FOUR

That night Melinda had no better luck finding Craggen than she had the previous few nights. She couldn't understand it. What was he planning? The last time they had fought he had boasted that he would kill her and take her powers. But after he had blinked away there had been no sign of him. That was five days ago.

She had spent the last five days trying to find where he had been hiding. Publicly, he had said he was going south on business for a couple of weeks. And there had been no sign of him at his home in all that time. The other villagers believed him gone. But he had supposedly left over a week ago. There had been two encounters with him, both at night, and then nothing.

So where was he holding up? Not in town, obviously. There were any number of caves nearby that he could be hiding in but she had searched many of them without any sign of him. There was only one answer she could think of.

Someone was hiding him. But who? The Craft was a forbidden art in this small, New England settlement. Punishable by death if anyone were convicted of it. Which is why she and Matthew had to keep their true identities a secret. But who in the village would hide and protect a warlock?

The sun was just beginning to rise and she was on the outskirts of town. Very soon the villagers would be rising to begin their daily chores. She was always careful to be home before that happened so there wouldn't be any questions about why she was about in the dead of night.

"Did you miss me?" said a voice with a slight British accent behind her.

Melinda spun around at the sound of the voice. Standing several feet behind her was a man about six feet tall with jet-black hair. He wore a goatee the same black but with some spots of gray in it. He was dressed in a suit that suggested he was a man of considerable means.

"Craggen," said Melinda.

"You've been busy these past few nights," said Craggen. "Running about the countryside searching endless caves for me. I've enjoyed it to no end. But that fun must cease now. I've toyed with you long enough. It's time to put an end to this."

"You're right about that," said Melinda, bringing her hands up.

Before she could use her power the warlock pulled an athame from behind his back and threw it at her. Instinctively Melinda dropped to the ground to avoid the missile. It barely missed her head, embedding itself in a tree only a couple of feet behind her.

"Off to finish my business," said Craggen who then suddenly blinked away.

Melinda reached up and pulled the athame from the tree wondering what he had been talking about. His business was with her. Where would he be going? As she pulled the dagger from the tree a premonition struck her. She watched as Craggen bent over a small crib and picked up a child from the crib. Then he blinked and was gone.

"Patrick," gasped Melinda recognizing her son in the vision.

She turned and ran as fast as she could for her home, fearing for Patrick. As a warlock, Craggen could blink from one location to another. She did not have that luxury. It would take her several minutes to reach her home. Desperately she prayed that she would get there in time.

As she reached the front of her house she saw the door lying on the ground, torn from its' hinges. Fearing the worst, she hurried inside. In the small bedroom where Prudence and Patrick slept she found Prudence still asleep in her bed. Patrick's crib was empty.

Melinda heard a moan in the outer room. She turned and hurried to see what it was. Lying near the table in the kitchen was Matthew. He was just rising from the floor and a small cut over his right eye was bleeding.

"Matthew, are you all right?" questioned Melinda.

"I think so," said Matthew. "Craggen was here. He attacked before I knew what was happening. I must have been knocked unconscious because the next thing I knew I was waking up on the floor."

"Amanda," Melinda said, looking around the house.

"She's safe," said Matthew. "I sent her home. I figured she could use the rest and I could watch the children while you were out."

"Thank goodness," said Melinda. "Matthew, Craggen has taken Patrick. I have no idea where he is."

"He's at Millers' Creek," said Matthew. "Just before he attacked he said for you to meet him there. If you don't go, he said you'd never see Patrick again."

"This will end now," said Melinda, pulling a small crystal from a box over the fireplace. "His attacks against me are one thing. But now he's attacked a defenseless child. That's despicable even for a warlock. I'm putting an end to this now."

"He's expecting you," said Matthew. "It's a trap and you know it. You can't go alone. He'll be ready for you."

"I have to," said Melinda. "Patrick's life is at stake. He'll kill Patrick if I don't go. I don't have any other choice."

"I know," said Matthew, "and I agree. I only said you can't go alone. You need me. If you go alone he'll use Patrick against you. You won't attack for fear of harming your son and that will give Craggen the opening he needs to destroy you. With my help we can rescue Patrick and finish Craggen for good."

"It's too dangerous," protested Melinda.

"I'm willing to accept the risk," said Matthew. "Once he's finished with you he'll probably just kill Patrick anyway. And then he'll come for Prudence. He can't risk her growing up and coming after him for revenge later. Face it, Melinda. You have no choice now. Despite the dangers you need me. And if I'm to face him and save Patrick I'll need your power for protection. There is no other way."

Melinda looked at Matthew. He was right. Craggen was too powerful. Matthew wouldn't stand a chance against him without her powers. She couldn't fight Craggen and save Patrick at the same time. If Craggen won he would almost certainly kill both Patrick and Prudence. And there wasn't time to come up with an alternative solution. After a moment's thought, Melinda raised her hand and Matthew was pushed back against the cabin wall by her telekinetic power.

"One down," said Melinda. "Two to go. But I don't see how I'm going to be able to freeze you. That power doesn't work against a witch."

"I've all ready thought of that," said Matthew. "A spell I wrote some time ago. It will make me susceptible to your powers for a short time. Just long enough for you to freeze me so that I can duplicate it."

"You seem pretty sure I'd eventually agree to this," said Melinda.

"Just being prepared in case you did," said Matthew.

Melinda smiled at Matthew. He always was very intelligent. Now she was glad he had the foresight to prepare for this eventuality. She stood watching silently as he incanted the spell.

Melinda cautiously approached a small cave that stood beside Miller's Creek. It was the only cave near the creek for miles. It was also one of the caves she had not had the opportunity to check. Which meant he had probably been hiding here the entire time.

She knew Craggen would be there somewhere. This would be their last battleground. And somewhere, probably inside the cave, would be Patrick. Before she could rescue him, she'd have to deal with Craggen.

But Craggen didn't know about Matthew. Their plan was simple. Melinda would engage Craggen. While he was busy fighting her, Matthew would sneak in and rescue Patrick. Once the baby was safely out of the danger, Matthew would return and help vanquish Craggen if Melinda had not yet done so.

It was a risky plan but the only one they had. Craggen was a powerful warlock; the most powerful one alive. Melinda was the most powerful witch alive. Either could destroy the other if one made the slightest mistake. But against Matthew, with Melinda's powers, not even Craggen could win. The only problem was protecting Patrick until they could vanquish the warlock.

"Right on time, I see," said Craggen, stepping out from the cave.

"Where's my son?" Melinda asked deliberately.

"Your maternal instinct will be your destruction," said Craggen. "It is your weakness. I know of your son's illness. And that you would do anything to protect him. That is what will destroy you both."

"Where is he?" Melinda demanded.

Craggen didn't answer. He just smiled and looked to his right. Melinda looked in the same direction and saw her son sitting on a small rise several dozen yards away. He was much too far away for her to get to him before Craggen attacked. She would have to defeat him if she were to save her son.

But even if she defeated Craggen almost immediately, it still might be too late for Patrick. It would take her several minutes to reach him. And all ready he was sitting in full daylight. Within minutes the damage caused by the penetrating rays of the sun could prove deadly to him. And there would be nothing she could do to save him.