The Witching Hour: 11 Enchanting Novels Featuring Witches, Wizards, Vampires, Shifters, Ghosts, Fae, and More!, page 114
Toby glanced around. “Where to first? Do you want to stay in the Fyrsturae mansion?”
“I’d rather build a hut out of a tree I have to cut down with my own teeth.”
He grimaced. “Yeah, I’m not too excited about the idea myself. I know some werewolves in the area whom I can call if you want.”
I grabbed my right foot and stretched my leg. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to try and find my mother.”
“Do you need to call someone?” he asked.
“Locator spell.”
He laughed. “Of course. I should have known.”
“Do you mind joining me?”
“Just tell me what to do.”
I glanced around. “Let’s follow the beach. Maybe we’ll get closer to the woods. I don’t suppose you can turn into a wolf at will to check out the area?”
He shook his head. “I wish I could control it. Full moon only. Sometimes it can be forced a day before or after, but it’s hard on the body.”
Toby picked up one of my bags and we walked toward the beach. I didn’t recognize it from my visions. Hopefully, we weren’t too far away. The wind picked up, sending my ponytail back and forth in all directions. I pulled my hood over my head and zipped the hoodie as high as it would go.
We walked for a while, not seeing a change in scenery. In other words, we hadn’t found the woods or anything I recognized.
“Since we don’t seem to be getting anywhere, do you mind if we stop and do the spell here?”
He shrugged. “Whatever you want to do.”
I sat and drew a rough outline of Iceland in the sand. I set my mother’s books on either side of the outline.
“If it would help, we can purchase a map.”
“Maybe next time.” I pulled out a small, heavy marble and set it in the middle. “Take my hands.”
He did.
I closed my eyes and focused on my mother. Once I had a strong image of her in my mind, I spoke the familiar, ancient words. Usually, a breeze would pick up when I did a spell with others, but this time, it remained the same.
When I had said the chant three times, I opened my eyes. The ball hadn’t moved, not in the slightest.
“What does that mean?” Toby asked.
“Exactly what it looks like.” I frowned. “Either she’s not here or she doesn’t want to be found.”
“By her daughter?”
I shrugged. “By anyone.”
“Where else would she have gone?”
“We grew up on the east coast, so maybe there. She might be after our coven since they’ve turned on me. Family is everything.”
“If that’s the case, why hasn’t she found you?”
I rubbed my ankle and then lifted my yoga pants to show him the small tattoo. “It’s a rune that keeps me hidden. It’s not perfect, but it works most of the time.”
“But the witches who found your condo, it was while you were away, right?”
“That’s probably how they found me. Since I’ve lived there so long, my presence would be strong—lingering long after I left.”
“And there’s no way you can remove that so she can find you?”
“It’s all or nothing, and with my coven, I’m not taking chances.”
He looked deep in thought and rubbed his chin. “Do you suppose your mom has a similar mark?”
“Nothing would surprise me.”
“What now? Find your father?”
I nearly choked on air. “Excuse me? No. Since this spell isn’t working, I’m going to have to find the beach from my vision. My mother could still be close. It hasn’t been that long.”
“How are we going to do that?” he asked.
“With a different kind of magic.” I pulled out my phone and searched for images of Icelandic beaches.
The sky went dark. A deafening sound rang in my ears.
I grabbed the books and held them tight.
“What’s going on?” Toby jumped up.
Crows.
I clutched the books and looked up. Sure enough, more crows than I’d ever seen circled overhead, blocking the sun completely. The only light came from the far edges of the sky.
“There has to be a million of them.”
“You’re the math teacher.” I shook.
“Are they a sign?”
“More than likely, someone is onto me.”
Toby grabbed my bags. “Let’s go.”
I picked up the locator ball and we ran straight ahead. The crows followed, cawing and flapping their wings overhead. After a few minutes, the forest came into view.
“Do you think they’ll follow us there?” Toby asked.
“I don’t know, but we have a better chance of hiding.”
We made a beeline for the thick woods. Toby jumped into a bush. I followed him. The sounds of the birds rang in my ears.
“You don’t know what they mean?” he asked.
I gasped for air. “Either they’re tracking me or they’re a sign of something horrible to come.”
“Oh, is that all?”
“Maybe I should go out there and face them. Show them I’m not afraid.”
“You need to find your family, Gessilyn.”
My stomach twisted in knots. “You mean my father’s family?”
“Right. Your family.”
The ground shook with tiny thuds. One after another for a solid few minutes.
“Do I want to know?” I asked, pressing my face into my hands.
“I’ll look.” Toby pressed some of the branches apart. “I have good news and bad news.”
I groaned. “Does any of it involve me returning home unnoticed?”
“The good news is the crows won’t be bothering us anymore.”
“The bad news?” I asked.
“Their dead bodies are littering the forest floor. I’m not sure how we’re going to get around them.”
“What?” I pressed branches aside. Dead birds lay everywhere as far as I could see.
