Chapter 27
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
We’d dropped Ori at the BART station, and after extracting ourselves from Mrs. Finnegan’s interrogation about what we were doing today, I’d handed her the car keys, and Ranth and I had walked home.
Tension strangled my shoulders—a portal pop could happen at any moment—and my phone buzzing sent a shot of adrenaline through me.
I definitely needed some chill-out time.
Maybe I’d give Ranth a juicy herbal treatise to read and try to meditate in my sacred space.
Rose texted she’d dropped the supplies I’d asked for at the back door. That should take care of refreshing the library and getting emergency kits set up for everyone; plus, sorting herbs would help with my inner peace.
“We need to brainstorm some passable defenses for my emergency kits. Think you could help?” I asked Ranth as we turned onto my street.
“What is passable? Good enough?”
“I mean pass around. The kits have to be able to be used by anyone and have enough extra energy boost in them that they will help me out too—or you, I guess.”
“Why is it a guess?”
“Because you don’t seem to use other stuff. Like, I’ve never seen you use an herb or a potion or anything.”
“I don’t need anything else. I am the weapon. The potions and herbs are for rituals and focus, but your magic comes from you first.”
“Right. I know that.” I paused to think about that. It was really the same thing he’d said before in the car, but in a different way. My magic was in me, that quietness he was talking about. It was obvious, but I hadn’t been looking for it.
The late afternoon sun picked up glints of silica in the sidewalk, made lavender by my glasses.
“Mom taught me to use elements of nature to enhance my ability and focus. It’s kind of a flow I got into that made sense.
Hands to mind. I mean my mom would have me meditate and be with nature and connect with the natural power, but when I had to learn combat for survival, it was instinct. So, herbs made sense to use for focus.”
“Your training was done poorly. Things do not make a wizard stronger.”
He got under my skin far too easily. “That’s not very kind.” I adjusted the strap of my messenger that held the amulet box.
“It’s the reality. In proper training, you strip down your walls and start from that inner place.
That’s what you are always digging toward.
The rituals and things are about connecting with that center of yourself.
Eventually though, you don’t need them because you can see how they work from the inside.
But then, when you find your power and learn its limits, you can use things again to amplify your abilities. ”
“That makes sense, even if your delivery was lacking.” I pushed my glasses up, my breath catching as we rounded the corner onto my street.
Ranth smirked. “I’ll try to paint my words with kindness next time. But hearing what you need to hear is often unpleasant. What’s wrong?”
“Foxgloves.” The front door gaped open, and the house glowed a cautionary yellow—but it appeared not to be of the demonic kind.
“We have some unexpected company.” I grabbed Ranth and ducked behind a tree, snapping out my wrist pins. Normal people knocked, and if no one answered, they came back later. They didn’t break in. “Maybe we should call Rose or the police.”
“If the Ahknim have come for me, there’s not really a need. After all this time, I would welcome meeting those of the order of this period.” Ranth walked forward, and I pulled him back.
“My house, my rules. Let’s go around the back, so we can see what we’re dealing with first,” I suggested, digging out my phone.
Ranth nodded and followed me up the fence line, and I opened the back gate. Ranth ducked under the wooden header, and we climbed up the back stairs. Blood thumped in my ears as every sound elongated.
The house was dark and quiet, but leaving the door open was a message that whoever was here wanted us to know.
I touched the door frame and recoiled. I was a child of the sun and moon.
Someone connected to the veil of the earth was in my living room, and they’d set up their own ward in my house.
Fortunately, there was no trace of Ant inside. She must have been out hunting.
I crouched down and motioned to Ranth to come closer. “There’s someone with magic inside,” I said quietly.
“Let me help this time,” Ranth whispered back.
I nodded okay. With our connection and his skills, it made total sense to face whatever was in there together.
Rose’s promised bag of goodies was on the top step.
I rummaged through it, mind racing for a solution to combat earth.
Angelica root and willow bark would help me connect to the quiet calm of the night.
I tucked shards of bark into my wrist bands, careful not to make skin contact.
The bitterness of the angelica root centered me.
