Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE

The baking rolls smelled so good as I washed my hands with a little of the hot water and then stirred the stew. The roasting turkey smelled fantastic—there was nothing like freshly caught meat.

"All right," Ashera said, while we waited for the rolls to finish. "If we want to call your friends in, we must be prepared to accidentally catch others in the net. I'm good, but I can't always narrow down my aim to one precise person. Are you willing to chance that?"

I thought about it. "That depends on you. It's you and your cottage risking exposure. I'm sure neither Bran nor Fenling would give away your secret, but…if somehow the spell brings Karehl into the picture, then we're both in trouble."

She brought out bowls for the stew, and a basket for the bread. I carried the butter in from the outdoor pantry at the back of the cottage.

"What do you do during the summer?" I asked. "To keep the meat fresh?"

"Near winter's end, I carve large blocks of ice from the pond near here, and drag them back on a sledge. I cover them with sawdust and they last throughout the spring and summer seasons. I add a little magic to boost their staying power. By the time they melt, we're in the throes of autumn, and the chill lasts long enough till the ice and snow come again."

The rolls were ready, and so was the stew, so I filled our bowls while she filled the basket with the bread. We sat down at the table.

"I think I can fine-tune the spell to keep out enemies, at least. So even if it catches someone else in the net, it shouldn't be Karehl, or his men. After we eat, I'll gather the things we need and we'll cast it near midnight when the power is strongest."

I broke open a roll and slathered butter on it. "Tell me what I can do to help."

"Eat, and then take a nap because spell casting is energy-intensive, and we'll need rest after such an active day." She motioned to my bowl. "Eat up. You'll need the energy."

After a few moments of eating, I broke the silence. "Have you always been a witch? Were you born with your powers?"

She waved her roll in the air. "Yes, although my mother was more powerful than I am. She was an incredible woman, and she left me this cottage so that I need never bind myself to a man. She was a good mother, although she wasn't incredibly patient. But she taught me all that I know, and she taught me how to survive."

"Did your father live with you?"

Ashera shook her head. "No, I never met him. He was some passerby, a traveler on the way north. He asked if he could stay in the shed for a night, but he ended up staying an entire month. She became fond of him, but she didn't want to be beholden to anyone. So after a month, when she realized she was developing feelings for him, she sent him on his way. She never told him how she felt and she never told him that she was pregnant. During the latter part of her pregnancy she moved in with my grandmother. Once I was born, and she had healed up, she returned to the cottage with me. I grew up here."

It seemed a lonely life to me. "Did you have anyone to play with?"

"Here and there. There are other people who live in this forest, not far from here. Most of those houses are empty now. The owners either moved to villages or set off on adventures. But I grew up with a couple of friends. My mother and their parents banded together to help each other when need be. My mother was a recluse, and she preferred to live life on her own. But she was smart enough to see the good in pulling together for common aim. So she put aside her reclusive ways and joined to help create a small, but caring community. She lived a good life, although she died early, when she was sixty. I was forty at the time, and by then I had taken after my mother and preferred life here, alone. After she died, I cast cloaking spells to avoid being found."

"How did I find you then? Are they still working?" I had very little clue how magic worked. But I knew that it did. Karehl's disguise was enough to prove how strong magic could be.

"Oh, they're still working. But Fate can overrule the strongest magic. You were meant to find me. I believe that you were meant to survive and I was the only person near enough to help you do that. So, Fate led you to me. That's one of the reasons I helped you. I knew that my barricades and wards were still as strong as ever, yet you stumbled on my cottage. So I opened the door and took you in. I'm glad I did. I enjoy your company, and as I said before—any enemy of the prince is my friend."

"You really don't like him, do you?"

Ashera shook her head. "He's an evil man, power-hungry, and that is more dangerous than anything else. All right, when we finished eating, we'll clear the table and then rest. Then near midnight, we'll start the spell."

After dinner, we washed the dishes and tidied the kitchen before turning in for a nap. I slept deep, but woke at a touch when Ashera came to wake me.

We had a quick snack of milk and cookies before Ashera motioned for me to wait at the table while she brought in the components she would need for the spell. She laid the materials out on the table—feathers, some sort of gummy resin, a piece of parchment, and a quill pen. She also brought over a mug overflowing with mist. It looked and smelled odd, almost pungent, and I winced.

"What's that?" I pointed to the cup. "It smells horrible."

"It's a tea mix that helps with clairvoyance. I will cast the spell on you and you will think of your friends and call them in. You must be careful. Do not focus on Karehl or anyone else you don't want to see."

"So, in other words, keep my thoughts clear." I slid the mug over in front of me, wrinkling my nose as the pungent smell wafted up my nostrils. While it didn't make me gag, it wasn't the nicest thing I had ever smelled. "What should I think? I mean, should I call to them, or just visualize them? Tell me what to do."

"Envision them in your mind—visualize their faces if you can. Then hold that vision until I tell you to let it go. After you drink the tea and bring them to mind, raise your hand so I'll know you're ready. I'll begin the incantation then. It won't take long, but you must focus while I am casting the spell. I'll tell you when I'm done." She motioned to the tea. "Drink up. And drink all of it. After we're done, you can have another cookie to take away the taste."

Gingerly, I raised the mug to my lips and took a sip. It tasted like dirty dishwater mixed with garlic. It wasn't strong enough to nauseate me, but my stomach objected, gurgling as I chugged the tea to get it down.

