Chapter 3

Stay here? Leave everything she knew behind to stay here? Could she really do it? Then she thought about the agony of day to day life living within her mother's picture perfect suburban family. She thought about the gut-wrenching pain every time she thought about Samuel and all the half-truths and broken promises he'd left her with. Lastly she remembered the relief and joy she had felt when she saw Jaenelle. Even when she thought she was dreaming. Of course she could stay here, for the summer at least. If that didn't go well she was sure she could convince Jaenelle to take her back. "What do you mean 'find the power within myself'? Is that like some kind of vision quest or something?" She challenged.

A smile spread across Jaenelle's face as she recognized her friend's acceptance of her offer. This summer was going to be the best time of her life. "Well first we have to do introductions since we've all calmed down a bit. Saetan, this is Mercy. She's from Montana. She can change into a coyote; her people call her a walker. She has no real family and I've known her since I was 12. Mercy, this is Saetan, he was my teacher in Craft from before. He saved my life and is my true father. He's agreed to take us all in for the summer despite his sanity. This leads me to Gabrielle, Morghann, and Karla." As she spoke she pointed to each girl respectively. "Karla is what we call a spitfire. She's tempestuous and moody and all together wonderful. She's a Black Widow in training and a natural Healer. She wears Sapphire. This is Morghann, she is the sweet one of our group, but is also a force to be reckoned with. She's also a Black Widow in training and natural Healer and wears the Sapphire too. Last but not least is Gabrielle. She's fiery and quiet, but she's Dea Al Mon, which means she has a temper to rival yours. She's studying all three Crafts with the rest of us and wears the same sapphire jewel as the other two. The Boyos…well you'll meet them later I'm sure." She stated as the smile on her face widened.

"Ooooo, I didn't think about the boyos' reactions! It's a surprise they aren't already here to find out what's going on and trying to 'protect' us. I wonder how they'll like this new Witch." Karla giggled.

"Wait, wait. Boyos? Who are they? Why are you all smirking? What is this about Jewels and Black Widows? Jaenelle, I don't understand most of what you said. I know you're telling me something important but I wasn't raised here."

"It's almost sunset; I don't have time to explain everything. You have to go through your Birthright Ceremony. In a few minutes you'll go in there and sit down. Close your eyes and calm every part of yourself. When you're calm, start thinking about dropping to your inner most depths. Do this descent slowly and make sure you go as far down as you possibly can. It won't seem to take very long, but you should be in there all night. When you are as deep as you can go you should see a Jewel on a strand of web. Grab that and then slowly come back up, and when you're ready, come out and see all of us. I'm so excited for you; I just know you'll get a Dark Jewel like the rest of us." Jaenelle told her all of this as she pushed Mercy into a room. "Good luck!"

She shut the door as Mercy's mouth dropped open to object.

"That was a little abrupt Jaenelle," Saetan said as he lounged on a chair.

"Well she had to start or she'd have to wait till tomorrow, and I want her to start lessons with me tomorrow."

"Seems like we have some time to kill now, would you like to explain yourself?" Trying to remain nonchalant, he heated a glass of Yarbarah over a tongue of witchfire.

"How long does this take?" Jaenelle asked, as she got up and started pacing the room.

"You know perfectly well how long Witch-Child. Now stop avoiding the topic. Why did you leave this morning with no warning? I understand she's important to you, but I could have retrieved her, or gone with you." Saetan allowed the sadness he had felt creep onto his face.

"Do we have to talk about this now? She could be coming out at any moment."

"Jaenelle!" Thunder raged in his voice. "You know the birthright ceremony lasts from sunset to sunrise. She'll be in there for hours still. Answer my questions."

She sighed and resigned herself to the full explanation. "I forgot I hadn't told you about her. I've been sitting here since the others arrived, thinking she had ignored my invitation. So when I was thinking about her, and felt the pain she was in and the longing for a friend, I thought it was my last chance to fix what had been broken. I couldn't send you because you wouldn't be able to apologize for me and convince her to forgive me and come this summer. I couldn't take you with me because if I had asked you before I left, you never would have let me go, and when I left it was that moment or she'd be lost to me. I made my decision and left. Papa, I'm sorry for the worry it caused, but she was worth it. I think she'll be as strong as Karla, Morghann, and Gabrielle. How could I let a Witch like that perish and be alone?" As she finished with her explanation, all the energy seemed to drain out of her. "You aren't too upset with me are you Papa? I mean, you see what I see don't you?" She asked him, desperately seeking approval.

