by Mona Hanna
Hallie suddenly found herself smiling a little.
Sean looked at her quizzically. “What? What’s so funny?”
Her smile grew a little wider. “All that talk about me taking care of myself, defending myself, and you’re ready to kill anyone who bothers me? Sean, I don’t know what this man wants—and I am scared, I admit it—but I don’t want you worrying too much. If you worry, I’ll worry, and, well… I’d rather just spend time with you. Isn’t that why you’re here?” Hallie took a breath, worried Sean would start ranting about Nicholas again, but his expression softened and he visibly relaxed. He moved forward and placed his arms around her shoulders, and Hallie snuggled up to him. She sighed deeply.
“I’m not going to forget about him,” Sean murmured, “but I will stop thinking about him right now. Did you have a good day?”
“Yes,” Hallie breathed, reveling in being in his arms. “It was lovely. After this morning.” She giggled a little, embarrassed, but Sean only kissed her hair. They stood like that for a while, not speaking, with Hallie listening to Sean’s heartbeat. She was comforted by the steady thud, then noticed it going a little faster. She looked up at him, and he was gazing at her. He gently touched her face, a small smile on his lips. She blushed. “I’ve missed you,” she said.
“Me too.”
They stood in silence for a while. Hallie found she was stuck for what to say—her and Sean had spoken about everything when they were younger, every dream and hope and anything they went through—but now it was different. They’d fallen into each other’s arms that morning, but now she felt embarrassed. She didn’t know what he’d been doing the last couple of years. Had he been with other women? What had his life been like? What had he gone through? They had so much to talk about, so much to catch up on. She met Sean’s gaze and found he was smiling at her again. She giggled. “What?”
He kissed her forehead. “Come on, we need to sit down. I want to hear everything about your life since I saw you last. I want to hear about you leaving home, your work, everything. And you can ask me anything.”
Hallie remembered he’d said that earlier too. She wondered if she really could. “Alright,” she said, leading him to the settee. When he was sitting beside her, she took his hand, looking at the table. She didn’t know how to word her question. She decided just to come out with it. “Sean have you… did you… I mean, while you were away, were there any….” She stopped, letting go of his hand to cover her face.
He put his hand on her back. “Were there any what?” She looked at him, and he gazed back knowingly. He kissed her on the cheek. “I only thought of you,” he whispered. “My heart was yours. It was always yours.”
She looked at him in surprise, her heart melting slightly. “Really? There wasn’t any… I mean, no one?”
He smiled. “I’d been with two girls back when I was living at home, but while I was away, not a single soul. I remembered what you said the last time we spoke, how you were upset I’d kissed other girls. I was… involved with them, but no one since. I was sorry I’d upset you. I didn’t realize you were jealous. I’d thought you cared about me that way, but I was never sure… When I was, I couldn’t be with anyone else. Even though you told me to leave. Even though you said you didn’t want me.”
Hallie looked at him closely. It was the second time he had mentioned her saying that to him. She put her hands on either side of his face, making him look at her. “I did want you. I always did, I always will. I was just hurt. But you were right, Sean—you were right back then. I did need to believe in myself and be strong. We couldn’t be together back then. But I always, always wanted you, and it broke my heart when you left. I missed you every day. I cried…” She shut her eyes, putting her hand over her mouth, feeling the tears start to come. She couldn’t help it—she began to sob, her sadness overtaking her.
Sean cuddled her, drew her to him, and leaned her head against his chest. He kept kissing her hair, saying he was sorry.
They stayed like that until Hallie stopped crying, taking deep breaths. Sean handed her a handkerchief from his pocket. She tried to smile as she wiped her eyes. “So much for talking,” she said, smiling weakly. “I’ll just sit here and blubber all day, shall I?”
Sean laughed. “You’re so amazing,” he said, smiling at her. “Oh, Hallie, what are we going to do? I want to be with you—I don’t want any pain between us. How can I show you how I feel?”
She looked at him, her breath caught in her throat, and her heart starting to beat faster. He gazed at her intently, then slowly leaned in closer. He took the handkerchief out of her hand and touched her face, grazing her skin with the tips of his fingers. She could barely breathe she was so nervous. He moved his lips to hers and kissed her.
He kissed her slowly, moving his lips tenderly against hers, making her quiver all over. He held her to him, and the kiss became more intense, his tongue moving in her mouth, her own entwined with his. He moved his hand so it was cradling the back of her head and pressed her body up against his. Hallie felt herself come alive as they touched, every inch of her buzzing, all of her senses heightened, her stomach filled with a marvelous feeling. Sean clutched her, making her gasp, then eventually she broke the kiss so she could breathe.
She looked into his eyes, his gaze so intense and dark, both of them breathing heavily. She wanted to keep kissing him but knew where that would lead. Was she ready? They’d only just reunited. She really did love Sean but didn’t want to get carried away. She didn’t know if she was there yet.
As if he could read her mind, he released her, moved back slightly, and took her hand. “I don’t want to rush you. I adore you. I could kiss you all day. I will if you’ll let me. But I’m not going to push you. I’ll wait until you’re ready.”
