Hounded

flare up when people try to kill me—which was what she was trying to do, make no mistake. She squealed and staggered back a few steps, holding her nose.
    I had broken it, and I sort of felt like an asshole even though she had planned to do much worse to me. While she was still in shock and processing what had happened, I took the opportunity to try to talk her down from escalating it. » You offered me violence and I defended myself. I know that a slap from you would have meant the end of my life, or at least the threat of it, and I could not permit that. And if you are thinking about using magic against me in my own shop, I would remind you that discretion is sometimes the better part of valor. «
    » And I would remind you that I am not powerless. Radomila will hear of this! «
    » That’s fine. I’ll show her my security tape, « I said, gesturing to the video camera mounted on the wall above the register, » which clearly shows you swinging first. On top of that, you have now given me cause to believe you are a close associate of an old enemy of mine. I’d be within my rights to treat you as hostile. «
    » Go ahead and try something! « she challenged, eyes blazing.
    » I don’t need to try anything, « I chuckled. » I’m in control here. «
    » You go on thinking you’re in control, Druid, « she spat, heading for the door in a fury, her flip-flops flapping noisily. » You’ll soon find out you are very mistaken. «
    » See you tomorrow for tea, « I waved cheerily as she slammed through my door.
    › Oh, she’s going to want some revenge, ‹ Oberon said after the door closed and we were alone.
    » Don’t worry about her, « I said, grabbing a spoon and moving quickly around the counter. » She’s not the sharpest tool in the shed. «
    › What are you doing? ‹ Oberon asked. He followed me out to the floor, curious. I had squatted down on my haunches, examining the carpet.
    » Ah, there we go. « I found a droplet of blood on the carpet that hadn’t soaked thoroughly into the weave; it was not much, but it would be enough. I scraped it off the surface and walked toward the door, peering through the glass window to see if Emily was visible. She was getting into her car, parked across the street a short distance north, a bright yellow Volkswagen Beetle. She would have to turn over her left shoulder to see me, so I darted outside, telling Oberon I’d return in a moment, and kicked off my sandals. I sank my toes into the same narrow strip of grass that had helped me heal my arm the day before, and I chanted a binding as I drew power from the earth. Emily felt the draw somehow, whipped her head around, and saw me standing there. I showed the spoon to her and smiled; her mouth dropped open in horror as she realized how careless she had been. I saw her lips move and her brow furrow in concentration, so I had no time to waste. I licked her blood off the spoon and completed the binding just in time. She flicked her fingers at me and I knew she had just hurled something my way, but all I felt was a gentle breeze.
    A couple of seconds later her upper body was thrown painfully forward into her steering wheel, which caused the car’s horn to beep. Ha! She had tried to blow the spoon out of my hand—and knock me down in the process, off the grass strip and my source of power. Clever. But not fast enough. The binding I had performed was actually a ward, which meant that any spell she sent against me would rebound against her. The only way she could get out of it would be to get herself some new blood.
    She leaned back slowly and clutched her chest. Probably bruised a rib or two. On top of a broken nose and wounded pride, she’d had a rough day visiting the local Druid. It made me wonder what she’d been told about me. Did she know how old I was? Did she think I was some sort of lame-assed neo-Druid, mucking about with holly branches and mistletoe? She turned around to stare daggers at me, and I gave her a jovial wave, then blew her a kiss. She flipped me off—a gesture that had zero cultural relevance to me—and then started up her Beetle and screeched away toward University Drive.
    Chuckling to myself, I reentered the store, and Oberon came over and nuzzled against my legs, which was somewhat startling when he was in camouflage. › Nobody’s here now. I want a scratch behind the ears. ‹ I searched and found his head and gave him a good head rub for a minute or so. » Yes, you’ve been very