In the fraction of a second before I hit the ground, I tried to yank every limb in. I hit the ground shoulder first, without any arm or leg damage. The same couldn’t be said for my head, which landed squarely on a sharp piece of gravel.
My vision graying over and the flood of adrenaline were blessings. By the time my vision cleared, my head throbbed, and my arms tingled.
Rolling over, I eyed the guy with the numbing power. He snored softly.
“Unbelievable.” I muttered as I rolled on to my knees and forearms. A brisk crawl with gravel digging into my arms was my current top speed. “Narzel, you nasty old trickster, can’t you find anyone else to pick on?”
After what felt like hours, mostly because daylight was fading fast, I made it all the way to the dumpsters. One more turn, and it would be a straight shot to the gate. “Note to self, crawling across gravel is even worse than it sounds.”
A deafening crack interrupted my complaints. The parts of the fence I could see wiggled and sagged.
“No, Come back! Bad!”
I scrambled forward, ignoring the bloody rocks in my wake. All I had to do was make sure that ambulance came through the fence for Elron. They could run over another magically “improved” employee for all I cared.
The ground shook.
Narzel’s nose. Of course someone who’d grown gigantic was chasing me. They were getting close too.
“Stop!”
Two big pink dinosaur feet stopped in front of me.
I knew those feet.
“I told you not to run off without me!”
And I knew that voice.
Canting my head to the side, I found myself nose-to-nose with a nose bigger than my body. “Ty? How’d you get here?”
Ty nudged me gently, his tail whipping through the air as it wagged.
“Hey! Watch that thing!” Rodriguez stepped out from behind the dumpster. “Oh. Never mind.”
I wiggled around so I was sitting on my butt. The tingles in my arms and legs were getting worse. With the damage I’d done crawling across the gravel, I wasn’t really looking forward to regaining feeling.
Ty snuffled me.
“Good boy.” I leaned against his cheek and looked at Rodriguez.
“I got your message.” He knelt down next to me and turned over my arms, wincing at the raw flesh.
“I know, but Elron’s hurt. He’s in a room with Ethel standing guard. Announce you’re police and that I sent you before you go in.” I held my arms close to my body. “He needs the help more than I do.”
“Got it.” Rodriguez spoke into the walkie-talkie at his shoulder.
Tears started to leak out of my eyes. “Oh, and there’s two humans who were dosed with that magic powder along the road, and at least one more around here somewhere. Susanna and her two accomplices are on the floor of the ladies’ bathroom. You’ll need a few sets of nullifying cuffs.”
An ambulance rolled past us.
I pressed a hand to the earth. “Thank you.”
Rodriguez found and captured the third employee, who swore only the three of them were left. He got to enjoy a nice cozy seat in a police car with his two buddies.
A second team of paramedics tried to haul me away, but I refused to go anywhere without Elron. While I waited, I heard the full story from a nice medic who wrapped me in a blanket.
My first call to Rodriguez had gone through, and when I didn’t answer, he’d driven by for a look and found my phone. He couldn’t get through the gate, so he sent an officer by my house to see if anyone had heard from me while he checked out the magic. While the officer was at my house, Rodriguez had requested backup and magical assistance to get through the gate. The details got fuzzy, but apparently the officer at the lodge knew Ty’s history and immunity to magic. They had loaded Ty on a flatbed and trucked him over here to bust down the fence.
When I got home, I owed Ty five new jumbo beach balls to play with.
Because I insisted, I ended up riding shotgun in Elron’s ambulance. They didn’t want me in the back with him, and I wasn’t going to argue with people helping him.
At the hospital, the staff separated us. My nurses and doctor were ruthless. Fatigue, both magical and physical, was no match for the pain of having grit removed from arms and knees. I think they drugged me, because I woke up with my parents sitting next to my bed.
“Elron?”
Dad tugged on the cloth divider. Elron lay in the other bed, heavily bandaged. “He’s going to be fine.”
“The spell?”
“Removed,” Mom said.
I swallowed. “His injuries?”
“I looked at his chart.” Mom smiled. “From what I hear, he may not even have scars.”
“Thank the earth.” I exhaled shakily. “Can I have some water?”
Dad handed me a cup with one of those bendy straws.
Nothing like a bendy straw to let you know just how hurt you were. Fabulous. At least it was purple.
A few minutes later, Dr. Stiles came in, her hair in a tidy bun and her coat pristine white. “You are only here for observation. A few questions, and I think you’ll be a free woman.”
“And Elron?”
She frowned. “He’s being kept asleep for a few more hours. He lost a lot of blood, and I want him to rest before we wake him.”
“Sounds good.” Especially since his color was closer to his normal hue.
Dr. Stiles was true to her work, and thirty minutes later, I was a free woman. Rather than my parents gathering around me, Dad got burgers for us, and we huddled around Elron’s bed while we ate.
While I’d been asleep, they’d gotten most of the story from the police and Ethel. Susanna had used magic, including a compulsion spell on a poor medical examiner, to fake Ethel’s death. She’d also caused the accident and flooded the area with tainted magic to distract me. That part hadn’t worked as well as she’d hoped. Ethel had spent the entire time since the crash at Regional Disposal. Susanna had taken Elron to get leverage over me because she wanted to control the premier if she couldn’t be the premier.
The police would be doing paperwork for weeks tying together all of Susanna’s crimes. Zach was busy telling anyone who’d sit down everything he knew. Word travels quickly when a dinosaur gets trucked through town. Isadora had already paid a visit to the lodge. She felt bad about for challenging me.
Frankly I was glad I hadn’t been there for that conversation.
At two in the afternoon, Dr. Stiles woke Elron.
