A Witch's Trial (Witch's Path Series: Book 3)

by N. E. Conneely

  So I told them of the dream with the woman who had strange eyes and of the night we rescued Amber, this time including details I'd left out before, like the woman dropping the book. I still didn't mention the part about having seen her in my dreams. I had to take a gulp of tea before I told them most of what was in the book. Then I told them about giving it to Elron and how the last entry had hit him hard.

  I tried to phrase the last part so they didn't think we were in a relationship. It might be odd for me to be this upset about hurting a friend, but I didn't want to answer questions about dating a man older than either of them. It was hard to tell if it worked, but they didn't focus on that part of the story, maybe because the demon was a powerful distraction.

  "Like I said, I don't know if anything in that book was the truth. It doesn't seem plausible," I finished. Perhaps Sylvia's story was unlikely, but it did explain things. I sat there, watching them watch me, and I knew my life was about to get a lot more complicated.

  "Michelle," Mom asked, "what did you say the book said?" Her knuckles were white, and her fingers were digging into the arms of the chair.

  "It said a demon was using Sylvia as its host." Each time I said it out loud the reality of the situation hit me a little harder. There was a demon, and his name was Gremory.

  "Are you sure that's what the book said?" Dad asked.

  I nodded. Twisting the mug in my hands, I tried to find a warm spot, but the tea wasn't hot enough to sooth this worry. "It stated clearly, on several occasions, that the demon wanted Sylvia for a reason, something about her being a more resilient host. It also said the demon rotated between Sylvia and a male host." I swallowed. "I know what the book says, but you always told me that demons are extinct."

  "That is the story," Dad said. "Demons have faded into lore for that very reason. I may be able to find some books that have information on them, but that's the extent of my knowledge."

  "What if the book is wrong and there isn't a demon?" Mom's voice wavered.

  For some reason, I had the feeling she was clinging to any hope that this wasn't as serious as it sounded. Even though I didn't believe my words, I told her what she needed to hear. "That's a possibility."

  "There's no way to tell if the story is fact or fiction. Normally it isn't much of an issue. You can check the work against other sources and research the author. In this case… I don't know if there are reliable sources. Even if there are, Nancy could be right. The book could be a diversion to keep you occupied while this woman causes trouble." Dad frowned and tapped his fingers.

  A few minutes passed while we all reflected on the situation. At least, I assumed that's what they were thinking about. I was working on keeping my mind empty. Every time a thought crept in, it made me feel worse. Demon or no demon, Sylvia or impostor, they each came with their own set of worries and issues. And when those thoughts came to mind, I couldn't help but think about Elron. I could still hear his sobs, an expression of pain I couldn't put into words.

  "I doubt there is a demon running around town. Even if some survived, why would they have waited this long to show themselves? They've been relegated to lore for years. And really, why pick Ellijay?" Dad asked.

  Forcing my lips into a smile, I said, "Why Ellijay indeed. It wouldn't be high on my list of places to start trouble. The town is close enough to other towns and large cities to ask for help, and small enough to be unimportant."

  "Exactly. It's still worth researching, and being prepared. I've no doubt evil is causing trouble, but a demon? That doesn't add up," Dad said.

  The corners of Mom's mouth weren't pinched, and Dad wasn't frowning anymore. If that logic made them feel better, good for them. I didn't buy it.

  I forced my body to relax against the sofa and replied, "When you say it like that—the stress had made it hard to get perspective on these things."

  They nodded, nearly in unison. There, I'd managed to agree without telling a blatant lie. If only I believed those words.

  *******

  I knew it was a dream from the moment it started. It couldn't be reality, because in the real world Elron was alone in his room, grieving, and I was in bed trying to block out my own pain.

  Right now I was standing next to the pond of glow koi fish, gazing into Elron's blue eyes. His hand gently cupped my cheek, and he smiled as he pressed his lips against mine.

  He pulled back enough to whisper, "Oh, Michelle."

  If he said anything else, I didn't hear it.

