First a thank you to my reviewers:
TaintedDarkInuSheemko - Nathan may not believe in magic (and believe me it will take a lot to convince this guy of magic), but he is pretty good at reading Wyatt. Yep, Seth certainly got an earful. That's true he could have orbed away the knives, but Chris wasn't really thinking. He was reacting. And he will be paying for that . . . in small bits in this episode and big bits at a much later date. I had to look up that phrase "vim and vigor", but that does seem to describe Devia. The idea of what Melinda might do to Seth when she gets some sort of power if she doesn't trust him yet has all sorts of fun images playing through my head. That would be a fasinating scene if it gets there. Since I'm not quite sure when Melinda changes her opinion of Seth, you might even get it. I know when she gets power back, but not about her reaction to Seth. Thank you for the compliment on the sentence about Emily being a magician. Many things will go wrong. Not all of them in this episode, but as an ultimate result of the spell Chris is going to cast and of the decisions made on this night. Mysterious enough?
soraya - Ah, you're caught up now. First in regards to your review on the last episode. I definitely have plans for Wyatt's romantic future. It will take a will for those to come to fruitation though. As to Chris, well, his is a little more questionable. I have changed ideas there several times, but one thing is very clear . . . something will happen. Whether it will be a good thing or not, you'll have to wait and see. Now on to your response to my replies. I think I understand now about the teen angst thing, though technically they aren't teens. Or at least Kali isn't, though only just. She's twenty. I never did deturmine how old Gary is, but considering his younger brother lives on the other side of the country, I'd have to say he's at the youngest nineteen, though more likely older. Still, your point stands. I just get picky. Sorry. About Leo. I see what you are saying and I will see how much of that I can use. I know that at least Paige is in regular contact with Leo, since he's teaching her son. Prue's still getting used to everything and she's had Leo as a whitelighter all these years (though Andy shared that role) and is not sure how to deal with a mortal Leo. Phoebe, of course, hasn't shown up, so it's a little difficult to identify her connection to him at present. Also when I started this I was less clear on what I was doing with some of the characters. I have been defining that more slowly. I am getting a better handle on what Leo's role in all this is. Or at least as far as outside the family goes. I will try to be more clear about Leo's parenting skills with his kids. And then there is the last line of your review. It makes me smile and it makes me laugh. And it really makes me wonder how do I answer that. I have thought of all sorts of answers and it comes down to this . . . you are on the right track, but at least part of it is wrong. Good luck on figuring that out. I'm a little protective of my couples. There are some I'm fine with revealing . . . though off the top of my head, I'm not sure who. It sure isn't any of those four and it sure isn't Wyatt. Maybe Kali. If someone guessed that one, I might admit it. Hanks . . . but how on earth anyone would do that I don't know. Jani's . . . though same deal. Not ever sure if Alanna ends up in a couple. Nothing says everyone has to.
Devia is about to learn more about her father than she knew before and she's not sure she likes some of it.
Chapter Eleven – Eavesdropping
Devia frowned as she tried unsuccessfully to finish fastening her new dress. She sighed and headed out of her room. She walked down the hall and stopped at the door of the her dad's den.
"Are you certain about this plan, Steve?" a gruff voice asked. "You know this demon failed last time."
Devia took her hand off the knob and leaned against the wall.
"He gets stronger every century," Steve reminded his guest. "He ran into a problem last century. He won't this time."
"He ran into Warren witches, Steve," the other man informed him, raising his voice. "By associating with him you are pointing him into the path of even more Warren witches and worse still, the Charmed Ones and their offspring. Distance yourself from this. Warn him away from them. He can't help you in your vendetta against the sons of the oldest Charmed One."
"She's not the oldest," Steve replied, hesitantly.
Devia listened to complete silence for almost a minute.
"What happened?" There was an edge of irritation in the voice.
Steve sighed. "I don't know. I just know that the oldest sister showed up alive over a month ago."
"Prue Halliwell is alive?" The irritation grew with every word. "Do you have any idea have much trouble four Charmed Ones are going to be?"
Steve scoffed at the idea. "Four Charmed Ones? Everyone knows there can only be three Charmed Ones."