“Do you have any idea what this means?”
“Other than the fact that someone wants me dead?” I asked. “That’s hardly news. My entire coven ganged up on me with the intent to kill me. The only reason I couldn’t defeat them was because they were working together and combined their powers.”
“Are you more powerful now?”
“Yes, but not as much as I could be.”
“What do you mean?” He turned to look at me.
“I’ve spent a lot more time on my yoga business than working on my craft. Before that it was aerobics and before—”
“So, what you’re saying is that you need to focus on your magic?”
“Right, but it’s next to impossible on my own. Having these books will help, but only so much.”
“You need your parents.”
“I need my mother.”
“You could try talking to your father since we’re here.”
I shook my head. “He doesn’t want anything to do with me. Case closed.”
Toby gave me a knowing look. “He might not have a choice. And besides, what kind of father could turn down his beautiful daughter when her life is in trouble?”
My face heated. “The kind who has never bothered to meet his daughter when he’s had centuries to do so. In my vision—”
“Show him what he’s been missing.” Toby pushed aside some branches and then took my hand and helped me out. Crow bones crunched under our shoes.
I grimaced at the sounds.
“Do you know where he is?” Toby asked.
“No, but I think they live around here. This feels the same as my vision.”
“Good. We’re going to find him.”
Blood drained from my face. “No.”
“You need your family. Your father is probably where you got your powers from, right? That’s why you’re so much more powerful than anyone in your coven, isn’t it?”
“Probably,” I muttered.
“If nothing else, you can demand answers.”
“Remind me again why I brought you.”
“Because you can’t do this on your own.”
7
We stepped out of the woods, and away from the awful crunching underfoot.
“This is it! My parents were talking to each other right over there in my last vision.” The building I had been hiding behind was to our left, and Toby and I stood just feet away from where my parents had been together.
I closed my eyes and tried to get a sense of where either of them might have gone. Too much time had passed. But I had seen my father leave.
“What do you think?” Toby asked.
My best bet was finding him. I took a deep breath. “My father went that way.” I indicated toward the part of the woods he’d gone. “It was obviously a while ago, but it’s the only thing we have to go on. Are you sure you want to chase this lead?”
He put his hand on my shoulder and stared into my eyes. “You are my pack for now. Things will change, and hopefully, we’ll both rejoin our own kind, but for now, we’re all each other has. All for one and one for all—or both, as the case may be.”
I couldn’t help smiling. “Thank you, Toby.”
“Lead the way.”
My heart thundered in my chest. I never expected to find my father, and in fact, I’d never really had the desire. Growing up, it was just my mother and me. We’d been happy with that. Then being alone had been plenty.
Now that I was being pursued again, I was left with no other choice.
“Would you prefer I lead?” Toby asked.
“I can do it. Just give me a minute.” I pulled out a small vile from my satchel and opened it. The smell of lavender encircled me. I poured a drop onto my finger and then spread it across my forehead.
“What does that do?” Toby asked.
“My mother always told me it made me brave. I don’t think there’s any basis in reality—it’s just a favorite scent of mine. But because of her encouragements, it seems to help.”
“If it works, it works.”
I closed my eyes again and imagined my father, holding onto the image of him from my vision. He looked a lot like me, and it wasn’t just the coloring, either. We had a lot of the same features.
At least there would be no denying that I was his. He might not be happy about having to tell his family, but he probably should have thought about that before hiding my existence from them.
We entered the woods again, and this time, there were no dead crows littering the ground. My stomach lurched just thinking about them.
“Do you know where we’re going?” Toby asked.
“Just that he entered this way. We’ll have to keep our ears open for signs of activity. He could have gone anywhere from here.”
“Lucky for you, I have excellent hearing. All of my senses, actually. If I knew what he smelled like, I could easily track him.”
I stopped.
He turned around. “What?”
“Can you pick up my mother’s smell from these books?”
“I can try.”
I held them out. He took them and sniffed them all around, even going as far as to feather the pages. “Sorry. All I can smell is your condo.”
“It was worth a try. If you pick up the scent of anyone, let’s follow it. Maybe it’s him or his coven.”
Toby stood taller and sniffed. “Nothing yet, but I’ll let you know.”
We followed a path through the woods. If others had taken it, then it had to lead somewhere. I hoped. Or did I?
The thought of my own father telling me to go away was more than I wanted to think about. It was something I’d avoided thinking about for centuries.
He turned to me. “Are you all right?”
“Of course.”
“I can sense fear.”
“I’m not afraid. Maybe a little nervous.”
He nodded. “I understand. Let’s keep going. I’m finally starting to pick something up.”
“Lead the way.” My pulse quickened, but I took deep breaths, trying to calm it, now aware that Toby had heightened senses to how I was feeling. As much as I appreciated supernatural friends, sometimes it was nice to just spend time with humans and their dulled senses.
Toby glanced around somewhat erratically and then turned to the right. “This way.”
