A Witch's Path

by N. E. Conneely

  "What's the bad news?" he asked in a flat voice.

  "I can't dispose of everything in there. I'm not willing to mess with the partially animated bones. The regular bones aren't my department, and there's simply too much magical junk for me to sift through and disenchant. If it was me, I'd send it through the crusher. Since you may have to keep this stuff for evidence, I'd hire a firm from Atlanta. Some of them specialize in this sort of thing. They can catalogue and dispose of it." There was nothing fun about telling someone bad news, especially a client who was paying for my abilities.

  I couldn't even make the same arrangement I had with Union County. Their stuff was ready for disposal. This mess was going to end up as evidence in the investigation into how a T-Rex demolished half of a town.

  "The captain won't be happy about this." Hal twisted the water bottle in his hands.

  "The ATF and FBI have been itching to get in on this. Maybe we can shovel this mess into their lap," Nell offered.

  Even Hal managed to laugh.

  "Thanks for coming out, Michelle," Hal said.

  "No problem. Sorry I couldn't be more help."

  "I knew this could go poorly. All things considered, it's not a bad outcome. We don't have any more dinosaurs creating havoc, and we can invite the feds in to clean up this mess."

  "Okay, if you're happy with it, then I've done my job."

  "I don't know if happy is the right term, but it could've been a lot worse."

  "Do you want me to look at anything else?"

  "No, you've done your part. I'll have Grady drive you back to the office." Hal ambled off to find my driver.

  I took his spot on the trunk, and tried to let my brain turn off. Thinking about this wasn't going to help. I did my part, and sometimes that's the best I could do.

  *******

  While Grady drove us back to town, I dug my phone out of my bag and sent a message to Cage, letting him know I would be at the tea shop in forty minutes. I had a message from Tiffany. She'd talked to Wells again and there hadn't been any progress in Amber's case. I thanked her for the update.

  If I could figure out where Amber was being kept, I'd get her back. Of course, the police had to be thinking the same thing. They had questioned every person remotely related to the case and no one had useful information.

  That was the problem, wasn't it? The police were asking questions. If I knew I'd be killed for sharing information, I'd be reluctant to talk. Police had procedures and documentation. At some point, the trail would point at the person with the loose lips.

  I didn't have to play by those rules. If I was questioned, the answer would be simple enough. I used a spell to figure it out. If they were asked, either they hadn't talked to me, or I'd used a spell to force them to talk. It might not be witness protection, but it was a close second.

  There was a cost. There was always a cost. I would betray the police I worked with, and their ideals. Those ideals weren't random; they were there to protect people and their rights. It wasn't a perfect system, but it was the best one we had. I knew they were doing everything they could to find Amber. Wells, Westmorland, Jones, Hall, and the rest were all good people. When witnesses didn't come forward, they got stuck. If I made a deal behind their back, I would be one of the reasons the system failed. I could lose my business and go to jail.

  I could live with that, if Amber got a shot at living happily ever after.

  "Michelle?"

  Opening my eyes, I saw the sheriff's office. "Sorry about that, I zoned out."

  "It's okay. Do you need help with your bags?"

  "If you wouldn't mind."

  Grady helped me stash the bags in my car. I pulled a small shoulder bag out of the trunk, and followed him to the locker room. After thanking him, I took a hot shower and changed clothes. After the second time I soaped and rinsed, I felt and smelled clean.

  I pulled my wet hair back into a ponytail and headed out. Cage had promised me answers and I didn't want to be late.

  In minutes I was heading into the street level portion of a two story building. The front had 'Gold Rush Tea' in gold letters and baskets of flowers hanging around the patio. The inside of the building had developed its personality over time. The wood floor was dark and smooth from years of foot traffic. There was a slight dip around the door. The walls were brick, with black and white pictures of miners. The tables and counter were honey colored and shiny.

  At the counter, I ordered a tomato, basil, and mozzarella sandwich, and a chai tea latte.

