types. It was a very strange and amazing sight to behold.

  And that was coming from a woman who had witnessed a three-story building magically appear out of thin air. I’d seen some pretty fantastical things in my day, and this was definitely amongst the top three.

  Thankfully, Penny jumped in with an answer for Polly. “Well, really Blueberry found you. She’s got a great nose for shifters. She lives up on Beaver Pond road with a whole pack of them. Her witch is married to a shifter, you know. So maybe you remind her of home.”

  “And what are you going to do, now that you know my secret?” Polly asked coolly. Apparently, she didn't want to talk about Blueberry. The time for friendly greetings was over.

  I finally found my voice. “That depends on a few things,” I said, slowly and carefully.

  While I spoke, I mentally scanned through a list of defensive spells again. Now that Polly and Blueberry’s bodies were no longer intertwined, I figured a good Stun Spell could do the trick, should my questions prompt Polly into action.

  “Like what?” she asked.

  Her body language was tense—shoulders hunched up around her ears, fingers twitching with anxiety. Was she mentally readying an attack spell of her own?

  I knew I had to proceed carefully.

  I have to choose my words with caution, I thought.