  We broke apart, breathless. He sat on a rock at the edge of the pond and pulled me down beside him. Minutes ticked by as we soaked in the atmosphere. The sun was setting, and through the glass we could see the red and orange lights of its evening show. Across the path, a giant healing aloe plant emitted a glow that cycled through different shades from a light mint to a hunter green.

  "Look." Elron pointed at a tree limb above us where three hummingbirds had gathered. As we watched, a purple one chirped, and the tree of them began, well, humming like a human would. It was akin to the sound I would make if I was humming, but it was soft and enticing, a blend of human humming and gentle guitar music. The sound alone would've made it remarkable, but to hear three small birds trade off harmonies, melodies, and the rotating parts took the performance from lovely to fantastical.

  "You didn't tell me you had singing hummingbirds." If he had, I would've rushed over to see them. They were rare and, other than their distinctive song, were indistinguishable from their mundane, if anything that colorful and remarkable could be called such, cousins.

  "I did not wish to get your hopes up. There was no reason to expect them to stay. They were inside, flittering from bloom to bloom, when I arrived at work three days ago. The vent has been left open in case they want to leave. So far they have not been inclined to do so."

  "I hope they stay." The birds synchronized their song, finished with a three-note crescendo, and zoomed away.

  Turning to look at him, I smiled. At that moment, I was happy. Totally and completely overcome with joy and contentment. "Thank you. This was magical." Laughing, I tried to properly express my feelings. "This place is always magical, by the nature of the plants and creatures, but tonight was special. Thank you."

  He brushed a lock of hair away from my face. "A magical woman deserves nothing less than a magical evening."

  Three small lights zipped over to me, twisting around me, darting under my arms.

  "All right, all right! I'm coming." I hopped up and conjured six lights of my own, sending three to play with the lights circling me and directing the rest to play with the glittering apricot hibiscus. Giggling, I let the lights chase me to the back of the greenhouse. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Elron's posture change.

  As I neared the hibiscus, flashes shone through the leaves of the surrounding vegetation. Rounding a corner in the path, I found the tree awash with lights. My three sparks were playing with the tree's wisps. They swirled around me, then darted in to touch my skin and left a tingle behind.

  Giggling and smiling, I played with the tree, teasing its lights with glitters of my own, pushing them with gentle puffs of air. My ears caught the hum of the birds, and the background music shifted into something new. Before I knew it, I was dancing with a dozen sparkles as my partner. Turning and swaying, I caught site of Elron standing at the bend in the path, looking at me with an expression that was shifting from bemused to stunned.

  "What is it? What's wrong?" I pushed the lights away from me as I approached him.

  "It's you," he said. "It's always been you."

  Puzzled, I came to a stop a few feet from him.

  "This shall be a wretched mess when my conscious mind reaches this realization."

  His gaze was sharp and his eyes glad, but I didn't trust him. Our dreams, be they shared or not, had never progressed like this for me. I couldn't read him. His open expression had been replaced with his version of a poker face, the arrogant mask he'd worn when we first met.

  "Perhaps
you could enlighten me." Even as I said it, I knew I wasn't going to like what I heard. If Elron's conscious mind wasn't involved in this dream, his actions were based on his subconscious. Logically, I knew that only parts of our brain were involved in our dreams, but to the best of my knowledge, I always remembered what happened.

  Elron shook his head. "If I tell you, it will complicate things. Either your behavior will change or you will want to rush events. This needs to happen in its own time and place."

  "Well, that's a grand way to spoil a lovely not-in-reality date," I said dryly.

  He folded one hand over his waist and the other behind his back, giving me a shallow bow. "My lady, you have my most sincere apologies. When things are settled, I shall do my best to amend this slight."

  I stood there, starting at him without fully comprehending. This wasn't the Elron I usually encountered. Was the fragile man I had come to care for the real man, or was this self-assured, confident man the real Elron? What would I do if this independently functioning fragment of Elron was more than a dream? That would be a complication I couldn't balance right now.

