by Trudi Jaye
Fee pulled out into the traffic, trying to keep the pickup in sight. It turned just up ahead of her, and she followed it around the corner. She didn’t have time to figure out whether her mother was lying or not. She had to put her full attention into making sure she didn’t lose Rilla.
They drove in silence for the next fifteen minutes, sliding in and out of the traffic, and turning unexpectedly a few times. Rilla eventually turned into the driveway of an old three-story house in the outskirts of the city. Fee parked the Charger behind her.
They all climbed out, carrying their few possessions with them. Max was carrying a bag of items including clothes and toiletries they’d deemed useful from the apartment, and Fee had their hurriedly packed bags from Tampa.
“This way,” said Rilla, climbing out of the truck. She glanced at Fee’s mother. “I’ll get someone to come and carry you up.” She ran ahead up the stairs.
“That your robot?” asked Viktor, eyeing Max as he came around the back of the truck.
Fee sighed quietly. Another person who was wary of her machines. “Yes. His name is Max.”
But Viktor surprised her. “Very nicely designed, young lady. Very nice indeed.” He nodded, and Fee felt an unusual warmth flood her cheeks. It felt good to have someone appreciate her work.
She reminded herself Henry had appreciated it from the start, too. She just hadn’t always been open to his appreciation.
They walked to the base of the stairs, and another couple of men, both much younger than Viktor, greeted them.
“This is Garth, and Henry’s brother, Jason.” Rilla directed them to help Alberta and Fee’s mother up the stairs. They followed Rilla into a large living room with a view over the city. Fee went to the window and looked out, trying to gather her thoughts.
Once everyone was settled, Rilla turned to Fee’s mother. “We need some answers to help us fix this situation, and it occurs to me that you’re uniquely placed to answer them.”
Fee’s mother nodded. “You’re going to help Wild Feather and her friend?”
Rilla glanced over at Fee. “Wild Feather?” she said dryly.
Fee rolled her eyes at her mother. “I go by Fee these days, Mom.” She turned to Rilla. “And yes, Wild Feather. My mother is Summer Dawn and my father is Falling Leaf. Now that’s over with, let’s get on, shall we?”
Rilla grinned. “My full name is Amaryllis, so I feel your pain, Fee.”
Fee smiled at Rilla. “That makes sense. Henry did say something about strange names at the Carnival as well.”
Viktor cleared his throat. “Can we get on with the task at hand?”
Rilla glanced at Viktor then went to sit down beside Fee’s mother. “Summer Dawn, we need information on the Witch Hunters. I need you to answer my questions about them.”
“Just call me Summer. I will tell you anything I can to help.”
“Okay, Summer. How long have you been a part of the Witch Hunters?”
“Ever since I met Fee’s father. He was very persuasive on the topic. He convinced me that the world was a bad place, and that by living as we did, without any form of technology, we were absolving ourselves of sin. Hunting magic users was another part of that. He said they were the work of the devil, and sometimes it did seem like that. We came across some very bad people.”
“What changed your mind?”
She glanced at Fee. “When he tried to harm Fee, I started to doubt. Over the years after that, I watched closely, and things I hadn’t noticed before started to seem glaringly obvious.”
She stopped, and seemed to get lost in her own world.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean that magic is often hereditary and I don’t have any.”
It took a moment for her mother’s words to sink in. “You mean my father has magic?”
Summer nodded. “Most true Witch Hunters have a small amount. It’s how they track their prey. It’s considered a necessary evil, and they pray to be absolved every time they use it. But your father has more than his fair share and he uses it in his quest.”
“What kind of magic does he have?”
“Finding magic for a start. Once he knows someone or has a picture, something of that person, he can find them anywhere.”
The breath left Fee’s body. He could find her anywhere? “Then how come he didn’t find me?”
“You seem to have the magic to counter his. He’s been going crazy trying to find you Fee.”
“How did he manage it in the end?”
