Hunter pressed his lips together. No, he replied. But I havent given up. Ive thought about the clues Ive hada walled city, the fact that I spoke in French. There are a number of walled medieval cities in France. Ive asked the council whether I can have leave to go look for my father and mother
My heart literallyliterallystopped beating for a moment.
but theyve refused. They think my evidence isnt strong enough. They wont tell me what research theyve done so far, and they wont send someone to France now. But it looks like there might be someone who is willing to search for me. Someone who isnt in the council and isnt bound by their rules.
I was so relieved that Hunter wasnt leaving that the ominous note in his voice barely registered in my mind. Who? I asked.
Sky.
What? I asked. Sky was going to France? What about Kithic? How long will she be gone?
Hunter looked sad. Its unclear. Shes quit her job already. After shes finished in France, she may go back to England, he explained.
Butbut I sputtered. Sky and I had never been terribly close. Still, I didnt want her to leave. Hunter reached out and touched the tips of my long hair.
Well all miss her, he said. But she doesnt want to stay here, Morgan. Things have been hard for her. Hunter looked at me, and I knew that he was talking about Skys breakup with Raven. I knew she had to be excited at the thought of going home to her friends. Besides, Hunter added, I need her help.
I nodded. Hunter was rightthis was important. I knew that even though he wasnt saying it, Hunter didnt want to send her. He wanted to go himself.
By the time I stepped into the school building, the bell ending first period had already rung. This was actually a good thing. If I had walked inside in the middle of first period, I would have almost certainly been stopped by Assistant Principal Collello, who seemed to think that it was his personal duty to hand out detentions to as many students as possible. But by coming in during the minutes between first and second period, I could just blend in with all the other students and make my way to class.
I pulled off my cap and felt static running through my hair. It was probably standing on end. I decided Id better make a quick stop at the girls room to check if I was presentable before wandering into class. I didnt want to look like I was just coming in from outside, after all.
A quick glance in the mirror showed me that the problem was more serious than Id thought. My hair looked like a fright wig. I raked my fingers through it. It didnt help. I was just concluding that the situation was hopeless when the door swung open and Bree walked in.
Morgan, she said quickly. Im glad youre here. Ive been looking everywhere. She leaned gracefully against the sink and swung her backpack from her shoulder, balancing it on the shelf in front of us.
I was way late. I wet my fingers under the faucet and attempted to comb my hair with them again.
Do you want a brush? Bree asked, rummaging around in her leather backpack. She finally pulled out a wide-toothed comb.
Fantastic, I said, taking it from her. I pulled it through my hair, which began to settle down. Thank goodness.
Listen, Morgan, I need to talk to you.
Our eyes met in the mirror. Whats going on? I asked.
Well, Robbie and I finally talked. He told me that hed spoken to you and that he thought there had been a big misunderstanding.
Thats great! I said. So are you guys back together?
Well, yes, Bree admitted. She twirled the ends of her hair. The worried gesture.
I frowned. So whats wrong? I asked.
Bree looked at herself in the mirror, then looked back at me. Its just thatwhen I thought that Robbie and I were breaking up, I sort of. .
My stomach dropped. What? I demanded. What did you do?
I sort of. . fooled around with Matt.
Oh my God. I wheeled to face her. Did you
No. Bree folded her arms across her chest. Absolutely not. Just, you know, kissing.
I couldnt believe this. Matt Adler! My mind flashed back to the day I saw him cheating on Jenna with Raven. I felt ill. And you didnt tell Robbie?
I didnt know how to. Brees voice was pleading. I mean, it isnt exactly cheating because I thought we were broken up. It was really just a mistake. One that will not happen again. But I got scared that Robbie might not take it that way. So I kept my mouth shut.
I looked at her closely, trying to remain calm. I knew from personal experience with Mary K. that keeping the truth quiet was usually a mistake. Keeping your mouth shut about this is like lying, Bree, I told her. Its the same thing.
Bree bit her lip. I knew that wasnt what shed wanted to hear.
