A Witch's Path

by N. E. Conneely

  "Dad, I understand why the sorceress would come after me for revenge, but she's dead. Who else would have a grudge against me?"

  "Whoever gave her the power?"

  "That's my guess. We never did figure out who gave her magic."

  "True, did the police ever round up the rest of the troll group?" Dad asked.

  "Only the teenagers we found at the chicken farm. The group was compartmentalized, and the kids couldn't identify anyone else. It's an open investigation, but there hasn't been any progress in finding the rest of them."

  "Something turned her into a sorceress, and I'd look for it behind the scare tactics," his voice was firm.

  "I'll keep my eyes open, Dad, but unless forensics comes up with something, there isn't a trail to follow. Not to mention, I'm a witch, not an investigator or the police. I learned that one the hard way and don't want to repeat the experience."

  "Good, your mother and I don't want to be getting any more calls from police informing us that you are in the hospital."

  I ducked my head, unsure of what to say.

  He smiled, and changed topics. "Why don't you tell me where you're at with the preparations for the class?"

  "The supplies have taken over the coffee table and part of the floor." I motioned in the direction of the living room with my mug. "Watch where you step."

  Dad followed me to the couch, dodging piles of cloth, wands, stacks of paper, and three-ring binders.

  He sat down next to me. "You've been busy."

  I shrugged. "A big case could crop up at any time. I need to get this done before the next emergency."

  "Where do you want to start?" He asked.

  "Would you mind helping me measure out the herbs while we go over what I've done so far?"

  "Not at all. Do you care where I start?"

  The coffee table was occupied by nine large jars and a dozen small jars of herbs. Next to the table were several flats of pint and half-pint jars, and empty flats labeled and waiting to be filled with the small jars.

  "I'm almost done with the rosemary. Would you mind working on the milk thistle?" I asked, sliding off the sofa so I could sit on the floor beside the coffee table.

  "Am I dividing it into pint or half pint jars?" Dad sat on the floor next to me.

  "I was thinking half-pint?"

  "Was that a question or statement?"

  Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. When he taught me magic, our lessons had often gone like this; he would make me ask the questions and seek out the answers. "It was a question. I've never taught anyone, and I want your help."

  Dad smiled, "Alright, I'll go easy on you. Is this a six week course?" I nodded. "Based on the curriculum we talked about, I would use the pint jar and fill about three quarters of it."

  I was on my second jar when I started asking him questions. "Natalie recommended having the students add a pinch of Day Lily Dust to their spells. Is that a good idea? I don't remember doing that."

  "It's a great idea. I wish I'd thought to mention it, but I'm used to teaching more advanced students. I'd have to ask your Mom, or your old teachers, but I think your first teacher lightly laced the other components of the spells so you didn't need to add the day lily dust."

  "Oh." This was going to be educational in so many ways.

  "It looks like you have a good selection of herbs and oils. Why did you get the wands?"

  I put the last jar of rosemary in the flat and started on the horse chestnut seeds. "I wasn't sure what supplies they would have, since most of their magical equipment will be owned by the police department. If they don't have a wand for personal use they can use one of these, with the option to buy it. The mortar and pestle, ritual knives, herbs, oils, wood disks, twine, grease pen, parchment, burlap, cloth, and work mats will be in kits owned by me that they can use for the class. That way I don't have to deal with them forgetting to bring something. If they want, they can buy part or all of the kit at the end of the class."

  "That's a good idea. It should simplify the set-up. Are they going to take the binders home?" Dad finished the last jar of milk thistle and started on the day lily dust.

  "I haven't figured that out. I was thinking about emailing them an electronic version of the binder, and having them keep the physical copy here until the end of the class." How to manage the information had been an ongoing dilemma. They needed to have access to it when they were at home so they could practice and use what they'd learned, but I didn't want to deal with them forgetting the papers.

  "I've done something similar, and I liked the way it worked. A few of the students didn't like having their notes at class when they were home, so I had them bring a different notebook for taking notes and they could keep that one with them."