  I was half way through my sandwich, and winning the battle against this morning's memories ruining my meal, when Cage walked in. He waved at me and went over to the counter. While he was waiting for his order, I got the rest of the food in my tummy, and shoved the bad images to a dark corner of my mind.

  Cage came over with a bagel and large drink in his hands.

  "Thanks for meeting me." I stood up and offered him my hand.

  He set his things on the table and gently engulfed my hand in his. "It is my pleasure."

  We settled into our seats and I started playing with my mug.

  "Where would you like to start?" Cage asked.

  I had so many questions. Between Elron and my parents, I had hints and partial facts, but it wasn't safe to ask him about that. He had mentioned things I didn't understand when he helped me neutralize Ty. "What is an Ieldra?"

  He studied me as he finished chewing. "You don't know anything about clans, do you?"

  I shook my head.

  "Ah, we have a lot to talk about. The clan follows the leadership of their Elders. The elders are a group selected for their wisdom, power, and experience; whatever would make you pick a leader. Out of that group comes the clan leader, or Minister. An Ieldra is a witch born with a curved X as part of their clan scar. That scar marks them as powerful."

  I gave up on finding out what being an Ieldra meant and followed the flow of information. This was the most information I'd gotten from a witch. "You said it's rare to be born with this mark. How rare is it? Can tattoos change outside of joining a new clan?"

  Cage smiled. "You know which questions to ask. It is very rare to be born an Ieldra. No, to the best of my knowledge clan scars only change if you join a new clan."

  I took a sip of my drink. That was good information, but it didn't apply to me. "What about the tattoo on my shoulder? What does it mean?"

  His voice deepened. "When a witch is born with the tattoo of an Ieldra, it marks her or him. The way it was explained to me was that it's like a prophecy. You will do something that sets you apart. What that is varies. For some it is undertaking a great task, and others have changed the way we view magic."

  All of that was fascinating, and something I needed to think about at length, he hadn't told me about my tattoo. "Is that what my tattoo means?" I had trouble referring to the mark on my shoulder as a clan scar. It was nearly identical to the tattoos humans and shifters were fond of, and I didn't have a clan.

  Cage shrugged one of his shoulders, "Yours is different. I've never heard of one like it. You have the mark of an Ieldra, but it mixed with the symbols of your clans and I can't tell which clans."

  "Why not?" I struggled to keep my voice pleasant. Cage was helping me, answering questions I didn't know to ask, but my hope for clarity and understanding was fading. Sure, I could get answers, but only ones that left me with more questions.

  "Two clan symbols can mix in countless ways. Your scar is a mixture of three symbols with the Ieldra being the most prominent. I wish I could help."

  "You've helped. You've told me more about clans in the past twenty minutes than I've learned my entire life. Thank you."

  He smiled. "My pleasure. What else would you like to know?"

  "You said being an Ieldra is like being part of a prophecy. Could you explain?" If my skin thought it had a say in my life, it was wrong. I would make my own choices, for better or worse.

  "You're the first Ieldra I've met, so I'm telling you what I was told.
Just as a witch is born with a clan scar, they can also be born with the mark of an Ieldra. It seems that babies acquire that scar the same way they acquire the clan scar, but that's poor information since no one knows how witches get a clan scar. Being marked an Ieldra does not give any indication about what you could do, only that you will do something extraordinary. As far as I'm concerned, you've already lived up to expectations. What you can do, how you cast spells, that's beyond compare."

  "Great. I don't need my skin dictating my life."

  Cage chuckled. "I wouldn't worry about it. The events will come to pass, or pass you by."

  "Easy for you to say, you didn't find out that you're supposed to do something amazing."

  "No, but most Ieldra live long happy lives."

  That sounded about as likely as a werehog growing wings, but I wasn't going to be rude to the guy who was helping me. "But I'm not part of a clan."