  "Don't worry so," he said.

  My eyebrows did their best to merge with my hairline.

  "Your face has been shifting from one emotion to the next. It was not difficult to see the conflicting feelings. Again, this shall all make sense in time. In short, just as your subconscious lets you slide into situations you would avoid if you were awake, mine is helping me process things that are painful when I am conscious." He winked. "I tend to brood and obsess."

  "Ah."

  "Alas, our time grows short. Do not fear, Michelle. Reality can be every bit as fantastic as a dream."

  With that, he faded away, and I was left alone in the garden.

  Before I had time to be sad, the sparkles rushed over. Most of them slowly flowed around me, forming a warm, glowing, moving blanket, but a few of them broke away from the group to rub against my cheek, hair, and arm.

  I rubbed extra moisture away from my eyes. I wasn't crying yet, but I was close. A small sparkle rested against my moist fingers and zapped me.

  "Ouch, why did you do that?"

  The glowing spheres surged around me. One darted in and shocked my arm.

  I took a step back. "What was that for?"

  Two more shocked me, and I stumbled back again. When the next one dove in, I blocked it with a small shield spell. When the two energies collided, light flared. Blinking, I tried to clear the spot from my vision.

  When I could see again, I looked over my shoulder and froze. I was eye to bark with a branch. The tree's lights were in a half circle in front of me, blocking my escape. Since the only open path was behind me, I ducked and sat down with my back against the apricot tree.

  As soon as I sat down, the tree shuddered. The trunk flexed and the ground shifted. Behind me, the tree had formed a chair back, and under me, the roots moved themselves to make my seat more comfortable. The glitters resumed their previous behavior, coming in to rub my arm or hair without zapping me.

  "You could've said something," I muttered.

  The tree cuddled against me, a solid presence at my back and a comforting glow around me. Relaxing, I tried to push Elron's strange behavior out of my mind. It wasn't fair to judge him on something he didn't realize he was doing. However, fair didn't factor into my frustration or curiosity. Some part of him was frolicking with me in the garden and making cryptic discoveries. If the two parts of him ever unified long enough to sort things out, I'd have a stern word with him. Until then, I would let it be.

  I pushed the worries and questions out of my head, emptying my mind and falling into a light trance. It felt good to be at peace, removed from the worry and frustration that had been dogging me for so long. The peaceful feeling lasted until my body started protesting.

  My butt went numb, and I sat up to stretch. When I leaned back, the tree wasn't there. I opened my eyes to see the garden fading away, replaced by a campfire in a small clearing in the woods. This wasn't the first time I'd seen this clearing, but if the last meeting was any indication, I'd get cryptic answers and more questions before we were done here.

  The fire and clearing were solidly in existence, at least in this dream of mine, when Sylvia walked out of the woods.

  I stood up and dusted off my pants. "I'd greet you, but if memory serves, you don't like to use names."

  "They have power."

  "That they do. Are you going to tell me how you keep invading my dreams?" This was the second time, and it was irritating enough that Elron and I shared dreams; I didn't want to be having late-night meetings with his not-dead wife.

  "Not now. I am short on time, and for the time being, it is a useful way to communicate." She folded her arms across her chest and leaned back while looking me up and down. "You've been hurting him, and the death of the werewolf was a substantial blow."

  I nodded. She didn't have to name him; I knew she was talking about Gremory.

  "That death bought you time. Use it wisely." Sylvia turned and marched back into the woods before the last word fell from her lips.

  I woke up, tucked in bed at Mom's house, with predawn light coming in through the window.

  *******

  Breakfast was a quiet affair. We finished our food and were lingering at the table when Mom set down her glass and looked at me. "Michelle, can we go over some of the details of the wedding?"

  "Oh, sure." I couldn't hide the hesitation in my voice.

  "We'll have the ceremony and reception at Greg's house. It will be a reasonably small gathering," Mom said. "If you could come up here the night before, we can drive over together for the rehearsal. Dress is Sunday best."