  "I hadn't thought about that. Thank you!"

  The next two hours flew by, and before I knew it, he'd kissed my forehead and escaped out the door. The information he'd given me was swirling around my brain. While I let it sink in, I finished cleaning up. Dad had helped me move the completed kits into my work room, but I still needed to store the rest of the jars and vacuum.

  By the time I finished cleaning, I was hungry. Since my fridge was bare, I went downstairs to find food. After scavenging in Landa's fridge, I settled down to eat a sandwich, but my phone rang before I'd taken the first bite. I answered reluctantly, unwilling to disrupt my evening for a police emergency. "Oaks Consulting."

  "Hey, Michelle. It's Rodriguez."

  "What can I do for you?"

  "Nothing. I wanted to tell you the lab didn't find any fingerprints. They pulled a few smudges they thought might be prints, but there wasn't anything usable. The paint is a standard red latex paint that's available in several stores, so it isn't unique enough to tell us anything. As for the shoe print, we know it's a guy's size 10 tennis shoe, but the tread was worn off so badly that they couldn't get a brand. I'm sorry I don't have better news."

  "It's fine. You didn't have much to work with," I tried to sound cheerful.

  "I've got them running a few other tests, but I wouldn't bet on them coming up with anything."

  "Thank you. I know this has turned into a giant waste of time, but thank you."

  "It wasn't a waste of time. There was an incident, which you reported. Like I said, we take care of our own."

  "Thank you," I said.

  "You're welcome. I need to head home, good night."

  "Night."

  With a heavy sigh I returned to my turkey, bacon, and cheddar sandwich while watching a dwarven comedian. Normally, I opted for documentaries or reading, but tonight I wanted something light hearted to take my mind off things. The dwarf had given way to a human, and I was placing my dishes in the sink when someone knocked on my door.

  I made a beeline for door, calling out, "Who is it?"

  "Elron. Please let me in."

  Newly paranoid, I looked through the peep hole before throwing back the seldom used deadbolt.

  Elron walked in carrying a small tree in a green ceramic dish. "How are you? I thought you might like some company."

  Seeing the hesitation in his body, I smiled, "Company would be great. I'm sorry for being difficult this morning. You were helping and I was rude."

  He shook his head, sending his silver hair rippling around his shoulders. "As I said before, all is forgiven. I would be testy if I awakened in that manner. The woods have been — awakened, for lack of a better term. They will try to prevent evil and evil-doers from entering this area. If they can't prevent their progress, they will alert us. With your connection to the earth, you should feel their alarm and distress."

  "Thank you, I feel safer already." Which was true, but it was going to be difficult to sleep with mental images of something nasty creeping around the lodge.

  "This," he nodded at the bonsai, "is for you. It will extend the protections of the forest into your apartment. I understand if you do not want it. Last time I gave you a plant it engulfed your bathroom." His shoulders dr
ooped, and I could tell that he still felt bad about the last gift. Exposure to my magic had changed the small flower. I now had a purple and blue striped flower the size of a dinner plate next to my bathroom sink, and green vines twirling around the rest of my bathroom.

  "Once you made it stop crawling all over the place, I liked it. I'd never figured out how I wanted to decorate the bathroom, and now it's beautiful."

  A small smile started at the corners of his mouth. "You like it?"

  "Yes, now that it's a bit tamer. Is that thing going to turn into a full sized tree one day?" I asked, my voice warm and teasing.

  One side of Elron's mouth twisted up. "It will not."

  "Then I would love to have the bonsai. Would you like to sit down and have some tea?"

  "Yes, thank you." He set the tree on the dining room table and followed me into the kitchen.

  "Would you mind making that calming brew? I'm still jumpy."

  "Not at all." He rummaged around and in a few minutes handed me a steaming cup.

  "Yummy. Even better than last time. You have to tell me how you make it."