So youre going to talk to him? I prompted.
Bree hesitated. I guess so.
I folded my arms across my chest. You might want to do it soonlike before Matt tells anyone that he made out with you.
Brees face went white. He wouldnt.
I shrugged. He didnt think you were cheating, either, right? So he has no reason to keep quiet about it. And Im guessing hell boast.
That seemed to do it. Bree thought for a moment, then nodded. Okay, she said finally. Okay. I handed her the brush, and she stuck it in her bag. Did you hear about Sky? she asked.
Just now.
I cant believe it, Bree said. Whats Kithic going to be like? I just cant imagine circles without her. She shook her head and sighed.
Me either.
I dont know, Morgan, Bree murmured. Sometimes I feel like everythings falling apart.
I thought of Hunter, my father, my reined power, my family. . I considered telling Bree about my parents wanting to send me to Saint Annes but decided that could wait. She had enough to worry about. Yeah, I answered instead. I know what you mean.
12Restoration
October 14, 1971
I can feel the darkness closing in.
Today, the day after my argument with Mother, I went back to the library and pulled out the Book. I dont know what made me do itI suppose I thought that it might have some advice on how to stop the same dark magick it unleashed. Which it did. Page after page on binding witches, both in secret and in the open. It even had a section on how to bind ones own magick. But I wasnt sureI mean, I didnt know for sure that Sam was behind the latest piece of dark magick.
I decided to look for another option.
I flipped through the book, skimming it, and finally came across a chapter called On the Movements of Objects through the Aire. Just like the plates and the drawer in the kitchen, I thought, and the lamp in the corner. So I read it. And guess what it said? It said that some witches, when theyre in an agitated state of mind, can mentally move onjects without realizing it.
So Sam could be behind these events, I realized. He wouldnt have to be into dark magick to be behind them. As long as he is nearby and is familiar with the objects in question, he could move them with his mind. Obviously hes eaten off the plates in the kitchen often enough to be able to picture them. And he was in the house both times.
I went to leave the library. But as I stood there redrawing the sigils of protection and obscurity around the door, I suddenly realized something.
Sam doesnt know about the library.
He wont be shown the library until his initiation. He doesnt even know it exists. So how could he have made the lamp fall over inside it?
In fact, theres only one witch in the house who knows about the library and is in an agitated state of mind. The same person who was present at both events. The one person I would never suspect.
Me.
Sarah Curtis
With this salt, I purify my circle. I couldnt wait to be unbound. I sprinkled salt around the large circle I had drawn lightly on the floor of my room. It was midnight, and my family was asleep. Still, I had shoved a chair up against the door leading from my room into the bathroom and a few books up against the main door to my room. I didnt want any more people accidentally barging into my room while I was in the middle of making magick.
I picked up the lapis lazuli from where I had placed it at the center of the circle. The stone felt cool in my hand. The gentle silk of my birth mothers green robe felt smooth against my skin, and even though my power was still reined, these two things made me feel like I was surrounded by good magick.
Lying down in the center of the circle, I placed the smooth stone on my forehead. I wasnt exactly sure what to do, so I decided to try casting out my senses.
I could feel Hunters presence almost like he was in the room with me. My eyes were filled with fog that slowly began to lift slightly. As I looked around me, I saw that I was no longer in my room. I was in Hunters living room. Sitting across from me was Alyce. To her right was Sky; to her left was Erin. Skys lips were moving, but I couldnt hear what she was saying. Soon the others closed their eyes, and I saw their lips moving as well. They were chanting, I guessed. I watched all of this through a thin film of haze, like static from a channel that wasnt coming in clearly. What was this spell they were casting? It looked totally unfamiliar to me.
After a few moments Erin lit a black pillar candle. Then Alyce drew out a long string of thread and burned it over the candle so that it was broken in two. Silver flame licked up the thread, which dissolved into a fine, shimmery powder. Alyce blew on the powder so that it floated through the room, growing into a large cloud of sparkling dust. Soon everyone was covered in it. The powder gave everything it landed on a magickal glow, as if the room were bathed in the rosy light of a sunrise. All the while their lips were moving in the chant. It was eerie, like watching a suspense movie with the sound turned off, but somehow beautiful.
