Disclaimer: Still not mine.
Rating: T
A/N: Sorry for the delay, I hope you enjoy. And I hope it makes sense, lol. :) Please review!
Dwelling...
Everything slowly started coming back to me as a dull pain resounded at the back of my head. More like a throbbing, as if someone had taken something and hit me over the head with it. Hard. And the more I became aware I was coming too, the more I started to ache. I had pins and needles in my legs from where I'd been sitting crossed legged before I passed out. I didn't bother opening my eyes as I lifted a hand to rub at my temples. One word saying it all as I found the energy to speak.
"Crap,"
I felt someone's cool hands pressing me back down as I tried sitting up. But I didn't need to cast out my senses to know it was Hunter. I opened my eyes and turned to look at him. Seeing his gorgeous green eyes riddled with concern for me. His brows furrowed into a frown as he crouched at my side. I tried to move again, but he just placed his hand down on my shoulder again.
"Try not to move," His soothing voice came through. Laying a gentle hand on my head and brushing away my long hair. "You went down pretty hard and bumped your head." I winced, feeling the evidence of what I first thought. But the more I was coming too, the more it was starting to ease off. I wouldn't have put it past Hunter to of done a quick healing chant to help a little more. And my heart swelled with love for him. For having him with me when things just became too much.
Which was becoming more often than I was happy with.
I made an effort to try and relax. Or as much as I could laid out on my back, on a hardwood floor. But I was too drained and tired to try and fight to get up again. "Who was it?" I asked, looking around us for the answers. I remember everything of the vision and images. I could still feel the coils and lingering traces of magick, as I was fuelling the spells being cast in each of them. But I wasn't quite ready to know what they meant. Preferring to sink into the mass of denial waiting to accept me with open arms. I wanted to see Hunter's reaction before I tried to assimilate my own. Or so I tried to tell myself.
'Why fight what's destined to be,'
I heard Hunter take in a breath and swung my guarded gaze back to his. "I didn't get to see as much as you did. The images were too disjointed and blurred for me. But judging from the one word you whispered before you fainted," He said, anger shooting through his eyes like lightning, ready to vaporize and shock. "It was Amyranth." I closed my eyes at the word that instilled so much fear through my veins. Before that is. Now, it just made me prickle with my own anger. Even after all their leader and my biological father did, and after I trapped and stripped him of his powers; they were still trying to come for me. How long was it going to be before they accepted defeat and realized I was too strong for them? They're not worthy of my power.
"That's what I thought," I muttered, turning to stare up at the white ceiling. Watching the shadows run across the surface from the candles lit in the room. "When is it going to be enough," I asked no-one in particular. I was so frustrated, I was barely thinking straight. Were they the reason for my sudden ill feeling to everyone? Why I was drawn to things I never would of thought of going near before? Were they who were making me feel unsatisfied and craving for more? Or were the soothing and musical voices right. It was something that was destined to be. Something that I should take hold of.
After all, who said it had to lean towards dark magick? I could curb my desire and temptation. I'm the Princess of Belwicket. I have the power and the strength to resist if I want to.
I didn't voice any of this. Just contemplated my thoughts as Hunter carried on. "I don't know, love," He sounded as frustrated and annoyed as I was. But in a different sense. A completely different way to my own. "If Amyranth are the reason behind the dreams and strange magickal pull you described, then they can't be doing it alone. Without Ciaran, they don't have much power. At least, not enough to do it from so far away," He pondered, cupping his chin in his hand as he stared across the room. "We know none of them came with Ciaran. The council have been keeping tabs on the area still, just in case. But that doesn't atone for how they could have done it."
"Unless they didn't do anything," I carried on, cutting into his train of thought. "And it really is just residual after-affects. You've said it yourself, I'm sensitive, so it makes sense I would pick up on something they would try to send my way. It just didn't reach me." He looked back to me, his brows still furrowed and contemplating what I said. I was trying to give him a different angle to look at it with. It's Hunter's nature to assume the worst, so he won't expect any less. But this was one thing, I was suddenly very reluctant to pursue with them.