What Ranth said—that I didn’t need the focus or the herbal help—might be true, but until we knew exactly what we were dealing with, I wasn’t taking chances. Silver pins ready, I motioned to Ranth to take the left side as I crossed the threshold, ready for whatever the interlopers could toss at us.
Ranth was in pace with me as I skirted the right edge of the kitchen. I peeked around the corner into the living room. I’d expected the Marahk to look something like Ranth, not the petite raven-haired goth with the heart-shaped face sitting on my cushy linen chair and munching my nori rice cakes.
“Hey, you’re finally home. Good. Hope you don’t mind I let myself in.
These are excellent. Did you get them locally?
” The woman, not much older than I was, set down the bag and brushed rice cake crumbs off her leather-look black leggings.
She extended her hand. “I’m Fabra by the way.
You must be Sorrel. Nice to meet you. I’ve read a lot about you.
Is this the Ahknim? My, he’s a looker. The girls are going to be setting bets on him down at the club.
Or does he prefer boys? You got stuff to pack?
” Fabra asked Ranth as if she were picking him up after his vacation.
“His name is Ranth. Ogling a fellow member of your order as a new candy piece is as offensive as breaking into someone’s house and eating their cakes without asking. You just failed your charisma roll. Close the door behind you on your way out.” I crossed my arms and nodded at the open front door.
Fabra bit on the tip of a black-coated nail and tilted her head. “She’s got balls—I like her. Too bad we can’t stay. Get your stuff, Ranth.” She fluttered a hand dismissively and walked past me. I grabbed her arm.
“Hands off, bae,” she said, pushing me away like I was a tiresome toddler. My anger notched up.
“Let’s go,” she told Ranth, coldly ignoring me.
Ranth crossed his arms. “Tell us exactly who you are, and where you think I’d be going with you? Then I will decide.” He shoved her onto the couch. “And apologize to Sorrel for breaking into her house and talking to her that way.”
“Oh, look who’s all knight and noble. I bet she doesn’t even know what you’ve done.”
I looked at Ranth expectantly. He shrugged his shoulders. “I have no idea what she’s talking about.”
“Of course, you do. It’s all in the archives.
Ranth of the Ahknim, right? You were notable in your time as the last Garden Keeper, and once it was rumored you’d left the garden, our order started keeping track.
They’ve been looking for you for a millennium.
They want a sky key, and you are apparently the only one that can help them.
You have no idea how excited my elder was when he got the call.
Told me to get my butt over here and pick you up.
Because we have questions. A lot of questions.
” She leaped up and walked up to Ranth. “So, you need to be a good boy and come with me. There’s a bunch of business that needs to be caught up after we get our answers and before we can decide what to do with you.
” She glanced at her phone. “We’re already late. ”
Ranth leaned forward so his face was inches from hers. “I told you. I’m not going anywhere with you. At least until we get some of our questions answered.” The sparks weren’t visible, but they were there, making me even more angry.
Ignoring the glare, I walked over and snatched up the rice cakes. My blood thrummed as I crossed the room to the front door and set the ward, adding a bit of my own power to strengthen it. Using this much power was risky, but I didn’t see much alternative. The woman was in my house.
“Sit or stand, it doesn’t matter. You aren’t leaving till I have my questions answered.
” Crushing a rice cake, I dropped the bag and dug into my pouch.
With the rice cake mixed with a fistful of willow bark, I threw the crumbs at her.
The particles feathered to the floor, and we all stared at them as I leaned on a wall and drew on the willow bark to connect with the house energy.
“Bind her and keep her,” I chanted, making the binding spell complete.
“You witch!” Fabra snarled, standing up with curled fists.
“You say that like it’s a slur. I’d be careful talking that way.
Our community is tight.” The simple binding spell was a custom one that I’d never seen anyone else use.
It only worked because the house was bound by the wards.
Now she could move freely within the house, but she couldn’t get over the threshold.
The downside was the house’s energy net was holding her, which limited its power.
“You’ll roast when the rest of my chapter finds out about this.” She pulled out her phone.
The residue of my rice cake in her system might be enough for a truth spell. I flipped open the pouch that held the turmeric. It was time for my whipped-cream move.