Rachel might have to deal with Mabel Walsh.
The old woman had a knack for slithering her way into every situation, whether she had any reason to be involved or not. She was one of the rare few with affinity for Knowledge magic. Her particular talents gave her a keen insight on falsehoods and deception, spells which she refused to expound upon for the rest of the Council. It was doubtful anyone else could actually accomplish much even if she had explained them, as Knowledge magic was particularly difficult for anyone without the affinity—but with the Council's express purpose in collaborating and coordinating the budding magical community, it was invariably frustrating for Rachel to see an elected councilor to be so opposed.
Will spent many sleepless nights brainstorming various potential methods with Rachel on how they might imitate Mabel's abilities. They'd worked through the basics first—trying to detect increased physical reactions like eye movements and dilation, changes in breathing or sitting position, or any number of nearly-undetectable shifts in a person when attempting to lie. None produced as reliable results as Mabel could regularly produce.
Will once surreptitiously monitored her from a few rooms away while Mabel had helped them interview a potential awakening candidate, which was how they'd determined her affinity. The discovery of Mabel as the third Knowledge affinity in town had placed the technique squarely in Will's domain—and totally out of Rachel's reach.
Rachel was increasingly frustrated by her limited ability to cast spells. Her own affinity for Mental magic seemed paltry and useless compared to the feats regularly performed by Cinza or Natalie with their Nature magic, Will with his incredibly useful spells to track and determine magic, or whatever insane combination of abilities allowed Kendra to cast something as impossible as the Market. At best, Rachel's capabilities seemed to extend to modifying her own mental capacity and the method Will had discovered to view relationship connections. She'd put those two to the best effect she could manage, but in a fight (as Rallsburg seemed destined to slide into strife), Rachel felt utterly useless.
She therefore resolved to provide her allies with the best weapons she could manage. If Rachel could not help on the frontlines, she would have to act as the tactician and armsmaster. All her efforts would be in support of the best general and fighter she could find. At the moment, that was the girl she was currently trekking through the thick mountain forest to find.
Cinza had given her brief instructions on how to find their encampment, but Rachel had always been poor at navigating the world, as so many loved to remind her. She may have compensated for this by memorizing the entire town inch by inch, but that did little to help her maneuver through the ever-thickening woods. The best she could do was recognize any clearings or landmarks she had already passed.
Her cell phone was out of range, so she couldn't call for help either. The only communication she maintained with the outside world was her connection to Will, strong and reliable as ever. Every so often, Rachel shifted to view it once again, just to remind herself it was there. However, due to the distance and the murky nature of such viewing, she couldn't use it even as a compass bearing.
If only I'd thought to bring a compass, Rachel mused. She'd been in a bit of a rush, as she only had so long before her absence was noted. Will was covering for her, but Rachel's current mission was to remain an absolute secret between the three of them. Even the sheriff, as much as Rachel had grown to like the woman, couldn't know her current plan. If she were found out, it would split the Council down the middle and send them tumbling into far greater chaos and disarray.
Rachel sat down on a log, feeling winded. She dug through her bag for a sandwich and munched it down. Nature wasn't exactly something she hated, but Rachel had never been particularly inclined toward it either. She regarded it with a mixed indifference: it could be beautiful, and it was certainly necessary for the world to function, but she had no need to actually go out and be in it. Pictures were plenty for her. She'd much rather be inside enjoying a book than taking a hike through the wilderness any day—not that she had time for either anymore. There was always too much to do.
Still, Rachel respected the environment enough not to debase it for the rest of the world. She made sure all the trash from her brief meal was stored back in her bag. Once again, Rachel marvelled at the satchel—and bemoaned her own inability to create something so functional and useful. The bags were created by Kendra from the same principles as her Market. Rachel had begged to know the method, but Kendra had steadfastly refused.
