Leelu looked stunned by the news. “But demons might be involved.”
“Yes, I know, Ms. Obvious.” Jezibaba turned and walked forward, heading deeper into the grove. She sighed as she heard the distinct flapping of fairy wings following her.
***
Birds sang in the trees. Bees hummed as they buzzed from plant to plant. A brook bubbled somewhere nearby and she wondered how anyone could find such a sound soothing. The forest sounds drove her crazy at the best of times and now she wondered if her magic could one day be used to silence the noise whenever she wished. She needed far more quiet to concentrate.
Bored and ready to get things over with, Isobelle poked her unconscious bear prisoner with the toe of her shoe. “How much sedative did you give him? He’s not waking up.”
Thane walked forward. “His bear form is massive. I didn’t use drugs to induce his sleep. I used magic.” Reaching down, he snapped the cord holding the spelled medallion against the bear’s body. Seconds later, the shifter returned to his human form, which is how he’d been captured.
“Dragons are apex predators, but only the shifter’s animal side had the sense to be alarmed. The man is stupidly brave… or just stupid. It’s hard to tell with him, especially when he speaks.”
“Well,” Isobelle said with a giggle, looking over the bear’s naked human body. “I can see his allure. He’s quite the attractive male in this form.”
Smoke wafted from Thane’s nostrils. “I’m a dragon. I refuse to be jealous of a bear. Remember our discussion? This is one of those female games I detest,” he said sharply.
Isobelle looked at her dragon lover and laughed. “I didn’t say I wanted to bed him. I said I could understand what the witch sees in him. Get a grip there, Hot Stuff. His only value to me is the sentimental value he evokes in the witch.”
“Except you are wrong in your assumptions, Isobelle. The witch has never seen him as an adult. Last time she saw this creature, the bear was still in his child form. His first shift to bear and back is what moved him from being a cub into puberty. He’s been a full adult nearly nine years now, yet the witch has never sought him out. Frankly, I doubt Hildy will even recognize this bear, much less give her life to save him.”
Isobelle turned her best glare on her partner. “You said the shifter and the witch were bonded. That means they’re meant to be mates. Right?”
“Or friends. Or something. Who knows? I only know about the mating of my own species and I know just enough to avoid it.” Thane shrugged and glared back. “Dark scrying is not an absolute art. All we had for a sacrifice was a couple forest animals. The revelation returned was as meager as my offering. The word bonded was all I got.”
Isobelle studied the tall, blond male on the ground. Even prone, she could tell he was an enormous male in several ways. “It has to be true. My plan requires it to be true.”
“I am tired of this debate. We will not know until we try. Do you want me to tie him to the tree now?”
“Yes,” Isobelle said. “Use the troll chains. They’re enchanted to drain magic and will keep him human too. How soon will the effects of the medallion wear off?”
“Two hours.”
Isobelle nodded. “That’s all I need. Get ready to burn the trees on my command.”
Chapter 6
They hugged their Amazon friends and walked until they entered the departure circle the Amazons had created for visitors.
Carol lifted a hand to take them back to Witchery U and then bent in pain. “Iren,” she said, her head exploding with the vision of him. She suddenly saw him bound and in a cage. He couldn’t move his hands, his feet, nor could he speak.
Hildy turned and put her arms around Carol. “Iren. You said Iren. What’s wrong with Iren?” she asked, concerned.
“Thane and that woman. They captured Iren. He and I… we can communicate… but it hurts like hell. I’m not Elvin and my brain is wired a bit differently. He had to push in. I’m feeling like hell now.”
“Are you sick?” Hildy asked.
Carol paused and drew in a deep breath, trying to steady her system. She closed her eyes again and let in the pain once more. She clearly saw the cages now… in a room… in a building out in the middle of an ancient forest.
“Do you know where he is?” Hildy asked, when her friend opened her eyes again.
Carol nodded. “Yes, but we need to collect his fairy princess first. He’ll need LaRee. We’re not splitting up.”
Hildy tightened her grip. “This one’s on me. Hang on.” She looked down at their familiars. “Guys… we’re headed to Iren’s father’s magic shop in the Elvin forest. Lean in and touch us so we all go together. I’m not as reliable as Carol.”
