Making Fate

We stopped at a beachside restaurant halfway back for dinner.

“I think she’s going to be fine,” Sarita said, finally. “They’ll help her start over somewhere else.”

I nodded. “And get her a restraining order.”

“And you scared him off?”

“I think so.” I wasn’t going to talk about magical restraining orders right now. She was already more involved than I liked, but… “Thanks. I couldn’t have done this without you.”

“I don’t like men who act like that. They make me wish I was like you.”

I shrugged. “We can’t choose that.”

“No, we can’t. I wish more people really accepted that. On all sides.”

I thought about how some gay people treated me for being bi and nodded. “Yeah. All sides. Although it is a bit unfair that I can enjoy more of the eye candy in the movie.”

“I thought you were a lesbian.” Sarita shrugged.

“Nope. Bisexual.”

“And lucky.”

I grinned. “Nah, I just have better taste than poor Eden.”

“Oh, he probably treats her like a princess when he’s not being abusive. They usually do.”

I didn’t ask if Sarita had any direct experience with that, and shifted the conversation to something safer until we drove back to the hotel.

Kanesha was curled on the bed reading. “Mission successful?”

“Yeah. I should have taken you, though. We had witch problems.”

“Evil witches. Typical.”

“But it’s dealt with. We found some nice witches in Hampton Roads and I had them put a spell on the ex so he can’t go close to her.”

Kanesha grinned. “Some witches should set up a protection agency to do that sort of thing.”

“If we existed in a world where magic could advertise, yeah.”

“What if they didn’t admit it was magic?” She sounded thoughtful.

I grinned. “In that case they probably already exist.”

I was sure they did. Now I had it firm in my mind that kind of thing was possible, I wondered if there were witches who worked at domestic violence shelters and used magic to protect the residents.

Maybe a spell to keep men out. Although that wouldn’t work for everyone – some victims were men and some perpetrators women. No, it would have to be more subtle than that.

Unless, of course, you assumed it was always the man at fault. I hadn’t, even in this case, but those witches had given me the shivers.

Even if Eden lied, the kid didn’t deserve to be in contact with them.

And I was sure she hadn’t.

Either way, with the valkyries as escorts, I handed him over to the coven master…not mistress, for once…of a group in Hampton Roads.

“We’ll need…”

“She’s carrying his child,” Thruor said. “That should be enough of a connection without having to bring her here.”

A bit of a smile from the witch. A smile I didn’t like. “Well, he won’t ever get close to her again.”

I trusted that was true, stepped outside. Thruor followed me. “We can’t take you anywhere,” she quipped.

“Apparently not. And I wasn’t even intending to rescue her, I was just trying to get a selkie her cloak back.”

“Don’t trust selkies.”

“I don’t.” My thoughts were amused. “But as I said to the selkie, I don’t really trust myself, either.”

“Good point,” Thruor quipped. “Given who you are.”

“Exactly. So, no, I didn’t trust her. Didn’t mean I wanted her forced into a relationship with whoever had it.”

“Except…”

“Except it was Eden, and she thought she could use it.”

Thruor pursed her lips.

“She’s got selkie blood.”

“Not enough. Well, occasionally enough of it comes together. But…”

“Not in her, or her kid.” I sighed a bit. “And apparently her ex is the only person with no magical talent in a family of witches. I sort of feel sorry for him.”

Thruor shook her head. “He could have come to somebody.”

“He did. He just picked the wrong somebody. But I…”

“You need to meet up with your friend and get back by nightfall.”

I nodded. “Do you…”

“Sarita would have dropped her off at the shelter.” Thruor rattled off the address.

I left the car and headed there on foot, at the quick pace I could manage when I was alone. Shields up, of course. Outside, I found Sarita.

“I won’t ask…”

“I carjacked her husband.”

Sarita stopped. Then she laughed. “He…”

“I gave it back to him, with enough of a scare that he won’t come back here any time soon.”

“You’re weird.”

“I know.” I rather hoped she’d forget how weird.

People I dragged into this had a habit of dying, after all.

Being a reasonably civilized goddess, I let him live anyway. I tied him up, put him in the back of his car and drove towards Hampton Roads. Not really by choice – there wasn’t really anywhere else to go where I might be able to find backup.

