He swung in tight circle and sped up as he ran toward the center of Eureka.
The black boat figured out our plan too late. It motored toward us, but our captain got us to the restaurant’s dock and unloaded our gear in a hurry. The waiting cab whisked us away.
I told the driver to head north while I tried to find Ellen Camphor’s address. Although I was relieved to escape the black boat, my stomach was soon churning again. What if our pursuers track down this cabbie and convince him to tell them where he’d taken us?
I called Ellen’s longtime partner Karen. After quick introductions, I said, “We’ve run into a little trouble. Would you mind picking us up on the north side of town?”
She agreed and mentioned a park where the cab could drop us off. That way, the driver wouldn’t know where we ended up.
He did that, and we sat at a picnic table waiting for Karen. While pondering the situation, I wondered whether we were putting Karen and Ellen in danger. I whispered my worry to Laura to keep Christina from hearing, and my wife replied, “Let’s give her the option of taking us somewhere else.”
Karen found us with no trouble. She was in her mid-thirties, and freckles covered her pale skin. Her light brown hair hung loose down to her shoulder blades. She smiled a lot, but I could sense her nervousness.
While Laura was walking Christina around the park, I explained to Karen about my many enemies. Plus, I showed her the photos I’d taken of the men on the boat.
“I don’t recognize either,” she said. “As for our safety, Ellen originally established wards around the house, and I’ve maintained the protection since her powers have diminished. You could add your strength, and we should all be safe.”
That made sense. “Works for me.”
Karen drove us north toward Arcata, a nearby college town. The two witches lived a few miles away from the ocean, tucked back into the Arcata Community Forest. The setting was lovely, with thick stands of redwoods, but not nearly as tall as the old growth forest we’d just spent two weeks getting to know.
Along our route, we stopped at a drug store and bought a couple of burn cell phones, just in case someone had tried to bug Ellen and Karen’s phones.
“Diana’s been calling every hour to check on your arrival,” Karen said as she pulled into her driveway.
By the time we got to the house, I was exhausted. Too much worry after I’d gotten out of the habit.
The old two-story home was covered with faded light-gray clapboards and shaded by dozens of redwoods in the yard. The asphalt shingle roof had enough moss growing on it that it looked more green than brown. I wasn’t surprised to spot several deer grazing in the front yard.
Christina squealed with delight, and Karen laughed. “They’re really a nuisance, but we tolerate them.”
“Remember to be calm inside the house,” Laura said to her daughter. “Ellen is sick and needs quiet.”
“She is already down for the night,” Karen said as we walked into the warm kitchen with avocado fixtures. “We have time to get you settled. When you do meet her, remember that she can’t handle stress. In particular, no mention of sorcerers or other trouble, please.”
I nodded.
Karen made us coffee and handed us four gift credit cards Diana had sent.
“Diana seems worried. You better call her soon,” Karen said.
Her hands trembled, so I decided to change the subject.
“We will, in a few minutes. First, let me strengthen the wards.”
Laura called Diana and reported in while I took care of the wards outside. The women lived on several acres that were enclosed by a chain link fence. I wandered along the fence as it circled the property and added considerable power into the wards to make sure they held against someone as powerful as the burly guy looked. And I enjoyed brushing my hands against the rough bark of the trees and their smooth needles. Too bad they couldn’t grow in Colorado, where it was much colder.
When I returned to the house, I sat with Laura and Karen at the kitchen table.
“How did you and Ellen meet?” I asked.
“At the college, about fifteen years ago. We took to each other right away. I’d signed up for one of her botany classes, and she was so funny and sassy that I applied to work as her lab assistant. We became a couple soon after that.”
We chatted about their lives and work together. Then Laura brought up the touchy subject. “I hear she’s had some challenges recently.”
Karen nodded. “The diagnosis of early Alzheimer’s came two years ago, we were both pretty upset. I’ve come to accept it as something I have no control over, and I manage my grief better these days. As for her…well, I’ll let you form your own conclusions. Do you know anything about the disease?”
