I nodded. At least I already understood that business. “What exactly does this ranch produce?”
Laura ticked off items on her fingers. “First, organic meat, mostly beef and pork. Second, organic dairy products like cream and artisan cheese. That’s something we can make all winter long, and, believe me, the winters here are long. And third, our woodworkers produce handcrafted musical instruments and furniture.”
“The sooner you learn to fight,” Tess said, “the faster you’ll be able to get away from the pigs and dairy cows and goats.”
“I love working with animals. Unlike sorcerers, they don’t intentionally try to hurt others.”
Tess simply shook her head. “Your first training session is tomorrow at 2 p.m. so don’t be late.”
Laura laughed. “These are the arguments I have with her every day. All she thinks about are ways to hurt people. And she’s very good at it.”
Tess stared at the ceiling, and I worried that Laura and I had hurt her feelings.
An instant later, a small glass bowl half-filled with water appeared on the coffee table between us. A gardenia flower was floating in the bowl.
“A peace offering,” Laura said.
The flower’s fragrance was almost overwhelming. A grin spread across my face. “It’s gorgeous, but is it real?”
Tess sniffed at it. “It’s as real as anything else in this world.” Then she got up and walked over to the fountain area to refill her drink.
“Did I make her mad?” I asked Laura.
“No, more likely I did. She’s an amazing witch. And she doesn’t only think about hurting sorcerers, but she talks about it too much.”
When Tess returned, I said, “Thanks so much for helping me find a place in this clan.”
“You’re welcome, Farm Boy, but you’ll earn anything you get here.”
Laura and Tess started to chat about people at the ranch who I didn’t know, so I mostly listened. Every so often, I picked up the bowl and smelled the gardenia. If anything, its intoxicating fragrance had strengthened. The purity of the snow-white flower reminded me of the beauty that existed in this world. Laura obviously loved nature like I did.
Suddenly, Katie strode into the dining hall. In a loud voice, she said, “Bad news—another attack. The clan is assembling in the council chamber. No children.”
Chapter 7
LAURA LED ME AND Tess to the room where we’d met before. Diana was sitting behind the bench with a clenched jaw. Katie and Crystal soon joined her. All three women were wearing black dresses, as though they were in mourning.
The gallery filled up.
Once the doors had been closed, Diana said, “Earlier this morning, I met a member of our community, Jackie Landau, at a Boulder hospital.”
“She was ambushed?” someone asked.
Diana nodded. “Josef Pestone.”
Several people gasped.
“Who’s he?” I whispered to Laura.
“The sorcerers’ best fighter,” she whispered back. “Our worst nightmare.”
“Pestone came up to Jackie while she was getting into her car at work,” Diana said. “He must’ve been waiting for her there and pounced. Jackie tried to drive away, but she soon lost control of the car and smashed into a ditch. She wrenched one shoulder, and her mouth hit the steering wheel. That sliced open her lower lip. Then Pestone confronted her. She begged him to let her go. Of course, he didn’t. He pointed at her and fired a pulse. Square in the face.”
“Bastard!” Tess yelled.
“Damned right,” Diana replied. “She told me the pain was incredible. It must’ve been horrifying.”
I shuddered. A poor, unsuspecting woman, ambushed in the middle of the city. Laura interlaced her fingers with mine, and once again, our magical cores seem to pulse in harmony. This time, we comforted each other.
Diana cleared her throat to silence the murmurs. “To make this sickening story short, Jackie gave up. Pestone took all her power, but, thank the gods, he didn’t enslave her.”
“She’s lucky to have escaped that,” Katie said.
Diana nodded. “I think it was both because Jackie was extremely upset and because a stranger happened to come along. Pestone released her and took off. Luckily, the passerby stopped to check on her and called 911.”
Tess leaned back in her chair and blew out a breath. Tears had streaked Laura’s and Katie’s faces. Most of the people in the room remained silent and still as Diana stood.
“This is why we train,” she said. “Those of you who have been missing your defensive magic classes need to reassess your priorities…or find another home.”