  I must have looked scared because Dad reached over and patted my hand. "It's going to be fine. We're going to have a lovely ceremony no matter what. You'll have a good time, and we'll still be here for you."

  "What time should I be here?" I didn't know what to say to the rest of the plans, but I did need to know my scheduled arrival time.

  "Could you be here around four?" Mom asked.

  "Sure." Maybe with other witches around, I could finally find out what clan Dad was from. The thought perked me up.

  "Michelle," Dad said, "will you be staying here today?"

  I shook my head. "No, I've wallowed long enough. There's a pile of disenchanting waiting for me, and the world doesn't stop spinning because I had a bad day." I stood up, then started stacking dishes.

  "You can come back anytime," Mom said.

  Leaning over, I wrapped my arms around her. "I know, Mom. Thank you."

  "Go pack your things. We can clean up."

  I did as I was told. By the time I made it back downstairs, the kitchen was clean and they were ready to leave for work. I got hugs from both of them, Mom's with a worried smile and Dad's with an extra squeeze.

  "I'll hunt around for relevant books. Be careful," Dad said.

  "Thank you, and I will."

  "Please be careful, and come back if being at the lodge is too hard."

  "Yes, Mom. I'll call you." I rushed out the door before the situation could drag out.

  Sometimes it was hard to tell if this family thing was going to work out. Dad and I spent most of our time pretending to have a relationship we didn't have, and Mom looked sad when the two of us failed to be convincing. Then Dad stood up for me, or backed Mom, and I could see it—family. Those moments of harmony gave me hope. Maybe we weren't pretending as much as we thought; maybe that's what family was like. There was a smile on my lips as I turned onto the main road. I could get used to this type of family.

  My pleasant reflections were interrupted by my phone. I crossed my fingers as I answered, hoping it wouldn't be a dire emergency. "Oaks Consulting. This is Michelle."

  "Michelle, it's Wells."

  "Hi, Detective. What can I do for you?" I had a feeling he was after the book. After all, that's what I'd promised him.

  "You've had a few days. When am I going to get
a look at that book?"

  "How does today sound?" There wasn't any reason to procrastinate. I had a copy of the book with me, and I was in Ellijay. Putting it off would just cost me time and gas.

  "Today would be good. When will you be here?"

  "Can we meet somewhere? Maybe Coffee Time?" It felt wrong to talk about the book at his desk in a crowded room with other cops and random citizens within earshot. I wanted him to decide what the rest of the force knew, not have them overhear bits and pieces while they were going about their day.

  "Sure, but I expect a good explanation. Twenty minutes sound about right?"

  "I'll see you then." I hung up before he could ask any more questions.

  I strolled into Coffee Time ten minutes later with the book tucked in my purse. After getting a cup of tea, I snagged a table in the back. It was one of two tables in the back that weren't popular due to their proximity to the coffee grinder and blenders.

  Sipping my tea, I reflected on the upcoming conversation. This meeting wouldn't be fun or easy. It was going to be hard and depressing. If I was lucky, he would believe me and we could work on common goals. Typically, luck wasn't my thing, which left the less fun but more realistic path. He wouldn't believe me, and it would deteriorate from there.

  Detective Wells walked in, scanning the room. He gave a sharp nod in my direction before going to the counter. A few minutes later, he sat down across from me with a steaming cup of coffee in his hand.

  "You owe me an explanation, Michelle."

  I met his gaze. "I know. Thank you for being patient with me and for meeting me here."

  He shrugged. "It was worth the trip for the coffee. The stuff that passes for coffee at work is shameful."

  Flashing the smallest of smiles, I continued. "I've tried to think of the best way to do this, and a direct approach seems best." I gently placed the book on the table and slid it to him. Sitting back in my chair, I forced myself to relax and look normal. After some thought, I'd decided to present the book as if it were the original. It had taken some work, but to my senses the books were identical. Elron had the original, as was his right, and another, less precise copy was in my apartment.