I took a deep breath and followed him, staying a few paces behind. Every sound of the woods seemed heightened.
We exited the woods and came to a field. An empty field.
“This is where you heard something?” I asked.
“Follow me.”
He led me through the tall grass and mud into more woods. My skin tingled. “Something doesn’t feel right.”
Toby turned to me. “What do you mean?”
The sensation grew stronger, like thousands of tiny hands squeezing me all over. “This isn’t an ordinary forest.”
“We must be on the right track, wouldn’t you say?”
I frowned, feeling a little irritated. “Just be careful. If it gets too crazy, we should turn around.”
“Crazy? How?” He rubbed his stubble, and as he did, it made a sound like sandpaper scratching.
It was so annoying, and only made my skin tingle all the more. I took a deep breath. “We’ll know when we experience it. Just keep in mind these aren’t enchanted woods.”
“I’ve been in plenty of those. It’s fine.”
“Great. Go.” I didn’t feel like explaining that this forest was a beast all its own. My annoyance was growing by the minute, and I didn’t want to take it out on him.
We traveled in silence for a while. The trees grew thicker and the sun’s rays were blocked out. I mulled over all the recent events, only feeding my irritation. How dare someone use runes to enter my condo? What gave them the right to go through my things? The only thing I wanted was to live quietly and in peace.
It wasn’t my fault I had more power than Claudia. I hadn’t asked for that any more than I’d asked for my mother’s death. Anger burned in my chest.
I’d left them alone for centuries. Never bothered them, never trying to displace Claudia. What thanks did I get? Home invasion and dead crows.
Toby turned to me. His eyebrows came together. “Would you stop doing that?”
“What?” I demanded. “Thinking?”
His eyes narrowed. “That sound you keep making.”
“What sound?”
“It’s somewhere between a groan and a sigh.”
“I’m not making any sound.”
“Listen to yourself.” He turned to me and picked up his speed.
“Slow down. I’m not part animal.”
“Then stop making that noise. I can’t stand it.”
“I’m not making any sounds,” I insisted.
He shook his head and muttered something.
“You didn’t have to come here, you know.”
“I’m well aware of that.”
“Then leave.”
“I can’t. I need you to find Victoria, remember?”
“Surely I’m not the only witch you know.”
“The only one who doesn’t despise werewolves.”
“Did you ever think there was a reason for that?” I snapped.
He turned around and took a deep breath.
“Why are we stopping?” My skin continued to crawl, burn, and tingle.
“Don’t you think it’s weird that we’re arguing?”
“Because you’re being annoying.”
He shook his head. “I’ve heard of these woods. What are they called?” He paused. “The forest of confusion? Does that sound familiar to you?”
I nodded. The witches who resided there were some of the most powerful in the world.
Toby’s eyes lit up. “Yeah. When people go in—no matter how well they get along normally—they end up arguing. Often to the death, unless they figure out what’s going on and force themselves to stay quiet during their journey.”
I shrugged.
“Yeah, those are some powerful witches who live in the middle. They don’t like being disturbed, hence the deadly disagreements.”
I took a deep breath. Clearly, I had much to learn about the witch world—especially if a werewolf knew more than I did.
“What do you think?”
“It sounds logical. I’ve never heard of it, but actually, it’s kind of brilliant.” It was the same kind of thing I needed to keep my old coven from bothering me.
“Do you have a way to protect us from its power?”
“I don’t know what kind of magic is causing it,” I snapped.
He arched a brow.
“Fine. I’ll look.” I dug into my satchel and went through it. “I’ve got some unicorn horn flakes. They’re fairly multi-purpose. Maybe they can help us.”
“Let’s give them a try.”
“Hold out your hand.”
He did and I poured some flakes.
“What do I do with them?”
“Let them melt in your mouth.”
Toby’s forehead wrinkled. “Okay.” He didn’t sound sure, but he put them in, anyway. “Interesting. They seem familiar.”
“Maybe you’ve had them before.” I poured some into my palm and brought it to my mouth. The sweet, sugary flakes melted almost as soon as they hit my tongue.
“Do you feel any different?” he asked.
“It’s probably too soon to tell.”
“Just in case, we’d probably be wise to not talk.”
“I can handle that. One question, though.”
He arched a brow.
“Can you still sense people?”
“Yeah, but I’m pretty sure we’re heading in the right direction, given what I’ve heard about these woods.”
“Okay.”
Toby turned around and I continued to follow him. The forest grew darker, but my irritation decreased. My skin still felt on fire, though it wasn’t nearly as intense.
After what felt like hours, I spoke. “Didn’t we pass that rock already?”
“Which one?”
I pointed to a tall one with a gash in the middle.
He stared at it. “Maybe. Everything’s starting to look the same to me.”
“Well, I remember the dent.”
“Okay, so where do you suggest we go?”
I bit back a sarcastic comment. “Let me try something.”