I couldn’t hand him over to the cops, who would never believe me. But I rather thought there would be some decent witches there who could deal with this kind of thing in an appropriate way.

I wish I was sure what an appropriate way was. Killing him in cold blood and playing jury and executioner might have been justice of a sort, but it wasn’t something my mother would approve of.

No.

It wasn’t something my father would approve of. Odin, maybe, but Odin was a king. He had the right to do things like that. I wasn’t a queen and didn’t want to be. So, I didn’t.

The police had jurisdiction, but they were useless. So? I drove to Hampton Roads, not really seeing the beautiful scenery, and being very careful not to be pulled over. True, I had my license, but it wasn’t my car and I was…

I was carjacking the guy. But I didn’t quite make it to Hampton Roads before two motorcycles peeled out onto the road next to me.

Thruor and Kara.
Thank Odin – or whoever had tipped them off. I’d never been so glad to see valkyries in my life.

I pulled over with them flanking me.

“What do we have here?”

“Oh, he beat his wife and joined up with a black coven to sacrifice their unborn child for power.”
Thruor rolled his eyes. “The witches?”

“I hope they’re a good distance away. They tried to throw stuff at me through projections, but I sent them home.”

“Good work. How about we take him from here?”

“What will you do to him?”

“Hrm.”

“If I was going to kill him, I would have. I’m rather thinking…”

Kara suggested, blithely, “Turn him into a toad?”

I laughed. “Don’t insult toads.”

“I don’t know. They’re ugly and toxic.”

“And eat biting flies,” I pointed out. “Toads are too useful to insult in this way.” Even if I wouldn’t want to mess with one. “But I was rather hoping to find a coven in Hampton Roads with a good idea.”

“Honestly, what we probably want for him is a magical restraining order,” Thruor mused. “Then we’ll go after the coven.”

“A magical…”

She grinned. “A geas not to get within X miles of his ex or her child until or unless it’s released. And there probably is a witch in Hampton Roads who could do it.”

I wished I’d thought of that. “I thought of the mundane variety.”

“Oh, she should get one of those as well. But…”

“But he can’t ignore magic.”

And the poor kid, I thought. With that for a father. No, with no father, he’d be better off. “As for the witches,” I added.

“Those I don’t think we should hesitate about sending right to Hell or wherever.”

Probably Hell, I thought. They were probably actual devil worshippers or something.

Or just, I couldn’t help but think, power-hungry fools.

Desperate men do desperate things, but this one just froze until the witches stepped out to flank him.

Two of them, women, one old, one much younger and no doubt her trainee or apprentice. At first I had no idea how they had got there.

Then I realized they weren’t actually there. Projections of some kind. “Nice try, but I assume your backup is really back in town.”

“But of course. Why risk being stabbed? And we only want the child.”

“To sacrifice.” I kept my tone even. I was going to kill all three of them. “And you have him convinced he’ll gain power from it.”

They smiled.

“It’s not true, you know. There’s ways for normal people to learn magic, it’s a lot harder without the talent, but you could do it. Without hurting anyone.” A pause. “But you can’t just take the kid’s power. Or your wife’s.”

“They said we couldn’t take hers because she’s grown up, and besides, the kid will be stronger.”

I doubted that. I hadn’t sensed the child, which meant that its aura was still hidden by its…or his…mother’s. “The kid isn’t stronger. And I won’t let you do this anyway.”

“You and what army?”

“If I kill you…” I stepped forward, pressing the point of my sword against his chest. It wanted his blood. I could barely hold it back. “Which my blade wants to do.”

“They put a curse…”

I smiled. “Could any curse bind me?” Of course one could, but one set by these losers? I was confident they couldn’t touch me.

The witches did something at that point…the sword point was pushed back a bit. Straight up shield spell. Not bad, given they were doing it remotely.

I wished for Clara. She’d know how to stop them. And then I did, abruptly. They were projections.

The sword had just cut through magic. All I had to do was find…

I picked the younger one, abruptly darting right around the man to cut through the link between the image and her real self. It wasn’t like astral projection in the books. I didn’t kill her.

But I dispelled the image.
The older one blinked. Then she smiled. “A worthy opponent. Few would have thought of that.” Then she, too, disappeared.