I want to see where it takes me. See if I really can do it alone, without help from them. I'm strong enough. I know I am.
"You could be right," He said, although, he didn't look like he one hundred percent believed it. "It would take a lot of help for them to of done it. There's the idea of them using a bith dearc. But with their leader gone, they're more likely to be concerned with not being caught," He paused, once again running his hand through my hair soothingly. "I still think I should call Kennith and see what he thinks. And we should still go and see Alyce tomorrow. See if she knows anymore than we do." I nodded, allowing him that. If I'd put up a fight about that too, then I know he'd become more suspicion.
He helped me up off the floor and pulled me into a hug. His chin resting atop of my head while I sunk into his warmth. If he didn't see what else was in the images when we scryed, then I wasn't going to tell him. Those, I felt were for my eyes only. Just like the heightened power I could feel tingling through my nerves. Dampened so it wasn't felt by others. But it left me nervous with anticipation of what I could do with it.
'The strongest power in generations,'
I grinned at the thought.
xXx
Hunter picked me up around eleven the next morning. I stayed with him for as long as my curfew would let me the night before. Just stretched out with him in front of the fire. Talking about inane things. Anything other than what was seen when we were scrying. No talk of Amyranth and what they are or aren't doing. Mr Niall came home just before I left. I guess getting my father stripped of his powers went along way to healing that disgust my boyfriends' dad had for my lineage. I couldn't blame him for being wary. It was because of my ancestor, that Hunter's parents and had been on the run for so long. I was almost surprised Hunter didn't hold it against me. Even though I knew he never would. He's constantly telling me I can't be held responsible for something I never knew existed.
But if I was in his position, I'd feel a little bitterness towards me.
Grabbing my can of Diet Coke and brushing off the crumbs from my pop-tart, I walked out to his battered old car and climbed into the passenger seat. He gave me a warm welcoming smile as I leaned over to kiss him hello. When he pulled away, he scrutinised me through narrowed eyes. Taking in my tired features. Mary-K had left before she could work some of her own magick on me. So I was left with trying to look as awake and alert as possible. But I couldn't disguise the dark circles beneath my eyes. And I couldn't understand why they were even there. Other than the nightmare I had a few nights ago, I haven't slept so well in a long time.
"Did you get any sleep last night?" He asked eventually. Following my own train of thought. I knew I was still pale and drawn. I looked like I was still suffering some of the affects of the Dark Wave Ciaran had sent our way. "You look really tired." I shrugged carelessly and cracked open my can with a hiss. Taking down a few mouth-full before turning to look at him again.
"I feel fine," I commented. "I slept the whole night through and woke up without a problem," Other than my reluctance to crawl out of my bed, because no matter how cheerful I try to be, I'm just not a morning person. "Maybe I'm coming down with a cold or something." I shrugged again. I could feel Hunter cast his senses out to me. This time, I didn't block him. I was just careful about what I was thinking and feeling. He was concerned enough, he didn't need more ammunition.
Eventually he just nodded and pulled back. He started the car and took us to Practical Magick to see Alyce. We drove to Red Kill in a comfortable silence. Both lost in the peace between us and the bright day outside. The trees whizzed past in a blur. My eyes taking in everything around me with keen and interested eyes. It was almost like there was an aura around everything I saw through the window. The trees humming with their timeless existence. The birds going about their own ritual and routine. The sun seemed to be pulsing with energy that was second to my own. I wanted to be out there. Walking through the wild freedom. Soaking up the life-force and energy in everything. Connecting my own magick, with the natural lay of the land around me.
I wondered if anyone else could see what I was watching. Noticing the colours and shimmer encompassing it all. How did I live before I found Wicca? How could I have possible gone through the first sixteen years of my life, without being able to get in touch with everything? I went on picnics with my family, surrounded by nature. I sat on the beach with my friends, watching the waves crashing on the shore. Untamed and gentle. Never feeling the raw power of the ocean. Never hearing the whispers of the leaves in the trees, never quieting. I could have missed out on so much. I could have been bereft of the power streaming through me. And I almost felt sorry for Ciaran for never being able to feel that again. But at least now, he can see what it felt like to be me.
