A Witch's Path (3 page)

The baby blue leaf curled around my hand, and the vine held still while I nipped off the last bloom.

"It's lovely."

I looked up, surprised to see my boss here so early in the morning. "Good morning, Brandon. The Fairy Rose is coming along."
 

Brandon smiled. "I can see the progress. I tried to prune this beauty and ended up with ten thorns in my arm. May I?"

"Of course. She will behave now." The rose was one of the plants I'd had a heart to heart with, explaining to them that the people here wanted to admire them. Most of the plants had understood, but I was still working with the Pink Azalea and the Lace Flower.

He gently rubbed a leaf between two fingers and the plant shivered, thrusting another leaf under his hand. Brandon petted the plant until it stopped pushing leaves into his hands.
 

"You've done amazing things. A month ago I had people running out of these greenhouses because the plants were unmanageable and the department head wanted to scrap the project. He said it was impossible to keep this many magical plants in one area. Now, the university is in love with the magical garden, and I haven't heard about the Lace Flower attacking anyone since you arrived."

"Thank you, but please stay away from the Lace Flower. I moved it behind a few plants to make it more difficult for it to cause problems." The Lace Flower was vexing. Thus far it had been reluctant to talk to me, but we had reached an uneasy truce. It would be less aggressive if left alone, so I moved it behind two large ferns, shielding it from casual approach.
 

"You've done a great job managing the untamable. Do you have a few minutes to talk?" Brandon motioned to my office.
 

"Yes." I set down the shears, and gave the Fairy Rose one last pat before following Brandon.

I pushed the door shut behind me and turned to see him leaning against my desk, ankles crossed, and hands resting on the wood. Leaning against the door, I watched Brandon study me.

"Where do you see this garden in a few years?" Brandon asked.

"I hadn't thought about it that way. Ideally, the four teaching greenhouses would be complete, and I'd be devoting more attention to the research greenhouse. Did you have something in mind?"

"Yes. After seeing what you've been able to accomplish in the short time you've been here, the university and I feel that we underestimated the feasibility of bigger projects. We want to develop an extensive magical garden for teaching and scientific exploration, with a section open to the public. Right now we have common magical plants, ones that are readily available and relatively easy to cultivate. I know this isn't what you were hired for, but would you consider the additional responsibilities?"

I sighed. "You are offering me a fantastic opportunity. However, as I said during my interview, I don't know how long I will be able to stay."

Brandon frowned. "Yes, you mentioned something about a calling?"

Pulling a chair over, I sat down. "Yes," I said. He made the Call sound simple, but he was human and couldn't understand. I was one of the elves who were pulled, by a tugging at our souls, to follow a different path. The called often played a vital role in events that changed the course of history, but we were destined to walk a dangerous path, one few traversed without dying. It was unpredictable as well. My Call was satisfied to have me living at Landa's Lodge and working at the university, but that could change at any moment.
 

"We discussed it during your interview, but I didn't realize it was still an issue."

Humans. I shook my head, "Brandon, we discussed this. I am happy to be here until I'm drawn elsewhere."

Brandon tipped his head back and rubbed his temple. "I have someone else in mind for the political and paper pushing side of the job. I want you to work with the plants. You would need to work with a few students because the garden will need more daily care than you can provide, and it needs to be usable for academics and research. I also want you to track down the new additions."

I shifted in my seat. "When I was hired, it was with the understanding that the greenhouses were for university use. You agreed that I could have some time to get things under control. Most of the plants are settled in, and having help would allow me to focus on the stubborn individuals. I can start working with the students next week. "

"Yes, that's all true," he waved his hand in the air, "and as happy as I am to hear you say the garden is ready for other people, that isn't my point. I want you to track down and retrieve new additions to the garden. Before you protest, the school would consider travel and time away as part of your job if you brought us new specimens."

I chose my words carefully, "You mean I can come and go as I like, as long as the garden is cared for when I'm away and I bring back unique additions?"

"Yes, and unless you are gone for more than two months, with or without a sample, you will receive your full pay and benefits," Brandon said.
 

"That is a fine offer." My mind raced, trying to find the flaws.
 

"I thought it would be a way for you to continue to work here, while giving you the time to explore your Call." He smiled, knowing the offer was too good to refuse.
 

"You certainly know how to tempt a man. I accept the additional duties." How could I refuse? Brandon was offering me the opportunity to be part of a grand project, one that could help preserve endangered species, while giving me the flexibility to follow the Call.
   

"You'll do it?"

"Yes."

"Fantastic. I wouldn't have anyone but you retrieving the new additions. I'll bring the official paperwork over tomorrow." Brandon came over and offered me his hand. I stood up and accepted the handshake.
 

"Thank you for understanding the needs of an old elf," I said.
 

"No, Elron, thank you for taming this mess of magical plants," Brandon replied. He was out the door as quickly as he'd appeared, leaving me with plenty to ponder.

Dinner at the pizzeria with the girls was the highlight of my week. This evening, I was the slow duck; Amber and Tiffany were sitting in the corner booth, chatting.
 

"Hi, girls. What'd I miss?" I slid on to the end of the seat, gratefully grabbing the water they'd ordered for me.
 

"Nothing, we were joking about Mark's last romantic gesture," Tiffany said. She was a private investigator, meaning she mostly followed around cheating spouses. Her burgundy pixie haircut contrasted beautifully with her olive skin and brown eyes.

"What did he do?" I asked.

Amber giggled. "He tried to take me to an exotic restaurant that served peacock."
 

"No, way!"
 

"Yah, I told him I was opposed to eating exotic animals."

"You still haven't told him you're a werepeahen?" I asked. Amber shifted into a peahen, the female version of a peacock.

