I felt darkness wash over me, so quickly I wasn't sure if it was real or
imagined. But I knew it was real. That Ciaran, my real father, was still
watching me. That the danger to Kithic was real, even though the majority
of the coven members were not blood witches. Hunter and I were enough to
make the coven a target to the dark wave.
I needed to know if Hunter had felt anything. Hunter was my muirn beatha dan, and suddenly I needed him.
Hunter, I thought, sending him a witch message, please come over. We need to talk. I waited a moment for Hunter's typical reply. On my way, love. Then I frantically drew runes in the air, shielding myself from any dark magick or magickal spying. I barely felt Hunter's presence when he rang the doorbell. Luckily, my parents were out for the night at some art auction that my adopted mother's company was sponsoring. My sister Mary K. was in her room, studying while listening to blasting pop music.
I got up from my chair in the kitchen shakily, hoping Hunter was fine. I knew it was Hunter, but that didn't stop me from tossing a glance through the peephole. I was learning how to trust, but it was still difficult. Opening the door, I realized that I hadn't even locked it, and I silently cursed myself for being so stupid. Hunter stepped out of the cold and took off his shoes.
"Morgan, what's the matter?" He asked in his crisp British accent. I ran my hands through his snowy white hair, trying to phrase my worries.
"I felt a rush of dark magick," I said finally, feeling foolish for calling him over something so insignificant. Hunter, on the other hand, looked worried. Without waiting for him to ask, I continued. "It was just this really fast, really bad feeling. Like danger was coming closer. I only felt it for a moment Hunter, but it scared me." Hunter looked thoughtful, and in the silence between us, I heard Mary K.'s music stop and the squeak of her door opening. Her footsteps bounded to the railing, which she looked over to yell
"Hey, Hunter," and smile, looking adorable in tight, blue flowered shorts and a white t-shirt, her typical early spring pajamas. I thought Mary K. had a bit of a crush on Hunter. It didn't bother me like it might because I knew the depth of Hunter's love for me and also because of the trouble Mary K. had gone through with guys lately. She was so beautiful, but too depressed to even think about men. Hunter gave her a warm smile, and looked slightly amused once Mary K. returned to her room, pony tail swinging. He opened his mouth to say something, probably about winning the affections of two minor girls, before he remembered the reason he was here.
"Well, I'll have to tell the council, of course," he said. I stifled a groan, I was so sick of hearing about "the council" this and "the council" that. "But I know that you're still very worried about Ciaran, we all are. The council is still reviewing his book of shadows."
I had scryed for Ciaran's BOS, just as I had scryed for Maeve's. With Maeve's, I'd felt so wonderful finding the BOS. Like I was reading her life. With Ciaran's, I'd felt that I was finding evidence. Like I was reading the diary of a criminal. My biological father had not been, in any way, a kind man.
Hunter drew me into his arms, sensing my unease. "Don't worry, Morgan. We'll find the source of the dark wave eventually. One day, the evil you've known will only be a memory."
I smiled, thinking about how Hunter had gradually grown more and more sensitive since I'd met him. Hunter's birthday wasn't long off, and I thought I might now how to make it his best ever…
"Morgan," Hunter began, shocking me back into reality. I nodded for him to continue. "The council has been tracking Ciaran very well since you put that rune on him."
I felt somewhat uneasy about the rune I'd drawn on my biological father unbeknownst to him. But I felt even uneasier about another thing I'd learned that night: Ciaran's true name. With it, the council could have complete control over Ciaran. But out of some twisted kind of loyalty, I was yet to tell anyone what I'd learned. I felt Hunter's senses brushing me, and my head snapped up.
"What are you doing that for?" I demanded.
"Morgan," Hunter said again. "Every time I or anyone else mentions the rune, you get tense, uneasy," He read me like a book. "Did something happen while you and Ciaran were…" Hunter struggled to find a way of referring to the illegal magick Ciaran and I had done that would not upset me further. "Wolves?" I finished for him.
