Wolf Tracks - Bianca D'Arc Page 0,60

probably set to keep werewolves and Others out, not simpler animals,” Jack said.

“Makes sense,” Joe said, joining the conversation. “So, we know the ward has been up at least since the dog was injured.”

“That’s before my target got back to this area—if he is, indeed, actually here—so, that means there’s someone else at that feed mill with the skills to cast black wards,” Jim told them all. Silence met his words. Nobody was happy to hear there were more evil mages out there practicing black magic.

Chapter Fourteen

Jim’s conference call went on much longer than he’d expected. When he finally emerged from the mayor’s office, the sun was overhead, and he was thinking about lunch. He was also thinking about ways to break a black ward, but that was a problem he’d have to solve later. Lunch was just slightly more important, at the present moment, so he went back to the B&B in search of Helen.

He found her in the kitchen, working alongside Felicia at the counter, with Miss Felicity sitting at the kitchen table, sipping a cup of tea. Jim was enchanted by the domestic scene and wondered what the women had gotten up to while he’d been in conference.

“You all look very industrious,” Jim commented from the doorway.

Helen turned, a smile on her face. Felicia turned more slowly, a handful of lavender in her hands. “Helen has been teaching us things we didn’t know about our garden,” she explained, a bemused look on her face. “Did you know lavender could purify evil magic?”

Jim remembered hearing about how Helen’s sister had used herbs to unwind the magic that had been used on the child they’d found imprisoned. He hadn’t thought much of it at the time, but Helen must have been taught the same things as her sister. She probably had a vast knowledge of herbal magic. Wolves knew earth magic was potent. They used a lot of it in their daily lives, but he had no doubt that Helen’s knowledge was of a different—and, perhaps, even more powerful—kind than theirs.

“I heard something about it on my last mission,” he said, walking into the large kitchen.

“We have an herb garden out back,” Felicia went on, “as well as a vegetable patch. I had no idea, when we took a little stroll in the garden, that I was going to learn so much.”

“It’s good of you to share your knowledge,” Jim said, walking right up to Helen. He couldn’t resist bending down to place a quick kiss on her lips. He’d been wanting to do that for hours.

“It’s all simple stuff, really,” Helen insisted, “but there’s lots of very useful things out there in the garden that could be put to good use in warding this house and others.”

“We’re making decorative flower sprigs that have the added benefit of preventing evil from passing wherever they’re placed. Doors, windows. I’m going to put one on every opening in this house,” Felicia said, nodding to herself as she tied a little twine bow on the bundle of flowers and herbs in her hand.

“And they smell good, too,” Helen added, finishing up and wiping her hands on a dish towel.

“Can I interest you in lunch?” Jim asked Helen, then looked at the other two women. “You’re invited as well, of course,” he added politely, but both Felicia and Miss Felicity declined. Felicia wanted to work on her flower bundles, and Miss Felicity said she was going to go for a run.

Jim thought privately that Helen must have been successful in treating Miss Felicity’s joint pain if she was thinking about running. Helen picked up her bag from where it lay on the chair next to Miss Felicity and waited for him at the doorway while he made his farewells to the other women. Then, they were out of the house and walking down the street.

“Barbeque again? Or should we try someplace else?” Jim asked as they walked.

“Let’s do barbeque again. They had pulled pork sandwiches on the menu that would be perfect for lunch, I thought. We can try someplace else tonight, if you’re available for dinner,” she replied.

He liked that she was already thinking ahead to when they would be together again. He found it hard to concentrate on his mission, knowing that Helen was nearby. He wanted to be with her, not running around after evildoers. He promised himself that, once he was done with this mission, he’d spend a good long time with Helen, so he could find out where