The Midnight Moon [ONC 2024]

Chapter 12: The Scent of Magic

Darius led us around the back of the cottage to explain what he found, and to determine whether a suitable explanation could be given to account for the presence of a second witch.

We followed the path, but were quickly prompted to halt by the werewolf. Then he walked us through what he thought had occurred the previous night.

'The second witch came straight around the back of the cottage. I didn't pick up a trace of them walking up the path to the front door.'

'Suggesting either the witch knew to go around the back,' I interjected, 'meaning they had been there before and knew not to bother knocking on the front door, or they hoped to go unnoticed, in the dark that night.'

'Exactly. So they came straight round the back,' Darius reiterated, before continuing, 'and went to the back door. However, they didn't touch the door handle. They didn't touch the door at all. I suspect they were trying to work out where Mistaria was. Also, the window and windowsill remained untouched too. Whoever it was didn't even bother looking through it.'

'All right,' I said, processing this rather strange behaviour. 'So they are standing on the doorstep. Then what? Do they call out to her? Does she open the door and then let them in?'

'I'm thinking none of the above,' Darius continued. 'The second witch then walked this way.' He took a few steps backwards. 'Until they reached about...here.' He moved his hands to encompass a circle around him. 'A spell was cast. I imagine that got Mistaria's attention and she exited the cottage to find out what was going on.'

I turned to the familiars, thinking that their longer association with Mistaria would be able to help in answering a few questions I had.

'Does that sound like something Mistaria Heath would do?'

'Go outside, knowing another witch was there, waiting for her?' Jack asked.

'Not unless she had to,' Bella chimed in. 'The home of a witch is like a fortified castle to a king. It is where they are strongest; where their magic is its most powerful.'

Jack, his voice now grave, continued. 'If there really was another witch outside, one she didn't know, then that could only mean one thing. Or at least, I think it is how she would interpret it. A town can only have one witch. And so, the only reason she would step outside–'

'Is to battle the challenger.'

We all fell silent. Somehow Tomasina uttering those words made Mistaria Heath's plight seem suddenly very real and very life-limiting. I tried to move our thoughts away from fearful speculation, and instead turned my attention back to Darius. I had some questions for him too.

'Can you tell how many times this other witch came here?'

'Hmm...' Darius pondered this for a moment. 'Not specifically, but what I can say is this: I can only pick up their scent where I've shown you. They haven't, let's say, for example, taken a walk around the garden with Mistaria. Also there isn't a build up of scent, like there is for say, Bella and Jack. So I can say, almost conclusively, this second witch was not a frequent visitor.'

'What about the other familiars? Have they been here?'

'No. There's not even a light trace of them that I can detect.'

'One more question. If someone cast a spell to conceal their presence here, would you be able to detect that? Like...I don't know.... A magical mask hiding the truth?'

Again the werewolf mulled over the question. From out of the corner of my eye, I saw Bella nodding at me, as if she approved of the questions I was asking. I was beginning to feel like the cat was patronising me.

'To be honest, I've never thought about that before,' Darius finally answered. 'I think I would be able to detect the presence of the magic if the spell was cast, especially if it was cast here. But I wouldn't be able to work out what the spell was for, or if there was something being hidden by it. I might have some of the most finely tuned senses in Morteton, but that is beyond even my capabilities.'

'All right,' I whispered more to myself than anyone else. But then Darius, obviously warming to his theme, continued on.

'However, just because I couldn't determine the spell from the scent it left behind, I would, I think, in certain circumstances be able to trace the outcome of the magic. For example, if this other witch cast a spell which lead to the death of Mistaria-'

Bella, Jack and Tomasina all gasped loudly at this hypothetical result as if the werewolf had just announced that the missing witch was certainly dead.

'I said "for example". If someone had died as a result of a magical undertaking, I would be able to smell the scent of death. And I don't get that here. No-one has died here for quite some time.'

I stared at Darius in the dark, wondering what it must be like to be able to smell death wherever he went, even if it was in the past. I also couldn't help but wonder morbidly who was the last person to die at Mistaria Heath's cottage, and how it came to be. This was why I was a puzzlesolver and could never be anything else. Even a nugget of information like this, or a throwaway comment, had my mind looking for answers - whether anyone asked me for them or not.

'Well that is the best news we've had today,' I uttered, musing on whether it was still today or if it was already tomorrow. Although it was late, I wasn't quite sure it was that late yet.

'Questions aside for the moment,' Darius announced. 'I have yet to finish sharing my findings. And, I must say, I don't think there is any evidence to support the supposition the others made earlier. I do not think there was any kind of battle, magical or otherwise, out here last night. For three reasons:

'One: witch battles are notoriously violent. I can well imagine that Bella and Jack would have been able to work out that one had occurred when they returned at the end of their task, no matter how dark it was. It is said, even humans with no magical ability whatsoever, can feel when one has taken place. Even a whole day later, we all would be able to detect it.

'Two: witch battles are usually fought to the death. Or at the very least, until one of the combatants can no longer work magic. There is no dead body to be found here. There is no injured body either. And most telling of all, there is no new witch here, setting up shop in her predecessor's cottage.

'And finally, three: the evidence suggests that Mistaria Heath was lured outside by the second witch, and then was incapacitated, before Mistaria had any opportunity to defend herself. She was then spirited away. I believe Mistaria hadn't even got beyond her doorstep when this occurred. And so, whatever happened, she didn't stand a chance.'

'And this second witch was well prepared for what they had come here to do,' I added.

As another silence fell, I began to think that this was to be a night of them. Although Darius had seemed to have determined much of what had unfolded the previous night, we still had little to go on, which was something that Bella, again, was quick to point out.

'We are no further forward, are we?' the cat said quietly, all her sass gone for the moment. 'We don't know the identity of the second witch or why they took Mistaria, or where they've taken her too.'

'Don't be so glum, little cat,' Darius said to her in a surprisingly gentle tone. 'Whoever they are, I have their scent now. And when I find them, they are going to find out just how cross this werewolf can get.'

'Well, let's hope we find them soon. We have until dusk tomorrow before the familiar spell cannot be broken, and Bella and I will have to remain as you now see us.'

'Do not fear, Jack,' Tomasina said. 'I think we have the two best men in Morteton on the case. If they can't find Mistaria, I doubt anyone can. They've already achieved so much between them.'

Suddenly, in the moonlight, Darius's head shot up and turned to the right. He was alert to something the rest of us couldn't hear.

'Someone's coming. Hide!' he hissed.

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Chapter word count: 1407

Story word count: 15,156