Page 33 of Magic and Medicine

‘And you invited her into the house? For fuck’s sake, boss. We still have Czernobog’s dagger in the safe. What if she’s an assassin, or they bespelled her?’ Michal’s outburst was understandable, if a little insulting, but I owed him an explanation.

‘She is not an assassin. She doesn’t even know how much power she can exercise over the gods or spirits and certainly doesn’t know she can kill me. Luckily, for now, she doesn’t want to. I don’t know how my enemy found out about her, but Sara is in danger. The thug we captured was one of several sent after her, and his orders were to take her alive.’

‘Why? Did you find what they want or do here?’ In an unusual for him manner, Michal sat by me, pouring himself some alcohol.

‘All I discovered was that the man we captured called him the Warlock or Master and that he was an upstart mage, exiled by the brotherhood when he became too difficult to handle. After disappearing for several years, he returned as a Prophet of Czernobog, collaborating with the Russian military to kill the elder races. That’s apparently who’s backing him, but the best tidbit I found? The men who came with him? Each one is a convert, following their leader like a fucking cult.’

‘So the Russian brotherhood survived communism and Glasnost but couldn’t handle this arsehole?’ Michal emptied his glass in one go, and I shrugged.

‘I don’t think handle is the right word, but I will dig up more. I heard about some problems the eastern Covens had a few years back. A prophecy of the new dawn of the gods or some similar nonsense, but each time we offered assistance, they brushed us off, and it didn’t take long for everyone to lose interest.’

‘What do your kin think about it?’

‘If by my kin, you mean Gedania’s Council? I haven’t asked, and as long as they’re safe in their little haven, I doubt they’d care. As you know, we do not have the best working relationship,’ I said, observing him over the rim of my glass.

Michal knew the history. When magic faded with the twilight of the old gods, they created the Nether, escaping through the Gates. I and a few others stayed behind, our magic stripped away to power the spells anchoring the other realm, but despite this, I thrived, able to access a tiny portion of the magical energy from the anchors.

‘You should tell them. With so many attacks on the gate, let them decide if they want to support you or ignore the problem till it blows up in their faces.’ Michal didn’t seem satisfied with my explanation.

‘No, my friend, I will protect the Gates from this side. As for the rest, I will fix it. He targeted Sara, planning to use her against me. I can’t let it slide.’ I said, noticing the hint of a smile on his face. I didn’t know why the Warlock and his people attacked the Gates, but there were enough beings in the Nether to ensure the Gates were never breached.

‘You like her.’ Michal stated judiciously.

‘Yes.’

There was no sense in denying it. Within a short period, Sara had become a bright light to my lonely existence, but I wasn’t a savage to force myself on a woman who hated me, especially if there was a possibility the attraction we felt was caused by her magic.

‘So why….’ I didn’t let Michal finish before raising my hand to cut him off.

‘I misread the situation. Sara repeatedly wished for me to not contact her and disappear from her life, but I took it as a challenge because of the desire I saw in her eyes and how we responded to each other’s touch. I forgot that attraction doesn’t mean consent, and when she shared how being close to me wrecked her life, I understood that even if her magic complements mine, she would never consciously choose me. The irony is that the more time I spend with her, the more I want her and the more she pushes me away.’ I said, hating the defeat in my voice.

‘So why is she here?’

‘Because I can’t let her go. The thought of losing her drives me insane, and I feel guilty. Sara was right, I have placed her in danger, and to atone for this, I will protect her until she can defend herself, feelings be damned,’ I said. The sarcastic grunt Michal gave as he stood made me sigh. ‘As long as we don’t spend time together, there shouldn’t be an issue.’

‘I will adjust your schedule so you can avoid any unnecessary entanglements. Is there anything specific that will help?’

‘Prepare my apartment in the city. I will stay there until it’s time to reconnect with the grove or help Sara with her magic.’ I thought some more, guilt pricking my conscience at leaving Sara alone in a strange new environment before continuing. ‘Come up with a plausible excuse to bring that wolf pup, Jarek, here to stay. I think that will make our guest feel more comfortable.’ With that, Michal nodded, muttering something about thinking and heads, leaving before I could ask what he meant.

As I leaned back, the reassuring creak of my chair eased some of the tension in my shoulders, but I couldn’t stop thinking about the beautiful woman asleep upstairs. Will you return to my side if I set you free, my Firefly?. Maybe I can try again when this ends, and chaos and mayhem no longer disrupt her life? If she could see the man behind the mask, not the mobster or forgotten forest god, would her heart beat with the same intensity as mine?

The sun rose as I sipped the now-warm cider. The house was still quiet, and knowing Adam would be home by now, I called the grumpy vampire, his annoyed tone instantly improving my mood.

‘What the hell do you want? I was getting ready for bed,’ he snapped, and I imagined him debating whether to throw the phone against the wall.

‘Meet me at the office in an hour and ask Tomasz to come, too. I have a plan, but I need you both on board before I go to Nadolny.’

‘Leszek, this could have waited till the evening.’ His voice grated through the connection.

‘No, it couldn’t. I also want an update on the new clinic and the situation at the docks.’

‘What is wrong with you? You can’t sleep or what? Oh… that’s right, the good doctor is there. Fine, give me a moment. I fucking knew I’d be the one suffering thanks to her.’

‘Adam? Just be there,’ I answered, ending the call and getting ready. Before I left the house, I stood in the hallway, closing my eyes and reaching out with my senses. The forest around my home provided a constant flow of energy, directly linking me to the remains of my magic. That connection seemed stronger somehow, and I wondered if Sara’s presence was the reason for that change, the errant thought making my desire to stay challenging to overcome.

Adam was already in my office when I arrived, and Tomasz joined us shortly after. They’d both been present while I extracted the confession from our Russian friend, and although both men were used to the violence, the ferocity I displayed as I drove the living wood into the hoodlum’s body made them treat me warily.

‘What’s the plan?’ Adam spoke first, looking at me for an explanation. However, it was Tomasz who answered.

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