(Chapter 2: Ariah)
Ariah Hayes frantically dialed her husband's mobile number. No answer. She tried sending him a witch message. No answer. Goddess, where was he?
"Mum?" Alwyn – her fourteen-year-old daughter called from the kitchen. "Is he okay?"
Shaking, Ariah responded, "I can't get through." The colour drained from Alwyn's face.
"Goddess," She whispered, then grabbed her leather jacket.
"Where are you going?" Her mother yelled anxiously as Alwyn headed out of the cottage.
"To find some answers!" was her daughter's response.
Ariah sank down into one of the kitchen chairs and glanced around the room. Sighing, she wondered what life for her would have been like if she'd stayed in America. Or – even worse – if she'd never moved to America. Now Ariah couldn't imagine life without Wicca. She and Morgan were now the high priestesses of Belwicket. As Morgan traveled a lot, Ariah often led the circle by herself. Right now, Morgan was back in America, visiting her parents and her sister Mary K.
I need help.
The thought slipped into her head before she could shake it away. No way would a powerful Woodbane like Ariah admit to any weaknesses. What was happening to her?
# A cloud of black smoke swept over Cobh and Ariah watched everyone she knew and loved die: Her husband, her daughter, Morgan, Hunter, Morgan's daughter Moira and the rest of Belwicket. But she had survived. For what? Her life wasn't worth living anymore. As her loved ones died, part of her died with them. Could Ariah carry on? Yes, against her wishes, but she could. #
Ariah woke up in bed, gasping. Not another dream, She groaned to herself. When she was younger, Ariah had had dreams like this. They were visions of the future. Did that mean that everyone she loved would die? No, it wasn't possible. Or was it?
"Cole." Ariah shook her husband awake. "Cole!" He woke up, looking sleepy and rumpled.
"What's wrong, darling?" Cole asked in a hushed voice so he didn't wake Alwyn.
"I had a dream that a dark wave was coming for Belwicket." Cole's eyes widened as his wife told him that gruesome sight that she had seen. "The whole place was ruined. Everything had been burnt to the ground."
"Don't worry," Cole said reassuringly. "Nothing will happen."
She snuggled down with him. "Oh, Cole, I'm tired of being afraid."