“I come from small town Oklahoma,” I said. “People there tend to live as long as the redwoods. A couple of distant relatives have suffered from the disease, and I’ve seen them in its advanced stages. Heartbreaking.”
I’ve always lived with healers,” Laura said, “and we seem to be able to control it, at least for younger patients. In several cases, Ellen’s potions have been lifesavers.”
“Our local healer has slowed its progression, but she can’t stop it, even with the potions.”
Karen sipped her coffee for a moment, lost in thought. “Basically, some days are better than others, and she tends be fresher in the morning. Her memory for new experiences is completely shot. You’ll probably have to introduce yourself to her every day. She’s not particularly nasty for an Alzheimer’s patient, but she has her moments. Also, she goes through periods when she’s suspicious of everybody, including me. Don’t take it personally.”
“Diana wanted us to spend several hours a day with her,” I said, “to learn from the great master.”
“That’s not likely.” Karen sighed. “What we’ll do is to check her each morning. If she’s okay, you can talk to her for an hour at most. If she’s not, we’ll try again after lunch. She usually loves to eat, and that brightens her mood for a while.”
“Do you think we’ll be able to get anything useful?” Laura asked.
“I hate to say it, but she’s already forgotten most everything she once knew. It’ll still be valuable for you to get her perspective more generally, but we should have done this a year or two ago.”
I thought I’d been insulted for my ignorance, and Karen’s sly smile reinforced that impression. She was no doubt right. I knew almost nothing about that kind of magic, but Laura did.
“Is it too late?” she asked. “Should we interview you instead?”
“I’ll let you decide,” Karen replied. “Her mind still contains valuable nuggets of information, and she has her own amazing perspective on Mendile magic.”
After that, Karen showed me, Christina, and Laura the guest room, she left us alone to rest. I collapsed in a comfortable chair and sent Diana the photos I’d taken using Karen’s secure access to the witch’s network. Then I called our Supreme Leader with one of the burn phones.
“I’ll send feelers out about the burly, bearded guy,” she said, “including his picture. Of course, he could be Sitka. Be wary. You might have to leave Ellen’s and Karen’s house on very short notice. If you do, contact me immediately, day or night.”
“That’s good—”
“Wait, Gill’s complaining. Here, you tell him.”
“Ian?” he asked.
“Yep.”
“Remember that guy Sequoia I mentioned? He lives in Orick, which is north of Arcata. If you can reach him, he can protect you against anybody but Satan himself.”
“I’ve still got his number,” I replied. “I’ll call him if big trouble starts.”
-o-o-o-
Tuesday, April 23rd
AFTER BREAKFAST THE NEXT morning, Karen said, “Ellen’s doing pretty well today. I think this is a good morning to get started. Just between us chickens, she’s a bit vain, and we want to sell this idea of her cooperating by telling her how important her
legacy is. Explain that you ignoramuses need her to educate you about potions.”
I snickered. “In other words, we tell her the unvarnished truth?”
Laura elbowed me. “Don’t be a smartass.”
I showed Karen the vial of orange liquid I’d received from Holly.
“I usually save Pilan as the last resort,” Karen said. “She hasn’t had any for a month. It’s worth a try if all else fails.”
Christina was watching a Disney video, and Karen brought Laura and me to a bright parlor where Ellen was sitting in a wheel chair. She was very small, thin, and pale. Although she was in her mid-fifties, her hair was completely white. She wore a silk blouse covered with pink oriental lilies.
“Ellen, my love,” Karen stroked her cheek, “here’s the couple that the Mendile masters sent to record your knowledge about magic.”
I reached out my hand, but Ellen ignored it. I concentrated on her face, but she didn’t seem to have any recognition that we were there. I shook her hand, and her magical core was quiet as well. Whatever power Ellen once had was mostly gone.