“I can do it,” Carol protested.
Hildy shook her head and gripped tighter. “No. You get well. No telling what we’re heading to face and you kick ass better than I do.”
Hildy raised a hand and then they were gone.
***
By the time they collected LaRee, Carol was feeling better. LaRee was tight-lipped around them, but her pride lost the fight when they told her they knew Iren was captured.
Carol took some steadying breaths. “I wish we could tell Professor Smoke what’s happening. I’m not strong enough to pop there and back. I think it’s going to take every bit of my energy to take us to Iren.”
“I’ll help you get to Iren,” LaRee said, swallowing hard. “The thought of him being hurt—I can’t handle it. I’ve been trying to reach him, but something keeps snapping the connections I make. I thought he was shutting me out.”
Carol put an arm around her shoulders. “Well, they can’t stop the Baba Yaga. This is all kinds of strange, but I can’t handle him being hurt either.”
“Should I go tell Professor Smoke then?” Hildy asked.
“No need babe. Wees can doos dat for youse,” Fat Bastard said clearly, lifting a paw. When Hildy’s mouth dropped open in shock, he did a kitty shrug and swiped a paw under his whiskers.
“Oh. My. Goddess. You guys talk?”
The three of them meowed. “When wees needs to,” Fat Bastard said in the best English he could.
Stooping, Hildy rubbed each of their heads. “Go then. Tell Professor Smoke what’s happening so he can protect the school.”
“Iz done, hot potato,” Fat Bastard declared. He lifted a paw and pointed at the other two cats. “The Fetts can stay. I don’t needs em for dis job.”
“No, there’s safety in numbers, guys,” Hildy said firmly. “Ahmed will stay with us. Now go. Will you be able to find me again?”
“Dollface, wees can find youse anywhere. Youse our witch to protect. Wees take that seriously,” Fat Bastard assured her.
“And your witch appreciates it,” Hildy said. “Now hurry.”
Hildy stood as the cats disappeared. She looked at Carol, who was also in shock. “My cats talk,” she said.
“Are you sure? I didn’t hear them talk,” LaRee said. “They just made extremely unpleasant cat sounds.”
Hildy shrugged. “Must be a witch thing.”
“Must be… because I heard them too. For a moment, I thought Iren had caused me to have hallucinations.” Carol met Hildy’s relieved gaze. “After I saved him, I was going to kick his Elvin ass over it. Guess now I got all spun up over nothing.”
Though it was hard, Carol straightened and held out her hands. “Ladies, let’s get lesbian.”
Hildy groaned. “What is with you and your lesbian jokes lately?”
“Oh, are you bedding with women now?” LaRee asked, looking hopeful. “I will like you much better if that is the case.”
Carol laughed, ignoring her queasy stomach. “So many bi-sexual Elves, so little time.”
“Cut it out,” Hildy ordered. “I know you like dick, Carol. Goddess, the whole world knows it. And the ones who don’t will find out in the next hundred years. You’re working your way through all the men you come across.”
“That is the plan,�
� Carol said, giggling at her own joke.
***
Holding their hands, Carol took them all to the room she’d seen in her vision. Once there though, they landed in a heap on the floor. “Damn. Not one of my better travel experiences.”
While Carol writhed in agony on the floor fighting the urge to be sick, Hildy and LaRee climbed to their feet.
Carol groaned and glared at the female. “LaRee, go tell your future mate we’re here and to get the hello goddess damn out of my aching head before I have to kill him for real.”
LaRee dashed to the cage only to be thrown across the room by the warding around it. The Elvin woman groaned as she rolled to her side and tried to sit up. The blow had nearly taken her out.
“Sure glad that wasn’t me,” Carol admitted, climbing to her feet on legs that wobbled. Ahmed barked and came over to lean against her. She felt him send power into her. Looking down, she shook her head. “Thanks, but keep it for yourself, buddy. We may need you at full genie power later.”
Ahmed whined, backed away, and sat.
“Carol, don’t be mean,” Hildy exclaimed, hoping LaRee hadn’t processed the insult. “Can’t you be nice for two minutes?”
