by Mona Hanna
She grinned at him. “I’m nearly on to how to cast the spell. Can I tell you?” When he nodded, she tucked her long hair behind her ears, then sat forward, setting two open books before her on the low table. “Both of these books mostly say the same thing,” she began. “They describe a certain potion to brew, and then they say I’m to place it in a vial and hold it by a string over a map. I’m then supposed to drink a small amount of the potion, cast a spell, and focus on something specific about who I’m looking for. One book says to hold an item belonging to the person while casting the spell, but the other says you can focus on something you know about the person. That’s what your mother said—we need to know something specific about who we’re looking for so we can give the spell direction. Your mother didn’t think we knew anything other than the girl is a High Witch. But don’t you see, Brayden? That’s enough. That’s more than enough.”
She smiled at him, but Brayden was a little confused. He frowned, trying to understand, when Ariel kissed him on the cheek. “Let me explain. It’s nice to be explaining something to you for a change.” She laughed a little, and he raised an eyebrow, which only made her laugh harder. She kissed him again. “Alright. What I’ll focus on when I’m casting the spell is my type of magic. My magic is obviously different from that of other magical people, not just because it’s stronger, but because I can do far more things. I’m not just restricted to controlling fire and water, or being able to shape-shift, or whatever—I can do so much. And so can the other girl. If I focus on my type of magic—the part of me that can tap into the weather, have visions, do everything—then I’ll make the spell look for someone else who has that type of magic. Focus on the feeling I have inside of me, the pulsating force that I need to carefully control. She must feel it, too. That’s how I’ll find her.”
Brayden nodded, knowing it made sense. “That’s very clever. Hopefully it will work.”
Ariel stood and gathered the small bag they had on the table, which contained ingredients for the potion they had gotten from Emily’s house. “I’ll brew the potion now. Can you find a map and set it up on the kitchen table? I think the potion should take a couple of hours to be ready. I’m really excited, Brayden. I can’t wait to find her, to be able to help her. What if she doesn’t know she’s a High Witch? I’ll be so excited to tell her! We can help her, together.”
Brayden stood, smiling at Ariel. He put his hand on the small of her back. “You really are very sweet. I wonder how old she is. She might only be a child. I hope she’s safe.”
Ariel’s eyes filled with concern and her brow crinkled. She quickly shook her head as if trying to clear her thoughts. “The sooner we find her, the better,” she said, bending down, gathering the two books from the table, and rising. She turned and began to walk to the kitchen.
Brayden hoped this wasn’t going to take too much of a toll on her. He didn’t want her to worry. He felt excited about meeting the other High Witch too. There were two more of them out there—would this spell find both of them? Brayden wasn’t sure if the baby High Witch would be using her powers yet, but their child was already able to use magic. They just had to wait and see what would happen. Brayden wondered once more about the older High Witch. He hoped she was happy. And again, hoped she was safe.
Chapter 8
Hallie struggled to catch her breath. Sean lay beside her, doing the same. She’d just experienced the most intense, pleasurable, satisfying time in her life. She shut her eyes, the glorious feeling still within her, rippling over her. Sean pulled up the bed sheets, wrapped her in them, and cuddled her up to him while he put a muscled arm over her stomach. She snuggled up to him, then heard him laugh, his chest vibrating. She looked at him.
“You’re glowing,” he murmured, kissed her forehead, then became still as his breathing began to slow down.
Hallie looked at her arm, and saw it: a golden glow shimmering over her skin. She shut her eyes, too spent to be embarrassed, beginning to fall asleep in Sean’s arms. They’d made love all night before and then woke late only to beginning touching each other again. Hallie didn’t think she could experience anything more amazing than she’d felt yesterday, but today it was so much better. Luckily it was Sunday and she didn’t have to work, so they’d been able to spend all day in bed. She was exhausted and happily drifted off to sleep. Her last thought was how perfect things were. She was so in love.