She left the room, but the other two council members stayed.
Laura’s lips quivered. “That could just as easily have been one of us,” she whispered.
She let go of my hand and put her arm around Tess’s shoulders.
“I wish it had been me instead of Jackie,” Tess whispered back. “I’ve been expecting to meet him eventually. Each time he defeats someone, he gets more powerful. We’ve all got to work harder.”
I tried to share some of her strength and confidence, but I doubted I’d ever have her skill.
Diana returned wearing a white cloak with a cowl over her head. A red amulet was hanging around her neck on a heavy gold chain. “Time to renew your vows and contribute.”
“What does she mean?” I whispered to Tess.
She leaned over and whispered back, “It’s an old ritual. We swear fealty and homage to her. She’s our queen, the person most responsible for defending the clan. Our members contribute some of the magical power that she uses to help us all. I get some from her because I’m our master of arms. Diana also uses power to sustain the wards protecting the ranch.”
Diana stood in front of the bench. Katie placed a thick pad in front of Diana’s feet and then stood next to her. Crystal lit a fat white candle and set it on a stool in front of Katie, then stood on Diana’s opposite side.
Katie rang a small chime three times. Diana stood with her eyes closed and chanted something in Gaelic. The only word I understood was Mórrígan, our great triple goddess. Diana fell into some kind of trance.
Crystal motioned for the closest guild member to approach. The man knelt at Diana’s feet and held out his hands to her. Diana clasped them for a moment and then let go.
The kneeling man bent his head down and spoke in a loud voice. “By my blood, I swear loyalty and sacrifice for our liege, and I promise to keep our secrets close.”
Diana took a long, narrow dagger, an athamé, from the bench and pricked the back of the man’s neck. A drop of blood clung to the tip of the blade. Diana held it over the candle for a few seconds, and the blood burned away, leaving only pungent smoke.
One by one, the other members of the clan followed the man’s example.
Before Laura performed the ritual, she whispered to me, “You can tell whether she’s pissed at you by how deeply she cuts. A few days after I got drunk at a local bar, she practically drove the athamé into my spine.”
“How do I give her magic?” I whispered back.
“You don’t,” Laura replied. “When she holds your hands, she takes or gives as much as she wants. Because you are committed to fighting for us, she’s more likely to give a little to you.”
I followed Laura to the front. After I knelt and offered her my hands, Diana didn’t seem to take any magic from the current that flowed between us. If anything, I felt more invigorated as I gazed into her eyes.
Then she confirmed my suspicion by whispering, “We need you powerful, so I gifted magic to you. Use it wisely, or you’ll act at your peril.”
I bent my head, and Diana brushed aside my hair. The dagger had to be razor-sharp, because I barely felt the prick. When I looked up, my blood was already smoking in the candle’s flame.
I stood nearby and watched Tess participate in the ritual. Again, Diana seemed to give her magic—probabl
y because Tess needed to stay strong. After she stood and left Diana, she took my hand and pulled me aside. “The blood oath will prevent you from taking any action that betrays the clan. So, even if you are enslaved, you can reveal no secrets. Nor can you rebel against our community’s leaders.” She grinned. “Including me. So, give up any plans you have of throttling me someday.”
Laura, Tess, and I watched the others perform the ritual, including, finally, the other two council members. So, we were all bound to Diana as our lord and master. I hoped that wouldn’t turn out to be a problem. Someday, she might want something from me that I didn’t care to give.
-o-o-o-
I HEADED OVER TO the barn to relax with Hercules. After I gave him a hug around his massive neck, I told him he was the best-looking horse I’d ever seen, which was true. Then he lowered his head so I could scratch between his ears.
I took him out for a ride. We followed a well-worn path through several fields toward the edge of the forest. As I rode along, three large Rottweilers loped nearby, looking as though they were checking me out. None of them came close, but something about them seemed odd. They ran more gracefully than any big dogs I’d seen before.