She nodded, loving him more by the second. She smiled a little. “Could you? Kiss me all day.”
He laughed, cuddling her close to him again. “Alright. But tell me to stop when you want me to.”
He leaned his head down and moved his lips against hers again, and all of the sensations she’d just been feeling rushed back. She became lost in the embrace, her hands running down the muscles of his arms, her soul delighting in every groan that escaped him. It was all fire and passion and light, and she felt her magic flow within her. They did become carried away, but she didn’t want to stop. It just felt so good.
Sean pulled back and asked her if she wanted him to go, but she said no, craving him so much. They touched each other all over, eventually making it to her bedroom, exploring each other.
He was all she wanted. She’d never felt so alive.
Chapter 7
“Mama, what are you and Papa giving me for my birthday tomorrow?”
Ariel watched her daughter sitting by the pond in the forest, twirling an orange leaf between her fingers. She knelt down, running her hand over her silky, light-brown curls. “Six is a very special birthday, Erica,” she said. “You’ll be starting school soon. We’ve gotten you some presents to help with that.”
Erica frowned, her blue eyes looking distressed. “But I wanted a dolly.”
Ariel laughed gently. “Maybe you will get a doll. You’ll see, my darling. I can’t ruin the surprise.”
Erica stood up and wrapped her arms around Ariel’s neck. “Will you teach me new spells, now that I’m a big girl?”
Ariel looked at her fondly. “Of course. But you always have to remember to be careful with your magic. Your magic is very strong. You’re a special witch.”
“Just like you.”
“Yes, my darling. Just like me.”
Erica kissed her on the cheek, then ran away, dashing around the pond in circles.
Ariel stood, watching her. She was everything she wanted. Everything she and Brayden had hoped for. She was their perfect little girl.
***
Brayden sat in one of the armchairs in the front room the next morning, his feet up on the low table, reading about locating spells in one of the boo
ks his mother had lent them. Ariel was still asleep, and Brayden didn’t want to wake her. He knew she was feeling upset about what was going on and wanted her to rest. He turned the page, thinking this spell was going to be very difficult, when Ariel walked into the room.
He straightened, gazing at her. She looked… different. Much more relaxed. Her eyes were filled with warmth, and she had a small smile on her lips. She sat on the settee, and he joined her.
“She’s beautiful, Brayden,” she said, taking his hands. “Our daughter is so beautiful. She’s warm and sweet and kind and gorgeous. She’s perfect and so lovely. Better than we could ever hope for.”
Brayden looked at her, puzzled. “It’s almost as if you’ve already seen her,” he joked, smiling, but Ariel only held his face in her hands and kissed him gently.
“I have,” she whispered to his surprise. “I had a dream—a vision. She was six, and I was sitting with her. She was the sweetest girl I’ve ever seen. And darling, she looked exactly like you. She had your eyes, the same color hair, your smile. She’s our gorgeous little girl, and we’ll all be together. All of us.”
Ariel began to cry, wrapping her arms around Brayden’s neck, but she didn’t seem sad. She seemed relieved. Brayden held her closely, filled with relief himself. Ariel would live! He was so happy. “Of course we’ll be together, Ariel. You’ll live to see our girl. Is she… did you see if she was….”
“Yes, she’s a High Witch,” Ariel said, looking at him. They sat in silence for a while, gazing into each other’s eyes. They held hands, both thinking the same thing, Brayden suspected. How would this work out? How could there be four High Witches at once? Would there be? Or would one of the other High Witches have to die for their child to live?
“It’s good to know she’s a High Witch for certain,” he said, not doubting Ariel’s vision for a moment. “Hopefully she won’t be too hard on you.” He put his hand on her stomach.
Ariel smiled, placing her hand over his. “I’ll manage. She’s not really trying to hurt me, Brayden. I-I saw what we named her. I know we have to talk about it—we both have to decide—but I like what was in my vision. Her name was Erica.”
Brayden thought about it for a moment. “Erica…” he murmured, his mind mulling over the name. He smiled. “I like it. It’s sweet. Does that name mean anything to you?”
Ariel smiled shyly, looking down. “It was my mother’s name,” she said quietly. “I don’t even remember what she looked like. I was so young when my parents died, but I know that was her name. Erica. I like it, too. And it suited her. She looked like an Erica.”
Brayden started laughing. “Well, that settles it, then,” he said, kissing her. “Erica it is. Erica Michaelson. Did you see any other children? A boy, perhaps? Twin boys. And a puppy. Maybe a cat. We’ll name her Mittens.”
Ariel giggled, hugging him. They held each other for a long time, some of the stress that had been hanging over them the last couple of days starting to lessen. Ariel sighed against him, nestled close, and rested her face against his neck.
Brayden loved holding her like that, loved the way she fit him, warm and soft and perfect. He gently rubbed her back, kissing her neck every so often, enjoying being close to her. They lay down on the settee, Brayden on his back and Ariel lying over him, just holding each other. He actually felt at peace, as they had been for quite some time before the mess of the last couple of days. He felt a calmness flow over him. He hoped she felt it, too.