And I wouldn't have had to of been lost of those first sixteen years, if he hadn't of loved and killed my mother.
The feel of the car slowing to a stop made me blink and look at the new location. In a parking spot, a few shops down from Practical Magick. Hunter smiled at me as he shut off the engine and unsnapped his seat belt. I shook myself out of my thoughts quick enough to give him an answering grin and climbed out of the car. The crisp air hitting me instantly as I sucked it in. Allowing it to brush away my thoughts of Ciaran.
Hunter and I walked up to Practical Magick hand in hand. His tall imposing presence was going a long way to making the day start off well. But the longer we were together, the more I was starting to hate my curfew. It never seemed we could have any quality time with just the two of us. Before Sky was living with him. And now his father is, it just feels weird and awkward. But coming out with him today, even if it was to try and find out what my dreams were supposed to mean, I didn't knock it.
He pulled open the door for me and let me step through before him. Being the gentleman he is. The jingle of the door had Alyce's head popping out from around a bookshelf. She came towards us with a gentle smile. Embracing us both before stepping back and holding my hands in hers. Looking at me with eyes that were as concerned as Hunter's. Minus the other emotions he held when he looked at me. I tried not to shuffle under her stare and breathed a sigh of relief when she waved us over to the curtained off area. The kettle just finished boiling as we sat down at the table. It wasn't long before I had a mug of tea and honey sitting in front of me. All three of us sitting around the small Formica table.
Alyce kicked things off quickly. "Hunter called me this morning to fill me in about last night," She reached across the table and covered my hand. "How are you doing, Morgan?" I absently traced my finger around the rim of my mug. Not noticing the small whirlpool of the liquid in the mug, the more I traced it. I gave Alyce a reassuring smile and tried to pull up a reasonable response.
"I'm okay. No harm done other than the bump on the head," I said, lightening the atmosphere a bit. "But like I said to Hunter, it might not have even reached me at this distance. With Ciaran gone, they're un-coordinated. Having his powers stripped has put a huge dent in their plans." She nodded and shot a look to Hunter as she pulled her hand away. I stopped tracing the mug and sat back in my seat. Waiting.
Hunter sat forward and curled his hands around his cup, looking thoughtful. "I spoke to Kenneth, my mentor this morning," He started. "I tried to find out some information on their movements, but he didn't really tell me anything. Nothing that will help us anyway. I told him about Morgan's dream and vision. How it was definitely Amyranth, but he didn't really have much to say to that either. Because we can't completely determine what it was they were saying we've only got small pieces of information to go on."
"But you think if they were to of done it, that they would of needed a lot of powerful help?" Alyce asked, making him nod in agreement. I just sat back and watched them hash it out between them. Sipping my tea every now and again. "And you think the only way they could have done that is by using a bith dearc? Not a taibhs?" He nodded again, commenting that a taibhs would be weakened at this distance. And I'm pretty sure I would of noticed it if it was. The memory of the one David sent after Stuart Afton skittered across my mind.
I would definitely know if it was taibhs, I firmly told myself.
"Well, we know it's highly likely they've used a bith dearc before. They have to when calling on the Dark Wave after all," Alyce continued. "So we know it's possible for them to draw extra power from that, for the right price. But what about the spell they cast?" She asked rhetorically, switching her gaze between us both. "Morgan you said the words seemed old. The Gaelic being in one of the purest forms. That you couldn't define what they meant?" I nodded to her question. I'd written as many of them down as I could and given them to Alyce to work with.
But now I was getting the sickening sense she'd found something.
"Did you find out what they meant?" Hunter asked what I couldn't. It was sitting on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn't command my mind to ask. I was too reluctant. I took a sip of my tea to ease and soothe the dryness of my throat. Air almost seemed to be trapped in my lungs. Like I couldn't get a full breath. And I fought not to let my rising panic show or be seen by both of the talented and knowledgeable witches I was sitting with.
