A Witch’s Demons (Witch's Path Series: Book 6)

by N. E. Conneely

  I wanted to call him back, tell him how much I loved him, and warn him to be careful. Instead, I cleaned up the dishes, made myself a cup of tea, and moved the metal box into my workroom.

  Before I did anything, I closed my eyes and started a breathing exercise. As hard as it was, I pushed all the thoughts of Tiffany, demons, Elron’s injury, or future troubles out of my mind. When my focus was firmly in the here and now, I got to work.

  The very first thing I did was probe the canister to see if the spells were intact and functional. To my surprise, they were tightly woven, fully charged, and in perfect condition. I had to tell Elron to send my compliments along to the creator. Work this nice was hard to come by.

  With that out of the way, I created a two-layer containment shield. It was the same basic spell, but this time I nested one inside the other and added a link from the first layer to the second. Along with some minor spellwork, the connection between them would feed energy into the outer shield should something damage the inner layer. With that finished, I set out an energy monitor, special gloves, and a sturdy neutralizing bag. After sliding the gloves on, I adjusted the containment spells to let only my hands in and out.

  After one last rundown of my preparations, I reached in and unlatched the lid. When nothing happened, I slowly took the lid off the canister. Inside, I could see lots of cotton batting. As carefully as I could, I pulled it out and set it to the side. Nested in the midst of another layer of cotton were two silk bags. So far everything was as Elron had described it to me.

  First I lifted out the smaller bag, which felt like it held a sample of the tree. Then I paused to see if something would happen. When a minute ticked by without any magical occurrences, I carefully lifted out the bag containing the teapot.

  Like before, I waited to see if anything happened. When everything remained normal, I slowly opened the bag. Still nothing. That could be good news, that the magic had been used up, or it could simply mean the item was waiting to attack me when my guard was down. Either way, I hoped there was enough magic remaining for me to figure out what the teapot had been designed to do.

  Reaching into the bag, I carefully pulled out an iron teapot with a slice in one side. The outside was lightly textured, giving it the appearance of decoration. It was missing the lid, and I could see where the handle had broken off. I’d have to ask Elron about those pieces. If they were still at the greenhouse, I wouldn’t want someone to collect them without knowing what they were.

  Wanting to be very safe, I ran the energy meter across and inside the teapot. Ideally it would register on the neutral to good side. Considering the teapot’s history, it was no surprise when the energy readings were slightly on the negative side. While there were some perfectly benign locations and objects with negative energy—like former battlefields, houses, and even blenders—this one already had a sinister history.

  I started to probe it, looking for magic, auras, or really anything that could help me understand the teapot. There was very little energy in it, less than what I would expect from an object, magical or not.

  Probing deeper into the little energy that remained, I found slight traces of magic that could have come from a spell, but there wasn’t enough there to identify. As I searched the teapot, I started noticing my probes being pushed away, almost like the teapot didn’t wish to be touched by magic.

  Pulling back, I looked it over again, this time from a more general and holistic view. The energy in the teapot was very low, but the little that remained had a flavor I didn’t recognize.

  Well, that wasn’t entirely true. I didn’t know exactly what it was, but I’d dealt with something very similar not that long ago. This teapot, like the last teapot and cup I’d encountered, was known as morinji-no-okama. It was a type of tsukumogami, which was a household object that had been around for at least a century and had spent some time in the possession of a demon. That contact resulted in the items developing an unhappy spirit that had a reputation for aiding demons.

  The last morinji-no-okama I encountered had been more animated. I was willing to bet that Elron’s sword had done more than cut into it, and the spirit was dying. Since I would have to destroy the item, it mattered very little if the spirit was presumed dead before I began. The process of unmaking the item was the same.

  Satisfied with what I’d determined about the teapot, I set it off to the side and removed the tree sample from the bag. I hadn’t been sure what to expect, but Elron had given me a slice of trunk. The piece was about five inches long and about half an inch thick. One side was the bark, and the rest was interior wood.

  Given what I’d learned about the teapot, I again started with the energy meter. The needle on the gauge immediately flipped to negative and indicated that the energy of the tree was more negative than that of the teapot.

  Sighing, I set the energy meter to the side as I pondered my options. Probing negative energy could have consequences for the magic user, and I didn’t much feel like doing a purification ritual on myself. However, there was a good chance I would learn something useful with a deeper examination. Additional knowledge was always a good thing when dealing with demons.

  Since there wasn’t a good way around it, I braced myself for whatever I would find and sent out the finest tendril of magic I could muster to push across the wood.

  Rolling waves of sticky negative energy slammed into me. I yanked the probe back. This tree hadn’t simply been tampered with by the demon; no, it had been steeped in negative energy that could only have come from a demon. The real question was how it was hiding the extent of the contamination.

  Forming a new probe, I carefully extended it into the space above the bark side of the sample. I let the probe sit there as I sank deeper into the magic, narrowing my focus until I could feel changes in the air currents around the probe.

  When I felt a slight tingle, like the very edge of a spell, I lowered the probe by a centimeter. The energy movement grew stronger. I lowered the probe again until it was hovering just above the bark. That’s where I found a fragment of a spell.

