Every Witch Way but Gone by K.E. O'Connor

Author:K.E. O'Connor [O'Connor, K.E.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: K.E. O'Connor
Published: 2024-08-27T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

Luncheon meat

“We should at least try before we visit Sorcha. That mouse is so close I can almost taste it,” I said, catching the distinctive whiff of a hot, furry body within leaping distance.

“The last thing I successfully hunted was an already dead, partially rotting bat carcass left in Vorana’s backyard,” Sage said. “There’s no way this will work. Let’s stay focused on the crime. Isn’t that what you keep moaning on about?”

“I never moan. You must make an effort. You never know what you can achieve when you put your mind to it.”

“If you tell me practise makes perfect, I’m bopping you on the end of your nose,” Sage said.

“We’ll catch nothing if you keep talking so loudly,” I whispered. “Follow me. And the exercise will do you good. You’ve been loafing about on that prickly mat in the kitchen for far too long. You’ve lost muscle tone.”

“My muscles are in peak condition,” Sage said. “It’s everything else that’s messed up. How am I supposed to chew on a mouse with these teeth? Let’s go to the café. Sorcha will warm up bone broth for me. I can slurp that down with no trouble.”

“If we catch the mouse, we’ll gift it to Sorcha. She loves that sort of thing.”

“I’ve yet to meet anything on two legs that enjoys prey gifts.” Sage slumped beside me as I sniffed the air and determined where our target was.

My gaze narrowed. “Twenty paw steps north.”

“Your paw steps or mine? I sometimes hobble and shuffle, so it’ll take me longer.”

“Mine.”

“And which way is north?”

“Head toward the big tree with the broken bough.”

We shuffled closer on our bellies, Sage’s harness squeaking as we approached.

“It’s time you got that thing oiled,” I muttered.

“I’ll take it to the garage the next time I have a spare minute, shall I?”

“Less grousing, more sniffing.”

Sage muttered something rude about me under her breath as she continued skulking. I was almost within reach of the mouse when I realized Sage was no longer with me. I turned to see her about to bite into a random fungus that sprouted out of the base of a tree.

I raced back and batted her nose away before she could bite down. “You don’t know if it’s safe to consume! And since when did you get interested in eating vegetables?”

“I’m hoping it’s poisonous. I give up! I’ve tried to be cheerful and optimistic, and it made me feel worse. There’s nothing to all that nonsense about telling yourself positive affirmations to make you happier. It’s doing the opposite to me. I feel lousy and hopeless. And a dumb fraud.”

“Because you’re focused on the wrong thing.” I deliberately sat on the mushroom so Sage couldn’t eat it. “It would be easy to give up, lay on the prickly mat, and make no decision, but don’t you realize what you’re doing when you do that?”

“Finding peace?” Sage asked. “No longer being bothered by you?”

“By not deciding, you’re making a decision to freeze in place and not take positive action.

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