Alyce tapped her fingers for a second, before going over to the small counter and picking up a thick, old and dusty tome and bringing it back to the table. "This has never been out on display; I keep it locked up with others I don't give out. I picked it up at a flea market of all places a good few years ago. But I've never had much use for it, until now." She opened the cracked and brittle pages. Going to somewhere she bookmarked. "Now because I didn't have the full spell we're assuming they placed on you, I had to work with what we have. And what I found," She paused, turning to look at me with sympathetic eyes. "Morgan, I don't know how accurate it is . . ." She trailed off.
I listened with half an ear, as Alyce went into the translations. Railing off the rough English meanings to the words, Amyranth were casting around me. Using the words, Desire, Greed, Pride and Envy. It sounded like she was rattling off the list for the seven deadly sins. Making me wonder what that had to do with a spell. There was no weight in just those words, if that was the case. And for a second, I almost relaxed and thought that was it. That taking out Ciaran, really had knocked their power.
At least, until she carried on.
I wrapped my arms around myself as I stared at the old tome. Her words fuzzy and weak as I tried to concentrate on what she was saying. She'd spent the rest of yesterday evening and night, trying to find out. And her search hadn't been in vain. "The spell they might of cast is so old and abandoned, it was never recorded," She said to us. "The only way for them to have procured the spell and the power, would to of used a bith dearc like we suspected." A dark spirit.
"What was the template for the spell?" Hunter asked intrigued. I felt like I was watching through a fog. Little snippets of words coming to me the more she went on.
"The closest diluted spell I could find was this," She said, tapping a page in the book. I didn't bother to lean forward and look like Hunter. I wouldn't have been able to read the old Gaelic anyway. "It's supposed to draw up the victim of the spells magick, the deepest thoughts and temptations of their mind. Lowering that persons inhibitions and allowing them to embrace the darker part that everyone harbours in them. Bringing it to bloom. Like planting a seed and watching it grow." Alyce paused and shot a warm concerned glance to me.
"But like a flower, that spell needs water and sunlight," She continued solemnly. "The more you resist, the more it will feed on it. But at the same time, the more you let it control you, the more tempted you become." I could feel Hunter's worried eyes boring holes into me. I just about turned to look at him. Trying to work out if I was sleeping through this meeting. It seemed too far-fetched. Like something out of a fairytale. But the more I tried to down-play it, the more it started to make sense.
The feelings that the spell was creeping to the deepest parts of my mind. Flushing into depths, I never even encountered when I did a tath meanma brach with Alyce. Or when Ciaran joined his mind with my own in New York. And that was why it hurt so much. Because it felt as thought it was starting from the core and slithering its way out. And only when I tried to resist, did the headache come to me. And those words, Pride, Envy, Greed . . . they all made sense now. The need for power. The thirst and hunger. The dark temptation, I've always found a rush in.
'It's in your blood,'
The same words from before came back to me. Holding more weight than they had before. Sounding more delicious. Heightening that craving I've been experiencing.
Hunter's hand on my arm drew me to look up at him. Pulling me from staring off into space. My expression was emotionless. My eyes blank as I took in their anxious faces, waiting for some kind of response from me. But I didn't know what they wanted me to say or do. Did they want me to break down and cry? Asking how we're going to break this one if it was more than a dream? Were they expecting me to burst into flames with fury? To see that darkness I just know they're going to be expecting to shine through? But all I could think to say was the one thing I was truly thinking.
"Why?" Hunter and Alyce glanced to one another before looking back at me. Hunter's lips were pursed and he looked contemplative. Alyce just gave me a motherly concerned look again. "Why would they place something like that on me? What are they gaining?"
Hunter thought about it before speaking up. "The only logical explanation I can think of," He intoned fervently. "Is one of two things. Either they did it in the hopes that you would be more willing to take over Ciaran's place. Choosing to join with your power, rather than completely lose it. Or," He said determined. "They did it as a way for you to destroy yourself." Making their last bout of power, go towards taking out an uninitiated witch, they would be no match for when it came to going against them. But again, I kept that thought to myself.
I chose to dwell on what Hunter said, instead. Wondering which one it would be. When they finally realized it wasn't what could be, or what is to come. But is in fact, already happening right before them.
