The next few days crawled by. I spent most of my time pacing around the tiny cabin, talking to my cat, just waiting for Clara to stop by for her daily visit. She’d pop in, drop off some supplies, ask me a few probing questions about my past, then disappear again.

  On the third day I asked her for something to read, anything to keep the boredom from setting in, and she’d promised to look into it. I’d also cheekily asked her for my guns and broom back, just to see what she’d say. The cold, death stare she gave shot the cocky grin right off my face.

  “If and when we trust you,” she hissed before disappearing again.

  I was still waiting on those books several days later. Guess they really didn’t like me pushing my boundaries.

  Even though I was going stir crazy in the cabin, it wasn’t all bad. I realized, after a couple days, that my wound was closing much quicker than it should have. It was far from the nearly instantaneous healing that I was used to when I had access to my magic, but at least I wouldn’t have to suffer through weeks, or months, of recovery time like most people.

  A tiny part of me hoped that meant my magic hadn’t completely abandoned me, that part of it was still buried deep inside. A much larger part of me was just happy I didn’t have to suffer in pain every time I went to the outhouse.

  After about a week of short, relatively unproductive visits, Clara appeared in front of my shelter carrying not a basket, but my duster.

  “The elders wish to meet you,” she announced as she swept inside, her forest green cloak flowing around her. She strode to the middle of the room and laid my duster, and hat, in the middle of the table in front of me.

  My eyes widened in shock, and I slowly reached out and checked the garments. The last time I saw them they had been ripped in pieces, ravaged by my power. Now they were whole again. I glanced up at Clara in surprise.

  “I’m sorry, we borrowed them for a while in order to perform some tests. We’ve never seen a case like yours, and felt the need to be cautious,” she explained as she ran a hand over the undamaged coat.

  “It took a few days for us to disrupt the residual power, but once it was done, restoring them was a simple matter. Now the elders believe we should be able to counter, or at least contain you if you try and act out. Now come, the others are waiting.” She twirled in place, causing her cloak to billow out around her, and took a few steps towards the door before pausing. “The cat too.”

  Kaylee stared at her, eyes narrowed and tail flicking, but didn’t say anything.

  After swiftly donning my coat, and grabbing my hat I crouched down, offering my shoulder to Kaylee. She wandered over and paused next to my ear to whisper, “Merow,” before climbing up.

  “I don’t know what this is about, but I don’t think we’re in danger. If they wanted to kill us, they could have done it already.” I whispered back, as the cat settled around my neck.

  Gently setting my hat into place upon my head, I hooked my thumbs on my belt before wandering out of the small cabin, closing the door behind me.

  Clara looked me over, then nodded, before turning and striding silently into the woods, gesturing for me to follow. The trees in this area were relatively thick, but the forest floor was fairly clean. Most of the deadwood in the area had probably been harvested for firewood by the coven, and the decay of the deadfall accelerated to provide nutrients for the trees.

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  After just a few steps I noticed a number of charms, woven out wood, string, bones and feathers, hanging from a few trees. They were actually fairly well hidden, but there were so many, enough to create a full perimeter around the cabin, that it was impossible to find them all.

  Clara ignored them, striding through the line and down a barely discernible path, and I followed. Although I didn’t feel anything, Kaylee shuddered as we broke the perimeter. It was only then that Clara paused.

  “You could have broken the perimeter at any time, couldn’t you?” she asked, before continuing forward.

  “Probably, but that would have been like spitting on the coven’s hospitality,” I replied, casually.

  “Mer!” Kaylee interjected, a smirk on her face.

  I chuckled. “Of course we did consider it, briefly, but dismissed the idea when I realized you lot had my guns.”

  Clara stumbled slightly, but tried to pretend she wasn’t disturbed by that comment.

  “That’s a joke by the way,” I assured her.

  The three of us continued through the trees for several minutes before emerging into an enormous valley. The coven was obviously thriving here. Several different types of livestock wandered the area, barely bound by their enormous pens, and there were dozens of fields, each with a different type of crop.

  Even Kaylee let out a quiet “purr” of awe.

  Clara let the two of us take in the sight for a minute before prompting us forward again, “This way.”

  We followed her around the side of the valley, which consisted of some fairly rocky hills with fairly steep faces, and nestled next to the tallest, and steepest cliff, was a village. Just on the south side of the village was a large stream, with a well worn wooden bridge. Beyond it was about a dozen houses, mostly traditional log construction, sod and stone construction, with a couple larger buildings for communal cooking and storage. It was the very definition of quaint.

  The largest, and most impressive building though, was pressed right against the cliff face. It wasn’t as much constructed, as it was grown. There were dozens of trees planted in a circle, all of which grew up, and then towards the center of the ‘structure’. Entwined with these trees were a thick vine-like growth which was woven into a living, thatch-like wall. The entire building was slightly elevated from the rest of the village, and surrounded by small stone wall terrace gardens filled with flowers and herbs.

  Even with magic to accelerate and direct the growth, it must have taken the coven a couple years to complete the hall.

  As we stepped down the rough stone path by the cliff face, heading into the village I saw a number of people look up at us, before rushing away, disappearing into the nearby buildings.

  Kaylee pinned her ears back, and hissed at the commotion.

  “It’s fine, I didn’t expect to get a warm welcome when I arrived,” I whispered, as I reached up and scratched the cat under the chin.

  “Forgive my sisters and brothers, they’re not as used to dealing with outsiders as I am, and are extremely cautious around visitors,” Clara said quietly.

  I scoffed. “Even though I appreciate you trying to spare my feelings, or make this situation less awkward, we both know that’s not why they’re running. By now the girls have probably told their story to anyone and everyone that would listen, and now most of the coven is afraid of me.”

  I paused, glancing at a door cracked just enough to see out, and as soon as I did it slammed closed. “I’m used to it.”

  We slipped into the village, weaving between buildings on the now abandoned street. Passing by a random window, I felt a power gather in the air around me like a lightning building. Clara turned, eyes wide, hand raised as she summoned her own power in response.

  I casually waved my hand in the air, let a very minute amount of power rise to the surface, and the feeling dissipated.

  Kaylee hissed again, clawing angrily at the window as the shutters slammed closed.

  “Just ignore them, it’s for the best,” I whispered to the cat.

  Clara just stood there, hand half raised, studying my expression, or lack thereof. Several seconds passed before she finally spoke, “I apologize, that should never have happened. You are a guest here, and should be treated as such.”

  She smiled a bitter smile and glanced at the closed shutters, “I’ll make sure to have a talk with my brother about this later.”

  I stepped forward, and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry about it, no harm done.”

  Kaylee growled, obviously not agreeing with my assessment, but I ignored her. “Don’t we have a meeting to get to?”

  The woman nodded slowly, then turned and set off towards the central hall once again. Once we made it through the village the three of us climbed the stone stairs, past the various terrace gardens until we reached the structure. There was a massive tree arch, with weeping willow leaves draped down like a curtain marking the entrance.

  This is where Clara stopped. “The elders wish to see you alone, I will wait outside until you're finished.”

  “Any words of advice before I go in?” I asked, as I gently parted the leaves.

  “Answer truthfully, and do not make the crone mad. She is far more powerful than the rest of the elders combined,” Clara answered quietly.

  “Grand,” I mumbled. I took a deep breath, gathered what courage I could, and stepped inside.”Here we go.”

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