Tricked

patience for both of us. Cold and wet jeans are no fun to put on in any circumstance, but especially not when you have to keep your head as still as possible. I didn’t bother with the shirt.
    When I signaled to Coyote that I was ready to go, he said, » Okay, just put your hand on my shoulder and follow. « I did so. We took four steps and were back on the side of the road a short distance from where the skinwalker had torn out my throat. A blue Ford half ton was waiting there, no doubt stolen. Coyote wanted to get in and drive back to the camp right away, but I insisted on messing up the earth where my blood was collected and dried. I used a little bit of power to churn the earth there and bury it completely, mixing it into the dirt while I was at it to prevent it from being used against me later.
    » You think that skinwalker could have come back here and gotten to this blood while we were away? « I asked.
    » Naw, « Coyote said. » I got him pretty good. They’re both laid up healin’ somewhere. Prob’ly won’t hear from either one of ’em for a couple days. But they’ll be back soon enough. Maybe you’ll be in decent shape yourself by then. «
    Maybe. Getting into the truck while keeping my head as still as possible was awkward, but I managed it with only a couple of spikes of sharp pain.
    Coyote drove with the window down and leaned his head out a bit into the wind. » So, when will the gold be there, Mr. Druid? «
    » Sometime after the coal mines shut down, « I rasped. » The elemental wants them out of commission permanently. You’ll have a big labor pool to draw from. «
    » An’ if the coal starts up again, the gold shuts down, is that it? «
    » Right, « I said. Monosyllables, I decided, were good. Especially since I couldn’t nod.
    » That means you’re goin’ to have to stay here longer’n you thought. «
    » Yep. «
    Coyote grunted but said no more until we drove up to camp. Granuaile and Oberon came running toward the truck.
    Before we opened the doors, Coyote turned off the engine and said, » By the way, Mr. Druid, you lost a day. It’s Monday morning. «
    I’d been missing for two nights? They were going to kill me.
    › Atticus! Where have you been? ‹
    Oberon approached at a dangerous speed as I stepped gingerly from the cab of the truck. Slow down, don’t jump on me, okay? I’m injured .
    › Where? ‹
    Neck. Under the skin; you won’t see it. I’ll explain to Granuaile and you’ll hear it all .
    As she hurried to catch up, Granuaile’s face was cycling through expressions of relief and worry and determination to make me pay. I held up my hands in case she wanted to throw her arms around my neck and hug me—or in case she wanted to grasp my neck in her hands and choke me.
    » Where have you been? « she demanded, stopping several paces away and folding her arms in front of her.
    » Sorry to make you worry, « I grated, » but I’ll be okay soon enough. «
    Her eyes flicked down to my wet, muddy jeans and noted my profound lack of shirt.
    » What happened to you? «
    » Someone took advantage of me. «
    Granuaile shot an uncertain glance at Coyote.
    » Hey, don’t look at me like that, « Coyote said. » Far as I know he’s still cherry. «
    I jumped in with a fuller explanation before Granuaile could react or Oberon could question that particular colloquialism. » On the way back from the mine, I got attacked by a skinwalker and then we got chased by Hel’s hound, Garm. «
    Granuaile’s jaw dropped. » How did you escape? «
    » I didn’t, really. Coyote saved me. «
    » Uh, what was that, Mr. Druid? « Coyote asked, cupping a hand behind his ear. » Didn’t quite hear that. «
    » Yes, you did. « I didn’t feel like rehashing my brush with death while Coyote loitered nearby, so I gestured to Granuaile’s car. » Let’s go to town, « I told her. » We have business to attend to and clothes to buy. I’ll tell you everything. «
    » Hey, when are ya gonna be back? « Coyote asked.
    » Before dark, don’t worry, « I said.
    On the way in to town, I informed Granuaile and Oberon that I quite nearly died and that only Coyote’s intervention had prevented me from being completely eaten by the skinwalker and Garm. He’d saved me twice and died for me twice.
    » I owe him big now, « I said. » Damn it. «
    » Well, that explains why it was quiet in the hogan last night, « Granuaile said. » One skinwalker stabbed through the shoulder and another one shot