“I’m not entirely certain. Some kind of finding spell that he put on another person. I didn’t really understand how it worked.”
“How come Fee didn’t know anything about the Witch Hunters before she left?”
Summer sighed. “The ideals are ingrained in our children, they just don’t realize it. Everything we teach is intended to push them toward our ultimate goal of ridding the world of sinners. But they are not truly initiated into the church until they turn eighteen. If they are going to develop magic, it will have happened by then. A long ritual process ensures they are ready. Fee was two months from her eighteenth birthday when she showed us her creatures. Her magic had taken over, and she’d succumbed to the evil inside.”
“Is that really what you believe about me? That I’m evil?” asked Fee quietly.
Summer shook her head. “Of course not. But that’s what your father believes. He will do anything for his cause, including kill his own daughter.”
Fee knew it. Had known it for a long time, but to hear the words out of her mother’s mouth was a whole other kettle of fish. She rocked back in her chair, struggling to stay calm. How was she ever going to get away from them, if her father was a magic-using tracker who was obsessed with killing her? She closed her eyes and tried to breathe normally.
“If he’s usin’ magic, how come nobody does anythin’ about him?” asked Viktor.
“He’s got a powerful hold over everyone at the farm,” said Summer. “And I think he’s fairly powerful in the hierarchy of the Witch Hunters, too.”
“How many are there all together?” asked Rilla.
“They are careful to stay under the radar and there are a finite number of positions available. It’s considered an honor to be part of the group, and they don’t want just anyone. And not everyone who lives at the farm is actually a Witch Hunter. At least, not in the full sense. I was part of it, but I was never a true Witch Hunter.”
“But how many?” repeated Rilla.
“There are fifty true Witch Hunters, the warriors who lead us. They’re all highly skilled, focused individuals who would do anything for the cause.”
Fee breathed in. Fifty? That didn’t seem so bad.
Then she thought of fifty men like her father, all of them focused on her, and she shuddered. It was enough to make her run screaming. She managed to stay seated. At least for now.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Henry lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling, trying not to feel like his world was gone mad.
He remembered how he’d felt a week and a half ago, standing outside the Callaghan Tech building, not wanting to go in. Maybe he had some kind of previously un-realized pre-cognition talent? He’d certainly been right about this contract.
He wished he’d said no to Rilla and Jack and just stayed home.
But Fee’s bright green eyes popped into his head, and he couldn’t completely regret it. Maybe she wasn’t someone he’d have a long-term relationship with, but he’d enjoyed their time together, and she’d made him realize that he didn’t know everything there was to know about the world.
He thought of her little robots and smiled. A movement under his pillow and a little chittering noise told him that his buddy was still with him. It was the kleptomaniac critter, because things kept going missing and appearing in his bedside drawer, and it kept undoing his handcuffs. Henry’d put them back on his wrists at least five times this morning.
“We have to maintain appearances,” he’d wh
ispered to the robot. “If they know I can get out, they’ll make it harder on me. First rule of gambling. Don’t let them know your hand straight away. Frankie would know what I’m talking about.”
A noise at the door was his only warning before Special Agent Franklin stormed in through it. “I don’t know how you’re doing it, but you can stop right now. Give me back my badge.”
Henry just stared at Franklin, desperately hoping the badge wasn’t in the drawer next to his bed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.
“It was my keys earlier—and I know I didn’t accidentally leave them on your damn table—and now my badge is gone. If you don’t give it back, I’m going to charge you with burglary.”
“How is it burglary?” said Henry, bemused.
“All right, theft then. But I’ll damn-well throw the book at you.”
There was a tiny chittering noise behind him, and Henry closed his eyes for a second. He knew then that he was going to find the badge tucked away in the drawer. “Maybe you left it here by mistake? Again.”
“Where the hell is it?” Franklin’s voice was menacing, and Henry knew he’d been pushed too far.
“Try the drawer next to my bed,” he said.