The same fence I’d seen along the road encircled the clan’s property, and Hercules and I meandered through the tall pines without worrying about being attacked. It probably wasn’t accidental that the trail remained at least fifty yards away from the boundary.
The only sounds I heard were bird calls and the clomping of Hercules’s hooves on the packed earth. My swirling thoughts finally slowed down enough for me to realize everybody at the ranch managed to live without cowering in fear from the threat from sorcerers. They were continuing their regular routines, and I could learn from their example.
When I returned to the barn, Laura was waiting for me. “Tess and I are going to a restaurant for dinner, Gundy’s, if you want to come.”
I’d had too much excitement for one day, but she seemed to be asking me out. “Sure. It’s been such a boring day. What time?”
“We’ll meet you at six in the dining room,” she replied.
-o-o-o-
BACK AT MY APARTMENT, I washed my face. Then I sat on a plush sofa and pondered how these witches managed to survive such dangerous lives. At least they were surviving, which is more than some in my family managed.
I showed up at six and scanned the dining room for Laura and Tess. Going to town seemed like a terrible idea after what’d happened to Jackie.
Laura was sitting at a table with Diana, drinking beer. They both turned toward me at the same time. Laura said something to Diana that produced a snicker, and then whistled at me like she was already drunk.
I ignored them.
Instead, I searched the room for Tess. When I spotted her alone, I approached her table.
“Are you sure we should go out? We can eat here for free. Plus, Laura’s acting kind of strange. Maybe she’s smashed.”
Tess snickered. “Get used to her acting aggressive. She’s not the quiet, submissive maiden you think she is. All the women here are strong, and Diana is much more aggressive than anyone else. You’re the new guy, our lackey.”
I snorted. “So, I’m a slave already?”
“Of course. You’re the weakest of us all. Understand that magic has a long-term cost. Over the decades, power inevitably goes to your head. Diana is one clear example, but some clan chiefs are real megalomaniacs—Henry VIII types.”
“If I lose a fight, I become a slave or die. If I win, I become power-mad?”
Tess patted my arm as though to reassure me. “You won’t become Ian the Terrible overnight. It takes years, but it happens. In the meantime, if you take any part of my heavy load, I’ll be grateful.”
I wanted to contribute, but this whole bunch was batshit crazy. “I’m not sure I like Diana. She’s very domineering.”
A snort of laughter escaped Tess’s lips before she covered her mouth. “Nobody really likes her; not like they love my mom, but have you noticed we’re the only witch clan for a thousand miles in any direction? You’re damned right she’s domineering, and I thank the gods for it every day. Learn as much as you can about fighting, so you can help her and I defend us all.”
My face warmed. Tess was right. I bowed my head and nodded.
Laura wandered over and whistled again. “You’ll enjoy Gundy’s.”
“Fine. Stop leering at me.”
She grabbed my hand and led me to the door.
At Gundy’s, people were standing in line to get in the door. A large sign next to it said No Guns, No Staffs, No Fighting, No Magic, and No Exceptions!
Tess walked past the line to the host. Country music was blasting inside the place, and I could smell grilled fajitas. Suddenly, I was starving.
“Hey, gorgeous,” a young blond guy said to Tess. “I thought you were going to call me.”
Tess laughed. “I told you, I can’t make you something the gods haven’t.”
He frowned. “Anyway, I’ve got your usual table waiting.”
Peanut shells crunched under our feet as we followed a skimpily dressed hostess in high heels. I whispered to Tess, “What was that about?”
“He wants to be magical, but he doesn’t have a gift to start with. We can’t make something from nothing.”
Our hostess led us to the farthest corner of the restaurant.
“We like this spot because we can’t be ambushed,” Laura said after the girl had left.
I started to sit in the farthest seat, but Tess pointed to a different chair. “I like to see who’s coming. That chair gives me the best view.”
“So,” I said to Tess to tease her, “I’m sure it’s hard to be humble when you’re such a fantastic, macho warrior goddess.”
She beamed at me. “So, you noticed? How nice. You can kiss my feet later.”
