Trapped

was completed, she wouldn’t wake up. Ever. It was the one portion of the ritual that absolutely could not be interrupted, so I worked steadily for five straight hours until it was finished. I checked it carefully and then asked Gaia if it looked satisfactory.
    //Good// she said. //Give her to me//
    Though Granuaile’s foot was still bloody and raw, I set it down flat against the earth of the cave. She gasped and sat up, her eyes wide.
    //Welcome child// Gaia cooed, for I heard everything she said through my own tattoos. //A strong Druid you will be//
    Granuaile gaped and looked panicked.
    » Speak as you would to an elemental, « I told her. » Your emotions and thoughts will make sense to her. «
    //Infinite gratitude// Granuaile’s feelings said. //I feel blessed//
    //We are all blessed child//
    Tears sprang out of Granuaile’s eyes and ran down her cheeks. I knew precisely how she felt, and my vision blurred as my own eyes filled with tears.
    » Thank you, Atticus, « she said. » It was worth the wait. I would have waited a hundred years for this. «
    » You’re welcome, « I replied, » but you may have thanked me too soon. There’s no more get-out-of-pain-free cards after this. You’ll feel every stab from now on. «
    » It’s okay, « she said, lying down again and nodding. » It’s totally okay. I know what it’s for, and it’s worth it. «
    » All right, « I said. » Do you want to continue or wait a few minutes? «
    » Continue, « she said.
    » Let me know when you want a break, then. «
    She didn’t need many breaks. She handled it much better than I had, in fact, though I neglected to mention it. The bit around the ankle was dodgy—it’s a sensitive area—but we proceeded smoothly through days and weeks until we reached mid-thigh. The borders on either side of the entire band allowed her to draw on the earth’s magic; this was a fail-safe in case any part of the tattoo was damaged, but it also meant any part of her right side could draw if she was wearing shoes. The knots on the inside of the band, meanwhile, changed as they rose, allowing her to perform different bindings. The first ones allowed her to bind her sight to the magical spectrum and to cast night vision. Each of these contained riders, like those in contracts, that allowed her to cast bindings on others besides herself.
    After that came the knots that allowed her to supplement her own energy with that of the earth, so she could increase her strength and speed as well as run or fight for long periods of time without tiring. These bindings could also be cast on other people.
    I was about to begin the next sequence when Oberon’s insistent voice broke through my trance.
    › Atticus? Atticus, I’m really sorry, but I think we have a problem. This isn’t normal. Someone’s out here with us. ‹

Chapter 10
    Unwilling to pull myself entirely out of the trance, I paused, dropped the thorn, and spoke to him. How do you know?
    › Well, there’s a freshly butchered T-bone here. Expertly carved, some delicious marbling in the meat, looks like corn-fed Angus. And you just don’t see those dropped casually on the ground in the Olympian wilderness. Especially on my patrol route. And it can’t have been here for long, or some other animal would have already snarfed it. So that means— ‹
    Somebody’s out there. You’re right. Damn it five thousand ways. Judging by where I am in the tattoos, it’s only been about three weeks. And you know you shouldn’t eat that meat, right?
    › Hey, I’ve seen my share of heist movies. They always poison the dog. And you took great pleasure in pointing that out, I might add. ‹
    It was all training for this particular moment, see? You’re alive instead of dead like those dogs in the movies .
    › Thanks, Atticus. What should I do? ‹
    Can you see any tracks? Smell anything besides the meat?
    › No, and that has me worried. What if my nose is turning human? ‹
    It’s not turning human. You can still smell the meat .
    › Yeah, and it smells delicious. ‹
    Don’t touch it, Oberon. Don’t even lick it. It’s poisoned for sure. Look, I’m going to come out there and see if I can spot any clues. Stay there, keep a sharp ear and nose out, and let me know if you sense anything .
    › Okay. ‹
    And stop staring at the meat. Look around for who put it there .
    › Aw! Wait! How did you know? ‹
    Canine Psychology 101. Seriously, don’t look at it. Look for the dastardly villain