Page 16 of Chosen Spirits (The Bartender Mage #4)

"Hang on," Leif protested, tightening the straps on his alchemist's kit as he stepped along the trail. "That only accounts for four of her heads! One for you, one for Benjamin, and two for Alice."

"Right," Rahul agreed. "But then our boss barged in, wondering where his entire security detail went, only he wasn't watching where he was going…"

"Oh, geez! He stepped on one of the spell circles, didn't he?"

Rahul laughed. " Both of them! So not only did his clothes explode off, but the antigrav sigil pinned him to the ceiling of the room."

"That must have come as a shock."

"He recovered quickly, but before he could voice a complaint, Anshalla lifted her last two heads and gave him her heartfelt apologies, then asked if he'd preferred to be let free, or to join in the fun."

"Which I'm assuming he did."

"From right there on the ceiling, yes. Granted, he thought about it longer than the rest of us, probably worried about leaving her unprotected, but, well…"

Leif scoffed. "Like anyone could overpower a tantric mage mid-orgy."

"Exactly right! So anyways, having a five-way with a hydra ambassador was probably my most unusual sexual encounter. Your turn, cub."

He thought about it. "Most unusual. Well, I mean, the thing with Gio…"

"Doesn't count, it has to be before we met. And it's your own fault for cleaning his gauntlet on your crotch."

"I didn't realize every piece of him was autonomous! He just handed me his hand , and I wanted to do a good job cleaning between the knuckles."

"I think you startled all of us when you knocked your chair over backwards."

"He copped a feel! I was surprised!"

"That part's understandable." Rahul took a couple of steps closer, nudging him. "But nobody forced you to put the gauntlet back in your lap, or to strip."

"He was a very gracious host, and saved us the trouble of finding a hotel.

It would have been rude not to finish polishing him, and I didn't want to stain my clothes.

" Leif took a drink of water from his water bottle that he'd covered in rainbow stickers.

"His hands were way gentler than I would imagine, for being metal.

But okay, if Gio doesn't count, then it would probably be the time when I was twenty years old, and I went on a date with a selkie who happened to be a triplet. "

While Leif elaborated upon the series of miscommunications that ended up with him exchanging blowjobs with his date's much more eager and considerate father, the two of them continued following their guide through the forest.

It was Friday afternoon, and their fourth active day of investigating.

After the Gassau Beast incident, they'd managed to plant surveillance cameras at four other promising sites they'd investigated, hoping to catch the sorceress in action, or at least draw data points they could use to preemptively stop her.

They were headed to their last location for the week in northeastern Minnesota, and Rahul told him that after they were done, they could visit some actors he'd befriended two weeks ago during a case.

With as much as Rahul talked them up, Leif was very much looking forward to a dinner with them, after they completed the job and hiked their way out of the forest.

"This is a wonderful place you have, Mr. Snagglefawn!" Leif called to the bear that was lumbering ahead of them. "I like your home."

The bear didn't turn around, but the animal spirit that blanketed the sky overhead abruptly dropped down. Leif fought to contain his spike of fear; Snagglefawn was super nice, but he was also very toothy, and very big.

"That is kind of you to say, mage. It's just a bit further, you're almost there."

Leif picked up the pace so that he could walk beside Rahul, who was starting to show signs of being out of breath; a full hour at a brisk pace over hilly terrain had its toll, even with the forest spirit's help in generating a trail through the brush.

Snagglefawn was as good as his word. After crossing one final stream and making their way through some dense overhang, they came upon a depression.

A gentle slope led the way down into a field of budding flowers, the area marred by several long, rocky furrows.

At the edge of the area was a large tree, about fifty feet tall with a broad canopy and unusually orange leaves.

"That tree is our target," Rahul said, inching his way down the slope. "About fifty years ago, Lady I'ari sealed away an elf into its trunk. Most of the records I found had been purged, so I couldn't say what caused the issue. Snagglefawn, do you know?"

"I didn't pay him much mind at the time, merely helped the Lady with her binding.

I remember a person shouting defiance, the land being broken by conflicting magic, and then a long period of silence afterwards.

