Summary – Hunter arrives in Widows Vale with his mentor Ciaran MacEwan. There he meets his half brother Cal and his girlfriend Morgan, whom he feels strangely drawn to, and is sucked into a cat and mouse game that has played between Ciaran and Selene Belltower for years and on top of it all he is reunited with his cousin Sky who is a Seeker for the International Council of Witches and has been hunting him down for years.

Disclaimer: These are all Cate Tiernans toys. They're just in my playground.

A/N: Two chapters in two days! I'm on a roll, determined to finish now because inspiration has hit for another story! Oh yes that's right! I will be back! HOWEVER! I will not be posting any of it until I've got more drafted only because I REALLY don't want to leave you hanging with another 5 year long in progress story (I know it won't be THAT long as I have a BIT more time now but still...) Anyway here is chapter 23 please read and leave a few words of kindness. Enjoy!

I don't exactly know what I should be writing down here after the last 24 hours. I just hurt all over, mentally, emotionally and physically. I feel sick to my stomach.

My world has been shaken up, turned inside out and upside down more times than I could count in the last couple of months and the horrifying twists just keep coming, like my life is just someone's sick joke.
I was kidnapped yesterday by a dark coven, who planned to kill me for my magick. The man responsible for my kidnap, the leader of this dark coven turns out to be my biological father. Ironically, upon learning I was his daughter, it was he who then saved my life and then lost his own magick as a result and I don't know how to feel about that.
I should HATE him, he is evil! He is a murderer! It makes me feel like my blood is somehow tainted with darkness. It must be because despite all the horrors he has committed, I still want to know him, if only to at least see if I am like him at all and to find out why he did the things that he did. But he's my biological father and I have a powerful curiosity to know him.
Although now, he is without his Magick, I can't imagine what a tragic fate that must be. I've only known Wicca for such a short amount of time, but if it was taken from me I know it'll be like losing a limb. And from what Hunter told me, it'll feel far worse than that, it'll leave him pretty broken and disconnected from the world and Goddess help me, despite everything I feel GUILTY! Even with the knowledge that if he hadn't learned the truth just in time he would have happily drained me for my power at the cost of my life.
And then there's Hunter. I cannot deny or ignore how powerfully I am drawn to him. It scares me how much I want him, I want to believe everything he told me but I'm scared it'll make me naive. Just look at how that worked out for Maeve! I am so afraid to trust him and to love him back but I know it is too late for that now. I don't want to make another mistake like I did with Cal.
But Cal. Oh Goddess Cal! It's just so sad. I can't even go there right now. I don't think I can write anymore today, it's all too much right now. With a heavy heart I must continue at a later time and focus right now on healing my head and my heart.

- Morgan.

Once Morgan had gone I took myself for a shower and cleaned myself up to be a little more presentable for when the council members turned up. Almost as if the cleaner I was, the cleaner my soul would look.

Sky returned home before they did, they arrived several minutes after. Patrick had brought a colleague with him, "That's Finnegan O'Donoghue" Sky whispered in my ear as I lead them through to the dining room, "He's Patrick's boss and mentor. One of the Elder witches of the council, I can't believe he's here," she added

Just my luck, I thought to myself, I get one of the top dogs to sentence me.

"Please sit," I said gesturing them to a seat around Ciaran's grand mahogany dining table. Finnegan took the seat at the head of the table, Patrick at his right. I took a seat on his left side keeping an empty chair between us.

Sky ran off to collect drinks, she acted almost as if she were in company of royalty and treated this man with the upmost respect.

"So, Hunter Niall," Finnegan said at last, I noticed a hint of a faded Irish accent, "You're not dead, then,"

"No, Sir, I am not," I replied

"As Sky has already told you, I am Finnegan O'Donoghue, I am one of the five elders of the International Council of Witches and the reason I am here is because yours is indeed quite a complex case." I nodded in agreement, "Sky has provided me with as much information about your whereabouts and actions over the last seven years as she could and also informed us that you were not in control of your own actions. But we can't ignore your actions over the last few years and I'm here to interview you and assess what we should do with you," he said

"Whatever you decide I will accept your punishments, I deserve it all and more," I said sincerely

Finnegan nodded approvingly, "However, this process is going to take more than just one sitting, we'll need to monitor you carefully to ensure that you're completely free of the influence that enslaved you and we'll be doing this over the course of a couple of days, possibly weeks or months that's down to how you cooperate. Until then, I'm going to ask that we reign in your powers until such time we come to a decision." he explained

It was more than fair, and more than I deserved. Even Sky appeared to be surprised at how fair they were being, like me, she had assumed the worst, that they'd throw the book at me. I rose from my seat, "Please let me show you to our circle room," I said, "I'll be happy to do whatever it takes, let's do this right now,"

"Alright," Finnegan seemed impressed by my actions to accept my responsibility so eagerly.

