I didn’t tell Kanesha I was going hunting. She would have insisted on coming.

I told Thruor. And she and another valkyrie, who’s name I didn’t know, were waiting outside by the time I’d geared up.

“I’m not letting anyone cast nasty curses on Kanesha.”

Thruor looked grim. “Agreed. Do you know what it was?”

“The talisman took most of it, but she fainted. I think they meant to kill her.”

“Or paralyze her, or make her sick with something. You resist that kind of stuff. She doesn’t.” Thruor’s tone was practical. “So, time to teach them a lesson.”

I glanced at the other woman present, but she was quiet. And testing the edge of a knife. I figured I could count on her.

“They won’t be in the same covenhome they were in before, especially with the cops investigating them. So we need to find them.” I’d called the steed before. Now I focused on a different creature. Maybe now the weather was warmer he would show up.

And he did, the fyrhund leaning against me, sending a blast of hot air around me.

“I’d almost forgotten about him.”

“He got mad when I stopped working at a place with an oven. And doesn’t like winter.” I reached down to scritch the elemental behind the ears.

He was probably from Muspelheim. I didn’t care, not if he could help find our quarry. “Reckon you can help us track down some witches?”

Thruor looked thoughtful. “Need something connected to them. Something for him to get a scent off of.”

I petted him once more and then vanished inside, coming out with a pamphlet Clara had given me. “This should have scent on it. Other than mine and Clara’s.”

I held it out for the fyrhund – who actually became visible and manifested as a rather goofy looking red coon hound. With a slice of Scooby Doo. “You’re too cartoony,” I told it.

It made a very Scooby-esque rawrl sound, but shifted to look more like a real dog.

“Much better.” Then it glanced at the valkyries and started to trot off down the street. I hopped on behind Thruor as we set off. This time, I was prepared – I was wearing a helmet. It didn’t really make me that much more comfortable about things, though. I felt just as safe without one.

Although it only appeared to be trotting, we had to go at a good pace to keep up with it. And it was heading clean out into the suburbs, right out to Falls Church.

Eventually, it stopped outside a very ordinary and innocent looking house. A big one, but still very ordinary.

I, for one, didn’t detect any hint of magic.