Intuition Detective Agency

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven
         
As they walked back to the office, Amy turned to Ain.  “I assumed the Land didn’t get reception.”
         Ain chuckled.  “It doesn’t.  But, Gwyn found a communications charm that allows us to talk between worlds.  It technically could be used on just about anything, but a cell phone is just convenient.”
         
“Oh,” Amy said.  Handy, she thought to herself.
         
They got back to the normal office ten minutes later and walked into Gwyn’s office.  At least, that’s what they called it, but it was more like a witch’s lab with a desk than an office.  The desk was tucked away in a corner near the back of the room.  In the center of the room, where a desk would usually be found, was an enclosed fire pit with a cauldron on top of it.  Next to it was a large wooden table, the wood dark from age.  Ceiling pot hangers were everywhere, but although some pots hung from them, dozens of different herbs took up the hooks.  Gwyn looked out of place in her impeccable dove gray skirt suit.  This looked like the place for three old women with warts, not an attractive woman in pumps.
         
Gwyn looked up from the papers she was sorting through when they walked in.  “Took you long enough.”
         
Ain walked towards her, the others following.  “We were finishing up Amy’s training.  Do you know what we’re dealing with?”
         
Gwyn nodded, looking back at the papers in her hands.  “I’m pretty sure it’s a hag.”
         
Amy started, flushing slightly since she had just been thinking about how a hag would look at home in Gwyn’s office. 
         
Ain’s brow furrowed.  “We don’t have any hags registered in the area, I don’t think.”
         
Gwyn nodded again, then pointed at the papers in her hand and on the desk.  “I’ve been sorting through our registry and came to the same conclusion.  I’ve been checking to see where the nearest registered hags are.  Unless one has come for a visit, the nearest hag is a state over.”
         
Gwyn was taken aback.  A hag?  Jeez, who’d let a hag live amongst humans.  Didn’t they make a pastime of eating children and the like?  She looked around at the faces in the room, settling on Fox’s, who had a twinkle of amusement in his eye.  Amy had the distinct feeling that he knew what she was thinking.  He confirmed it.  “I believe Ain told you that your stories about Landers are somewhat off, correct?”
         Amy nodded.  “That’s right.” 
         
Gwyn chuckled hearing that.  “Let me guess,” she said.  “You were wondering how we’d let something as horrible as a hag into this world, weren’t you.”
         
Amy nodded, eyes a little wide.  “Exactly.  How did you know?”
         
Gwyn smiled kindly.  “I’ve been there, too.  Admittedly it was a while ago, but I thought exactly the same thing when I learned that some of what we would consider monsters was actually allowed to live among the humans.”
         
Amy relaxed, glad that Gwyn couldn’t read her mind.  She was still confused, though.  How do you hide a hag?
         
Zash spoke up.  “Don’t get to comfortable about it, though.  This is probably a hag who has snuck in from the Land, and therefore much more dangerous than a hag just trying to make a living out here.”
         
Ain nodded his agreement.  “When and where did you feel the hag, Gwyn?”
         
“About a half an hour ago.  I called you guys almost immediately so we can look for her.  Unfortunately, it’s going to be harder now.  Assuming she hasn’t used magic since that time, she will have returned to normal by now and it’ll be more difficult to find her.”
         
Ain nodded.  “You’re right.  We’re going to have to look for her the hard way.”
         
Gwyn walked towards a wall of cabinets hidden behind a large viney plant hanging from the ceiling.  “Good thing I had the time to make up more of these,” She said as she rummaged in a drawer.  She turned around, dropping what looked like a pumice stone on the table.  She turned back to the drawer and pulled out a vile of clear liquid.  Amy got the impression it wasn’t water.
         
Gwyn opened the stopper.  “Well everybody.  I need some hair.”  Zash, Gwyn and Ain pulled out a hair from their scalps.  Gwyn leaned down and pulled one from Fox’s head.  Amy just stood there with no idea what to do.
         
Gwyn collected the hairs, and then turned to Amy, her lips twitching into a grin.  “You look confused.”
         
Amy nodded.  “To say the least.”
         
Ain looked at Amy, an apologetic smile on his face.  “I’m sorry.  This is all old hat for us, it’s hard to remember to explain what we’re doing.  Those stones are finding stones.  They’re keyed to change color when they sense someone with magical abilities within a ten yard radius.  Problem is, we can’t use it since we all have magical abilities normally.”  He pointed to the vile in Gwyn’s hand.  Amy noticed that their hairs were swimming in it.  “That’s a potion that nullifies the stones power to ignore certain magic’s.  Thus our hair.”
         
Amy looked at the stone.  “Why isn’t it changing color now?”
         
Gwyn piped in.  “I haven’t activated it yet.  Don’t worry, you’ll see it in action.  I need to activate it before pouring on the potion.  I can’t do that until I get one of your hairs though.”
         
Amy’s mouth opened in a silent oh, and then she pulled out a hair and handed it to Gwyn.  Gwyn put the hair in the potion, putting the stopper on and shaking it.  Amy watched, fascinated, as Gwyn put a finger to the stone, saying a word.  Amy gasped as the stone changed from white to a dark red.  Gwyn poured the potion onto the stone and it changed back to its original dull gray color.  She tossed the empty vial into a bucket under the table.  After throwing away the hairs on the stone, she washed her hands in a sink next to her desk.
         
Ain picked up the stone before heading towards the door.  “Well, let’s get started.”