  Working carefully, I wiggled the probe through the different layers of the spell. Whoever had crafted this was good. Really good. The spell carefully cloaked the negative energy of the wood, transmuting it into a magical aura. If I’d been examining the whole tree rather than a section, I doubted I would’ve even thought to look for this type of spell. The tree would’ve been so very normal-looking to a routine magical examination.

  After carefully retrieving the probe, I settled the slice of tree and the teapot back in their protective bags. Since I needed to get to Amber’s house and break the bad news to her, I didn’t have time to unmake the teapot or properly destroy the tree sample. As much as I hated leaving work unfinished, the items should be safe enough if stored properly. Which was all I had time for anyway.

  When they were packed in the canister and under two very stout charm-generated shields, I stripped off my gloves and shook the tension out of my hands. Doing dangerous and delicate work was amazing from the perspective of working to the limits of my abilities and knowing I was capable of magic other witches couldn’t do, but it was stressful.

  Feeling more relaxed, I checked myself. Some of the negative energy had transferred, but not much. A basic cleansing should put me to rights. Luckily, I’d found a source for high-quality purification charms. They were intended to clean up small contaminated areas, and this was the perfect time to test one out and see how it worked.

  After lying on the floor, I set the charm on the center of my chest, whispered the activation words, and watched as swirls of light engulfed me. A moment later it was finished, and I already could feel the difference. I did another self-check just to be sure it had worked. Satisfied with the result, I stashed the used charm in a drawer. Maybe I could figure out how to create those myself.

  With my morning’s investigation finished, I had a phone call to make, one I wasn’t looking forward to. I picked up the phone, took a deep br
eath, and dialed Ethel’s number. I held my breath as the phone slowly rang three times.

  “Michelle, this is unexpected.” Ethel didn’t pause long enough for me to fit a word in. “I haven’t made any progress on the source of your illegal goods.”

  I took a drink to moisten my suddenly dry mouth. “Actually, that’s going to have to wait. Something more important has come up.”

  “What would that be?”

  “Well, there’s no good way to say it.”

  Her voice was hard. “Out with it.”

  “A demon is in the area. It killed one of my friends and got a tree into Elron’s greenhouse.” I took a deep breath, hoping I hadn’t left out anything important.

  “I see.” Ethel’s voice was devoid of any emotion. “You’re right. The other matter will need to wait. I will alert the parties who need to know. Do you need any assistance?”

  “No, not yet.”

  “Do let me know if that changes. Now, if you don’t mind, I need to be going. This creates a flurry of work.”

  “Of course,” I stammered. I’d expected more questions and more emotion.

  “I’ll talk to you later.” She hesitated, her voice softening. “Be careful, Michelle.” Then she hung up.

  I lowered the phone. “I’ll do my best.” I took a few deep breaths. I’d thought that conversation would be much more difficult, but she’d taken the news well.

  Glancing at the clock, I realized I needed to hit the road. Part of the reason I’d gotten up so early was to get to Amber’s place before anyone else could break the news to her. I wanted to be the one to tell her, not some stranger.

  Ten minutes later I was on the road, trying not to think about what I was going to say. There were no words that would make this better. It was going to hurt, and all I could do was give her a shoulder to cry on and share her pain. And I really wished I could do more. Holding her didn’t seem like nearly enough.

  I arrived at Amber’s apartment with a box of tissues, a sleep charm, and a calming charm tucked in my purse. After a quick knock at the door, the peace I’d had since that morning started to evaporate. I took a couple of deep, calming breaths before I heard the lock flip.

  “Hey. Come in.” The smile she gave me was strained. Though she looked well put together. She was in yoga pants, a sweater, and her strawberry-blond hair was pulled back into a ponytail.

  “Thanks.” I stepped in and toed off my shoes as she closed and locked the door.

  “Why’d you want to come over?”

  I’d been vague on the phone. “Well, I’ve got some news.”

  “Oh?” She raised an eyebrow. “I hope it’s good news. I could use some of that.”

  I forced myself to try to keep the conversation normal and flowing. “Why? What’s wrong?”

  She rolled her eyes and plopped onto the couch. “It’s Tiffany. I texted her two days ago, trying to get her to stop being so dumb and be your friend again, and I haven’t heard from her. Normally she tells me to mind my own business or something. When she didn’t answer, I asked if everything was all right, and I tried to call. So far she hasn’t responded. It’s weird. She keeps her phone with her all the time, and even when she’s angry she answers.”

  I took a deep breath and asked the earth for strength. “Amber, about that. The police found Tiffany dead yesterday morning.” I couldn’t stop myself from tearing up.

  Amber stared at me.

  “I saw the body myself. It was Tiffany.” I yanked the box of tissues out of my purse, grabbed one, and started blotting my eyes.

  “Where was she killed?”

  “Up in Ellijay.”

  “Who killed her?”

  “They don’t know.” I hated myself for what I was about to say, but I couldn’t lie to her. “I think another demon might be in town. She might’ve been killed because she’s my friend.”