Karen beamed like Ellen and I were fast friends already. “Pull over the two chairs next to the small table.”
As I did, Ellen snapped, “What’s he here for?”
Karen smiled. “Everyone in Mendile is dying to hear your thoughts about magic. He and his wife want to learn from the greatest living witch.”
“I’m not telling those fools anything.”
I felt like the room was spinning, but Ellen acted as though she was delighted.
“We’re tricking them. We’re really recording this for future generations, for beautiful young witches like Ian and Laura here who desperately need to understand magic. Look at how pretty Laura is.” Karen motioned toward her. “She’s anxious and hopeful she can learn from the Great One herself.”
“I was prettier than her once. Nobody helped me.”
“I know you were. You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known. Remember how painful it was when you were her age and no one helped you? We don’t want Laura to go through that, do we?”
I noticed Ellen’s eyes brighten. She felt sympathy for my wife.
“I look like a mess. I didn’t know company was coming.”
Ellen winked to Laura, and I backed up. I should’ve realized before that Ellen was much more likely to cooperate with a woman.
By then I had set one chair next to Ellen, and I motioned for Laura to sit.
“You look lovely, with that gorgeous blouse,” Laura said with a smile.
Ellen looked absent-minded, and Karen stood behind her, stroking her hair. Karen motioned with her hand for Laura to start talking. I stayed in the background.
Laura touched Ellen’s hand, trying to convince the sick woman to cooperate. Laura then said, “I’ve always loved Belladonna. Can you tell me what you’ve learned about it?”
Ellen stayed silent for a minute, but then she became a botany professor again. Behind her, Karen grinned and kept stroking Ellen’s hair. I turned on a video camera.
When Karen signaled an hour later for Laura to stop asking questions, she praised Ellen for how helpful she’d been. Karen wheeled Ellen out a door to a greenhouse. Karen picked up Ellen in her arms, and set her on a plush easy chair with a reclining back. She turned on some music and a water fountain, and then she joined us back in the parlor. A woman in a nurse’s uniform took over.
“Hot damn!” Karen said. “That went much better than I expected. Laura has a way with people.” Karen gave me a consoling smile. “Maybe you’re too big for such a tiny woman to feel comfortable.”
“You’re right. It’s fine. Is there anything you remember about Belladonna that she left out?”
“No, but she has a particular fondness for the plant. Her memories about it seem to be better. There will lots of other times when I’ll be able to fill in gaps, but not today. How did you know to start with that?”
Laura shrugged. I just heard from Diana that Ellen was famous for her belladonna potions. What plant should I ask her about next?”
“Hemlock. The story of Socrates voluntarily drinking it to satisfy the bloodthirsty Athenians always fascinated her. She’s studied its magical properties for decades.”
Can we leave the voice recorder here?”
“Sure. In the future, we ignore it, and you can just ask her about plants. She used to adore talking.”
When Laura and Karen finished planning Ellen’s next interview, Laura asked, “I have some skill as a healer. Do you want me to try to help her?”
Karen shrugged. “I think the witches who’ve come up from San Francisco have done all they could, and she’s not agitated. You probably don’t need to worry about her.”
We weren’t going to force the issue.
“What would you like to do now?” she asked. “If you’re interested, I’d be happy to show you around town this afternoon. I’m here with Ellen every day and night, but a home-nursing service sends someone part-time to give me a break. We could go to the ocean if you like?”
“I’d love that,” Laura said. “So would my daughter.”
Karen drove the three of us to a long beach west of Arcata and Eureka. We walked along the crashing surf, and the roar was too loud to speak over unless we yelled. There was something magical about the ocean. Whether I was in France or California, it soothed me like nothing else.
Eventually, a light drizzle began to fall. We all put on rain jackets, and I took off my shoes and socks. Then I rolled my jeans up as high on my legs as possible and waded into the freezing water. Christina came with me. She never minded the cold.