"No, I want to get to know him better before I tell him about that part of my life." She squirmed in her seat. "Besides, now isn't a good time to introduce a human to that side of me."

"Is Adder making more trouble?" Tiffany asked.

I gave her a funny look.

"What? I know I'm the worst type of human. I don't care what happens in the other communities as long as it doesn't affect me, but I have ears. That wolf is bad news, and he's looking to make as much trouble as he can. I don't think he cares if he causes problems for the wolves, all the shifters, or the entire region."

"From what I've heard, you're right." There wasn't much more I could say. It was surprising to hear Tiffany admit her faults when it came to racial relations.

"Well, I don't think he's made any more trouble, but he isn't letting anyone rest easily. By law, he's forbidden to interfere with other shifters, but the rumors say he isn't going to respect the laws. His dad, Simon, the pack alpha, should've punished Adder when this behavior started, but he has a blind spot where his son is concerned. I think he's finally realized how badly his son is behaving. Simon needs to put him down, but it's his son, and the situation wouldn't have gotten this bad if Simon had been doing his job from the start." By the time she finished, Amber looked paler than usual.
 

I gave her a one-armed hug, the best I could do at the table. Amber had more to fear than most because she shifted into a prey animal, and there weren't many werepeacocks in the area.

"Don't worry about it. Before Adder could cause trouble he'd have to be the alpha. I don't see him killing his father, so everyone is safe for now," I said.

Amber relaxed, "True, and I wish Simon a long and healthy life."

"A toast then, to Simon's long and healthy life," Tiffany said, raising her glass.

"Here, here," I tapped glasses with her.
 

Amber smiled, and tapped both of our glasses. "To Simon's long life."
 

After our toast the waiter, a shy teenage boy with glasses, came to our table. "Are you ready to order?"
 

We nodded, having perused the menu so many times we could order from memory.
 

Tiffany ordered first, "Could I get a medium spinach, broccoli, and feta white pizza?"
 

The kid nodded, scribbling on his pad. When he looked up again Amber ordered. "I'd like the veggie calzone."
 

"Could I get a pepperoni, Italian sausage, mushroom and onion calzone?" I asked.

The waiter nodded, repeated our orders back to us, and inquired if we wanted anything else, which we didn't, before leaving.
 

"Enough depressing chit-chat. How are you and Mark doing, other than the peacock issue?" I said.

"Good. It's hard to say how it's going because we've only been dating for a month, but I like it so far." Amber finished with a smile.
 

"Awesome. Tiffany, what's new with you?" I asked.
 

"Eh, not much. I have more faith in the sanctity of marriage."

"What happened?" Amber asked.
 

Tiffany sighed, staring into her drink. "This lady came to me last week. She told me she thought her husband was cheating on her. We talked, and I outlined what I normally do and how I give her the evidence. When we started to talk price she broke down. One of her friends had recommended me, but she didn't have the money to pay my fee. I asked why this was so important to her, and why she didn't ask her husband what he was doing.
 

"She slipped off her wig, showing a head with the tiniest fuzz of hair growing back. To pay for her cancer treatments they'd had to sell their house, along with almost everything else they valued. He'd been with her for years of ups and downs. The past few months were the first time she'd been cancer free in five years. With tears in her eyes she told me she couldn't even blame him for cheating. All she'd been was a burden for the past few years.
 

"Since I'm not a heartless monster, and I didn't need her money, I told her I'd see what I could find. Two days later I had her come back to my office. She was shaking like a leaf. I spread out the pictures, showing her husband bussing tables at a bar. After he got off, I talked to him. He'd taken the job to save up extra money so they could have a vacation get away, just the two of them. Crying, he told me how much he wanted to provide for his wife, but with the way things had been going they didn't have the money for a trip."

"Did you tell her about the trip?" Amber asked, wiping tears for her eyes.
 

Tiffany glared at her. "Of course not! She called me yesterday to thank me. He told her what he'd been doing, and why. In a few weeks they're going to a resort in Florida for a week of pampering."
 

I dabbed a few tears from my eyes. "And you complain that all you ever deal with are cheating spouses who erode your faith in humanity."
 

She shrugged one shoulder. "It's nice to be surprised once in a while."
 

"Michelle, you haven't told us what's new with you," Amber said.
 

I paused while the waiter handed out our food. "I finished the report on the troll incident for the police."
 

"How are you doing?" Tiffany said.

"Good. I'm glad to put it behind me. It was so stressful, and things spiraled out of control. I've finally gotten a grip on my life. None of the police cases have been out of the ordinary lately, Elron has been a good neighbor, and the new family dynamic is going as well as can be expected."
 

"Are you sure? Anything you want to talk about?" Amber asked.
 

"I'm doing good. Things have been good. As soon as the last of the scary memories fade, I'll be my old self. Now, is there anyone new in your life, Tiffany?" I'd been over the events a hundred times. Forgetting them was the best medicine I'd found.

"Always, it's part of being a private investigator."
 

"Any love interest?" I asked.
 

"Well, I've talked to this one guy a few times while getting coffee. He seems nice, but even with my new faith in love, I'm off guys."
 

"Are you sure? You never know where you'll find a great guy." Amber said.
 

"I might see if it goes anywhere, but I'm not going to push things."

"As long as you keep your eyes open. We don't want you to miss out because you're a cynic," Amber finished.

We chatted while we finished eating. As soon as Amber cleaned her plate she asked, "Now, who wants dessert?"
 

"Me," I said.

"Me too," said Tiffany.

I flagged down the waiter so we could order. "Could I get the chocolate lava cake?"

Amber looked up from the menu, "Can I get the Boston Cream Pie?"

"And I'll have the chocolate mint, ice-cream cookie," Tiffany said.