The Iron Witch

by Karen Mahoney

  But even as these thoughts piled on top of more and more desperate attempts at rationalization, she knew she was fighting a losing battle. The churning pain in her gut told her that she hadn’t made a mistake. She’d glimpsed the true form of the thing sitting on the bus—in Navin’s place.

  With so much metal around to distract and distort the elf’s magic, its elfskin was precarious. It was difficult for it to uphold a convincing disguise. But this elf had made an almost foolproof stab at it, until that sliver of light had fallen just so, enabling Donna to make the leap required to really see. It must be an incredibly strong creature to be able to keep its glamour while sitting on a steel-encased bus.

  How was it even possible? And what was it doing? Was it actually going to go to school in Navin’s place?

  Realizing she was still standing in the road, Donna stepped onto the sidewalk and slowly walked back to the bus stop. She still had to get her own bus to Quentin’s, but how was she supposed to concentrate on studying? Sitting down on the bench, gnawing at her bottom lip, Donna wondered whether she could get out of her lessons.

  Navin was gone. She almost whimpered as she allowed the reality to sink in. What was she going to do? As soon as she gave that plaintive thought a voice, she knew it sounded pathetic, but she really couldn’t help it. And then that stronger part of her spoke up—the voice she liked to think of as her father’s: You’ll find him, Donna. You will find out what happened to him and bring him home.

  And Maker, too.

  Of course! She wanted to smack herself over the head for being so dumb. Maybe Maker had seemed strange on Sunday because … well, because it hadn’t really been Maker at all. Everything was becoming clear, and a whole new bunch of questions were popping up in desperate need of answers.

  Donna knew she needed to first deal with the immediate problem—Alma Kensington was waiting for her at the Frost Estate. She punched the familiar keys on her cell phone and waited to be connected directly to her tutor.

  “Kensington,” came the clipped tones.

  “Alma, it’s Donna.”

  “Donna, is everything all right?”

  “Actually, no. I’m afraid I don’t feel very well. I got as far as the bus stop—in fact, I’m still here—but I’ve got a terrible headache and I feel really dizzy.”

  “Do you feel well enough to get back home again?” Genuine concern peeked through Alma’s usually businesslike voice, but Donna only allowed herself to feel a little guilty for lying.

  “It’s not far, thanks. I can manage.”

  “Well, it’s better to be careful, especially when you’re traveling. I’ll call your aunt at work and let her know.”

  Great, now Aunt Paige would worry. Donna hoped her aunt wouldn’t get the urge to stop in at lunchtime to check on her. She turned and walked back toward the house, not intending to stick around there playing the invalid. She needed to make a plan. Mostly, she needed to figure out how on earth the wood elves had become strong enough to infiltrate the city.

  And most important of all: why was one walking around Ironbridge masquerading as Navin Sharma?

  Lying motionless on her bed, eyes closed in concentration, Donna’s first impulse was to go to Maker’s workshop to see if he was still acting strangely. If he was, well … she was increasingly certain that she knew why. It seemed Navin wasn’t the only one with a doppelganger walking around in his place.

  The thought filled Donna with dread, but this would explain the subtle quirks in Maker’s recent behavior, the nagging feeling she’d had that something was just a little bit off. And then there was the pain in her hands—she’d attributed it to the wood elf in the bathroom, but now that she thought about it, the sensation had started up again while she was standing with the old alchemist outside the workshop.

  It was almost as though the iron in her hands and arms was reacting to fey magic.

  She shivered. Perhaps going to the workshop alone wasn’t such a good idea. It was too quiet there, too hidden away, with a potential for attack.

  Pushing herself up off the bed, Donna squared her shoulders and made a decision. She would get a cab to Ironbridge High and see if there was any sign of “Navin” at school. Perhaps the elf would show up for homeroom and then leave. If that was the case, she might be in time to catch up with it—maybe even follow the thing.

  If she had to, she would confront it.

  Navin—the real Navin—needed her. Donna would do whatever it took to get him back.