Carol grinned. “I didn’t say it for the reason you’re imagining,” she promised. “That richoet would have taken me out of this fight and I’m not ready for that yet.”
Limping forward, she grabbed Hildy’s hand. “You know you’re my favorite Lipstick Lesbian, don’t you, Hildy? There will never be another female like you in my life. You in your pink frilly froufrou dresses. You’re so beautiful.”
Hildy tugged at her hand, glaring at her friend. “Enough with the queer humor already.”
“Why? Are you getting really mad at me?” Carol asked.
Hildy changed tactics and squeezed Carol’s hand as hard as she could. For once, it nearly sent her friend to the floor. “Yes, and I’m getting angrier every damn second you keep talking, you Bulldyke wannabe.”
“Perfect. Hold that emotion for me for just a few seconds,” Carol declared. “And by the way, that insult was a perfect rebuttal.”
Carol lifted her hand and their combined magic exited her palm in a lightning bolt of enormous power, which blasted instantly through the ward around Iren’s cage. She slid to the floor afterward, giggling as Hildy called her name in true alarm and tried to catch her.
“See? That was definitely a boob graze right there. I knew you loved me. You’re my Femme.”
“You know, you’re a freaking asswipe of a best friend, Carol. I hate you sometimes. You could have warned me what you were doing.”
Carol gave her a thumbs up. “Your power is strongest when you’re all fired up. We needed to get past the ward quickly. Making you mad seemed the easiest and fastest way.”
Ignoring their debate, LaRee climbed to her feet again and moved forward once more. She tentatively touched Iren’s cage, and when nothing bad happened, she chanted and popped open the lock. Running inside, she unbound Iren’s mouth and kissed him for all she was worth. He whispered, “LaRee,” and kissed her back.
On the other side of the cage, Carol sat on the floor and smiled at the couple. True love was great to watch happen, but it didn’t change the predicament she and Hildy were in. She leaned into Hildy and whispered. “You know, it doesn’t surprise me one bit that Iren stills gets excited while he’s tied up. He used to ask me to do that to him all the time. LaRee’s going to have to get really imaginative to top that.”
Hildy’s elbow cut off her giggles, but not before she heard an answering giggle from Hildy as well. Inside, Carol sighed in relief. She really did love Hildy. They were soul sisters of the best kind. It would have devastated her to have made her fellow witch truly mad.
“His bindings are magical as well as physical. I probably need to help her free him,” Hildy said quietly.
Carol nodded in agreement. “Go help. I’m just going to sit here a couple more minutes and try to feel like a normal witch again. That blast took a lot out of me.”
Hildy pulled a vial from her cleavage. “Here… have some sacred rock water. It might help you get back your strength.”
Carol snorted as she took the vial. “You make the lesbian jokes so damn easy.”
“Don’t make me zap your ass, Carol. We don’t have time.”
Rest she did as Hildy and LaRee worked to free Iren, but she couldn’t stop the thoughts swirling through her head. For the umpteenth time, Carol found herself respecting the Jezibaba who faced challenges like this every day. How did one witch ever do it all? If it hadn’t been for Hildy’s power, she’d never have gotten through the ward. When her attention returned to the room, Hildy and LaRee were helping a weak Iren exit the cage.
“Thank you,” Iren said, sending her a weak smile as they approached.
Carol nodded and cleared her throat. She was immensely relieved to see him alive, but there was no time to deal with her emotions about him. “Who was in the other cage, Iren?”
Iren’s gaze went across the room. “Some enormous blond bear shifter. Thane took him when he and Isobelle left today. I don’t know what they intended to do with him. Perhaps a ritual sacrifice to the demons she’s been using to do her dirty work. Both the dragon and the witch are now working with dark magic.”
“Bear?” Hildy repeated, her inner alarms going off. She dropped Iren’s arm and went to the other cage. Seeing no wards, she opened it and stepped inside. She sniffed and her gut clenched in rebellion. No, no, no… this couldn’t be happening. She had to be wrong.