"That is beside the point," the voice growled. "I don't care how her arrival messes with the Power of Three, unless it completely destroys it. I don't even care if Prue is Charmed or not. I just care that the witch is alive and bound to cause trouble. I suppose she could have become complacent like her sisters, but family has always been very important for her and you are after her nephews. Dam is already dead, Steve. Do you intend to join him?"
"Of course I don't intend to join Dam. Dam was foolish and pushed into a battle before he had any chance of success. I won't fight them unless I have to and only if I believe I can beat them."
Devia heard a hissed breath followed by a sigh.
"Let me help you. At least let me do that. Think, Steve. Our numbers are dwindling. Dam's dead at their hands. Ry went and got himself killed a month ago. I can't believe normal humans managed to take him down, not even witches, just police officers. Kayla had a run in with one of the rogue Phoenix. Angel's long gone. Foolish as she was to marry a witch, I'd say good riddance if she weren't your sister. Any luck on that front, with your niece I mean?"
"Brianna?" The name was said a little louder than needed. "Have you met the freaks she hangs out with?"
His guest laughed at that. "Coming from you, that's funny, but yes, I've met them."
"Then, you understand why I doubt it's any use to try and turn her to our way of life," Steve replied. "She's not interested in power. And she doesn't even have powers that are very useful."
"She's an empath," his guest retorted. "It may not have much value in a fight, but it sure can tell you who's your enemy and who's your ally. No, I wouldn't discount her and I wouldn't give up on her quite yet. She'll have to wait though. Your obsession with the Halliwells and getting revenge for Dam is far too dangerous to worry about your niece right now."
"Dam shouldn't have gone after them without being ready," Steve admitted, "but that doesn't mean he should have died for that mistake."
"It's them or us, Steve," his guest reminded him. "I prefer for it to be them. The powers gained from being the ones to kill them are nothing compared to the fear we'd gain in the underworld. They'd have to admit Warlocks are a force to be reckoned with."
Steve chuckled at that. "That I would like. Eventually I will take them on and I will get both their powers and that prestige. I won't until I am ready though. I got rid of their orbing once, but they got it back."
"How?" this time the guest was clearly stunned.
"I think one of them summoned an anti-orb zone."
"Summoned? An anti-orb zone? That's some tricky spell casting. Not something a normal witch can do, but I guess they're Warren witches. There hasn't been a normal Warren witch since the very beginning when Melinda Warren was born. Be careful, Steve."
"You'll keep Sean away if . . ."
"I'll kill him if you want."
Devia covered her mouth to mute her gasp.
Steve snorted. "No. If I wanted that done, I'd have done it myself years ago."
Devia covered her eyes and exhaled slowly.
"And I wouldn't underestimate Sean, if I were you," Steve added. "He's a talented spell caster and he knows his way around his power. Let's not talk about him though. Just protect my daughter if anything should happen."
Devia gulped, not liking all this talk about death, wanted to run in and assure him that everything would be okay, but certain the talking would cease if she did.
"Of course I'll protect her, but you can't put that in writing else they know who I am."
Steve sighed. "Of course. Just don't let them turn her if something happens."
"I have to go or I'll be late for dinner," his guest told him in a teasing voice. "Mira doesn't like it when I'm late."
"You are far too settled, Dathe."
Devia's eyes widened as she recognized the name. Brianna had once told her to be very careful around Dathon Renoir. She wouldn't explain, but instead told her that he was the kind of person that you never wanted to be an empath if you wanted to survive, because anyone who ever disliked him was in for danger. Devia couldn't say that she disliked him, but she didn't like his offer to kill Uncle Sean one bit.
"Perhaps," Dathe acknowledged, "but I know you miss Sylvia."
So do I, Devia thought, thinking of her loving mother.
"Go then," Steve ordered. "I will see you another day."
A moment later Devia heard footsteps. Her eyes widened and she tried to decide what to do. She reached out to knock on the door a second before it opened.
Steve looked down at his daughter surprised. "Did you need something, Dev?"
She nodded. "My dress. I can't close it."
Steve smiled. "Turn around and I'll get that done for you."
As she turned around she thought about what she had heard and wondered what it all meant.
In the next chapter Chris casts that spell. Both he and Emily are about to say some things they never meant to admit. And Melinda is still not comfortable with Wyatt's best friend. Not that anyone really expected a few minutes to make a difference.