  Standing outside the gates of Ironbridge High, Donna experienced a rush of nerves that threatened to melt her resolve. The school was the site of many painful memories. She certainly didn’t relish being anywhere near it, yet now here she was, contemplating walking through those gates to search for Navin. But she would do anything for him, and walking into a place that had become like hell on earth for her was nothing compared to the possibility of losing Nav.

  The first period of classes had already started, so Donna was able to walk to the main office without having to speak to anyone who knew her. She kept her head down, just in case, moving quickly and with a sense of purpose she didn’t feel.

  The office was the same bustling, friendly place it had always been. Through the large window at the counter, she could see two women juggling piles of paper, and she recognized one of her old teachers battling with the photocopier behind them. Donna hoped he wouldn’t recognize her voice; she wasn’t in the mood to have a polite conversation with Mr. Jackson about how she was doing. Then one of the receptionists looked up from her filing and smiled.

  “Oh, hello dear. Didn’t you ring the bell?” The middle-aged woman approached the window and slid the hatch wider. She had a round face, with lines that crinkled the corners of her eyes in a way that made Donna feel more at ease.

  “I only just got here,” Donna said. “I’m still a student, but I’m mostly home-schooled now. I do my exams here.”

  “Can I see your I.D.?”

  Donna pulled out her laminated pass, giving a barely audible sigh of relief when the woman glanced at it and nodded.

  “I’m waiting for my friend to finish his class. We’re attending an appointment together and he’s late.”

  “What’s his name?”

  “Navin Sharma. He’s a senior.”

  The woman went over to a computer terminal and started tapping on the keys, squinting as she followed the information on the screen.

  Donna tried not to show her impatience, but, nice as the receptionist was, she was taking her sweet time. Couldn’t she tell how important this was? Just as Donna was seriously contemplating putting her fist through the window, climbing across the counter, and pushing the woman out the way so she could look up Nav’s schedule herself, the receptionist turned and walked slowly back to the window.

  “He’ll be with Mrs. Kramer, I think. Room 203. Wait, you need a hall pass—”

  Screw the hall pass, Donna thought savagely, racing to the north stairwell and up to the second floor in the oldest wing of the school. There were only five more minutes until morning break.

  She crept as close to the door of Room 203 as she dared and peered through the criss-cross pattern stamped onto the glass window, doing her best to think invisible thoughts. If anyone saw her standing out here, she was just going to hope that the floor would swallow her up. Melanie Swan would most likely be in this class with Nav, and that was one confrontation she could do without.

  Scanning the heads of the students bent over textbooks and hoping that Mrs. Kramer wouldn’t notice her, Donna almost shouted with relief when she saw the back of Navin’s head and his bony shoulder blades poking through his white T-shirt. His ever-present jacket was slung across the back of his chair. Then she had to remind herself that it wasn’t Navin. Although it might be just as well to check before leaping on him and yelling “elf.”

  Heart pounding, Donna stepped back from the window and waited in the corridor, wondering what on earth she was supposed to do now. The “enemy
” was right there, sitting in a school classroom as though it didn’t have a care in the freaking world. Just for a second, Donna considered barging into the Mayor’s office and telling Aunt Paige everything; but how could she explain why she hadn’t said anything before? Sure, Maker—if it really was Maker—had encouraged her to keep quiet about what happened at his place, but what about the next day? On Monday she and Xan had been attacked by a stray on Ironbridge Common, yet she’d chosen to keep it a secret.

  But she hadn’t wanted to tell Aunt Paige about Xan, and it was one of those situations that had just gained momentum on its own—Donna never would have guessed that an unplanned visit to Maker and the appearance of a lone dark elf in the city would have set all these events in motion. Sometimes the longer you left something without telling people, the harder it got to open your mouth and start filling them in on what they’d missed. She’d learned that the hard way after three years of keeping secrets from Navin. And of course, if she talked to Aunt Paige, her aunt would talk to the Order. Donna was convinced that this wasn’t the best idea.

