"You're positive that you have to leave now?" a disappointed hotel manager asked.
"I did say it was just for the winter, and now it's spring," Salem said, back in her black dress, and an enchanted backpack on her back. She was honestly amazed that nobody asked how she managed to fit all her new things in there. "I must continue my journey."
"Well, if you must. You were the best night guard we've had in a while."
"At least my replacement should be good, right?"
"But of course! You did teach him, after all."
"That I did." Salem wasn't about to tell him about the spells she'd used to subtly mold the new guy's thoughts, though she had a feeling that, with the way he looked at her, the subtle magic may not have been entirely necessary. "I guess I'll be on my way, then."
Before she left the lobby, the desk attendant called out. "Wait up, Abigail!"
"Yes?"
"You may want to wait a bit before you leave."
"Why?" Suddenly, there was a crack of thunder, the sky turned dark, and then it started to rain heavily. "Right. Crazy Missouri weather." She sighed and looked around. "I suppose I'll just wait for the storm to pass, then."
"It'll be a couple hours before it lets up."
Salem walked over to a table in the lobby, sat down, pulled out a sketchpad and her pencils, and picked up where she left off with her plans. The rain was even inspiring her, and so she made a note. If she played her cards right, there was no way, even if she died, that her plans would fail.
After the storm passed and the sun was back out, Salem left the hotel, notebook in hand. On the pages in front of her were some decent sketches of a Beowolf and Ursa. They were simple, and would be a great trial run. She even had a testing ground in mind. But first, she would need to make a base, and she had the whole Midwest and her magic available to her.