Page 85 of Last Witch Attempt
I grimaced as the scene became clearer. “I really am sorry, but you can’t go around killing people.”
“I can’t let her death go unavenged.” The naiad was deadly serious. “I will make them pay for what they did.”
“Listen—” I took a step toward her, which turned out to be a mistake. The ground beneath me began to shake as the dirt gave way to water. It must have been a well—that was the only thing I could think—and before I could react the earth fell inward beneath me, and I tumbled down.
I managed to grab a root to stop my descent. Stormy scrambled above me and reached down. “Grab my hand!”
It took two tries, but I finally managed to link my hand with hers. She pulled, but much like me, she didn’t have a lot of upper body strength. I had to use my magic to propel me upward.
When I was back on solid ground, Stormy pulled me into her for a hug. The naiad was gone.
“Well, that was intense,” Stormy said when she was no longer gasping.
I nodded.
“Do you think she killed the guy who lived here?”
I shook my head. “I don’t think he’s here. We’ll have to check, but I don’t think she got him. The others…” I trailed off.
“We’re in trouble, aren’t we?” she asked, her eyes soft.
“Big trouble,” I agreed. “She’s angry—deservedly so—and she’s going to kill all of them. We need to talk to the others and come up with a plan, one that doesn’t include the naiad’s death.”
“Is that realistic?”
“Probably not, but I’m going to try. I can’t live with the alternative.”
21
TWENTY-ONE
The house was empty, which was a relief. I texted Landon to be on the lookout for Dustin Carrington. He had questions. I gave him a very brief rundown, which didn’t appease him. There wasn’t much I could do about that. He wouldn’t rest until he saw me with his own eyes.
To buy ourselves time, we headed back to the inn to regroup.
“We didn’t find any bodies, or any reason to suggest there would be bodies,” Scout said as she munched on a cookie in the dining room. Mom and the aunts had put together a big spread for lunch—something that had Gunner giddy with joy—and they were just putting the finishing touches on it. “It’s possible the naiad is having to track these men individually by scent or something.”
I leaned back in my chair, stretching my legs out in front of me. “Why would you think that?” It wasn’t that I doubted her, I just wanted to understand.
“I doubt very much that naiads are running around with cell phones and arguing about old episodes ofAmerica’s Next Top Modelon Reddit. How is she getting the addresses?”
“Maybe she got to one of the leaders on the construction crew and they provided the information.”
“Maybe, but naiads have always seemed old school.” Scout shrugged as Landon and Chief Terry joined us.
“She has a point,” Stormy said. “If they’re living in the woods, where would they charge their phones?”
“Hey.” Landon moved closer to me, his gaze brimming with intensity. “Are you okay?”
“I told you I was okay when I texted,” I reminded him.
“I’m going to check for myself.” He grabbed my left arm as he sat next to me and immediately zeroed in on the new bruise there. “This is not what I was hoping to see.”
I shrugged. “It happened fast. It could’ve gone way worse.”
He grunted in response.
“She’s not kidding,” Stormy agreed. “That hole opened up out of nowhere. How did she even manage to do that?”
