“Who are you people?” Shaman Chepaney blurted out.
“No, we're not witches,” Alexis said gently, answering what must have been his unspoken question. Chepaney gawked at her.
“I apologize,” Teagan took over. “We should have said right away. We are the Human Council, an organization formed to keep the peace between us and the fairies.” The shaman looked even more confused, so Teagan went on. “Let me explain; for thousands of years, we have had a truce with the fey. When they come into our realm, we monitor them and if they break that truce, our military unit, the Extinguishers, apprehends or executes the law breaker depending on the seriousness of the crime. So you see, we watch over humans and you are under our protection.”
“So you really aren't going to kill me?” Chepaney asked with a little surprise.
“No, Sir,” Teagan vowed. “We want to help you and we hope that you will also help us.”
“You're absolutely right,” Alexis said to the shaman. “If we wanted you dead, you'd be dead already. Councilman Teagan is telling the truth; you're safe here.”
“Extinguisher Kavanaugh, please allow me,” Teagan said patiently and Alexis inclined her head.
“How could I possibly help you?” Chepaney looked stumped.
“We saw the video you made withParanormal Parameters,” Teagan began.
“You were the ones who stole the footage?” The shaman lifted a brow. “You know, they haven't returned any of my calls.”
“The world cannot know about the fey,” Teagan said gently. “It would cause a panic.”
“Wait,” Chepaney frowned. “You're saying that I've been battling fairies?”
“Yes and no,” Teagan wavered.
“Your myths are correct, Mr. Chepaney,” I took over. “It's just the label that you have wrong. Well, one of the labels at least. Originally, it was the raven mockers who were taking life from the dying but the other fey attached to your tribe begged them to stop and they did.”
“Theotherfey?” Chepaney's eyes were getting bigger and bigger.
“You know them as animal spirits or gods,” Teagan went on.
“Coyote, Raven, Thunderbird,” Tiernan offered.
“Our gods are fairies?” Kevin Chepaney gaped at Teagan.
“Well, theyhavelooked after you,” I offered. “It was a raven fairy who gathered the others to confront the raven mockers.”
“So, it's not raven mockers who are attacking people now?” He asked and I was relieved that he was following so well. Must be the shamanic training.
“No, because of you, we have been alerted to the possibility that there are witches hiding among the humans; people who have actual magic, not just psychic gifts,” I leaned towards Chepaney. “Are you one of them, Mr. Chepaney. Can you do magic?”
“I work with nature,” he shrugged. “I call on the ancestors and I ask the elements to share their gifts with me. If that is magic, then yes, I am one of them.”
“But what exactly can you do?” I persisted. “There are psychically gifted humans who can move things with their minds and create fire but that's not magic. Are you talents similar to that or can you do more?”
“I've never created fire,” he mused. “I use a combination of things; words of power, herbs, and intent. I can make plants grow, call the wind to me, communicate with animals, and you saw what I did to the mocker... or whatever it is.”
We all sat back in amazement.
“There really are witches,” Teagan said with just the barest breath of air.
“You'reshocked?” The shaman laughed. “You just told me that fairies exist, that they live in another realm entirely but come over here to play, andyou'reshocked about witches?”
“You have to understand,” Teagan frowned. “We have watched over the world for a very long time and we have never found proof of the existence of witches. It is a definite shock.”
“But here's the real issue,” I broke in. “Witches are behind these murders, Mr. Chepaney. We found traces of magic on the corpse of Mr. Hocktochee and he was not a fairy.”
“My family has always known of the existence of witches,” Chepaney sighed. “It's an accepted fact. We shamans are specifically taught to protect our people from these evil doers. But although we know of their existence, we don't know who they are. If we did, we wouldn't have to resort to these traps to kill them.”
