FAMILY REMAINS.
Aidan McEwan is the son of Maeve Riordan's evil sister, Irene Riordan, and Stephen McEwan, Ciaran's younger brother. Raised into Dark magick, Aidan has resisted using his own power for evil. When his parents try to sway him once again, he is forced to flee for his life, heading to Widow's Vale, to the only family he know will protect him.
PROLOGUE.
My Parents are evil.
They want me to join them, to use my power for dark magick. I cannot fight them, and if I stay, I fear what I will become. They are my parents, but I don't love them.
I fear them. I fear what they can do, and what they use their powers for.
My only hope is to escape, to run away and hide, and pray that they never find me.
Aidan Riordan.
AIDAN.
"Do you really think you can stand against me, my son?"
I raised my head, watching as my Mother lifted a hand. The blast of witch-fire came at me, barely visible-
Only to be deflected by a blinding shield of impenetrable magick, as I held out a hand in defense. "I know how to defend myself," I told my Mother as she gaped in shock.
"Come now Aidan," my Father's voice was soft and alluring, gentle and soothing. "We've been through all of this before, stop before you get hurt."
"No," I shook my head. My Father had spent the last two weeks coming up with a spell to re-empower my Uncle Ciaran. it was something I couldn't allow. "I won't use my powers for evil."
I'd said it before, but this time... This time was final. I backed away from them as I began the spell, putting more distance between them and me. "Annial nath rac, aernan sil, loch mairn, loch hollen, sil beitha!"
"No!" My Mother and Father screamed as they realised my intent, but it was too late.
I felt my body changing, shrinking down as my arms became wings, my feet claws, feathers sprouted all over by body.
A moment later I stood before them, a brilliant golden eagle.
"Aidan, stop this." My Father stared down at me, his voice soft. "Turn back, we can talk about this-"
I leaped into the air as my Mother lunged at me, screeching at their stupidity, as if I hadn't known that my Father was only distracting me! As I flew towards the open window, he scowled, raising a hand, witch-fire shot towards me, I dodged it easily-
Flying right into the path of my Mother's blast of witch-fire. Pain burned my side as I screamed in fury. The animal in me wanted to fight, to sink his claws into my Mother flesh...
but I held onto the part of me that remained human, forcing myself to fly away from them, through the window and out into the open sky.
xx
I landed in the middle of my secret circle, my one sanctuary that my parents didn't know about. I couldn't fly anymore, my Mother's attack had weakened me, but this had been where I had meant to go. All at once, I began to change back to a human, it was painful and I cried out.
Part of me longed to remain an eagle forever, to fly freely wherever I wanted to go. But I wasn't an eagle, I was human. And as i changed back fully, the pain from my wounded side intensified. Gasping in pain, I laid a hand against my side, it came away covered in blood. Gritting my teeth, I reached for the bag I'd left at my circle yesterday; I'd known there was a chance I would be hurt, so I had packed bandages, as well as clothes and my book of shadows.
I had planned my escape when I had discovered what my Father planned to do, because if my Father's spell worked, when my uncle had his powers returned he would go after Morgan. My cousin, Aunt Maeve's daughter.
Aunt Maeve had been kind and caring, gentle and loving. My circle had once been her's, we had met here in secret and she had taught me the value of good magic.
She alone had given me comfort, only she had loved me without reservation, without any selfish reason behind it. Her love had been a true love, untainted and pure.
For the last seventeen years, I have been surrounded by nothing but anger and hate. But I have kept my promise to Aunt Maeve, the promise that I would be good, that I would never allow myself to be swayed into joining my family in their use of dark magick.
Biting my lip as I wrapped a bandage around my torso, I blinked back tears of pain and forced myself to stand. I had to leave here, had to warn Morgan of the danger she was facing.
I knew where I had to go. Widow's Vale, Morgan's home. I wondered how she would react to me? Would she accept me? Or would she condemn me for what my family is responsible for?
Before I could find an answer to my questions, I had to find her. Closing my eyes I whispered softly, "Connected by blood and magick too, let me find you wherever you be. I come, I come, now to you." I instantly felt her, felt my power pulling me, urging me to follow, leading me to Morgan.