Erin placed her fingers in a bowl of water, then passed her hand over it three times. Quite suddenly the haze began to lift, and I could see everyone clearly. At the same time I realized that for the first time in days, I didnt have a headache. In fact, I felt wonderful, as if Id just taken a long nap and a hot shower. I noticed that I was very, very hungry. That was when I knew that the ceremony I had just witnessed had restored my magick.
Hunter, Sky said to me. Her voice was far away, like a voice in a dream. Hunter, is she with us?
Yes, I said to Sky. I had spoken with Hunters voice, almost as if we were one person, one will. It was then that I fully understood that I was seeing through his eyesthat I was actually within Hunter. I wasnt even certain whether the intention to speak had been my own or his. In the next moment I felt a rush of excitement. It was a visceral feeling, almost like lust, and once again I wasnt sure whether the feelings were Hunters or my own. Suddenly I felt very self-conscious.
Welcome to the circle, Morgan, Erin said.
There was so much I wanted to sayI wanted everyone to know how grateful I was to have my magick back; I wanted Sky to know that I was sorry she was leaving. But the power of the moment was intense, and it seemed inappropriate to address anything but the grim task at hand. I focused my energy on Hunters presence. I felt a warm rush of strength and love and somehow knew that Hunter was sending me his emotions. I pulled those feelings around me like a blanket.
Erin pulled the book, still wrapped in its dark shroud, from its place beside her and placed it in her lap. After untying the silk cover, she turned to a page she had marked with a red bookmark. Erin closed her eyes for a moment and seemed to take a deep breath to steady herself. Then she opened her eyes and began to read the spell aloud.
The words were harsh and ugly, half of them written in an ancient language that I didnt understandone that seemed older than any language Id heard before. They seemed to force their way out of Erins throat, as if she could hardly bear to utter them. Alyces eyes were closed, and she was grimacing as if in pain with every word Erin spoke. Sweat broke out on Skys forehead, and a bead trickled down the side of her face. Even I felt dizzy and tired, although I couldnt tell whether it was the effect of the spell or the strain of experiencing the circle through Hunter. I felt a current run through me like a bolt of electricity, and I knew it was the power of the circle growing and combining, running through all of us.
I felt a wave of exhaustionHunters, I was almost certain. Alyces face was flushing pink, then darker red. Her grimace grew wider, and it seemed like she could hardly bear what was happening. Tendrils of her gray hair worked their way loose from her long braid. I noticed this in a moment, a period of time shorter than a heartbeat, then slowly, slowly, the haze began to return. The scene was filling with fog that grew thicker with each passing moment. Whats happening? I thought frantically, but not fast enough. The words beat back against me as if I was shouting into the wind. I felt certain that they had reached no onenot even Hunter.
I became aware of a sound, a sound very much like the roaring ocean beating against the rocks, then drawing back, then beating once again against the rocks. It was a sound I knew, though it took me a moment to place it.
It was the sound of my breathing.
I opened my eyes and found myself in my own room. I tried to cast out my senses again for Hunter but found that I couldnt. Hunter, Sky, Alyce, and Erinhad their magick been sapped, too? Did that mean the spell had been successful? I had no ideaI hoped so.
I couldnt believe that everything had happened so quickly. I struggled to sit up, and the lapis lazuli fell from my forehead with a thunk against the floor. I picked it up and held it against my lips for a moment.
I felt like hell.
Standing up, I pulled off Maeves robe and folded it carefully. Then I yanked on a flannel nightgown and crept to the hiding place where I kept all of my mothers tools, behind the HVAC vent, and carefully put the robe back in its place. I set the lapis lazuli on my nightstand. Crawling into bed, I gently lifted Dagdas soft form and placed him at the end of the bed. I stroked his fur, then pulled the covers over me.