  "I can tell you, but you won't be able to replicate it because I add a bit of elven magic to the herbs."

  "Oh. Can you prepare the herbs ahead of time so I could make the tea on my own?"

  "I could make a small batch, but the effectiveness with quickly decline."

  "How quickly?" I asked

  "It is not easy to say. The tea will be good for a week, perhaps two."

  "I'll use it before then." I found a small, empty mason jar and handed it to him.

  Elron measured out several of the herbs, and cupped his hands around the jar. When I concentrated, I could see the green haze of his magic drifting into the herbs. He capped the mason jar and handed it to me. "A calming brew for you."

  "Thank you. This is better than any of the calming teas I make." I labeled the jar and set it on the lazy Susan with the rest of my tea.

  "You are welcome. I've made something of a study of herbs and teas. I've had the time."

  "I suppose in fifteen hundred years, one can pick up a few hobbies."

  "True. Tea is a more recent interest. It is a delightful example of the favors the earth has to offer, and modern times have made it much easier to enjoy. My true passion has been plants."

  I took a closer look at the tree. "Did you shape the bonsai?"

  "In a way. I grew it from a seed and it told me it wanted to stay small, so I gave it some direction."

  "It's lovely, especially since it wasn't forced to be small."

  He twisted the mug of tea in his hands. "I thought you'd enjoy having more greenery in the apartment."

  I laid a hand over his, jumping when our energies mixed, throwing off heat. He paled. I pulled my hand away, and cleared my throat. "I trust you. I know you had nothing to do with the flower's growth."

  Elron licked his lips, "You are correct. That was unintentional."

  Thank the moon he was ignoring the moment when our energies mixed. "Yes, I'd love to have the bonsai, but I'm not good at keeping plants alive. What if I kill it?" I paled, this was like the dream. Narzel fart, parts of my dreams were coming true.

  "It will let me know if it needs anything, and I'll let you know."

  "Alright, in that case I'd love to have it. Where should I put it?"

  Elron retrieved the tree from the dining room table and went into the living room. He sat the bonsai on a table under the window. Humming, he shifted it from one spot to the next. Stepping back he surveyed his work. "This spot should be perfect."

  Walking over, the room seemed happier and tranquil. My gaze shifted from the bonsai to the elf. His hands were behind his back and his hair draped over one shoulder, glittering in the light. There was a sharpness in his eyes, as if he could see through my skin.

  I stroked a finger along the trunk and traced the swirling designs on the outside of the dish. The bonsai shifted, pushing a branch under my hand, moving, until my nails scraped over a rough patch of bark. It shivered, and I ran my nails over the patch again and again, as it twitched and pushed against my hand.

  "It is fond of you," Elron said.

  The bonsai pushed my hand away. I turned to smile at Elron, "I like it too. Thank you for bringing me such a delightful plant."

  "Tis but a small thing. Remember, it will help the forest watch over you."

  We studied the plant, sipping our tea. Unable to take the silence, I felt the need to repeat myself. "Thank you for rushing to my aid this morning."

  "When I needed help, my friends were there. I think I owe the earth a debt for sending me the help I needed." He was looking out the window, but I didn't think he was focused on the garden.

  "Would you like to talk about it?"

  "Hum?"

  "The times you had friends to help you when life wasn't going your way; do you want to talk about them?"

  "It was long ago, and the details would bore you."

  "Try me, you might be surprised."

  He studied me over his shoulder, but I couldn't see past the poker face. Finding an answer in my expression, Elron returned to looking at the window. A few seconds passed before he said, "I know it must seem odd for me to be unaccustomed to many modern comforts. After all, they were invented during my life, but I wasn't here to see their birth. I've spent nearly two hundred years hiding in a forest because I was in mourning. My friends did their best to help me, and often I didn't want to be helped. If I'd ever reached out they would've moved mountains to help me."

  Knowing it was pushing the boundaries, I asked, "Why were you in mourning?"