“Anyway,” I said. “Enough about your fabulous victory. Laura, what do you like to do with your spare time when you’re not patching up people?”
She froze for a second, as though she was unsure whether I was being sarcastic or sincere. “I’m nuts about the outdoors. Christina and I do it all: hiking, skiing, camping, et cetera.”
At that moment, our waitress appeared. “Hey, Tess, Laura.” The busty, bottle-blonde woman nodded at them. “Another new hunk for you two to fight over?”
“Why not?” Laura replied. “Why should you have all the fun? He’s very tempting, don’t you think? A manly man!”
The waitress smiled warmly at me. “I’ll save you from these two sharks. In the meantime, what can I bring to quench your thirst?”
We all ordered beer, and the waitress sashayed off. She returned quickly with our drinks and took our dinner orders. The hamburgers were relatively cheap, so that was what I ordered.
After the waitress had left again, Tess’s face brightened. “Been meaning to ask you—how far was your farm from Tulsa?”
A shiver ran through me as I remembered that Katie had been raised in Oklahoma. “Tell me your mom’s not from there.”
“Sorry, and I’m half-Okie.” She stuck a pose like a movie star. “Can’t ya tell? Mom was born and raised in Tulsa. Her dad grew up on a wheat farm that sorcerers later stole from my family.”
“That’s damned close to my farm. I lived forty-five minutes south of town.” And the fact that Tess’s family had lost their farm sent a much stronger shudder through me. Did she know what my life had been like before Colorado? I looked at Laura for confirmation that Tess wasn’t joking.
She shrugged. “Can’t Okies recognize each other by scent or something?”
I stared at Tess. According to my mom, we had distant relatives in Tulsa. Tess and I might be distantly related. But that didn’t mean she knew anything about my past life. “Have you ever spent time on a farm?”
“Of course.” She laughed. “Although the last time was ten years ago. One summer, I helped my grandpa for three months straight
. He’s my idol. Anyway, we used to go back for a couple of weeks every year, until he got run out. But my family all survived. Most of them moved to western Washington. It’s still safe for witches there.”
Despite my best efforts, I couldn’t keep from appreciating the warm way she talked about the land.
I offered a toast, “To amber waves of grain,” and clinked glasses with both of them.
“But I can’t stand country music,” Tess said.
Laura giggled. “Maybe we can find a middle ground on the music front. How about New Age?”
“Fine,” I said, but my thoughts returned to Katie. “Your mom must’ve been devastated when her family lost the farm.”
For the first time, I saw tears in Tess’s eyes. She didn’t seem to be able to speak, so she clearly understood some of my pain.
Our waitress brought our dinners, and Laura and Tess told me more about their families. Then I asked about something else I’d wondered about. “How often do you risk a sorcerer attack by coming to town?”
Laura lowered her voice. “Every week or two, not nearly as often as I’d like. And when we do come, we stay in groups, preferably with our master of arms. Sorcerers can’t attack weak witches like us when she’s around.”
“What about Jackie?”
Tess shook her head. “I’ve warned her several times that the danger is increasing, and she didn’t train often enough. She’s been an accountant for many years and never had a problem until today. She says she always drives straight to work and then back. I don’t know how Pestone found her. Her protection ward obviously didn’t hold up.”
Their conversation passed on to other things, but I couldn’t get past Jackie’s story. I could easily end up like her.
-o-o-o-
Saturday, September 7th
Brigid’s Community Ranch, Boulder County, Colorado
AFTER BREAKFAST THE NEXT morning, I began helping to care for the livestock. Mucking out the pig stalls wasn’t the best job in the world, but it wasn’t the worst, either. After I finished with the hogs, the ranch foreman, Herman Kraus, set me to work collecting manure from one of the corrals the dairy cows used. He was tall and thin, with a shock of untamed white hair and a missing front tooth. He reminded me of a cousin who owned a farm outside of Bantry on the western coast of Ireland.
Lone Survivor: The Sorcerers' Scourge Series: Book One Page 7