No doubt she was checking on her apprentice. “Alone again.” The shield spell was still up. “Give me one good reason not to kill you.”

He didn’t.

He managed to squirm free, and stood facing me. I kept the blade even and pointed at him.

He didn’t flinch. I gave him points for that. “She wants to leave you. Respect that or prove her right.”

“I need that child.”

Need.

He had no power, no magic, but… that didn’t mean he didn’t want it. “For what?”

“It’s none of your business!”

“If you knew who I was you’d know it was.” A bit of a bluff. I had no clue whether it was my business or not. Maybe he needed the kid to take over the family business.

“Why do you care?”

“Because I’m crazy.” I grinned at him. “Crazy enough to kill you right here if I don’t like the answers I get.”

“Then…” He had his hand in his pocket. Maybe he was dialing 911.

More likely he was calling whichever witch had told him where to find us. I didn’t make any move to stop him.

“…we’re at an impasse. You can’t follow them.”

“You don’t know that.” It happened to be true unless backup showed up, and I was a long way from my backup. But I could bluff him.

“I don’t see a vehicle.”

“Do you believe in magic, Carlton?” I asked him.

“Of course I do. Don’t you get it?”

“You want the kid to be trained and in your power.” He didn’t have any talent, but…

“Everyone else in my family has it. Don’t you understand?”

Honestly, I didn’t. “You want to be a witch. Failing that, having one you can control is almost good enough.”

“No. I plan on taking her power.”

He wouldn’t have said that if he didn’t think that he had backup. And the next thing I knew there was a spell trying to wrap around me.

“Nice try.” I actually slashed it with the sword, cutting through the magical energies. Huh. I didn’t know it could do that.

“What the hell are you?”

“A goddess,” I told him, with a smile. “Have your friend come out of hiding. Or…”

Or I really would kill him. Maybe I would anyway.

Maybe he knew that, from the look in his eyes.

It would take us closer to two and a half hours to get to Hampton Roads, according to Sarita’s GPS. Thirty minutes in, I noticed we were being followed.

“We’ve grown a tail.”

“Joy. Is it our friend?”

Eden was kind of curled up on the back seat. She ventured a peek. “Yes. It’s him.”

Or at least his car and his license plate, I thought darkly. “Somebody told him.”

“How did they know what car I’d be in?”

I thought about that. “I don’t know.” I wanted to give a better answer to this one than that. I don’t know was not a good answer to somebody finding out close-held information.

“Somebody…”

Somebody had sold her out. It couldn’t be the cop. He would have told the guy she was going to Hampton Roads, but he didn’t know how or in what vehicle. We were driving along one, not very wide road.

“Should I…” Sarita frowned.

“Pull over.”

She did so. “I’m testing to see if he’s really following us or just happening to be on the same road.”

But he slowed and pulled in behind us. “You stay in the car. Get ready to drive.”

“Leaving you here…”

“I can handle him. Even if he’s armed. I’ve done this kind of thing before.”
I hopped out…and drew my sword. I heard an in-drawn breath.

“Where…how…”

“Just be ready to drive.” I wasn’t hiding the weapon. I wanted it visible. I wanted it intimidating. Bullies tended to be very afraid of feet of sharp steel that served only one purpose.

Often more so than of guns.

He got out of the car. Staring at me. “Who the hell are you?”

“Just a concerned citizen.”

“She told you I beat her.”

“She told the truth.” His aura had no magic to it. “How did you know where she was?”

“Witch told me.”

I’d have to deal with that witch.

“She’s mine. The child is mine.”

“Her name is Eden.” I said those words. “And the child is hers.”

He wasn’t about to charge me. “Drive,” I hissed at Sarita.

She did so. This was risky. I could be left here with no transport, but I sensed a bit of a build of power nearby.

He started to turn to run for his car. I switched the sword to my left hand and lunged forward, grabbing for his shirt with the right. “You’re not going anywhere. The courts will sort this out.”

“Ah, yes, they will. And I’ll win. You’ll see.”

Win proof that he hadn’t beaten her. And it did occur to me that maybe he hadn’t. “Either you beat her, in which case she needs to be away from you. Or she’s lying to get you into trouble, in which case why do you want her?”

