Chapter 5: Hunter

Diary Entry Included

I attended my first Wicca circle last night. These people – my friends! – are witches! And I want to be one too. I can't believe I just wrote that. But

I honestly did feel something magical. When Hunter started chanting I joined in. It was like I knew the words of by heart. It was so strange.

- Ariah

I was sitting at the kitchen table, Sky chatting to Dad about a new spell to dismantle the Dark Wave, when it hit me. Of course! Morgan and Ariah were so similar! The way they talked, their strong expressions, their green-brown eyes and their power. I could sense that Ariah was just as strong as Morgan. They had to be related. Sisters? No, no way. How about cousins? Yes, that was for sure. But not on Maeve's side of the family. Maeve was an only child and had no brothers or sisters. But Ciaran...

"Da, did Ciaran MacEwan have any siblings?" I blurted out. Da's face turned chalk-white and Sky looked uncomfortable.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, he did," Da replied thoughtfully. "A sister. Annabel MacEwan. She stripped herself of her powers when she was eighteen. Then she moved to England, married a non-witch and had a child with him."

"Really?" I asked hoarsely. "Why'd she strip herself of her powers?" Da frowned for a moment, thinking.

"Oh, it was something about her turning against the dark side and was scared of Ciaran so she thought that the only way to not be tempted by her brother's evil was to get rid of her powers," He explained. "But she was a very powerful witch."

"I have to go!" I yelped dashing to the door. I had to get to Morgan's house. I dived into my car and sped down the road, thinking, damn, damn, damn, dammit!

When I reached her house, I leapt out of the car and rang the door bell. Thankfully, she answered.

"Get in the car." I didn't bother saying hello. I was far too wound up. Morgan raised her eyebrows, but followed me anyway.

"Okay, Hunter," She said. "What's up?"

"Ariah's your cousin!" I blurted out. Morgan's eyes – almost identical to Ariah's – widened with shock.

"What?" She gasped, breathing heavily. Goddess, was there an easy way to tell her?

"Ciaran has a sister – Annabel MacEwan – who stripped herself of her powers to get away from evil. She then moved to England, married a non-witch and had a child with him – Ariah Woodhouse," I explained. "Ariah's Mum died when she was young and doesn't know about her Wiccan heritage. She grew up with her father who recently moved her here. The goddess works in mysterious ways." I grinned at my love, who was totally and utterly lost for words. I took hold of Morgan's hand and tried to soothe her. "It's alright, my love." I stroked her long chestnut hair. She was so beautiful. I longed to kiss her, feel her lips press against mine...

"Hunter?" Morgan interrupted my thoughts. "We have to tell her! Ariah needs to know! And what about Ciaran? When he finds out that he has a niece! He might come looking for her!"