Page 36 of Mountain Orc Daddy

“No way did Gideon have a chance,” Jade tells me. “That poor fool was hoodwinked, bagged and questioned.”

“Where’s Uzul?” I ask again. Doesn’t my sister see that the snakes are going to come out of the basket if she doesn’t tell me where Uzul is?

“Uzul did the toughest part,” Jade tells me. My heart is hammering the loudest of drums in my ears. “Lead Gideon into the woods, was able to lose Gideon in the woods, and then looped around and captured Gideon.”

“Where’s Uzul?” I scream it this time. All four of them are inside now. Everybody pauses in mid-motion to stare at the screamer.

“He’s coming,” Dad chirps matter-of-factly.

“Uzul's coming?” I answer in barely a whisper.

“Of course, babe,” Jade tells me. “He’s not far behind.”

“I’m sure he is already enroute,” Dad confirms.

“Uzul stayed back to take care of a couple things,” Remus adds.

“What kind of things?” I ask.

“Bad things,” Remus answers. “Let Jade tell you. She’ll say it better.”

“We questioned Gideon,” Jade says on cue. “He answered nothing. We took turns asking. Uzul could not get past Gideon not answering why he targeted you. None of us could. Uzul did not accept Gideon not explaining why you were targeted or offering any assurances that you would not be targeted again.”

“So, what happened?” I ask Jade. I know what happened. Uzul went to great lengths to protect me. Didn’t think twice about taking a life to protect me.

“You know why Uzul stayed back,” Jade answers. “Uzul was not going to accept blurred lines regarding Gideon coming after you. So Uzul took care of that. I know Dad is right. Uzul will be back here shortly.”

Jade finishes and I move to the nearest comfy chair to sit and swallow what I just learned. My emotional switchboards are flooding with love and remorse. Remorse that Uzul had to do such a task to protect me. The love I feel is because I know Uzul does not think twice about giving all for those he loves, and now I am the receiver of such inexhaustible devotion.

A humongous, bittersweet weight is pushing me into myself.

I return from my reverie to hear Jade in the kitchen. Remus is outside working with his broom. My parents, I am guessing, are in their bedroom decompressing.

My task now is to endure the wait for Uzul to return. I trust what my father has said. Uzul is not far behind.

Two hours or ten minutes of waiting is an eternity right now.

That’s how longing is. Longing is never a friend.

I stand from my comfy seat and go upstairs to pace. I need to be away from the pesky scrying mirror and obsessing over watching the front driveway and path.

The hallway upstairs that runs between rooms is Massachusetts mastery. Long and dark and quiet. If you are not trained right, you will see spirits in the day or night. I simply want to pace, take my mind off the front drive, diffuse some of the tension of waiting. The process of continually scanning the front drive for Uzul’s approach is tough. Pacing the dark hall of my family’s home is not so anxiety inducing.

I do not eavesdrop. Not my style. We were not raised like that. Yet when I pass my parents’ bedroom door, I can hear them.

“I do not recognize the coven,” my mother is clearly telling my father. “I sensed spell-craft. Tracking Gideon, both early in the chase, and later, I sensed the presence of those who practice witchcraft.”

“Darling, I did too,” my father answers. His voice is taut when he says this. “A few times. Just like you, I could not detect a coven that I recognize. Their ambiance was poignant and harsh. These are witches who regularly practice and perform their craft outside the lines.”

“I sensed them in the city, in the woods, at the shack, and when we left the shack,” my mother adds. “I haven’t sensed them since we’ve been home.”

“Remus is outside now working with his broom, recasting protective spells, no doubt,” Dad says more to himself than Mom.

“Do you think Remus picked up on these others and their presence?” my mother asks.

“I am not so sure,” says Dad. “I have my suspicions. What’s scaring me is that I can’t pick up a coven that I recognize, nothing that resonates as familiar with other covens.”

I can’t help myself. I press my ear to the door tighter and quiet my pulse. This is serious. My parents are alluding to rogue witches or a group that might be malevolent. Uzul is still out there.

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