***
Hallie stood against the wall of the small wooden building that was her school classroom. All the children from her small town were taught in the same large room. She looked at the ground, twisting her foot in the dirt, waiting for lunchtime to be over on the very hot day. After eating her sandwich, she had nothing to do until it was time to go back to class. She had no friends except Sean, and he was playing with some boys today. She didn’t mind learning at school, but lunchtime was terrible. Waiting to be picked on. Waiting to be teased. She was looking forward to turning fourteen, when school would be finished for good, but she had six years to go.
She looked over the yard, seeing the groups of children sitting together or playing ball games, and was horrified to see Clara walking towards her, followed by her two friends. The girls were ten, and she was frightened of them. The trio reached her, standing over her, making her press her back against the wall.
“Show us some magic, Hallie,” Clara said, smiling cruelly. “We’re bored. Be a good witch and show us a spell.” Clara flicked her long brown hair over her shoulder and glanced at her friends. “Or are you too afraid?” she said. “Is the little witch afraid of her magic?”
“She’s afraid of everything,” Sarah said. “Vera’s a filthy witch, too, but at least she can use her magic properly. Remember when we caught Hallie trying to make a fireball and she kept making these huge flames appear? She can’t even do something as simple as that. She’s such an idiot.”
Clara chuckled. “Show us some magic, Hallie,” she said again, “or we’ll tell the boys you want to kiss them. Rick especially. He’ll love that.”
Hallie felt her heart beat faster and panic ran through her. Tears pricked her eyes, and she felt shaky all over.
The three girls laughed, then were shortly joined by four more. “What are we doing?” one of them asked, the half-circle of people huddling around Hallie, making her feel suffocated.
“Teasing Hallie,” Clara said. “Quick, grab her arms so she can’t magically transport away.”
Hallie felt several hands grab her, holding her by either arm, leaving her feeling so vulnerable and threatened. She was exposed, unable to get away, unable to cover herself. She wiggled in their grasp, choking on tears and trying desperately to break free. Wetness began to run out of her nose, and all the girls laughed.
“Poor baby needs a hanky,” one of them said.
Hallie couldn’t even see them now, everything blurred as her tears clouded her vision. She looked down, her hair covering her, finding it hard to breathe. The laughter sounded around her, the grip on her arms tighter. She tried to scream but couldn’t. She could barely get out a whimper. She squirmed and squirmed, then felt her magic inside of her. They were right: she couldn’t use it properly. Every time she did, it went wrong somehow. But she could feel it bubbling in her stomach, threatening to come out. She wanted to cast a spell to free herself but was frightened of what would happen. She could barely think properly. All she could do was feel.
She kept wiggling, crying, her face all wet and a tingling feeling covering her skin. She took huge, heaving breaths and her body began to spasm, her arms and legs jerking. The girls’ laughter changed to sounds of alarm, but it was too late. She couldn’t stop now. They let go of her arms but that only left them free to further the spell. Hallie looked at the group through her damp hair, hunched over, her body rigid.
Then the power came.
An enormous wave of energy poured out of her in a huge green light, flinging the girls across the yard, several feet away, where they lay sprawled across the grou
nd. A couple of the girls were screaming, their legs at an odd angle, but Hallie’s power was too strong—there was too much raging inside of her to stop now. She knelt down, finally able to scream, dark grey clouds forming over the sky at a rapid pace. Flashes of lightning streaked across them and there was a huge rumble of thunder. Lightning bolts struck the dirt, making the children scream and run, but they couldn’t all escape. One was struck, then another; trees were hit, bursting into flames. Hallie hunched over on the ground, wailing, wanting it to stop. She hadn’t meant to hurt anyone. She didn’t want to hurt anyone.
She didn’t want to destroy them.
***
Hallie shot up in bed, screaming and crying, her nightmare scaring the life out of her. She started sobbing, and Sean immediately sat up and held her. He crushed her against his chest while she wailed, unable to stop the pain inside of her. The memory was so painful. It was ten years ago, but the dream brought it all back. “I don’t want to hurt anyone, Sean!” she cried. “I don’t want to be a killer!”
