Page 54 of The Water Witch (Fairwick Chronicles 2)

I nearly laughed. That was exactly how I felt—not sure whether I really loved Liam, afraid to move forward with Duncan Laird, torn between the promises I’d made to my grandmother and my loyalty to Fairwick. I felt the knots inside tightening as I looked into Skald’s wide-open pale-gray eyes.

“If even Skald can’t read her, should we really risk anothercircle with her?” Moondance asked. “She might be working with the Grove to sabotage us. After all, her grandmother is a member.”

Liz cleared her throat. “Callie’s already discussed her connections to the Grove with me and I’m confident she’s not working with them to undermine us. As a token of her sincerity she’s brought the Aelvestone with her. With this much Aelvesgold, we should be able to help Brock find his way home.”

“How are we going to release him?” Ann asked, her voice oddly hushed. Glancing at her, I noticed that her eyes were locked on the Aelvestone and that her hands were curled into tight fists. Of all the witches in the circle, she was the last one I’d have predicted to be so affected by the stone, but then I remembered her daughter and realized she was probably thinking about what that much Aelvesgold could do for her.

“We’re going to use the spiral labyrinth to send Callie on a vision quest.”

“A vision quest?” I asked. “You mean like the Native American rite?”

“Sort of,” Liz replied. “Witches use a vision quest to journey along the spiral path to tap into their essential power. I’m hoping that you’ll be able to find and bring back Brock.”

“A vision quest requires days of fasting and preparation,” Moondance said. “How can you possibly think she’s ready?”

For once, I agreed with Moondance. I’d read up on vision quests for a paper I’d done in grad school on Native American mythology, and I knew that initiates sometimes prepared for months for the rite.

“I don’t think we have a choice,” Liz replied. “We don’t have time for Callie to fast and pray. The Grove and IMP meet on Monday.” She knelt in front of me and clasped both my hands in hers. “The transformative magic you’ve beendoing with Duncan Laird hasn’t unlocked your power. I confess I’m disappointed he hasn’t been able to help you, but perhaps there’s some reason why he hasn’t been the right guide for you…” She faltered and I wondered if she guessed about the conflicted feelings I had for Duncan and suspected they were why he hadn’t been able to help me more. “Be that as it may,” she continued, “this might be the only way to save Brock. I wouldn’t suggest this if I didn’t think it was the right thing for Brock—and for you.”

I looked into Liz’s eyes. The thought of taking a walk through that tangled mess inside was not appealing; it was terrifying.

“What exactly will I be doing?” I asked.

“You’ll walk the spiral path into the shadowland where Brock is lost. If you can find him, you can lead him back.”

“If you can find him,”Moondance parroted.

“Do you have a better suggestion for getting him back?” I asked, anger spiking my voice though I tried to keep it calm and level.

Moondance’s chin jerked back. She shook her head, the soft flesh under her chin wobbling. She looked frightened.

“I think someone should explain to Callie how dangerous the vision quest is,” Ann Chase objected, her voice trembling. “Not everyone who walks the spiral path returns. She could get lost in the shadows, as Brock has.”

I took my hands out of Liz’s grasp, laying one hand over Ann’s twisted and shaking hands. “I want to do it. I need to.”

What I didn’t add was that I suspected I was already half-lost in the shadows and needed to find my way back out.

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