Chapter 16
Janice kept her distance from Sascha for the rest of the day, feeling both hurt and betrayed by her friend’s lack of consideration for her feelings.
She had to admit, her chest and shoulder did feel immensely better after Ansell had finished treating it, but it didn’t make her happy that he had been the one to do it.
Much less, that they’d all tag teamed her to get her to do what they wanted.
And to be honest, she wasn’t feeling on the best terms with Warren right now either.
She walked quickly to her car after work, not taking the time to wait on Sascha.
Right now, she wanted nothing to do with the other woman and the silent treatment seemed the best way to convey that to her.
They hadn’t wanted to listen to her before when she’d told them she’d be fine and didn’t need their help, so there was no point in her opening her mouth to try and talk to either of them otherwise.
Sascha had to rush to try and catch up with her, but Janice made it to her car in record time and slammed the door, locking it before she moved to buckle her seatbelt.
Sascha knocked urgently on her window, calling her name and telling her not to ignore her, but Janice started up the car and began backing out of the space.
She was parked next to Sascha, but that didn’t help the woman catch up any faster as she hopped in her car and threw her stuff in the passenger seat.
Janice was the first one out of the parking lot and she drove steadily, stopping only once to pick up two buckets of fried chicken. She was turning out of the fast food restaurant’s parking lot when she noticed Sascha pull onto the street behind her.
Janice adjusted her mirror, muttering as she squinted in disbelief.
“What the fuck?” Was this woman trying to follow her home?
Janice split her gaze between the road and her rear view mirror, sporting the tiny, determined face of the woman she saw at work every day.
“No way in hell.” She muttered before glancing into her rear-side view and over her shoulder.
She cut off a minivan that was going a bit too fast for her liking and focused on sending power into her car.
She heard the engine boost with her added determination as she began a muttered litany of intent.
“I’m invisible, I got away. I’m invisible, I got away.
I’m invisible, I got away.” All the while she kept a close eye on the cars around her, knowing that if she pulled this off, it wouldn’t only be her pursuer that she’d become invisible to.
It was dangerous work to drive a car that everyone turned a blind eye to.
When she finally turned on to the interstate and didn’t catch a glimpse of Sascha, she breathed a sigh of relief, changing her litany.
“I’m visible, I’m safe. I’m visible, I’m safe.
I’m visible, I’m safe.” She kept this up until she felt as though the car had returned to normal and then pulled her power back into herself.
She continued on from there, only stopping when she turned off the interstate coming to the four way intersection that led to her backwoods home.
She came to a full stop. Looked both ways.
Pulled out into the intersection to turn and heard the blaring sound of a semi’s horn a moment before metal crunched and glass exploded. She thought she’d heard herself scream.
Ansell smiled with relief as the last patient finally made their way out the door.
It had been a bad day. From the fact that it was the day he scheduled his irritating patients to Sascha’s call about Janice, to having to use the spirit link to deal with the woman since conventional methods were off the table.
It had been a long, bad day. And something told him it was only about to get worse.
He sat his clipboard on the reception counter and smiled weakly at Rachel as she came out of the back with a much needed remedy to soothe his nerves.
Namely, magick laced tea. He breathed a laugh, despite how intrinsic magick was in his everyday life, there were still some things that filled him with awe about the things it could achieve.
When he was younger, those things used to be things like the ability to Whisper— swaying someone to think the way you wanted them to— or even telekinesis— his best friend during a lazy night or when he was trying to cheat at gambling.
He’d even experienced a marvel or two with Chaos Ordering— determining the way things would go in a game of chance— but now that he was older and the magick had lost some of its spark, nothing could compare to a simple brew of tea.
He could do anything with it. Experience anything with it.
And nothing compared to a little cup of peace after a long day.
“You look like you could use this more than usual today.” Rachel smiled softly as she set the cup on the counter before him.
“Thanks.” He said solemnly, a small smile resting on his lips. He took a sip and reveled in the sense of peace and wellbeing that followed the warm chamomile-lavender taste down his throat.
“Is there anything you want to talk about?” She frowned at him softly, a bit worried. “You haven’t been yourself for a while now. I’ve never seen your eyes glow before. It made the afternoon patients nervous.”
He exhaled wearily and ran a hand over his eyes, then pushed his bangs back from his forehead. “It’s nothing. I’ve just been having a problem with my magick recently.”
“Dysfunction?” She guessed sympathetically.
He looked at her like she’d lost a fraction of her mind before saying incredulously, ”No.
” He couldn’t believe she’d ask him that.
Sympathetic or not, she was basically asking him if he couldn’t get it up anymore.
“The exact opposite actually.” He informed, if not a bit offended by her doubting him.
“Oh?” Her grin was something for the books. “Do tell.”
“No,” Ansell said petulantly. He picked up the plate and readied himself to take a sip of his tea.
“I don’t think I will.” He took a sip and choked on it as pain exploded in his body.
Wave after excruciating wave driving him to his knees.
An anguished roar fled him before it numbed enough for his brain to start working again.
Janice’s face was the first thing to cross mind and magick exploded from him in a powerful pulse, warding off the woman’s pain so that he could pull himself together enough to do what needed to be done. He had to find her.
Rachel was beside him when he could see again. And someone else. . . Sascha?
Ansell grabbed the small woman by the shoulders, mind still reeling with pain. “Where is she?” He roared over the ringing in his ears.
“Wh-Who-Wh-Who-Who, Ansell?” Sascha’s voice echoed and bounced around in the room as he shook his head. Trying to realign his world.
“Janice.” He grated out through clenched teeth.
“What’s wrong with Janice?” Sascha’s echoie broken voice sounded with alarm.
He shook his head hard, Janice’s pain bearing down on him. “Find her. . .” He groaned before he was overcome by pain, despair, and then darkness.