“You’re not!” he exclaimed. “Hallie, you’ve never killed anyone!”
“But I almost did!” she yelled. “Those three boys that were struck by lightning were burned so badly they’ll never be okay. And one of them can’t remember anything properly. And two girls broke their legs… Sean I can’t ever use my magic again! Ever again! I promise I’ll never use it. I can’t get too emotional. I can’t risk letting my powers out. Maybe we can’t be together like this, because my magic threatens to spill out when I’m feeling so much. I’m not allowed to feel. I’m never allowed to feel.”
She kept crying against him, sorry she was hurting him but knowing she had to stop her emotions. Even all the crying was dangerous. She tried to control herself and sat back, gradually stopping her sobs. She took a deep breath, gazing at Sean, wondering what he was thinking. He just looked hurt.
“Hallie, please don’t push me away again. Maybe… maybe you just need someone to show you how to control your magic. I can’t do it, but we could find someone. There was no one like that back home, but this is a much bigger town—”
“No,” Hallie said, shaking her head. “I’m never using my magic again. I think… I need to be alone right now, Sean. I-I don’t know what I want, but I just need to be alone. Please.” She looked away, down at her hands as she fiddled with the sheets.
He didn’t say anything, just sat there for a long while, and then he slowly got out of bed and got dressed.
Hallie didn’t look at him, but he stood the by bed for a long time, waiting for her to look up. She finally did. Her heart broke at how sad he seemed.
“I’m going to come back tomorrow—don’t argue,” he said. “Think about this. We don’t need to end because of your past. You can’t keep running from it, Hallie. You have to face who you are eventually.” She swallowed loudly, then turned around, waiting for him to leave.
There was a horrible moment of silence, and then Sean walked out, shutting the bedroom door behind him. She heard him close the front door a while later. She lay down and curled up into a ball, wanting the memories to go away. She didn’t know what she was going to do, but she was never going to let her magic out again. No matter what the cost.
***
Hallie walked into the front room of her house a little while later after getting dressed and washing her face. It was early evening; she and Sean had only slept for a few hours before her nightmare. She sat on the settee and folded her hands in her lap, feeling empty and lost. She didn’t know where Sean was staying, so couldn’t find him even if she wanted to. She felt horrible about how they’d left things, but she was so confused and needed time to think. How could she be with Sean and still not let out her magic? What was she going to do about her power? And what was wrong with her—why couldn’t she control it? Why was her magic so dangerous? She sighed, wishing things were different.
Suddenly there was a loud knock on the door, startling her, but she felt a sense of joy, thinking it was Sean. She hurried over to it, swinging it open.
Nicholas stood there, smiling at her. “Hello, Hallie. May I come in?”
Hallie slammed the door in his face. She stormed away, telling herself to calm down, but then Nicholas appeared in front of her. He’d seen inside her place—he could magically transport inside. She clenched her fists. “Get out,” she seethed. “I don’t care what you want—just leave me alone.”
Nicholas stepped towards her, still smiling, arrogant. Then his expression became more serious, and he gazed at her, eyes narrowed. “I’ve captured your red-haired friend,” he said slowly. “He’s safe, but you need to come with me if you want him to stay that way. I’m not going to hurt either of you, but you need to come quietly.”
Hallie stared at him, wondering if he was telling the truth. She clasped her hands together, shaking slightly. “You’ve captured Sean? Why? What do you want?”
“You’ll find out in time. For now, I just need you to come with me. And you can’t try anything—if you hurt me, you’ll never find him.”
Hallie took in her breath, wondering what in the world was going on. She kept shaking, her lip quivering. “What do you want with us?” she said, her voice wobbly. “I don’t even know who you are.”
“That doesn’t matter. Hallie, it’s quite simple. Come with me now, or Sean dies. Do you want to be blamed for someone else being hurt?”
She looked at him, then shook her head. “No,” she said weakly. “I’ll go with you. But don’t hurt him. Please.”
