The Witch: Book Two of The Sorceress Saga Taliesin Govannon (best free ereader .txt) 📖

rarest things in the world. If that's what our friend is using, then they're beyond anything any of you has ever encountered."

                You know, I’d almost rather have another sex dream with Angelique!

                                                                                                *                *                *

                “Free-floating magick? Fuck my old boots… "

                Trevor shook his head, and then spat out a curse in what sounded like Wood Fae slang.

                “Well, this is curious.” Angelique added obliquely.

                “It can’t be… “ Gaia said.

                “Do we have another bowl of Twinkies?” Jack asked, lighting up a joint. “Because I sense the Mother of all munchies coming on.”

                We were gathered in the parlor once again, a fire warming the space where we were sitting in a circle. I had just told them about my morning chat with my predecessor, and it had brought the mood to a standstill.

                Evelyn, however, was unbothered. "Trev and I have dealt with free-floating magick before." she shrugged. "Remember Sao Paulo?"

                “Evie,” Trevor replied, “that was a pissed off psychic who had just enough personal mojo to project herself into her ex’s places and steal their penises. It’s not like conjuring an army.”

                “However,” Raina jumped in, “everything that’s been sent against us has already existed somewhere. None of it was conjured fresh.”

                “Really?” Jack asked. “Even the giant bats?”

                “Chiro demons." Vincent replied. "Not actual demons, but creatures created by magick and selective breeding. They're man-made, but not new… they go back to the Ottoman Empire."

                “We could,” Raina continued, “possibly, be dealing with a psychic magician with a killer teleportation spell.”

                “Well, that’s better than an unfathomable well of unknown and thus impossible to defend against wild magick.” Trevor said, cocking a grin.

                “That still limits how much help we Fae can be for intelligence gathering." Gaia said. "Our magick is all earth-based."

                “I thought it was crystal-based." Jack said, his voice showing the effects of the weed.

                “And we get crystals out of where?” Raina asked, rolling her eyes.

                “The new age shop downtown?” he replied hopefully.

                At that, Trevor got up and walked over to Jack. Without a word, he grabbed Jack’s smoldering joint and took a bit hit.

                “I thought you preferred alcohol.” Katsu said, watching him.

                “I do.” Trevor replied, hitting the joint again. “But I’ve seen this guy… “ he jerked his head towards Jack,”… tear a secure network down and rebuild it before breakfast. If this stuff can make him that clueless, then maybe I’m missing something.”

                Now that’s funny!

                The meeting broke up, and everybody started to file out of the room.  Everyone, that was, except for Gaia, Jack, Katsu, and Vincent, who were huddled together off to the side. Curious, I walked over to see what was up.

                “If this is for a surprise party, I can leave.” I said, leaning into their orbit.

                “That’s okay.” Vincent said, smiling. “I’m just pulling together an improbable strike force for a side mission.”

                “Sounds like D&D.” I said, grinning.

                “The cameras really helped in the fight against the giant bats.” Jack said. “Vincent thinks we should set some up where we get reports of suspicious spooky activity.”

                “How are we going to set up cameras all over the world?” I asked.  “I mean, your WiFi is bitchin’, Jack, but it’s not that strong.”

                “That’s where I come in.” Katsu said. “My sister and I communicate across long distances by opening up tiny portals and speaking through them. We can leave the portals open as long as we need. The portals are microscopic, but they’ll let sound through.”

                “Which means that they’ll also let WiFi signals through.” Jack said next. “I can set up solar-recharging cameras with their own broadcast capability. With Katsu’s micro-portals… which we can set up right next to the units…  we can get a clear feed while using the bare minimum signal strength.”

                “Which will reduce the chance of their being discovered.” Katsu added.

                “We can set up the portal on this side to be, like, a centimeter away from the router.” Jack continued. “A Windows Vista computer could send a clear signal over that small of a distance!”

                “They’re starting out in the area just outside of Durban, South Africa.” Vincent said. “At least, that’s where we’ll start.  They won’t be going into the city proper, but rather the sub-tropical forest just outside of the city. That’s where Trevor and Evelyn’s sources have detected some mammals of unusual size being moved by supernatural means.”

                “I’m going for wildlife control.” Gaia said, raising her hand.

                “I’m in too.” I said.

                Vincent looked surprised. “Really?”

                “I’ve been feeling restless lately.” I said. “I could use to get out of the house again.”

                “So soon after Virginia?” he asked.

                “Well,” I replied, “You’ll still have you and Angelique, Raina, Hatsu, and the Hawkinses here, so it’s not like we’re scattering and leaving the lake untended again.”

                “Well, I think Angelique wanted to work with you… “Vincent started to say, but I cut him off.

                “Oh, we have loads of time for exercises.” I said quickly. “Besides, if my power really comes from the earth… the entire earth… then maybe I should experience more areas of that earth.”

                Vincent held his hands up. “You are a grown woman, and the Sorceress.” he said, grinning. “You call the shots.”

                “Great!” I said, smiling.  “When do we leave?”

                “Six this evening.” Gaia said. “We want to set up base camp after dark, and they’re five hours ahead of us.”

                “What should I pack?” I asked.

                Gaia smiled. “Bring your phone and charger. I’ll take care of the rest.”

                                                                                                *                *                *

                Zap! Zap! Zap!

                Raina sent streaks of energy at each round card I tossed in the air and nailed every one. “Awesome shot!” I exclaimed as one bolt shot through two targets at once.

                “Thank you.” she said, never slowing down at her exercise.  As fast as I flipped the thin cardboard targets up in the air, she shot