  The school bell rang, making her heart pound harder than ever. Glad that her palms didn’t sweat, she still reflexively rubbed her gloved hands against her jeans. She licked her dry lips and listened to the manic activity that had sprung up all around her. Chairs scraped back, doors opened and closed, and footsteps that were more like a herd of elephants clumped up and down the stairs.

  Then the door to Mrs. Kramer’s classroom opened and students poured out in a steady stream of chatter. Donna had positioned herself just to the left of the doorway, her back to the wall, hoping that the majority of her ex-classmates would head in the opposite direction, toward the stairwell. She kept alert, waiting for the thing masquerading as Navin to leave the room.

  Luckily, only a handful of students noticed her; they promptly turned their heads as if they’d just seen a mirage. That was fine by her. But it looked like her luck had run out when Melanie Swan’s glossy hair swung past. Turning the other way down the hall, away from the crowd of students, Melanie swept right by Donna, almost touching her. Then she did a double-take. It would have been funny if Donna had had the time to appreciate it.

  “Underwood, what are you doing here? Are there special exams today?” A couple of Melanie’s hangers-on giggled.

  “I don’t have time for you,” Donna replied calmly, looking around Melanie’s head and keeping her eyes trained on the door.

  “Ah, waiting for your boyfriend, are we?”

  “Melanie, don’t mess with me. I’m really not in the mood.”

  “Oh really, is it that time of the month, freak? I didn’t think you’d even started yet.” Melanie laughed at her own joke, hands resting on her narrow hips as she pulled herself up to her full, willowy height.

  A small crowd was beginning to gather around them as Donna saw the Navin-clone walk out of the classroom and head toward the stairs.

  “Sorry, Mel, I’ve got more important things to do.” She pushed past the sneering girl and ducked between two other students, preparing to follow her only lead in finding Navin.

  A hand grabbed her shoulder and pulled her backwards, causing her to stumble. Righting herself and whipping around, Donna came nose to nose with Melanie.

  “We’re not finished here yet, Underwood.”

  She couldn’t believe that Melanie Swan had actually laid hands on her. The girl’s cronies were watching eagerly, scenting an exciting interlude in their day, and a couple of other random students were loitering nearby. Trying to keep her already frayed temper in check, Donna glanced behind her, knowing that every second that passed took Navin farther away from her.

  “I told you, I don’t have time for this bullshit.” Donna enunciated every word clearly. She turned to walk away, furious that a couple of the kids actually sighed with disappointment at the thought they might not get the fight they were hoping for.

  “You’re not getting away this time, freak,” Melanie said. “Your little boyfriend isn’t here to protect you now.”

  “I don’t need anyone to protect me,” Donna said as scathingly as she could. “Or have you forgotten?”

  “Ooh, listen to her,” mocked Melanie. She reached out and grabbed the lapel of Donna’s jacket.

  Instinct took over. Donna laid her gloved hand over Melanie’s wrist and squeezed, gently to begin with, then slowly forcing the hand to unlock from her jacket. She felt the power of her grip, pure steel wrapped in a sheath of satin.

  “Ow, get off me!” Melanie shrieked, all the confidence draining out of her in a rush of intense pain.

  Looking the girl in the eye, Donna kept hold of her wrist and continued to push her backwards, squeezing more tightly and all the while keeping a fixed smile on her face. “Don’t you ever lay hands on me again, Mel,” she said quietly.

  Melanie Swan whimpered and tried to pry Donna’s hand away from her wrist, but there was no shaking the iron grip. Tears filled Melanie’s eyes; the other students started to mutter and look at Donna with fear. She’d seen those looks before, but this time the shame didn’t weigh so heavily on her.

  Releasing Melanie’s arm, she turned and walked toward the stairwell, shoulders pulled back and head held high. She heard Melanie’s concerned friends and the other onlookers clustering around her, making sympathetic noises, and she tried to feel remorse for what she’d done.

