Author's notes: No, I don't own the LJ Smith characters, though I wish I did. Thanks Hazel and Debra for reviews, they encourage me to keep writing. I couldn't remember the dragon's name exactly so I tried to get it as close as I could. I'm at college and my book is at home. L Again, (()) is thought speak and '' is private thoughts. Enjoy this next installment! J
Chapter Three: Who's a witch
Phil was looking up at the five Nightworlders who stood over him. 'So much for keeping myself out of the Nightworld.' "Ummm, guys, could you point those somewhere else, I kinda like my body the way it is." Phil was staring at the balls of light in the hands of the two girls, and at the stick that Nissa was pointing at his heart. "So, what's your business here? Were you to get close to Iliana and then kidnap her? How stupid does the Council think we are?" Keller growled at him. Phil looked nervously at her, "I don't know what you are talking about, why would someone want to kidnap Iliana?" He was beginning to think they would kill him first then ask questions. "Look, whatever you guys think I am, I'm not. I don't belong to the Nightworld. I'm just an ordinary guy who found out this summer that he had a little witch in him. I didn't know witch hunts still happened." That took the group a little by surprise. They stepped back a little as if unsure. Then Nissa stepped up and asked if she could look into his thoughts to see the truth. Phil looked a little skeptic at first, but then nodded in permission. A second later he felt something in his mind searching around. Nissa saw then that he had only just learned of his heritage and was not going to pose a problem for the group. "He's clean boss," Nissa announced looking at Keller and lowering her staff. Phil breathed a sigh of relief as the staff disappeared and the balls of light were extinguished. "So, are you all going to take down this invisible wall so we can go discuss things inside?"
After Winnie reset the wards to accept Phil, the group gathered in the living room to talk things out. Phil listened as Galen explained that they were part of Circle Daybreak and they were fighting to allow humans and Nightworlders to live together as friends. He also told about Iliana being a Wild Power, one of the four prophesized to either save or destroy the world. Phil was shocked at this, 'how could this small pixie like girl have the weight of saving the world on her head?' Phil felt sorry for the young witch. He found out that Nissa was a vampire, he had thought she brought up the same feelings he had had towards James, Keller was a panther shifter, Galen was a leopard shifter and also a shifter prince. Secretly, Phil wanted to see them shift into their cat forms. He thought it would be so cool. Then Winnie was a witch along with Iliana. That's when they asked for Phil's story. How had he found out about the Nightworld and being a witch? Phil was about to start his story when he heard a voice in head, one that he thought he would never hear again. ((Hey, will someone come reset the wards so a couple of tired vampires can get inside?!)) Phil just sat there not believing at first, but finally jumped from his seat and ran for the door leaving the others following behind him. He swung open the door, ran onto the porch and picked is sister up into one big hug. Everyone else just gathered around watching the reunion with puzzled looks on their faces. "Well, it looks as though Mister "I don't want to be part of the Nightworld" has changed his mind, welcome to the club Phil." James came up and gave Phil a pat on the back while he was hugging Poppy. "So, I guess we know how Phil knows about the Nightworld," Galen said to no in particular.
After another long discussion in the living room and a few sodas and pizzas, everyone had everything straightened out. Poppy was getting caught up on family news with Phil, and James was updating the others with Circle Daybreak info. The search for the last Wild Power was still on. There had been a few leads, but nothing substantial. But, James had word of new threat. "It's been rumored that there is another dragon awake. We still don't know who awoke them in the first place, but we think this one was awoken at the same time as Ahzeda." Phil looked at the others in the room, he now felt out of place, even with his sister here. "Don't laugh at me or anything, but are you saying dragons are for real? James I thought you were a little saner than thinking that." Phil was greeted with stares all around telling him that dragons were real. Galen spoke up, "The dragons were once in charge millions of years ago. They were mostly evil and the witches finally won a battle against them and place them into a sleep, all except the youngest dragon princess. They raised her and now, the first house of the shifters are descended from her. That's why my last name is Drache, it means dragon." Phil looked Galen over, "So you are part dragon. Wow! Poppy what kind of world have we gotten into?" Poppy just looked at her brother in shock, "So you are going to join up now? Really." Phil stared back "I don't see why not," he said both out loud and with his mind.
Phil had called home to let his mom know that he was okay and that some kids from school were helping him get caught up. His mom told not to stay out too late and that she loved him. Poppy had stood right by the phone so she could clearly hear every word her mother said. 'I miss them all so much,' she thought. Phil looked over at her, ((Mom still loves you, and she will never stop. Maybe one day we can let her know.)) Poppy smiled at her twin, who now looked a little older than her, he had always known exactly what to say to comfort her worries. ((At least it seems that James has been taking good care of you,)) Phil laughed then. ((Of course I'm taking care of her, if I didn't, I know I would have one overprotective brother coming after me. Trust me, I don't want that. Now just remember you promised to give us our privacy.)) James smiled at his future brother-in-law wandering if he should let Phil know his intentions before he popped the question to Poppy. 'Better safe than sorry.' "Better what than what Jamey?" Poppy asked. James looked a little flustered before responding, "Oh, I was just thinking that maybe Phil should get a little training on how to use his powers since this area is kind of a hot spot with Iliana here." There, he had covered that just perfectly. Poppy gave him a look over before saying, "I think that's a great idea. What do you think Phil, ready to become a true witch?" Phil looked back and then looked at the others that had gathered in the room. He saw the kinship they all shared and knew deep down that he should be a part of it. "I guess I will if there is someone willing to teach me."