It took years for the green to return, but return it did, as is the natural way of things. "

"Alright, thanks."

Despite it being midday, it felt like twilight, with the way the overlooking trees blocked out the light. Leif and Rahul made their way across to the tree, and up close Leif could see that it had smooth, golden bark.

As Rahul laid his bag down, then retrieved a solar camera and began hunting for a good spot to put it, Leif reached out to lay a hand on the tree's trunk. Was it just his imagination, or could he feel the being ensorcelled within?

"I wonder who you were," he murmured.

Shrugging, Leif went to set his kit down next to Rahul's bag.

" Shit! "

In the process of taking his bag off, Leif instead tightened his grip and rushed around the tree to Rahul. His kit bounced roughly against his back.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

"Get behind me!" Rahul barked at him, not sparing him a glance as he moved his bulk in front of Leif.

Spreadings his hands out wide, Leif heard him breathe out explosively, generating a cone of flame.

With a twist of his hands, the fire settled into a semicircular ward before them, crackling noisily.

" No no no ," Snagglefawn said with a cacophony of voices, even as his bear host growled and pawed at the air.

The sky churned above them, the spirit's many heads gnashing their respective teeth, beaks, and maws.

"No flames, Rahul Basu. I may have agreed to lead you safely here, but I spoke nothing of letting you leave.

This area is not due for a wildfire just yet, so if you wouldn't mind ceasing this display… "

Leif kept his eyes on the great spirit while he silently took off his backpack, kneeling down beside it.

A J?germeister's Spirit Bomb effect would work as a temporary deterrent to the being, maybe.

And if he prepared a Spirit Chains potion alongside it, trusting Rahul to handle the bear and any other corporeal critters…

hopefully things wouldn't come to that, but just in case.

Rahul stood still while Leif got his tools ready, his breathing loud and even like a working bellows, but then gave a slow nod. He lowered his hands, and the flames winked out.

"Thank you, Rahul Basu," the spirit said as he settled down a short distance away, drawing most of himself into a smaller form that was merely the size of a sixty-car train that snaked through the brush. "I do not wish ill will between old and new friends."

"I appreciate the intervention, Snagglefawn," a familiar voice said.

Leif jerked to his feet, making to step around Rahul but was stopped again by a forearm across his chest. Across the way, at the other end of the short clearing, a dark-skinned elf stepped nimbly down an embankment.

She stopped her approach not far from the forest spirit, setting down what looked like a covered birdcage.

"Leif Becken of Minnesota," Lady I'ari continued, sticking her hands in the pockets of her shamrock-green shirt dress.

The tips of her elongated ears, barely visible outside of her abundant, frizzy hair, swiveled forward like a cat's.

Overall, she looked more like a housewife out for a walk than one of the most powerful mages in the region.

"Hello again, dear. I heard about your certification, so congratulations. I'm glad to see you doing well."

"I—" Leif began, then paused as Rahul gripped the front of his shirt, giving him a warning look.

Right, he was dealing with a noble elf, which meant following the Rules.

He wasn't in the Faerie realm, nor had he accepted hospitality, so he didn't have to be too cautious with his words, but he should mind what he said all the same. "Um, hello."

There was a lengthy pause while they regarded each other, and Leif felt his heart race.

The sorceress was here! Should he ask her what she wants?

Should he ask Rahul what he should say? He realized he was brimming with gathered spirit energy, his mind reaching out to the alcohol in his kit, and he shook his head to himself. He saw I'ari sigh.

"I see that you are still uneasy in my presence.

Perhaps if I reiterated my oath? Leif, I swear on my name, you have nothing to fear from me.

Harming you would violate that, as would harming any of your loved ones, and it's why I also can't simply visit you at your home without making you feel unsafe thereafter.

We can begin with a short chat, if that's okay? "

Leif looked at her carefully, then nodded. "We can talk. I, um, don't know what to say first. I have questions."

"I suspect that you do, dear. I can guess at most of them, such as, ' Why is this crazy mage interested in me ?

'" She gave him a quirk of a smile, then glanced down at the object by her feet, losing her joviality.

"Most of the questions lead to the same answer.

Leif, I come to you, to beg for your help. "