  But searching inside, all Donna could feel was a cold, hard fury. There was no way she could catch up to that creature now.

  She had as good as lost Navin.

  T trying to swallow her anger and disappointment, Donna walked up and down the street outside Ironbridge High. There was a bitter taste in her mouth that she couldn’t get rid of.

  The day stretched ahead of her, unfilled hours where she could be doing something to find Nav. Tugging her cell phone out of her jeans pocket, she dialed and waited, still pacing back and forth in front of the school railings.

  “Yes?”

  “Xan, it’s Donna.”

  “I know.” She heard the smile in his lazy voice and tried to ignore the warm feeling spreading through her chest.

  “Xan, I need your help.” There, she’d said it. She couldn’t go back now.

  “What can I do?” No hesitation in his voice, just a steady certainty that he was there for her.

  Donna closed her eyes for a moment, allowing herself to bask in the feeling that she wasn’t alone, even with Navin gone. “My friend Navin is in trouble and I have to find him. I was following the thing that might be able to lead me to him, but I lost it.”

  “‘Thing’? I assume we’re not talking about a person.”

  She gave a shaky laugh. “No, obviously not. Look, Xan … this could get dangerous. You don’t have to do it.”

  “I don’t even know what I have to do yet, do I?”

  “I’m sorry, I’m not making any sense. I need—”

  His reassuring voice cut her off. “Where do you want me to meet you?”

  Overwhelmed with relief, Donna told him where she was and settled in to wait.

  He arrived in a sturdy-looking Volvo. Its faded crimson bodywork shone in the thin sunlight, and the various dents and rust spots made it look sort of homey and familiar. Donna had never wanted to learn to drive a car (what with the whole super-strength-kicking-in-under-pressure thing), but she could picture learning in this one. Maybe with Xan sitting by her side and patiently coaching her on how to handle a stick.

  She had to shake herself out of the daydream and concentrate on the very real emergency they faced.

  Xan listened patiently while the words tumbled out of her mouth. She told him of her new suspicions about Maker, and filled him in on Navin’s doppelganger and how she’d seen through its glamour on the bus. She knew Xan was probably most concerned about Maker, given his hopes of getting help from the old alchemist in the future, but he was careful not to focus on that. He took everything in stride.

  But then, what had she expected? After w
hat he’d been through in his own life—and what he was—he surely was already her friend, even though they’d only met three days ago. And to be honest, she knew they were more than friends now. Not just because of the awful truths they’d shared, but because of what had happened on the way home last night. Donna thought of the kiss and her stomach tightened.

  Xan hadn’t kissed her yet today. After he’d parked the car (which his father had been intending to scrap, he said), he’d swept her into a bone-crushing hug and then just set her away from him and looked at her.

  “Is there anything you can do?” Donna asked. They were standing across from the school, leaning against the red brick wall of an old apartment building as the sun moved slowly above them in a surprisingly blue sky. She was trying not to sound as desperate as she felt, but she didn’t think she was doing too good a job of it. Her eyes kept burning with unshed tears, and then she’d feel irritated with herself for letting her worries get the better of her. She needed to focus if she was going to find out what had happened to Navin; she rubbed a hand across her face. “Could you maybe, I dunno … track the wood elf, somehow? That’s why I wanted you to come here—this is where I last saw it.”

  Xan looked doubtful. “I don’t know, Donna. Any real magic I might have had—or should have had—got totally messed up after they took my wings. I’m only half faery. I can do a few things, but they’re not much more than pretty tricks.”

  She let out a frustrated breath, temporarily pushing aside her curiosity about what “pretty tricks” he might be able to do. “But there must be something we can try. I can’t just let it go like this. That creature was right here.”

  He looked at her with the lazy green eyes that made her heart beat faster. “There is something, but I don’t know if it will work. It’s been a long time since I tried to find one of the Old Paths.”

  Donna’s eyes lit up. “You know how to get into the Elflands?”