Eileen Wilks - Ritual Magic

“You told her she had to either put her knife and gun in the trunk or leave them with you.”

It turned out that Gene hadn’t been at the gate when Miriam arrived, but on his way back to it. He hadn’t seen Miriam or her car, but he’d heard them talking. What he reported of that conversation didn’t match what Cory said. But according to Rule’s nose, Cory wasn’t lying. He truly didn’t remember some of the things Gene said.

Like being told a couple of times to forget things. That was part of what Gene had assumed was a flirtation. “What kind of flirty things did she say? At one point she told him he was a nice young man for wanting to help her out. I think she said he wanted to do anything possible to help her.”

“Do you remember that, Cory?” Rule asked.

“Yes.” Cory was pale.

“Do you remember Miriam asking where Lily and I were?”

Cory shook his head.

Miriam had asked about Grandmother and Cullen, too. Cory didn’t remember that. Then Rule questioned Gene about where he’d been when Miriam and Cory were talking. More than two hundred yards from the gate, Gene thought. He was sorry, but he couldn’t be more precise. Not more than three hundred yards, though. He was sure of that, because he hadn’t yet reached that abandoned rabbit burrow near the twisted pine.

Three hundred yards was close enough for lupus ears to hear every word spoken. It was not, apparently, close enough for the knife to make Gene obey Miriam’s order to “forget.” Not close enough to leave the taint of its compulsion on him.

Lily shot Rule a tight grin. The delay here had been very much worthwhile. “Three hundred yards. We can assume that’s the knife’s limit. It might be less, but we can work with that.”

“That’s important to know.” He paused. “She’s got Pete.”

That took her grin away. “And Isen, I suppose. And . . . everyone who was at Isen’s house when she got there.” Toby, Julia, Li Qin, Hardy, Carl, the guards who’d been stationed there . . . Cynna? Had she been there? Cory and Gene both said that Grandmother had left with Benedict and Arjenie before Miriam arrived, but Cynna might have still been at Isen’s house. With Ryder.

She glanced at Cullen. He looked as grim as she felt.

Rule spoke crisply. “However many she might have placed under compulsion, we’ve no reason to think she’s harmed anyone yet.”

He was doing that I’m-in-control thing with his voice to make Cullen and his men feel better. Damned if it didn’t work on her, too. “That’s true. And I’m betting she doesn’t have everyone under compulsion. Maybe not even most of them. If she did, wouldn’t she have had Cory kill or capture us instead of just giving Pete a heads-up? And logistically, it would be hard for her to get everyone together so she could put them under compulsion. Plus, it would take time, and she’s got a ritual to prepare for. If she’s using the more distant node, just getting there will take time. If she’s using the one behind Isen’s house, she’ll have to get rid of the deck.”

“If she’s using a ley line,” Cullen pointed out, “she won’t have those problems.”

“Yes, but . . . she went to Isen’s house.”

Rule nodded slowly. “She did, didn’t she? I find it interesting that Pete ordered Clanhome closed without giving an alert code. That’s standard. Omitting the code sounds as if he repeated what he’d been told to say.”

“I’m not sure what you’re getting at.”

“I’m not sure either, except that it sounds like he did what he was told to do, and not one bit more. He didn’t tell Miriam there was a code he was supposed to use.”

“So he has to obey, but that doesn’t really put him on her side?”

“I think so. In which case, a lot depends on the exact wording of the orders she gives.”

“Another thing we learned,” Cullen said. “The compulsion remains in effect after the knife’s gone. Cory’s still contaminated, and he doesn’t remember anything he was told to forget.”

“Ah.” Rule frowned. “Yes. We need to take that into account.”

“Rule?” That was Cory. “Can you tell me what’s going on now?”

“Miriam has gotten hold of an artifact. She used it to place compulsions on you. That’s why you don’t remember some things. She told you to forget, and you did. I’m sorry, Cory, but we’re going to have to tie you up for now. You’re subject to Miriam’s control. We can’t trust you.”

“But I wouldn’t do anything against you or the clan. I wouldn’t!”

“How do you feel about Miriam, Cory?”

“I want to help her in any way I can, of course, but . . .” Horror widened his eyes. “Why do I want that?” he whispered.

The answer was obvious to all of them. Gene got a length of rope from the back of the old truck they kept near the gate for the guards’ use. While he tied up his friend, Rule told Gene, “Stay here with Cory. You’re not to call Pete or obey any orders he gives you until Isen or I tell you it’s okay.”

Lily heard the van coming. “Our other ride’s nearly here. We need to decide if we’re going with plan A or plan B.” They’d laid out two general plans depending on where the knife was. She paused. “I’m betting on plan B. Miriam did go to Isen’s house.”

“Yes, she did.” Rule looked at his car. His smile was slow and cold. “I’ll have a word with Friar about that. I’ve an idea how to persuade him to talk.”

RULEcrouched low, using his hands now and then to assist his descent. Smells filled him . . . creosote, cypress, and sumac. Wild mustard and cholla. The warm, dry smell of the dirt. The scents of home welcomed him and the mantle tied to this land pushed him away.

Off to his left, a pair of shadows drifted stealthily down the slope. On his right four more did the same . . . unless Gray had found his spot already. Even to lupus eyes it was dark tonight, too dark for Rule to be sure Gray still descended with them. Some kind fate had drawn a skim of clouds over the stars, and the moon was dark.

Behind him, on the other side of the ridge, he’d left the man he wanted to kill almost as much as he wanted his next breath. Almost was not enough, not with other priorities crowding it out. He’d left Friar there, knowing the man might be lying about being unable to walk. The easy sound of Friar’s breathing suggested he’d knitted up his damaged chest, so it seemed his body magic did indeed work more quickly than lupi healing.

Friar hadn’t wanted to tell them where the knife was. Rule had told him he might as well, because he was no longer necessary. He’d prefer not to endanger Cynna by involving her, but if Friar wouldn’t cooperate, they’d have to. From this close, Cynna could undoubtedly Find the knife.

That wasn’t true, of course. Cynna was a powerful Finder, but an artifact that could hide from a hellhound might be able to fool her Gift, even this close. But Rule had been convincing, and Friar had bought it.

They’d been right. Miriam was at Isen’s house with the knife.

Rule had decided to bring Friar with them most of the way so Friar could tell them if Miriam left the house with the knife. According to Friar she’d stayed put, so when they reached a certain steep-sided gully on the other side of the ridge they were crossing, Rule had deposited Friar in it. This didn’t violate their deal; he hadn’t been harmed, and the gully was no prison. Even if Friar’s knee was still as damaged as he claimed, he could make his way out. Slowly and painfully, perhaps, but Rule hadn’t sworn to make the bastard’s life easy.