“It seemed to vanish for a moment.As I followed it, I felt queasy—it was as if the world suddenly began to spin, pulling me in every direction.It only lasted for a few seconds, then I sort of came to, I guess you’d call it.I found myself standing in a dark grove of trees.Everything felt incredibly creepy, and I couldn’t see the goblin—I think it was a goblin—anywhere.”
I stiffened and glanced over at Iris.“Tell us more.This grove—have you ever seen it before?”
“No, and what’s more, I think I might have been hallucinating.”He tugged at his collar, looking as if he wished he’d kept quiet.
I had the feeling that Chase had experienced something he shouldn’t have.It sounded like he had stepped through one of the natural portals that connected the worlds.Most humans never knew they existed, but occasionally, someone would stumble through one of them and usually, end up in trouble.
“Tell me exactly what happened,” I said.
“Well, as I said, it felt like I was being torn apart by a tornado or something, then suddenly slammed back together.I found myself standing in a dark grove.My men weren’t with me, and it seemed like…like the park but not like the park.”Chase frowned, leaning forward.“The trees looked different.I mean, I ran into a stand of fir and maple, and all of a sudden there were different types of trees and bushes around.”
“What else did you notice?”I picked up a notebook and began to scribble down some notes.
“Let me think,” he said, squinting.“It was raining when I ran between the huckleberries bushes, and then—it wasn’t.And the grass was dry.Also, there was something in the center of the circle of trees?—”
“Circle of trees?You mean,trulylike a grove?”If he had stumbled into a secret grove, there was probably some form of magic involved.
I shifted, crossing one leg over the other.I was wearing my purple chiffon dress that had a black lace bodice, and over that, a black corset.I had fallen in love with goth-fetish fashion, and now my wardrobe was filled with all sorts of goodies.I leaned down and adjusted the strap of my shoe.I loved my silver stilettos.Earthside had it all over Otherworld in fashion.It was easy and quick to find outfits that made me feel feminine and sexy, and yet hard as nails.
Chase’s gaze followed my legs as I crossed them, and he cleared his throat.“Um…Where was I?Oh, right.Yes, it was like a grove.In the center was a stump that was flat on top, and on the stump—I think it must have been an oak before being cut down—I found this.”
He reached into his pocket and brought out a small metal disc.It was about the diameter of a small peach, but flat with a ridged edge.Made from bronze, it was covered with runic engravings.As he set it on the table, I leaned forward to examine it.
Immediately, the bronze disc set off my inner alarms.I stared at it for a moment, trying to pinpoint what was making me so wary.Then a wave of magic hit me, striking like a snake as it bounced against the wards in my aura.I shuddered, pulling back.
“Cripes,” I said.“That’s not good.”
“What is it?”Looking concerned, Chase started out of his seat.He reached for me, but I shook my head and raised my hand.
“I’m all right.I didn’t expect to get ambushed by magic.”
As he slowly returned to his chair, I leaned forward again, cautiously approaching the disc.
“Iris?Can you come here?”I called over the talon-haltija.“Can you tell me what you sense from this?”
She worried her lip, staring at it.“I don’t even want to get near it.Whatever that thing is…Wait!”She hurried over to one of the bookshelves, where she pulled what looked like an old grimoire off the shelf and returned with it.
“What’s that?”I asked.
“I found it in the back not long ago.I wasn’t sure if you wanted to sell it or keep it, so I put it on the ‘restricted’ shelf.”
We kept a shelf of books that we wanted to keep.One day we’d make a display for them, but it included a few first editions and other such tidbits.
I glanced at the cover.Taylor’s Grimoire of Odd Artifacts.
“Well, this looks like a keeper.”I flipped it open and started looking through it.“This is a goldmine of information,” I said.“Let me see…” I turned to the table of contents and found the chapter on talismans and charms.As I began to thumb through the pages, I realized the search was going to take some time.“All right, I look through this.Meanwhile, where did you find this grove?”
Chase took my notebook from me and began to diagram the directions.“Here, in Belles-Faire.First on Cayson Street, turn right on Farleaf, and stop at Weaver’s Point Park.The grove was toward the back, near two large huckleberry bushes.Their branches are all tangled up.Normally I wouldn’t run through them because it’s easy to get jabbed.But the goblin raced through them, so I followed him.”
“Did any of the other officers follow you?”I asked.
He shook his head.“No.But when I turned around and walked back, they were calling for me.I told them I’d been right beyond the bushes, but then, when I turned around and tried to find it again, the grove had vanished.I tried walking back through the two huckleberry bushes, but nothing happened.”He frowned.“All I know is that last night I slept like crap.I had nightmares all night long, though I couldn’t tell you what any of them were.I woke up feeling like I was under a cloud, or a shadow.”
Concerned, I picked up the metal disc again.“Can I keep this?”
He nodded.“Yeah.And if you find out what it is, can you let me know?”
“Of course,” I said, as he stood.