Page 37 of Untethering Dark

“I don’t know.” Getting to her own feet, Astrid withdrew an amulet from her pocket—a carved bit of stone hanging from a silver chain. “But wear this. It’s not infallible, but it will shield you from most spell effects.” Like someone trying to divine her thoughts. Or being charmed to do another’s bidding.

Johanna took the amulet, eyeing it uncertainly.

“Go on,” Suri urged. “Put it on.”

The spouses shared a tender look. “Can you help me, Schatzi?” Johanna asked. “Bitte?”

Suri nodded, taking the necklace.

While Johanna held up her hair, Suri stepped behind, bringing the chain around and clasping it closed. They lingered to press a kiss to the back of her neck. “There,” they said. “All done.”

“Danke,” Johanna replied, dropping her hair.

While the forest ranger phoned her colleagues, Astrid excused herself to the bathroom.

Stoppering the sink, she ran the faucet until it filled. Then, thinking of Mutter, she muttered an incantation and watched as the surface froze over.

“Tochter.” Perchta’s voice echoed a little in the space. “Twice in the same week. Is everything all right?”

The worry in Mutter’s expression had Astrid quickly explaining. “I’m all right. Can you come over today? I found what I think is evidence of ancient human magic, and I really could use some help identifying it.”

“Ancient humans...” Perchta’s voice trailed away, surprise writ plain on her face. “You’re sure?”

“Fairly. Do you think you can make it over?”

“I’ll summon a portal straightaway.”

“Just give me two hours. I’ve got to hike back up the mountain.”

“Where are you?”

“Johanna’s. Had to warn her—they killed a wolf, too.”

Perchta pursed her lips, lost in thought. “That sounds like a ritual, but there are many that include sacrifices. Be careful.”

“I will.” Astrid defrosted the ice in the sink.

Chapter Twelve

Perchta was already at the cottage, waiting just outside the front gate in her sleigh, when Astrid arrived.

In a flash of orange, Oskar hopped out, landing quietly in the snow with sleek grace. He paused to sniff the air, black nose twitching.

“You smell different,” Perchta commented with a smirk, as Astrid helped her down.

“Like Altes Geweih,”the fox familiar agreed eagerly.

She hiked four hours that day, down and up the mountain, sweating under all her layers, yet the first thing they scented on her was Gudariks. And she’d done nothing more than offer him a comforting hug and a helping hand. “Yes, well, we checked out the site together.”

Both mistress and familiar shared a knowing look. The fox smirked.“If you say so.”

Rolling her eyes, Astrid opened the gate.

She crossed the yard to Fritz and Liesel’s pen to see how they were doing. Bleating merrily, they both immediately darted over from their enclosure, bumping their heads into her outstretched hands when she leaned over the fencing to give them scratches.

“If you stay long enough,” she called over her shoulder. “You just might get to meet him.” There’d been no promises, but considering his long-held routine of visits, the odds seemed pretty good.

If luck were on her side, some of the novelty would wear off then, but it was doubtful Mutter would mellow out about the whole seduction thing. Becoming more insufferable was more likely. But after last night, it would be worth it to have the twomeet so that they could compare old-creature-of-the-forest notes and figure out who and what they were dealing with.

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