I could sense fish—and even a sea otter—far offshore hidden by the breaking waves. I could even see what the otter saw. Why couldn’t I sense sorcerers that far away and see what they saw?
Some questions would have to wait for me to find someone smart enough to answer them. Christina and I splashed in the surf, and my feet and calves turned numb. Too bad we couldn’t have brought Lazarus and Washta to California. They would’ve loved this place.
Chapter 6
ON THE WAY BACK home, we ate lunch at a small Mexican place. No ultra-fancy fish tacos here, thank the Lord. Then we headed to Arcata Redwood Park and hiked where the tall trees created deep shade below their crowns. These stately ancients were humbling, but the Arcata forest was small in comparison to the huge, old growth forest at Elysium. Laura showed Karen pictures of what we’d hiked through there over two weeks.
She had never visited the Greek version of heaven, even though it was close by. Karen told us it was too expensive for professors at a state university.
When we finished wandering the park, Karen said, “We should head back. I need to start making dinner.”
“Tell us what you want,” I said, “and I’ll be happy to make it. My mom taught me to cook.”
“We’ll do our best,” Laura said and took my hand.
“What’s your specialty?” Karen asked as we piled in the car.
“Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and green beans with almonds,” I said.
Karen nodded and stopped by a grocery store to get the fixings.
When we approached the house, though, Gill’s medallion blasted me. “Whoa!”
Karen hit the brakes and glanced around. “What’s wrong?”
“Up around the curve,” I said, “a sorcerer is waiting. They’ve already found us.”
We all stared ahead but couldn’t see anything due to the solid wall of trees.
“Are you sure?” Karen asked. “How do you know?”
“He’s sure,” Laura said. “Don’t worry about how.”
Maybe the sorcerer had trailed us originally, or maybe he’d decided to visit all the local witches and look for us. “I’ll take care of him. There’s only one. You two wait here.”
Laura started to object, but I jumped out of the car with my staff and hustled up the paved road. The medallion gave me a general sense of where the sorcerer was wait
ing outside the protective ward He was lurking in the forest across the street from Karen’s and Ellen’s house.
As I came around the curve, I slowed to a casual walk, as though I’d been out roaming the neighborhood. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a part of a man’s face peering out from the trees. He was looking in my direction. Instead of turning my head toward him, I checked him out with my eyes only.
When I got closer, I realized the sorcerer was the pilot from the black boat. His bigger, badder buddy was somewhere else, thank God.
Instead of turning right from the road into the house’s driveway, I spun to the left and confronted him. “I challenge you for magical power!”
I froze, and he took advantage by running back into the trees.
As soon as the buzzing started in my ears that told me the fight was on, I chased after him. Although these redwoods weren’t tall, they grew close together, and the underbrush was thick. In addition, dead branches and fallen trees covered the ground. I had to weave my way through them like an obstacle course.
While I was chasing the asshole, I reminded myself about how he’d harassed me, Laura, and Christina at the harbor. Now this monster was lurking outside Karen’s and Ellen’s house. He’d obviously be more than happy to enslave the professors if he could, but not if I had anything to say about it.
Branches scratched my face and tugged at my clothes, but I hurried as fast as I could after the jackass. Maybe he didn’t spend much time in forests, or maybe he was particularly clumsy, but for whatever reason, I quickly gained on him. Even better, he came upon an old chain-link fence that blocked his way. He hesitated for a second before running left along the fence, and I got close enough to have a direct line of fire for a stunning spell.
“HOLARTHON, ELBO ASSOMME!”
But he was more powerful than I’d expected. My spell hit his ward. I could hear it cracking, but it didn’t slow him down any.
That attack had used up all my anger for the moment. I couldn’t conjure anything else. But I remained physically strong. When I got closer, I slammed my staff against the remnants of his invisible ward and broke through it.
Vengeance (The Sorcerers' Scourge Series Book 3) Page 5