  His eyebrows pulled together. "That I don't understand. You are marked as a member of two clans. How did you end up clan-less?"

  "I was born without one. Mom wasn't a member of a clan, and I didn't have a father growing up." I left out the part about having a father now. It wasn't any of his business.

  Cage shook his head. "I don't know what to tell you. I suspect your Mom still had ties to a clan, as did your father. Your mother's clan may come looking for you. If your mom had a tie with her clan when you were born, they may have felt your birth and the potential in you. The same goes for your father's clan."

  I was pretty sure I was safe from Dad's clan. He knew exactly where to find me. Mom's clan was a different kettle of fish. My parents' warning stuck with me. "Would other clans come after me?"

  "You make it sound like they would hunt you down. I doubt they would use force, but yes. Any clan who hears of your abilities may attempt to court you. Their ways of courting could be invasive. In spite of living in a modern era, some elders are very traditional, in the worst sense. They may invade your life, talk to your friends and family, and generally do their best to find out everything about you." Cage grumbled.

  "Have you seen that happen?"

  He nodded. "Not by my clan. I meant what I said, I want to help you. The Elefant would be honored to have you join us. That's my invitation, not the elders, but we won't pursue that relationship. And I'm from Pennsylvania. I doubt you're itching to get a clan and move a thousand miles away."

  "No, that's not high on my list." I smiled. "How pushy will these clans get?"

  Grinning he said, "I suspected as much." He sobered. "They can be downright scary. A neighboring clan went after one of ours. By the time the clan had threatened his family, followed him to and from work, and generally made his life miserable, he wasn't going anywhere."

  "How did he get them to back off?"

  "He didn't. Our Minister took a hostage from each of the clans. She wouldn't release them until the other Minister and Elders had made binding promises to leave him alone."

  "Oh." I doubted I could get away with the same thing if a clan bothered me, but I'd keep it in mind. "What should I do if a clan comes after me like that?"

  "Join a different clan." His voice was flat, and his eyes hard.

  "Narzel fart."

  "Sorry."

  "Don't be. I'd rather know the truth."

  Cage checked his watch and winced. "I hate to run out, but I'm due back."

  Looking at the time, I needed to get going or I wouldn't be able to catch the gargoyles before they left Forsyth. "I need to go too. Thank you for helping me. I won't forget this."

  Nodding his head in a sign of respect he said, "It was my pleasure. If you have any other questions, or need a friend, you know how to find me."

  With that, he headed out the door. I returned my dishes, quickly used bathroom, and was on the road.

  The past few days had been a never ending deluge of events and information, and today was continuing the trend. Having an unknown force decree that I could do something amazing was unnerving. It was equally obnoxious that it couldn't be bothered to tell me what fantastic thing I could accomplish. If I was going to have a destiny, I wanted to know what it was.

  Given the new information, I had to agree with my mom's paranoia. If clans with no ties to a wizard were willing to invade his life to the point that his loved ones were distancing themselves, there's no telling what her clan would do to get me back. Laying low had been a great plan, until I blew it by being me.

  Maybe dad had the right idea now. I wasn't a child anymore. It was time to change strategies, protect ourselves and our lives. If they came, they came. I could protect myself. Besides, the clan wasn't motivated to hurt me. They wanted to reclaim me because I had the special scar. A dead witch wasn't much good.

  With a sigh, I focused on more urgent matters, and gave Det. Wells a call.

  "Detective Wells."

  "Hi, this is Michelle Oaks."

  "I'm guessing you want an update on your friend's case?"

  "Yes, is there any news?"

  "Simon, the pack alpha, is now a missing person. He has not been seen in several days, and communication to him as been redirected to Adder. His disappearance is under investigation. Sadly, I do not have any additional information about Amber. I'm going to tell you the same thing I've told the friend of yours who keeps calling; we are looking into every possibility."

  "Thank you." I tried to keep my voice sincere.