I knew that what I had been a part of in the past wasn't completely my fault but I still felt responsible and it was a large burden to bare, I had witnessed so much death, destruction and darkness and the images from it all was still there fresh in my mind all the time eating away at me. I could picture the atrocious acts I was involved in every time I closed my eyes. I knew I couldn't completely get away from that unpunished no matter what the circumstances were and I wouldn't want to get away from it, I deserved whatever they decided to do with me. Even if it means I do get stripped from my magick. Saying that though, I was quite attached to my magick and the last thing I wanted was to lose it (or lose Morgan) and so a selfish part of me was willing to do cooperate with whatever the council had to throw at me to save myself from that horrible fate.

Once the preparation for the reigning had taken place, I felt sick and nervous. I was so used to being connected to my power, I was scared to lose it. I wasn't the most powerful witch, but I was strong and I could more than hold my own. The power that I helped to steal when I was Ciaran's apprentice was absorbed by the Taibhs it was never mine to use so I know that the power I have is rightfully all mine and I didn't want to see it go. But this was a compromise that I was happy to take and I had to remind myself it was only temporary.

The only thing that I wasn't happy about was the fact I wouldn't be able to use witch messages and I didn't want Morgan to think she couldn't call on me if she needed me. But we both had cell phones and the threat was gone now, she was safe. I would only be able to connect to my magick in circles but I wouldn't be able to cast even the smallest of spells.

I sat at the centre of the circle, Sky looked at me with a pitying glance, she knew this would be awful for me. I nodded surely at her to let her know that I was okay with this.

Sky, Patrick, Finnegan and two other witches who appeared from no where began the ritual. I expected the feeling to be similar to being stripped away from your powers, after seeing that happen first hand many times before I never would have to guess how that would feel. But it wasn't like that, I didn't feel the magick leaving me as it wasn't actually being taken away. The only way I could describe it was like being in a bright room with a dimmer switch and turning it down as low as it would go without actually switching it off. I could feel my magick dimming until I was left with the teeniest speck of light. Barely there, but still it was there just completely out of my reach.

It made me feel hollow. Like I was half a person. Finnegan had anticipated this already, "Thank you for your cooperation, Hunter. I'll report back to you tomorrow at 3pm and will continue you to do so daily until I have reached a decision. For now rest up."

Only Sky remained with me afterwards. She watched me for a few moments trying to gage how I was. I wasn't able to block her from reading me anymore so she would easily be able to see how fragile I was feeling right then. Still even with my feelings now on display for the world I didn't want to look beat and broken on the outside. I got to my feet and brushed myself off and tried to ignore Sky's pitying glances.

The first thing I did was try to message Morgan, but all I could hear was the echo of my words surrounded by emptiness and I knew no one was receiving me. I headed for the kitchen and was finally aware just how disconnected from my senses I truly was. It was a foreign feeling and I didn't like it. No wonder witches that were stripped from their powers ended up in facilities it's enough to drive you mad.

Finally, Sky spoke. "Tea?" she asked, trying to make me feel as normal as possible. I nodded.

My thoughts then turned to Morgan and I ached to see her, to see if she was alright but I knew I needed to give her some space. Today I needed to wallow and reflect on what my future could hold. Would I be able to convince the council that without the Taibhs possessing me I am a witch dedicated to making the right choices working only with light magick or would I lose my magick for good? This was a horrifying look at that possibility and now I knew without a doubt that it's not what I wanted to become of me. I would never again be enough for Morgan, because I would only be a ghost of myself.

Once Sky provided me with a cup of tea she asked if I was hungry. I shook my head and retired to my bedroom for the rest of the day.