Franklin stormed over to the table, and pulled open the drawer. Then he stopped. Henry leaned over and looked. “Holy sugar,” he said. “I didn’t realize...”
Inside the drawer was a huge pile of items, including four police badges still inside their leather wallets, several nurse nametags, a few empty soda cans, and a hair tie.
“You’ve got four of them?” exploded Franklin. “That’s impossible! How did you do it?”
Henry shook his head. He didn’t know how the little creature was doing it, but he suspected it had a touch of Fee’s magic working in its favor. No way was he going to be able to explain that one to an FBI agent. He considered giving up his buddy to its fate, but figured they might confiscate him, and then he’d never get him back. He remembered Fee’s face when the other two had been crushed at his apartment. She’d never forgive him.
“Uh. It’s a special...skill.”
“Because you’re a carny? I’ve done some digging on you, Mr. Kokkol. Contracting to a flash technology company was a scam, wasn’t it? You’re just a carnival worker,” Franklin sneered.
Henry widened his eyes. As many times as he experienced it, the prejudice against carnies from outsiders always blindsided him. “They know where I’m from. I’m good with machines, and that’s what they needed on the project.”
“I’ll be checking with Callaghan, and I’m pretty sure I know what I’m going to find.” Franklin grabbed the four badges out of the drawer and stalked to the door. “This isn’t the last of this,” he said before going through the door, and pulling it shut.
“Now look what you’ve done, you silly little critter. He wasn’t so bad at the beginning. Now he’s riled up like a chipmunk on acid. That is not what I call lying low.”
The little creature came out from under the pillow, chittering away at Henry. He could swear it was being apologetic, waving its little arms around over its head.
“I know you can’t help it. I get that. But you need to learn to use your powers for good instead of evil.”
The critter seemed to nod its head, and then stopped, as if waiting for Henry’s next words.
Henry cleared his throat. He had no idea how to help the little critter steal the right kind of stuff. But he put his head to one side, and stared at it, considering the options.
“Well, you could try to get me some kind of map of this place in case I have to escape on my own. That would be helpful.”
It chittered away, nodding its head, and then disappeared down the side of the bed. He watched it closely, and finally managed to catch its point of exit—a little grate down one side of the room, that it speedily unscrewed using previously hidden electric screw drivers on its body. He had to hand it to Fee. She thought of everything.
***
Fee was struggling not to stand up and pace. She was trying to remain calm, to listen, and plan with the others. They were still sitting around in the apartment, trying to get information from Alberta and Summer. Viktor, Garth, and Henry’s brother Jason were just watching as Rilla grilled them.
She knew Rilla was right; they needed to gather information before they determined their plan of action. But it was hard, knowing Henry was in there and she was out here.
Again, Rilla had said he was fine, but Fee was sure Henry would have put on a brave face for his Ringmaster. He’d been shot for crying out loud. Shot because of her, no less.
Fee stood, and took a casual turn of the room, trying not to be too obviously impatient.
“So what would have happened to Fee if she hadn’t been magical? Or had kept it hidden?”
Summer paused. “She would have become a full Witch Hunter. Her father had great hopes for her.”
“What?” Fee burst out, horrified. She came to a stop in front of her mother.
Summer looked over at her, sadness in her eyes. “He was very proud of you. Learning that you were magic almost broke him. He’s changed since then.” She paused. “It hardened him, made him less forgiving.”
Jason shook his head. “Great, so we have some hard, unforgiving maniac after my brother, and possibly after us. Just another day at the office.” He rolled his eyes at his father and Garth, who both looked sternly back at him.
“I wouldn’t have joined the Witch Hunters,” said Fee, ignoring Jason’s attempt at humor.
“Your father can be very persuasive on the topic. In all my years, I’ve never seen anyone leave after finding out.” Summer looked at her sadly.
“What about Tall Oak? He ran away.” Fee still remembered her teenage crush running away.