"Yes," I said. My voice was louder than usual, strong. I opened my mouth to finally admit the truth to my muirn beatha dan when a rumbling sound filled the house. Breaking glass, cracking wood, the ground trembled.
Screams filled the air.
I needed to know if Hunter had felt anything. Hunter was my muirn beatha dan, and suddenly I needed him.
Hunter, I thought, sending him a witch message, please come over. We need to talk. I waited a moment for Hunter's typical reply. On my way, love. Then I frantically drew runes in the air, shielding myself from any dark magick or magickal spying. I barely felt Hunter's presence when he rang the doorbell. Luckily, my parents were out for the night at some art auction that my adopted mother's company was sponsoring. My sister Mary K. was in her room, studying while listening to blasting pop music.
I got up from my chair in the kitchen shakily, hoping Hunter was fine. I knew it was Hunter, but that didn't stop me from tossing a glance through the peephole. I was learning how to trust, but it was still difficult. Opening the door, I realized that I hadn't even locked it, and I silently cursed myself for being so stupid. Hunter stepped out of the cold and took off his shoes.
"Morgan, what's the matter?" He asked in his crisp British accent. I ran my hands through his snowy white hair, trying to phrase my worries.
"I felt a rush of dark magick," I said finally, feeling foolish for calling him over something so insignificant. Hunter, on the other hand, looked worried. Without waiting for him to ask, I continued. "It was just this really fast, really bad feeling. Like danger was coming closer. I only felt it for a moment Hunter, but it scared me." Hunter looked thoughtful, and in the silence between us, I heard Mary K.'s music stop and the squeak of her door opening. Her footsteps bounded to the railing, which she looked over to yell
"Hey, Hunter," and smile, looking adorable in tight, blue flowered shorts and a white t-shirt, her typical early spring pajamas. I thought Mary K. had a bit of a crush on Hunter. It didn't bother me like it might because I knew the depth of Hunter's love for me and also because of the trouble Mary K. had gone through with guys lately. She was so beautiful, but too depressed to even think about men. Hunter gave her a warm smile, and looked slightly amused once Mary K. returned to her room, pony tail swinging. He opened his mouth to say something, probably about winning the affections of two minor girls, before he remembered the reason he was here.
"Well, I'll have to tell the council, of course," he said. I stifled a groan, I was so sick of hearing about "the council" this and "the council" that. "But I know that you're still very worried about Ciaran, we all are. The council is still reviewing his book of shadows."
I had scryed for Ciaran's BOS, just as I had scryed for Maeve's. With Maeve's, I'd felt so wonderful finding the BOS. Like I was reading her life. With Ciaran's, I'd felt that I was finding evidence. Like I was reading the diary of a criminal. My biological father had not been, in any way, a kind man.
Hunter drew me into his arms, sensing my unease. "Don't worry, Morgan. We'll find the source of the dark wave eventually. One day, the evil you've known will only be a memory."
I smiled, thinking about how Hunter had gradually grown more and more sensitive since I'd met him. Hunter's birthday wasn't long off, and I thought I might now how to make it his best ever…
"Morgan," Hunter began, shocking me back into reality. I nodded for him to continue. "The council has been tracking Ciaran very well since you put that rune on him."
I felt somewhat uneasy about the rune I'd drawn on my biological father unbeknownst to him. But I felt even uneasier about another thing I'd learned that night: Ciaran's true name. With it, the council could have complete control over Ciaran. But out of some twisted kind of loyalty, I was yet to tell anyone what I'd learned. I felt Hunter's senses brushing me, and my head snapped up.
"What are you doing that for?" I demanded.
"Morgan," Hunter said again. "Every time I or anyone else mentions the rune, you get tense, uneasy," He read me like a book. "Did something happen while you and Ciaran were…" Hunter struggled to find a way of referring to the illegal magick Ciaran and I had done that would not upset me further. "Wolves?" I finished for him.
"Yes," I said. My voice was louder than usual, strong. I opened my mouth to finally admit the truth to my muirn beatha dan when a rumbling sound filled the house. Breaking glass, cracking wood, the ground trembled.
Screams filled the air.