  He gave a gusty sigh. "I am bound by policies and regulations. We are actively searching for evidence that could jumpstart the investigation."

  "I understand." I didn't like it, but from my dealings with the police, I knew he was telling the truth. "Let me know if there's anything I can do to help." The words tasted bad because I knew he wouldn't ask for my help.

  "I will. Have a good day." He didn't sound happy about the current state of affairs.

  "Thanks, you too." I hung up the phone with a heavy heart. I could only think of one person who would gain from Simon's absence. If Adder had a hand in his father's disappearance, the odds of finding Simon alive and well were not good.

  The rest of the drive passed in a blur. Thoughts zoomed in and out of my head faster than I could make sense of them. My parents and I needed to have a talk but it would have to wait. Elron and I had a date tonight and I wanted to enjoy it. Amber was missing and I needed to find her. Gargoyles could help combat the evil in Ellijay.

  It was a relief to get to the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office and have something to occupy my mind. If I kept thinking about everything I would get a headache. I walked in, waving at the familiar faces. Since the troll incident, I'd become somewhat of a fixture around here, and no one was surprised to see me. When I didn't see Jones at his desk I headed to his workroom.

  "Jones, where'd you go?"

  "In here," he called out.

  I found him digging through a cabinet under the sink, only his rear and legs left on the outside. "Are you digging for China?" I heard a thump and a muffled curse.

  Jones popped out of the cabinet, "Michelle, it's good to see you."

  "I'm sure it is, since I'm not here fixing an emergency. Can I help you with anything?" I asked.

  He wrinkled his brow before realizing he was still on his hands and knees in front of the cabinet. "Oh, that? No, I was trying to find a crock pot so I could make mulled cider for the guys who work Thanksgiving."

  "Oh, that's nice."

  He shrugged. "They enjoy it. A lot of junk gets piled in there because everyone uses that cabinet as spare storage. I'll find it later. I bet you want to know about the gargoyles."

  "You guessed right."

  "I'll tell you on the way over there."

  We gathered up our things, and I gratefully settled into the passenger's set. I'd been behind the wheel for two hours already and I had another forty miles to go after this.

  "The Gargoyles landed this morning. I'm sure they thought this spot was out of the way, but the field they're in is the community green for a gated
community, and next to the main road. When I heard about them I called you. It's a small flock, only ten adolescents and adults, and five children. Everyone agreed on the number of children, but most people can't tell an adolescent from an adult."

  "Understandable, they look very similar and not many people have seen gargoyles." Gargoyles weren't very common, and even to the trained eye, it was difficult to distinguish adolescents and adults. Generally, facial features and mannerisms would give them away, but they were stone during the day.

  "Have you?" Jones asked.

  "Once, a flock stayed with some elves my family knew when I was a teenager. I was lucky enough to talk to a few of them. They are very formal, but nice." I shrugged. They were people, just like elves, shifters, witches, fey, centaurs, satyrs, dwarves, dragons, and giants. From my last interactions, I'd learned most of them took being a guardian against evil very seriously. Since I knew bad things were happening in Ellijay, I figured this was going to be an easy conversation.

  "Nice. I've never seen them before." Jones said.

  I smiled. "Then this should be fun."

  A few minutes later, we pulled into an upscale subdivision. Twenty feet down the road, I could see a playground next to a grassy field covered in gray statues. The gargoyles were grouped to one side, as if trying to protect one another even when they were stone. There was some debate as to how stone like they really were during the day. There were documented occasions when a gargoyle had awakened from its stone state and moved around during the day. However, there was also documentation of their similarities to stone. Having spoken to gargoyles in the past, and being allowed to examine them, I agreed with a different theory. Their skin, which was normally thick and rough, changed composition during the day, making them look and feel like stone. This thicker skin made it difficult for them to move, so gargoyles slept during the day.

  "This flock has a lot of youngsters. I hope they're willing to move somewhere with evil brewing," I said.