Chapter 6: Ariah
I sat on my bed, gazing out of the window. I was home alone. Dad was out working (no surprise there) and had left me to do a million pieces of homework that had to be in by the next day.
Suddenly, I was aware of someone approaching the house. No, it was two people: Morgan and Hunter. For God's sake, how did I know that? Since the circle, strange things had been happening to me. It was like something had woken up inside me. You're talking rubbish, Ariah, I told myself as I dashed downstairs to answer the door.
"Hey!" I greeted them. "Come on in." I led them into the living room. Morgan looked at Hunter uncomfortably, like she had something to say. "Do you want something to drink?" I asked.
"Um, okay," Morgan said. "I'll have a Diet Coke."
"And I'll have some tea, if you've got any," Hunter added, running his fingers through his pale golden-blonde hair so it stuck up and made him look about five-years-old.
"Okay, I'll be back in a mo." I grinned at them both and dashed into the kitchen to get their drinks. When I came back, Morgan looked like death. Even Hunter's face was paler than usual.
"Ariah, we have something to tell you," Morgan began. "You're a blood witch, like Hunter and me! And you're my cousin!" My eyes widened with shock as Morgan told me the whole story about how she was adopted, her parents were very powerful witches – her mother a good Woodbane and her father an evil one – and that my long-dead mother was a blood witch who stripped herself of her powers to get away from her brother's – Morgan's father – evil.
"Oh my God..." I muttered, dropping to my knees. And then I fainted.
When I woke up, Morgan and Hunter were stood over me, muttering spells to heal me. God damn it! I didn't want their stupid spells! Yes, I wanted to be a witch, but to find out that already was one and that I was from one of the most evil families in Wiccan history blew my mind!
"Ariah, are you okay?" Morgan asked gently. Tears were pouring down my cheeks.
"Oh, Morgan!" I sobbed, clinging onto my cousin. "It hurts so much!"
"I know, I know," She muttered sympathetically. "I went through all of this myself. But you have a choice, just as I did. And I chose to be like my mother, to be like Maeve. I'm not liked Ciaran – my father and your Uncle – and I never will be. You will do best to be a good witch, like your mother." And with that, she stood up and left, Hunter following her. It was obvious they had nothing more to say.
That night I realized that what Morgan said was true. I DID have a choice. And I would choose what I thought was right.