Summer blinked. “I’d forgotten about him and his girlfriend. Okay, yes, he left. But mostly they didn’t and after you left, your father stopped taking chances. He had all the teenagers watched for signs of magic.”
“Did he find anyone else?” whispered Fee. This was the very reason she’d installed Alberta at the house.
Summer looked away for a moment. Her eyes, when she looked back, were dark with sorrow. She didn’t answer Fee’s question.
“Who? What did he do to them?”
“Little Willow,” Summer said reluctantly.
“What. Did. He. Do. To. Her?” said Fee.
“He...killed her.”
Fee sat down abruptly. She’d known Little Willow, played with her when they were younger. Little Willow had been a couple of years younger than she was, a pretty, blonde girl with big eyes and a shy smile. Fee felt sick.
She’d put Alberta into the house, assuming that the older woman would be able to somehow protect the children. Or at least, tell her so she could get them away. To learn that she’d been kidding herself, and that another child had been harmed... She should have tried to destroy her father when she could.
“Where is he now?” asked Rilla softly.
Summer shook her head, her long hair falling in gentle waves around her head.
Fee put her head in her hands. Would she have agreed to become a Witch Hunter once she’d turned eighteen? She didn’t know. It seemed a little farfetched; wouldn’t she have seen it for the terrible organization that it was? If she’d seen her father doing anything to Little Willow, she would have known, wouldn’t she? A terrible fear was running through her that maybe she wouldn’t have.
Fee put her head back up. Of course, she would have. She glanced over at her mother, waiting for the answer to Rilla’s question. She’d failed Little Willow, but she wasn’t going to fail anyone else.
“I don’t know where he is. But he’s searching for Fee; that much I know. He won’t rest until he finds her.”
“Who else is working with him? Who set the bomb in Tampa?” asked Rilla.
“I’m not sure. One of the younger members, that’s all I know. He’d been deep under cover for some time, trying to f
ind Wild Feather.”
Rilla’s mobile phone rang and she dragged it out of her pocket, answering it tersely.
She nodded a couple of times. “Yes. Okay. Thanks, Frankie. We’ll get on it.” She pressed the end call button. “We have to get Henry out of there. Frankie’s found some chatter among the online Witch Hunters that they’re making a move against Henry. They think he’ll lead them to Fee. We need to get him out now.”
Fee was the first to stand up.
Rilla looked at her and shook her head. “I’m sorry, Fee. But you’re too recognizable. They’ll arrest you immediately, which will basically hand you to the Witch Hunters on a plate. I can’t allow that.”
“But...I want to help,” said Fee lamely. All of Rilla’s arguments were sound. But that didn’t change the fact that she wanted to come with them. “I could drive the car. I’ll wait outside in the car and wait for you.”
Rilla opened her mouth, and Fee could see she was going to say no.
“Please? It would mean a lot to me. I feel...responsible for Henry being in there. I need to help get him out.”
Rilla glanced over at Viktor, who shrugged. “Couldn’t hurt if she stayed in the car, I suppose.”
“What do we do about these two,” asked Jason, gesturing to Summer and Alberta.
Rilla smiled at Jason. “Glad you asked, Jason. You’ll take them with you in Henry’s car to the airport. Meet us at the plane.”
“Plane?” said Fee.
“We came down in a friend’s plane. It was faster and cheaper and there’s enough room for all of us to get home.”
“Doesn’t Henry hate flying? Isn’t that why he brought his car down here?”
Rilla sighed. “We don’t have the luxury of pandering to his fear of flying. Worst comes to the worst, we’ll just dose him up.”
“And leave his car here?”
“Yes.” Rilla sighed. “He’s going to kill me, but we don’t have a choice. The Witch Hunters are dangerous.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Fee sat in the truck and watched as Rilla, Viktor, and Garth walked through the hospital front entrance. Everything inside her was coiled tighter than a drum and she wasn’t entirely sure why. They had seemed confident they’d be able to break Henry out without much of a problem.