After a moment, my head began to swim. I closed my eyes and thought of Bran and Fenling.

I saw them together, standing in the snow when he first introduced her to me. I examined their faces, the nobility in their eyes, and I felt the warmth of their hearts as they took me in. I envisioned Bran's easy smile, and Fenling's courage. When they were clear in my mind's eye, I held them there, focusing on the friendship that we had built, and my desire for Bran. I raised my hand, but kept my eyes closed.

While I couldn't see what Ashera was doing, I could hear her moving, and I could smell something in the air. It smelled like candle wax and honey. Time seemed to pass slowly, and now and then I felt myself wavering, their images starting to fade. Each time, I dragged my attention back to them, taking in every detail. I summoned up memories of talking to both, and of how supportive and caring they had been.

Ashera began muttering something under her breath. By the cadence, it sounded like an incantation. The energy rose, surrounding me with a magical net, and it felt like it attached itself to my aura—to my own energy. The spell latched onto me, and then it reached out to take hold of both Bran and Fenling. Without being asked, or told, I began to reel them in, like I might a trout on a fishing line.

Ashera kept chanting, and I found myself whispering, Come to me. Come to me.

I wasn't sure how much time passed, but after a while I felt Ashera's hand on my shoulders.

"It's done," she said. "You can let go now."

I felt myself reluctant to let them go. I loved them both, in vastly different ways. They had become a vital part of my world and I missed them. The thought of Karehl hurting either of them made my heart sore.

As their images slowly receded, I opened my eyes and looked up into the witch's face.

"Do you think it worked?"

"I can't guarantee it, but I think that the magic took. Come now, let me get you some proper tea." She poured two mugs of tea, real tea, and then filled a plate with more cookies and set it on the table. She handed me my mug and then sat down, leaning back. She looked tired.

"Is magic tiring? You look exhausted."

She nodded. "Yes, some magic takes it out of you more than others." After a moment, she added, "One of us should keep watch at all times. I don't think that it misfired, but we can't be too careful. Especially when we are dealing with Karehl."

"Just what do you have against him?" I asked. "I know why I don't like him, but what did he do to you?"

Ashera passed her hand over her crystal ball, sighing.

"My mother had a thriving business helping other forest folk with her magic. When she died, I took over. And my business grew, even though I wasn't as powerful as my mother. But one day, Karehl showed up, trying to claim this part of the Bramble Fel. None of us accepted his demands."

"What did he demand?"

"He wanted 30 percent of what I earned. He claimed that his guards would protect my house, but I knew that wouldn't be the case. He was trying to claim the Bramble Fel for his own. No one in the forest appreciated his stance, and everyone who worked magic began to weave spells that made it difficult for him to pass through. We appealed to the Snow Witch as well, and she hounds him every time he rides through the woodland. I cloaked my house even stronger, far stronger than what my mother had, and retreated from casting spells for anyone except a very few. I have a handful of people who come to me for help now, and for the most part, I think I've been forgotten, which serves me well."

"That reminds me of the sheriff back in my home village. He's tried to extend the borders more than once, but other villages fight back. You're right, Karehl is power-hungry, and I think he would do anything to extend his grasp."

"I wish his brother could take the throne. He's a fair one, and just." Ashera shrugged, yawning. "We best get to bed. It's been a long day, and these old bones need their rest."

As Ashera retired to her bedroom and I settled down in front of the fire, I wondered if the spell would work. Even more important, I wondered if it would work properly , and not bring down chaos on our heads.

The next day, nothing happened out of the ordinary. Ashera helped me make a new outfit out of some soft leather she had around. By the end of the day, we had a neatly stitched pair of leather pants and a double-lined tunic. We started working on a new cape for me, as well. She had plenty of rabbit fur, and we trimmed the leather with it and added a silver brooch as a closure. Ashera had a knack for stitchery, and I watched in awe as her fingers flew over the material.

"I could never have stitched this by myself in a week, let alone a day," I said. While I helped, the work had primarily come from her. "I can't thank you enough."

"It's nice to have someone to look after," she said. "I've been alone so long I think I forget how it feels to be around people—at least people who are genuine. I've truly enjoyed having you here, Asajia. If you ever need a place to stay again, you're welcome to stay with me." She gave me a soft smile, and I returned it.

"I never really knew my grandparents, but I like to think this is the way it would be. My mother and I had a comfortable relationship, as well. Although I wish she could have had your confidence."

"That's one thing you can't just hand to another. Confidence has to be built from the inside out, or you'll never be sure of yourself. No matter how much people tell you how great you are, you have to truly believe it in order to put it to work for you. There now," she said, patting the front of the cloak. "We're finished. Let's eat some dinner and get some sleep."

"How long until we know whether your spell works?" I asked. "Or is there a way to tell beyond someone to showing up?"

"There's no way to know for sure that it didn't work. Except if no one appears at the doorstep. So we wait."

After she went to bed, I sat by the fire, thinking over my situation. If Bran and Fenling didn't show up, I would have to make a decision about what to do. As much as I enjoyed Ashera's company, and I liked helping her out, I didn't think I could stay here forever. I didn't feel settled yet. As I climbed under the covers, I still wasn't sure what my decision would be. But I had time, at least. Karehl hadn't caught me here yet, and hopefully, I'd be long gone before he ever showed his face at the door.