  Amber broke down, shaking and sobbing. I scooted over, hugged her, and let my own tears flow. This time there were tears for Tiffany but also for Amber. I might lose her friendship as well, and somehow I would have to keep her safe from the demon. There was every chance that the demon had gotten into Tiffany’s phone and knew of my relationship with Amber. I couldn’t let the monster get a second friend.

  When she’d cried herself out, she looked at me with big puffy eyes. “It was her job, wasn’t it? That’s how they got to her.”

  “I don’t know.” Chewing on my lip, I tried to find the right words. “If the police know, they aren’t sharing it with me. They have a new medical examiner, and he managed to talk a few people into believing I had something to do with it, so I’m not really welcome in the investigation.”

  Amber shook her head. “I don’t understand. You never had problems with the previous medical examiner.”

  I shrugged. “He died in a car accident.”

  “Wait… You want me to believe the medical examiner who liked you died in a car accident, Tiffany is murdered, and the brand-new medical examiner just happens to think you might be responsible and somehow got a department full of people who trust you to agree?” Amber’s eyebrows couldn’t climb any higher.

  I had to admit, when she put it like that, the coincidences seemed to be stacking rather high. “I don’t know much about the new medical examiner.”

  “Maybe you should find out.” She sniffled. “As long as he’s targeting you or implying that you are guilty of something, you won’t be able to aid the investigation. I want you involved.”

  “Detective Wells is very capable. I trust him to find her murderer.” The words were automatic. All I could think about was the last medical examiner dying unexpectedly. What if the new guy—Dr. Wilson—was the demon? It would explain a lot.

  She shrugged. “I trust you.”

  Chapter Eight

  Elron

  I was setting my lunch in the fridge when I heard a knock on my door. Straightening, I spotted Brandon. “Good morning.”

  “Morning.” He leaned against the doorframe. “Have you checked on the black pine?”

  “It is my next stop. Would you like to accompany me?” I sincerely hoped it was simply a tree rather than a nothingness I would have to get through before I could do a proper evaluation.

  Brandon nodded and followed me out of the office. “How’s the wrist?”

  I rotated it and flexed my hand, wishing there had been more time for me to talk to the healer. “It feels like it was never broken. The healer did excellent work. I would like to thank her, however I did not get her name.”

  He looked at me with raised eyebrows. “Most people dislike Ashley. She’s been here a long time. Teaches advanced magical healing. There was a fuss a while back. Some student didn’t want to be in a class with a witch from an unknown clan.”

  “She’s a witch?” Surprise laced my voice. Her magic had not felt like that of any witch I had encountered.

  “Yes, though she doesn’t seem to have much affiliation with any clan.” He shook his head. “I once asked when she would retire and was told she’d been here for more than a century and the school had no intention of inquiring about her retirement plans, not when she was such an asset to the program.”

  “I suspect such conversation would not go well regardless,” I said wryly. Ashley had not struck me as the type who would tolerate such inquiries.

  “If I’d met her at that point, I would never have asked.” He chuckled. “I’d only seen her across a room and figured she was a former professor and was astonished to hear that she was still teaching.”

  “Considering what she teaches, I suspect she could look as young or old as she wished.” I kept my voice mild.

  “I was told that too. It was an educational night for me.” He opened the door to the isolation rooms.

  There were five rooms, two on each side and one at the end of the hallway. The black pine was in the first room on the right. I felt for the tree but was unable to find it. Frowning, I tried again. The plant, if it was there, had cloaked itself in n
othingness again.

  Ahead of me, Brandon slid his ID through the door lock. It chirped, and the light went from red to green. He opened the door. The light was on, so even if the plant was hiding, it was not filling the entire space.

  As I stepped over the threshold, my skin tingled. Brandon had requested that the university witches add some additional spells to this room so the plant would not be able to flood the hallway, or anywhere else, with nothingness.

  Even in the well-illuminated room, what I couldn’t see bothered me. There were benches, the special lights that mimicked the sun, a sink, and even a watering can. There were no plants, no dark areas where a plant might be hiding. The room was basically empty.

  “Elron”—Brandon’s voice was tight—“Did you move the pine?”

  “No. I only had time to move it and lock it in before my afternoon class. To the best of my knowledge, one of the witches would have been the last person to see the tree.”

  He had a phone in his hand and was dialing numbers before I finished speaking. After a short round of pleasantries, he started asking which witches had been here and when they had left. I could hear the gentleman on the other side of the phone replying. As it turned out, he and one other witch had been the only ones who were able to help yesterday. The plant had been inside the room when they left. If anything happened to it, it wasn’t their fault.

  One final round of pleasantries later, Brandon ended the call. This time I knew whom he was calling. Campus security was the next step. Before long they would be here, and hopefully with the help of the little cameras watching over most halls, they would be able to tell us who had the plant.

  Brandon hung up and sagged against the wall. “I really hope someone just moved it. If it was stolen, or got into the wrong hands…” He sighed. “I don’t want to think about what would happen then. Of all the magical plants to steal.”

  They had selected the most dangerous specimen to take. Others might kill a person, but this one, it could kill rooms of people. It could drive them mad and suffocate them in nothingness until all that was left of them was a broken shell of a person. Of course, that was assuming whoever had taken this plant had not taken others.