Nicholas didn’t say anything, reached out, and grasped her arm. She felt a spinning sensation and then they appeared in a small room with drawn curtains and only a few candles providing light. Hallie’s eyes adjusted to the dimness, finding the room only contained a table and two chairs. Nicholas gestured for her to sit down.
Hallie faltered for a moment, then obeyed. She took shaky breaths. Nicholas sat across from her, folding his hands on the table. She couldn’t believe he seemed so calm, so confident. But his smile was definitely gone. His mood was darker now.
“N-now what?” Hallie asked, when some time had passed.
Nicholas sighed. “Now, we wait.”
Chapter 9
“I don’t understand. Why didn’t it work? Nothing happened.” Ariel looked up at Brayden from where she sat at the kitchen table. The potion cooled in a pot over the fireplace; a mug of it sat on the table, some of which Ariel had drunk before she cast the spell, some of it in the vial. Ariel sighed. “I focused on my type of magic when I cast the spell. I reached out in my mind, concentrating on finding someone else with the same kind of magic. But I didn’t feel a thing. Did I cast the spell wrong?”
“I don’t know, Ariel,” Brayden said, standing beside her. “Your power is very strong—I’m sure you did it properly. Maybe… maybe you just need to try again. Maybe it will take a few tries to work properly.”
She frowned, then nodded. “Alright. I’ll give it another go.”
Ariel took another small drink of the potion and shut her eyes for a long time, holding the vial by a string over the map.
Brayden watched her carefully, hoping it would work this time.
Ariel took a deep breath, her brow crinkling, and then she settled again. Brayden waited for several moments in the silent room. Finally Ariel put down the vial and scratched her head. “Nothing,” she said, sighing. “I want to find her so badly! I’m so worried about her, just in case something’s wrong. I guess we’ll have to do what Julius did: ask around and travel until we find someone who’s heard of a witch with unusual power. It was probably too good to be true to think the spell would work, but I was so hopeful…”
Brayden gently grasped Ariel’s arm and moved her so she was standing beside him, then put his arms around her. She snuggled close to him, leaning against him while he held her. He softly kissed her hair. She murmured something against his neck, and he smiled. “I didn’t quite catch that,” he said, kissing her shoulder.
&nbs
p; She lifted her head and gazed at him, her eyes full of sadness.
Brayden’s smile faded. “What is it? Are you alright?”
She frowned, biting her lip. “I just have a weird feeling that she’s in trouble. I don’t know if there’s anything behind it, but I feel like we need to find her quickly. I don’t know how, though. I could try the spell a few more times, but what if it doesn’t work? It could take months to find her the other way! Years, even! I’m just so…”
Ariel’s eyes grew wide, and before he knew it she disappeared, gone from his grasp.
Brayden whirled around, wondering what in the world just happened, then began to storm through the house. “Ariel!” he screamed. “Ariel, where are you!”
“Brayden!” she called, and he ran into their bedroom. She was on the floor, struggling to sit up. Brayden rushed to her side, lifted her up, and placed her on the bed. He sat beside her, holding her closely.
“The baby, she took over—I couldn’t stop her from transporting me away. Luckily it was only to here, but…”
“Ariel, we’re binding her powers. If she took over at this stage, heaven knows what she’ll do when she’s bigger. No arguing. You need to do this.”
“No! I can’t!”
“Ariel! It’s too dangerous, and you know it! Listen to me, please!”
Ariel moved away from him, crossing her arms over her chest, breathing heavily.
Brayden ran a hand over his face, wishing she would see sense. He groaned. “This is probably distressing for her too, you know. I don’t know what a baby can feel, can sense, but this isn’t normal. It’s not right! Ariel, you can’t stubbornly stick to this notion that you’ll be hurting the child by binding her powers. You have no proof, and you’re endangering yourself! Why won’t you listen?”
“You can’t tell me what to do! This is my decision!” Ariel cried. “I don’t want to take part of her away, because that’s not right. It’s not right to change her, maybe permanently, just because it hurts me a little! I’m not doing it, Brayden, and you can’t make me!” Ariel stood up and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her.