“My child.”

Maybe she had manipulated us, but if that was the case we were doing this man a favor. But he seemed to care more about the child.

“I really don’t trust him.”

I nodded to her. “I don’t, either.” I pulled my phone out. “Okay, so how do we get you to Hampton Roads.”

“I don’t think there’s a way without a car.”

I growled. “You’re right. Transit not available. And I don’t have a vehicle, there’s no room in the van, and I’m stuck here three more days anyway.”

I had money, but you couldn’t buy what nobody could sell. A taxi that long a distance would cost a fortune. It was, I recalled, close to two hours. But there was no other alternative.

“So…”

“So, we’re going to have to hire a car and driver.”

“You have that kind of money?”
A pause. “No, but…the alternative is to rent a car on his credit cards, which with a one-way rental will…”

“I could dump the car and leave him with the bill.”

“He’d still find you too easily.” Of course, the same was true with a car. If I was a few years older. Well, legally older. “Unless…okay. You need to meet some people. Let’s go join them for dinner.”

“Do you think that’s safe?”

“I don’t think we have a choice.”

And with an entire group of women… So, we headed for the restaurant we were meeting at.

“I’m paying for this one too.”

Sarita looked at her. “Is this the lady who needs some help?”

I nodded. “Can you think of a good way to get her to Hampton Roads?”

“We have a half day tomorrow. I’ll take her.” A simple offer. A simple solution.

“I can…”

“No, you don’t need to cover my gas,” she told me, firmly.

“I think I want to come along. Three is better than two if he manages to track us down.”

She nodded. Then she looked at Eden. “We’ll get you away from him. Assuming you’re really determined to leave.”

“I’m pregnant,” she said, finally.

I glanced at Sarita. Then back to Eden. “Should have told that cop that.”

“I would if I thought it would help. He’ll probably tell Carlton where we’re going.”

I shuddered. “If he does, then…”

Then he might have signed Carlton’s death warrant. I wasn’t about to be nice to the guy, after all.

Or let him hurt Eden or her child.

The police station wasn’t far from the beach and it was small. “If he sees me here.”

“He won’t.”

I had to drop the glamor, of course, once we were inside. Couldn’t risk the desk sergeant not noticing us either.

“Can I help you ladies?”

She took a deep breath, looked at me, looked at him. “I…” A pause. “My husband…he’s been…”

“I don’t see any bruises.”

I gave him a look. “First of all, abuse isn’t always physical.”

“Not much we can do if it isn’t.”

Okay, this was already going badly. I thought painfully of Mike, then gave her a reassuring look.

“He didn’t beat me today. But he does. Regularly. I’m leaving him, but I need help.”

I relaxed a little. She seemed determined to get out, she seemed like she wouldn’t run right back to him as too many abused spouses did.

“Not sure what we can do.”

“You can tell her how to get a restraining order and I’m sure somebody here knows where the nearest women’s shelter is.”

“Isn’t one closer than Hampton Roads.”

And me without any kind of a vehicle.

“Then I need help getting to Hampton Roads.”

He seemed to consider this. “I’d still need some…”

“You don’t need evidence to help her find a way to get to Hampton Roads easily.”

“Would be easy if I had money.”

I glanced at her. “I can help with that. Just tell her how she can get a restraining order.”

Finally, he nodded. “I have some forms and a leaflet. Let me find them.”

She whispered, “Unhelpful.”

“Typical,” I whispered back. “I don’t have a car with me, so I can’t drive you up to Hampton Roads, and I don’t think there’s room in the van, but I do have money.”

“Are you rich?”

I considered that. “Not yet, but I have enough to help with this.”

He was handing her some papers. “I’d personally wait until you get to Hampton Roads, mind.”

She nodded. “But I can read through this.”

“It won’t be that different.” Then he looked at me. Tilted his head, but said nothing more.

I felt, almost, as if he’d recognized me. Or recognized something like me. Knew the type, as it were.

It did not make me comfortable.

We hid her in our room. Kanesha stayed with her while I went to work.

“You seem distracted,” Sarita said.

“There was a woman on the beach earlier trying to get away from an abusive husband or boyfriend.” I still wasn’t sure which.