"I see more than you see, Witch-Child. I'm not upset. Just don't wander off without a proper escort from now on. You know how important you are, and the dangers." Saetan sighed as he realized the futility of what he was asking. She would risk herself every time. He could ask for more caution…not a different decision. He opened his arms, needing the comfort of feeling her in his arms to feel the truth that she was there and safe.


Jaenelle flopped on her bed, grateful to have finally escaped from the questions from Saetan. She wanted to rest. It had been a long day and getting to Mercy's realm always took more energy than flitting around Kaeleer. Mercy wouldn't need her for another few hours at least. As her eyes closed she felt the strong Witch presences of her friends airwalking to her balcony. She knew she was going to have to explain herself more fully this time. Papa was male and would back down if she insisted; her friends wouldn't, at least not as easily. As the three girls stepped into the room, Jaenelle sat up and faced them.

"How could she not know what she is? Where did you find her from, some remote place in Terreille?" Gabrielle questioned.

"Yeah, I know they haven't followed Protocol there like we have, but I didn't know it was getting so bad that they didn't even know what they were anymore." Morghann remarked.

Jaenelle just giggled. "No, she's not from Terreille; she's from another realm entirely. I've never heard anyone mention it before. I think Mercy called it Earth. She comes from the territory of Montana originally. You'll all have to go there sometime, it's beautiful."

Karla jumped straight to the more difficult topics as she always did. "What I want to know is why you left without telling any of US. It's not like we're the adults who would have tried to stop you, but we could have come with you. We're all up for adventures, you know that! You also know that they are right; it's dangerous out there alone."

Jaenelle had been dreading this part. "I formed friendships with all of you separately. Each was a unique relationship but they all stemmed from you needing me. What if sometime when you had needed me I had shown up with a bunch of people you didn't know? Especially after not coming around for two years with no explanation. Would that have made you trust me again?" She begged her friends to understand with her deep blue eyes.

"Alright we get it, you had to go. And it had to be alone. At least tell us about her. What's her story?"

"You'll have to ask her," Jaenelle replied with a smile, knowing all would be forgiven. "Now can I please get some sleep? It really has been an exhausting day. We have all summer to share our stories."

The girls stood up one by one and walked back to the door. "Guess we have time to figure out which one of us gets to question her first then." Gabrielle murmured.


Mercy closed her hands over the dark blue stone. It looked just like the ones she'd seen those other three wearing. Jaenelle had been right; she would be just as strong as them. The whole experience had been tiring, though for some reason she felt immensely proud of herself. She gathered her legs beneath her and rose smoothly from the ground and reached for the door. She hoped Jaenelle would be waiting alone for her and could show her to a room to get some sleep. She stepped into the corridor and felt waves of power crash upon her. She looked up and saw four boys on the brink of manhood lounging around. She dropped her eyes quickly, sensing that all four of them were dominant.

They all seemed to step towards her at once and she wished she knew more about the customs here so she could excuse herself easily.

"Karla was right; she really must not be from around here. No Witch would ever drop her eyes so quickly and submit like that to a man." Morton smirked and turned towards Khardeen.

"Obviously I'm not from around here because in my world no one would have mistaken that respect of power for meek submission." Mercy snapped back. "Who are you and where is Jaenelle? She told me she'd be waiting for me."

Chaosti grinned. "There's the Witch coming out. Gabrielle said she was going to be strong. So what Jewel did you come away with?"

Mercy looked at these boys feeling completely out of here element. Back home if she had spoken to any of the pack like that it would have meant a fight. "Who are you?" She repeated.

Another boy stepped forward and stuck out his hand. "Forgive my friends; they're used to more temperamental Witches. I'm Aaron. The one asking about your Jewels is Chaosti. Morton is the one with the comment about mistaken submission, and the quiet one taking it all in is Khardeen. We're the other halves to the girls you met earlier. Except my friend Kalush, by the time she got over there you were already beginning the ceremony."

She had so many questions but only one really mattered at that moment. She shook his hand as she asked again "Can any of you point me to Jaenelle?"

"No, she's sleeping. I think the girls dosed her with a sleeping potion to make sure she'd get plenty of rest. But if you'll let me make it up to you for earlier, I can show you to your room." Morton offered with a gentle smile.

"I guess I can wait to talk to her. Sleep is sounding better and better by the minute." She stepped in front of him and began walking in the direction he'd pointed.