“Who the heck is Isobelle? If she’s that strong of a witch, why haven’t we heard about her before?” Carol asked.
“I don’t know,” Iren said, leaning tiredly on his future mate. “But she openly told Thane she intends to kill you and Hildy. She also intends to take your place serving the Council of Witches as witch protectoress. She has some weird idea that she’ll inherit your power when you die. She’s delusional.”
“Which I will call batshit crazy because it’s easier to pronounce,” Carol said. She looked around. “Where did Hildy go?”
Iren lifted his chin and pointed across the room.
Carol scooted on the floor until she saw her friend standing inside the other cage. “Hildy?”
“It’s Chuck. I can smell him. They have Chuck,” Hildy whispered.
Carol closed her eyes and sighed. “Goddess help the crazy bitch when Hildy’s shock wears off. She shouldn’t have taken the bear. That witch will die for sure now. Hildy’s not nearly as merciful as I am.”
LaRee reached a hand down to help her up. “We are in your debt. What can the elves do to help the Baba Yaga?”
Carol groaned as she got to her feet. She was feeling a little better. Maybe the rock water was helping. She patted LaRee’s shoulder, then reached out and patted Iren’s chest. This decision was an easy call.
“Get Iren back to your healers and tell his father what happened. Have the Elvin people spread the word about what’s going on. I want the Council of Witches to be made aware of the rumors, including someone planning to take them over. The traitors among them will hopefully reveal themselves today.”
“Consider it done,” LaRee vowed, sighing when Iren kissed the top of her head.
“Ahmed?” Carol called. Two yaps answered her. She looked down at one of the few creatures she trusted with her life and the lives of those she cared about. “Take Iren and LaRee back to the Elvin forest, then return to me. Okay, buddy?”
Two more yaps and Ahmed trotted to stand between Iren and LaRue. A swirling tornado instantly came up and surrounded the three of them. Through the sand colored mist, Carol saw a handsome mocha skinned man smile and wave at her. She lifted a hand and waved back, smiling at seeing his true form. Ahmed bowed his head respectfully and then suddenly the tornado was gone.
Then once again she and Hildy were facing their fate alone.
Chapter 7
“Did you see that? My familiar is one smoking hot dj
inn,” Carol bragged. She looked around. “Where are you? Hildy, get your ass out of that freaking cage. You can’t let panic freeze you into inaction. Let’s go rescue your bear.”
Hildy shook her head. “We don’t know where he is. And even if we knew where he was, what if we go there and find him chopped to pieces and sacrificed? I don’t know if I can handle that Carol. I don’t know if I can. I can handle a lot… I mean… A LOT… but not that… not that.”
Carol straightened her spine and walked into the cage. She put a hand on her friend’s shoulder. “Don’t make me slap this scared nonsense out of you. I don’t have my strength back yet. Maybe you can’t handle it… but WE can handle it together, Hildy.”
Hildy met her friend’s gaze. “Promise?”
“Yes. We’re the Baba Yaga. We don’t need to make no stinking promises to each other,” Carol said.
Hildy snorted. “Now you sound like Fat Bastard.”
Carol snorted too, but gave her friend a glare. “I know you didn’t just compare me to your stupid cat. Because if you did, I might have to kick your ass when this is all over.”
Hildy hung her head.
Carol sighed. “Stop that guilty shit. You have to stay strong. Do you know where Chuck is or not?”
Hildy sniffled. “Yes, but I can’t tell you how I know, because I have no answer.”
Sighing loudly in frustration, Carol slid her arm around her friend’s shoulders and squeezed tight. “I don’t give a shit why or how you know. Just take us there so we can kick some witch protectoress wannabe’s ass and get on with our lives.”
“Carol?”
“Yes.”
Hildy sniffed. “I have a bad feeling about this.”
Carol nodded. “So do I.”
“You’re not up to killing demons right now and I feel weak because of my worry,” Hildy said.
“Got any more of that rock water?”
Hildy reached into her cleavage and pulled out the last two vials. She started to hand them both over, but Carol shook her head.
Magic and Mayhem: To Yaga Or Not To Yaga (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Baba Yaga Saga Book 3) Page 5