Each bag held far more than it should have, obviously, but they still carried weight. It wasn't possible to haul much more around than usual. The rows of pouches and the massive increase of space simply made it easier to organize, as well as carry around valuables in a much more protected space, as the interior was wholly unaffected by weather. The real clever trick was that they were powered by the owner, not by Kendra herself. If Kendra had been required to keep the magic alive, distance and the increasing number of them she'd sold would have quickly drained her of energy completely. Instead, the bag was tied to its particular owner, and was fed a small supply of energy at a constant rate to keep it intact.
Rachel could feel its gentle tug on her body at all times, like a tiny weight seated somewhere near her heart. It was so miniscule that she could only notice it when she actively tried, like being aware of her own breathing or blinking. It took very little effort, but it had to be maintained or the contents would collapse instantly into the actual size of the bag, compressing without regard for their wellbeing. It was this penchant for self-destruction if stolen that had Rachel keep it on her at all times. She kept several invaluable possessions inside, including both the Scraps she and Will had awakened from as well as the council spellbook—a plastic binder where they kept every Scrap, six in total, that had been discovered and donated to the Council.
The cost of such bags was not inconsequential, as Kendra had only made a select few for very high-paying customers. Rachel's had been a gift, in recognition of her efforts for the community and their own friendship. She was incredibly grateful every time she used it, as she'd never be able to afford such an exorbitant sum on her meagre income. Rachel had only managed to attend school through a stack of loans in the first place, and Rallsburg was one of the few schools to accept her, desperate due to their dwindling attendance rates.
If I hadn't applied here, where would I be now? she thought, starting off through the woods once more. I'd never have met Will. Would I have even awoken if it hadn't been sprung on me that day? It wasn't the first time she'd pondered such questions. Rachel felt like she had dropped into her role purely by chance. She'd done her best to make the most of it, but every day still felt like a blind flight to some degree.
Would they have died if someone else were in charge?
Rachel shook her head and tried to clear her mind. Her thoughts were becoming nonsensical; how was her elected position to have altered the fate of three murdered by Omega? She had barely been awakened herself when Alpha and Omega first fought. She couldn't have been a factor. When they were forced apart by Hector Peraza, Rachel was just another face in the cowering crowd.
A particularly stubborn and misleadingly high root nearly tripped her and sent her falling head-over-heels. Rachel tried to focus on where she was going, but her doubts continued to circle around her like vultures waiting for prey. Will I ever be trusted like Hector? She liked the man—everyone like Hector—but she was also quite jealous of him. He held a mountain of respect from every member of the council for his heroic actions. When Omega had confronted Alpha in front of the assembled Council, it seemed as though they might tear the entire building apart. Hector stepped in, without thought for his well-being, and drove them to back down. His bravery outstripped anything Rachel had ever seen.
They'd agreed to a permanent truce. Neither would interfere with the community again, so long as the rules were followed. Omega may have ideological objections to the direction their society was headed in, but he wasn't going to confront Alpha and Hector as a combined force. Not alone.
It was only when he'd found a supporter than Omega had finally returned. He was still technically abiding by the terms of the truce, but his influence and his methods were clear. He was making a new attempt to end the spread of magic, and this time he wasn't simply targeting the source. His destruction would be far wider than the library—it would be the entire town.
"It's about time," came a call from the trees nearby. Rachel stopped, not sure where the voice had come from, but it was clearly Cinza. It echoed and reverberated through the underbrush in an unnatural way, coupled with the usual ethereal floatiness that she tended to speak in by default.
Two silver robes stepped out from behind thick trunks a few dozen meters away. It looked like Makoto, if Rachel had to guess from the outline, and another she did not recognize. Cinza's voice floated out again, seemingly from everywhere at once. "Follow them, please."
Makoto gave her a brief silent nod. Without waiting for a response, he turned and started walking into the deepest part of the forest, where the trees grew even thicker together and the paths were nearly nonexistent.
Rachel clutched her bag more tightly and followed them in. Whatever friendship she might feel growing with Cinza, the girl was still an enigma. She wouldn't let her guard down just yet.