  Elron's hands clenched, forming fists, while his power fluctuated wildly, charging the air around him.

  "Elron, you don't have to answer. I was simply asking why you would've spent such a long time in mourning. It must've been a horrible event." His magic was still pulsing, and I was afraid of the result. I'd never seen an elf lose control, but when witches lost it, bad things happened.

  All of a sudden the energy died, sinking back into his skin. "My mate was killed."

  "I am so sorry. I can't imagine losing the love of my life." I gave myself a mental kick. Why didn't I leave it alone?

  "Thank you. I loved her very much, and have spent years trying to forgive myself for her death." Elron bowed his head, hiding behind his hair.

  With a sigh, I replied, "You're a good man. I'm sure you did everything you could."

  "That does not make it any easier."

  I moved closer, wanting to support him, but unwilling to touch him. "I don't want you to be sad. Sit down; watch some silly shows with me. We can remind each other that we aren't alone and move on to happier topics." When he raised his head and his shoulders dropped, I teased, "Besides, I can't have us becoming friends. I'd have to stop calling you 'Old Feisty' and 'Dratted Elf.'"

  "That would be terrible. Almost as terrible as thinking of you as a mature witch, rather than a little girl playing dress-up."

  "So funny, elf. What do you want to watch?"

  He shook his head. "I don't know. You should pick."

  Time raced by as we watched comedians, sharing laughs and having a good time. Before I knew what had happened, we were shoulder to shoulder, with our energy sparkling when it touched.

  I looked at my watch and sighed. "It's later than I thought, and I need to get to bed soon. Morning comes early these days."

  "Did I do something to upset you?" He asked, sitting still.

  "No, not at all. Today has been long and exciting. I'm not sure I'm going to sleep well and I'd like to get as much rest as possible."

  He gave me the once-over. "I can see the fatigue in your eyes." In one smooth move he picked up my hand, and planted a kiss on the back. "Sleep well, Michelle."

  "Good night, Elron. Have happy dreams."

  My hand was still tingling when the door closed behind him. Shaking my head, I went to have a talk with my lions, adding Elron to the list of people allowed unrestricted access to
my apartment.

  Realizing I hadn't called my Mom, I dialed her number. She wouldn't accept my father seeing me a few hours ago as an excuse.

  "Hello?"

  "Mom? It's Michelle. I was calling to check in, as you requested."

  "Thank you. It makes me feel better. Love you, stay safe."

  "Love you too, Mom." If I'd known it would be that easy to talk to her in the evening I would've called earlier.

  I pulled blackout blinds over all the windows in my apartment. Safety first.

  Adder

  "Father, we need to talk." My dad, still powerful in his old age, looked up from his desk and the papers he'd been reading. That's all he seemed to do these days, push papers and be in my way.

  "I'm afraid we do, son."

  "What?"

  He sighed, leaning back in the chair. Gray eyes, matching the gray hair, gazed at me with emotions I couldn't identify.

  "Adder, your behavior has become increasingly erratic. I was willing to pass off many of your escapades as youthful adventures, but you've crossed the line from youthful hijinks to criminal behavior. If you don't reform, I will be forced to take punitive action."

  "What do you mean by punitive action?" Father hadn't punished me in years.

  "The first thing would be a challenge in front of the pack. If your behavior continued, you would be imprisoned. If you continued to flaunt our rules after those punishments, I would be forced to try you for insubordination and kill you." A single tear slid down father's cheek.

  "Why? What have I done to deserve that?" My friend's suggestion came back to me, whispering how one move could end all my problems. I tried to push away the thought, but the words kept coming back.

  He leaned forward, his mouth set in a hard line. "You beat two of our women when they declined your advances. You encourage violence, and show a complete disregard for our history and laws. I have more than a few questions about what you're doing when you aren't being a thorn in my side, but those can wait for later."

  "Why do you care? I'm not here causing problems for you."

  "Yes, son, and that's what scares me. I'm waiting for those other problems to land on my desk."