“Ugh. Does she need a posse?”

I considered. “Maybe. I mean, the guy might have a gun.”

“Point. Has she talked to the police yet?”

“Not yet. And you know how well restraining orders work if the guy’s determined.”

“Don’t I just.” Sarita glanced around.

“But one would be a good idea anyway.” I had a feeling I’d still end up beating on the guy. No. This wouldn’t be resolved until after I left.

I had to find local help for her. It would be a challenge, but there had to be a coven of white witches or somebody who would assist.

Or maybe the selkie would, once she understood why the girl had tried to steal her cloak.

But a coven of witches would be better. They might be able to teach her to protect herself. Or get her out of town. This place was probably too small to have a women’s shelter.

Then it occurred to me she might not be local either. After the shoot I went back to our room.

“So, where are you from?”

“Maine,” she admitted.

“Is he from there to?”

“Yes.” A pause. “I’m not going back with him.”

“Maybe we can hide you until he runs out of money or time off.”
She shook her head. “He’d quit his job first.”

“Okay, then you need to talk to the police. Kanesha…” I tailed off. “No, I’ll go with you. Kanesha, find the local magic shop.”

It was a small town. It wasn’t that small. There had to be one somewhere. I’d rather send her to the cops, but this was the south. And heck, even in the north, you didn’t send the black person to talk to the cops.

Stupidity, but there it was. Kanesha sighed a bit, then nodded. “Alright.”

She knew it didn’t make sense either. I offered my hand. “What’s your name, even?” I hadn’t even asked.

“Eden.”

Pretty, unusual. “Can your parents help?”

She shook her head. “They…died in a car crash, three years ago. My aunt, though. But he’d know I was going there.”
And possibly kill both of them. I nodded. “Stay with me. If he tries anything…”

“You’ll get arrested for assault.”

I grinned. “No I won’t. I’ll make sure he hits first.”
At that, she managed a weak smile. “Can magic help?”

“It already has.”

“She really wants it, doesn’t she,” the selkie said right before I took off in a run after the thief.

Maybe she thought the cloak would work for her…heck, she was running for the water. I could tell she wasn’t a fairy, though.

Just an idiot thief. And she was plunging into the water. “It won’t work!” I called after her. “It only works for its owner!”

“I need to…I need to…”

Escape? Maybe that was it. Had she been another fairy maybe…but she sensed to me as entirely mortal. No, not quite. There was a bit of magic there. A trace.

And then a wave knocked her off her feet. Fortunately, that was all it did, it didn’t start sweeping her out to sea.

But she let go of the cloak and the water took it. I didn’t go after it. I trusted its owner could do so faster than I could.

Instead, I plunged towards her, glad I was dressed for the beach. I had her wrists in a moment. “Look at me. It wouldn’t have worked for you.”

“Please.”

“What are you running away from?” I realized after a moment, it was a who.

“I…” She spread her hands. She had webbing, the mark of somebody who had a selkie ancestor.

“You don’t have enough of the magic,” I told her, softly. “But there are other ways to escape. I can help you.”

The selkie had retrieved her cloak. She looked at me, smiled, and then swung it around herself as she plunged into the water. What surfaced was a seal, swimming rapidly out to sea.

I had a feeling it wasn’t the last I’d ever see of her.

“He’ll kill me. He’ll kill you.”

“Look at me. Use the Sight, if you have it.”

Her eyes widened, seal-like in that moment. “You…” she whispered.

“I can help you.”

“He’s coming,” she whispered.

Partner, boyfriend, husband, father? Kanesha knew about abusive fathers.

“Are you sure you want to leave him?” I asked her.

“Yes.”

“Then stay close to me. Walk next to me. Pretend nothing’s wrong.”

Kanesha had heard. She moved to the other side.

“When he sees me with anyone…”

I smiled. “He won’t.”

Her eyes widened. “Glamorie?”

“Something akin.” I strengthened the ‘nothing to see here’ field, wrapping it around all three of us. There were lots of people on the beach.

He wouldn’t see us. I was determined of that. Of course, it was only the first step. And the future steps would likely involve beating him up.

Or the police. Restraining orders, though, seldom worked. At least not in the stories I’d heard.

And I was a long way from my own turf.