With scarcely a thought, the narrow silver portal opened. I hesitated. Something told me not to go through.
However, I had no choice. I needed to get to the cottage and get a hold of the remaining day-walker notebooks.
I licked my lips, chewed my bottom lip, and stepped through the portal onto the other side.
My magic traveling smoke takes me short distances. Could I travel the mile or so to his cabin? Should I?
I poofed in a cloud of purple past the jungle and the open fields to the forest where I emerged, and hesitantly looked around.
Oh yeah, something was off. I could feel tension in the air. My magic has been growing inside of me—no, wait, that isn’t it. I think I have always had the ability to harness the power of my Shama and have learned now to just let go and accept my birthright.
A voice—yes, my voice, told me go back. Should I go to his cottage unannounced? That wasn’t my style, but this was important and Devin and I were well past the initial amenities. That thought made me smile to myself.
So, of course, I walked the short distance through the woods to Devin’s cottage.
I stopped at the stone walkway and looked up past the lighted porch to the large window.
He doesn’t have curtains or shades on his windows, and although there was only a dim light inside, I could see him standing there, and he wasn’t alone.
I saw movement back ‘n forth, like pacing, and I heard the sound of men’s voices raised in anger.
What the hell was going on?
I got my answer soon enough because at my back I heard a familiar voice, Loli’s voice, say in a tone both triumphant and childish, “Well…here she is! His miss special mate. His witch!”
Something in the way she said ‘witch’ worried me as I spun around to meet her dark-eyed gaze and noted she had two khaki-uniformed guards at her side, and wondered at it.
Even in the dim light I saw that while she was young, she was already quite lovely. Her beautiful caramel skin was flawless, and her almond shaped, dark eyes were fascinating. At the moment, her Elfin pointed ears twitched with her anger, and I tried to think of something to say to her that wouldn’t be hurtful when she wagged a finger at me and took a step forward.
“You are about to learn what happens when a Draoidheil Witch breaks our laws.”
I puzzled over this for a moment, as I had no idea what she was talking about.
“Arrest her!” Loli shouted.
“Arrest me?” I finally found my voice. “For what?”
“Don’t pretend ignorance. Did you think I wouldn’t see? You didn’t even bother to cloak yourself. You are a witch and have broken the Treaty!” she hissed at me.
The cottage front door was flung open with a force that sent it smashing into the wall. Devin was at my side in the flash of a moment. Even with the confusion and seriousness of my present situation, I found myself smiling, quite impressed with his speed and strength.
Before the two uniformed men could even touch me, he had them by their necks, smashing them into one another, knocking them out before he flung them to the ground.
Three men stepped out of the cottage. The eldest of the three, who was dressed in a dark suit, stepped towards us, and his voice held supreme irritation. “What is the meaning of this? Devin, have you lost your mind?”
“I should ask ye the same thing. After all our years of friendship, this is how ye treat me…and m’mate. Aye, this lovely young woman is m’mate, and aye, she is a witch, but nae a witch from The Land of the Draoidheil. She is the only one who can attain m’freedom and allow me to return to m’own world. The lass means ye nae harm.”
“Liar…look how she sparkles, Father,” Loli said to the suited man. I noted that the other two at his side were dressed in suits, but of the khaki military type with loads of medals.
“What have you to say to that, Devin?” her father asked, and gave me a long once over, definitely not of the sexual kind. He, in fact, took a step back when he was done. He had seen my glow, which meant the Elfin were supernaturals.
“I say look at her! Really look at her, Tomin! Do ye see sparkle or glow?” Devin snapped. I could see he was shocked at their behavior and had not expected any of this. “Draoidheil Witches sparkle! She doesna sparkle because m’lass is from m’home realm. She is a witch, but has nothing to do with Elfin or Draoidheil, and is nae subject to the Treaty. She has nae broken any of yer laws and only came at m’invitation.”
“She does glow,” Loli’s father said. “In fact, she glows unblemished by darkness. Many of the Draoidheil’s sparkle is infused with darkness.”
Loli became furious. “Look at her! She is a witch. We have no way of knowing where she came from and what her purpose is.”
“Take her.” Tomin had made up his mind. “We will sort this out while she is safely incarcerated.”