His body tensed, his hand curling to summon his sword.
“Hey, it’s me. You’re safe, in a hospital.” I edged a little closer.
Elron’s eyes opened and went right to me. “Michelle.” His hand relaxed, and he reached for me.
I pressed his palm to my cheek. “You’re going to be okay. We’re both okay.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Three weeks later, I smiled at the camera—and tried to scratch my leg through the itchy wool skirt.
Mom’s eyes narrowed.
I gave up on being comfortable.
“Everyone involved with this conspiracy has been brought to justice. Today, those words feel hollow. Justice cannot bring back the dead. It can not hug a child, kiss a spouse, call a parent, or comfort a friend. Know I mourn with you.” Ethel paused to let that sink in.
Her tone went from somber to purposeful. “Given the events that transpired while I was presumed dead, I have adjusted the path forward. I will step down in two years. Michelle Oaks is my chosen successor and will take my place at that time. Until then, we will work to ensure a smooth transition.” Ethel stepped back from the podium.
I took her place and looked into the camera. “It is with relief that I hand the duties of the premier back to Ethel until it is my time to take the office. If you still doubt me, join me at the Spring Convention and get to know me. If you think me young, you are correct. However, we’ve seen age alone does not gift one with good sense and the ability to lead. In ou
r history, two premiers have taken the mantle at a younger age than I will. One of those is Premier Ethel. Over the next two years, I will do everything I can to learn from her, follow in her path, and benefit from her wisdom so I may best serve you.”
Ethel took the podium again.
I stood to the side and tried to smile, but not too much. Or something like that. The directions had been confusing, but standing here? That wasn’t confusing at all. Under the lights, next to Ethel, focused on what I could do in the future, this was where I should be.
More precisely, it was one of the places I should be. Two hours later, back at the lodge, I found a note taped to my door.
* * *
Meet me in the garden.
* * *
I dumped my bags and fancy suit inside the door and headed outside. The cool air carried with it hints of wood smoke. I followed the scent around the corner of the building.
Elron dangled a skewered marshmallow in the flames. The silver in his hair caught the yellow and red light, making the buzz cut all but glow a soft orange.
Dr. Stiles had been true to her word. His scalp had healed with only two scars I could find. His mind, well, it was a good thing Susanna was behind bars. He was rather fond of old school justice. Not that I blamed him in this instance. The justice system even agreed, and she was scheduled for execution next week.
I’d asked if he had nightmares. He said he’d lived through worse and would be fine.
I didn’t tell him I dreamed of being back there, unable to stop his pain. I didn’t tell him in those dreams, Susanna leaned down until her breath heated my skin and whispered, “I know.”
The marshmallow went up in flames. Elron yanked it out of the fire, blowing frantically.
“I hope you like them charred.”
A curl of smoke drifted into the air. Elron nimbly topped the cracker and chocolate combo, sandwiching it with another cracker. “How else would one get the chocolate to melt?”
“Oh, that’s how you do it?” I sauntered closer.
“Indeed.” He held out the s’more.
I leaned down and took a bite. Warm melty chocolate and a hint of fire. “You know, you might be right.”
Elron tugged me down beside him and handed me the rest of the s’more. “How did it go?”
“Good, I think.” I munched on the gooey goodness. “Witches can’t live on s’mores alone, no matter how good they are.”
“That is why I got you hot dogs.” He pointed to a container on the log over.
“You don’t like meat.”
He slung a leg over the log and pulled me against his chest, his cheek against my temple. “Tonight, I want to cook hot dogs on a stick with my fiancée, kiss her silly, and plan a wedding. Unless she objects?”
I twisted around so I could get lost in his blue eyes. “I most certainly do not object.”
“Good.” He grinned. “Can I take your last name when we marry?”
“I’d be proud to be married to Elron Oaks.” I tugged him down for a kiss.
“Wedding planning will wait.” His eyes sparkled. “We can start with the kisses.”
I had to say, he did kiss me silly.
Loved A Witch’s Magic? Pre-order A Witch’s Halloween!
* * *
Want to dive into another witch story? Check out the first book in my new series, Accidental Necromancer!
Also by N. E. Conneely
To see the most up to date list of works please visit
neconneely.com/books
* * *
A Witch’s Path Series:
Witch for Hire (Book 1)
A Witch’s Path (Book 2)
A Witch’s Trial (Book 3)
A Witch’s Concern (Book 4)
A Witch’s Rite (Book 5)
A Witch’s Demons (Book 6)
A Witch’s Magic (Book 7)
A Witch’s Halloween (Book 8)
Coming October 2020
* * *
Kelsey Pine Urban Necromancer:
Accidental Necromancer (Book 1)
Coming January 22, 2020
* * *
The Earth Born Cycle
Earth Born (Book 1)
Fire Forged (Book 2)
Spirit Formed (Book 3)
* * *
Witch’s Path World:
Handyman for Hire
Oceanside
Fireball
The Golden Egg
* * *
Michelle’s Case Files:
Michelle’s Case Files: A Collection of Short Stories
* * *
Fey Hearted:
Fey at Heart (Prequel)
Fey Hearted (Book 1)
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About the Author
N.E. Conneely lives in northern Georgia with her husband, her dog, and a mountain of books. They sweat through the summer and freeze through the winter, and life as they know it comes to an end when so much as a single snowflake falls out of the sky.
For fun, N.E. plays with her dog, reads, knits, crochets, paints, and does tie-dyeing and origami. She makes a great pizza and is currently negotiating with her husband about sea monkeys and growing a vegetable garden.
Please visit neconneely.com to find information on her current projects.
www.neconneely.com
[email protected]
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