Chapter 5: Eagruth

I sat there waiting for Ryan to get off of work, I let him go do some stuff, while I sat in a comfortable couch on the side. Every time he passed by I could feel him expanding his senses trying to break my barrier.

I waited patiently, I had picked up a book about weather magic, and pretended to read it. As I sat there I was amazed at how lucky I was to find Eagruth so quickly. All I had to do now was gain their trust, and make them join Amyranth. Right? That shouldn't be so hard, a hysterical giggle escaped. This was a joke, and very suicidal but I really didn't have many options.

Instantly I felt someone watching me, someone was scrying for me, but I silently put layers of protection around me. It was Killian. I hid my location and shrugged him off. I felt like scum for what I've done to Kill. I made sure that he wouldn't be able to find me, but there were a few seconds of connection, not enough for him to realize what I'm doing, but enough for me to realize what I've done to him. I felt a great amount of worry, dread, and anger radiating from his magic. Most witches wouldn't be able to pick up on that simply by a brief power connection, but I knew him better than most, and had enough power to tap into that. I put all my emotions into a giant box in the back of my head, and made sure to keep it shut. This was not a time for me to contemplate my emotions.

Ryan was almost done, he picked up his jacket, and was heading my way. "Katherine, you ready?" I stood up, and faced him. I nodded and we were out the door.

We went to this little café down the street, we had some paninis and coffee. He asked me questions, about myself, which I answered with complete lies. We chit-chatted for an hour or so. He asked me about my background in magic, I made up stories - well I made up some stories. You see, I've done my share of illegal magic - well not really illegal, just immoral. I've done weather magic with Kill, abused the will of plants with Ciaran, and used some pretty questionable magic with Hunter - I changed a few names in my stories and there we go I had my own real immoral magic stories.

We stood up and I followed his lead. He kept trying to hold my hand, and I kept pushing him away. He was in the middle of telling me a story about how he and his buddies had conjured a storm just for fun - as we were heading into the back room of the occult store he worked in. I felt the energy, the power and the concentration - Eagruth was definitely a strong coven - and definitely something that Amyranth would go after.

Ryan walked around and introduced me to a group of his friends. They were all powerful but nothing I couldn't handle. He introduced me, and they gave him a few sideways looks - to test my powers they insisted I did some weather magic. I focused and with the blink of an eye I had created a mother of the storm. We laughed and walked towards the circle room.

I was prepared to do this - sacrifice everything I have and everyone I've known - to protect them. I stayed close to Ryan, continued my little flirting fiasco. We started to form a circle. My eyes were scanning the room. Eagruth had 13 members tonight here - including myself. The ideal number for magic.

I was taking in the power and concentration - this was nothing like the circles I've seen before. I tried to grasp all the people in the room, memorize and familiarize myself with them, but I was stopped dead in my tracks. There was one person, I didn't need to memorize, I knew them better than anyone else in the world. I was taken into shock - as I stared deep into his green eyes.

What was Hunter doing at an Eagruth circle?