***
“I think I’ve figured it out.”
Brayden looked over at Ariel, who was sitting beside him. She had been working on the locating spell all afternoon, figuring out how she was going to cast it to find the older High Witch.
She grinned at him. “I’m nearly on to how to cast the spell. Can I tell you?” When he nodded, she tucked her long hair behind her ears, then sat forward, setting two open books before her on the low table. “Both of these books mostly say the same thing,” she began. “They describe a certain potion to brew, and then they say I’m to place it in a vial and hold it by a string over a map. I’m then supposed to drink a small amount of the potion, cast a spell, and focus on something specific about who I’m looking for. One book says to hold an item belonging to the person while casting the spell, but the other says you can focus on something you know about the person. That’s what your mother said—we need to know something specific about who we’re looking for so we can give the spell direction. Your mother didn’t think we knew anything other than the girl is a High Witch. But don’t you see, Brayden? That’s enough. That’s more than enough.”
She smiled at him, but Brayden was a little confused. He frowned, trying to understand, when Ariel kissed him on the cheek. “Let me explain. It’s nice to be explaining something to you for a change.” She laughed a little, and he raised an eyebrow, which only made her laugh harder. She kissed him again. “Alright. What I’ll focus on when I’m casting the spell is my type of magic. My magic is obviously different from that of other magical people, not just because it’s stronger, but because I can do far more things. I’m not just restricted to controlling fire and water, or being able to shape-shift, or whatever—I can do so much. And so can the other girl. If I focus on my type of magic—the part of me that can tap into the weather, have visions, do everything—then I’ll make the spell look for someone else who has that type of magic. Focus on the feeling I have inside of me, the pulsating force that I need to carefully control. She must feel it, too. That’s how I’ll find her.”
Brayden nodded, knowing it made sense. “That’s very clever. Hopefully it will work.”
Ariel stood and gathered the small bag they had on the table, which contained ingredients for the potion they had gotten from Emily’s house. “I’ll brew the potion now. Can you find a map and set it up on the kitchen table? I think the potion should take a couple of hours to be ready. I’m really excited, Brayden. I can’t wait to find her, to be able to help her. What if she doesn’t know she’s a High Witch? I’ll be so excited to tell her! We can help her, together.”
Brayden stood, smiling at Ariel. He put his hand on the small of her back. “You really are very sweet. I wonder how old she is. She might only be a child. I hope she’s safe.”
Ariel’s eyes filled with concern and her brow crinkled. She quickly shook her head as if trying to clear her thoughts. “The sooner we find her, the better,” she said, bending down, gathering the two books from the table, and rising. She turned and began to walk to the kitchen.
Brayden hoped this wasn’t going to take too much of a toll on her. He didn’t want her to worry. He felt excited about meeting the other High Witch too. There were two more of them out there—would this spell find both of them? Brayden wasn’t sure if the baby High Witch would be using her powers yet, but their child was already able to use magic. They just had to wait and see what would happen. Brayden wondered once more about the older High Witch. He hoped she was happy. And again, hoped she was safe.
Chapter 8
Hallie struggled to catch her breath. Sean lay beside her, doing the same. She’d just experienced the most intense, pleasurable, satisfying time in her life. She shut her eyes, the glorious feeling still within her, rippling over her. Sean pulled up the bed sheets, wrapped her in them, and cuddled her up to him while he put a muscled arm over her stomach. She snuggled up to him, then heard him laugh, his chest vibrating. She looked at him.
“You’re glowing,” he murmured, kissed her forehead, then became still as his breathing began to slow down.
Hallie looked at her arm, and saw it: a golden glow shimmering over her skin. She shut her eyes, too spent to be embarrassed, beginning to fall asleep in Sean’s arms. They’d made love all night before and then woke late only to beginning touching each other again. Hallie didn’t think she could experience anything more amazing than she’d felt yesterday, but today it was so much better. Luckily it was Sunday and she didn’t have to work, so they’d been able to spend a
ll day in bed. She was exhausted and happily drifted off to sleep. Her last thought was how perfect things were. She was so in love.
***
Hallie stood against the wall of the small wooden building that was her school classroom. All the children from her small town were taught in the same large room. She looked at the ground, twisting her foot in the dirt, waiting for lunchtime to be over on the very hot day. After eating her sandwich, she had nothing to do until it was time to go back to class. She had no friends except Sean, and he was playing with some boys today. She didn’t mind learning at school, but lunchtime was terrible. Waiting to be picked on. Waiting to be teased. She was looking forward to turning fourteen, when school would be finished for good, but she had six years to go.
She looked over the yard, seeing the groups of children sitting together or playing ball games, and was horrified to see Clara walking towards her, followed by her two friends. The girls were ten, and she was frightened of them. The trio reached her, standing over her, making her press her back against the wall.
“Show us some magic, Hallie,” Clara said, smiling cruelly. “We’re bored. Be a good witch and show us a spell.” Clara flicked her long brown hair over her shoulder and glanced at her friends. “Or are you too afraid?” she said. “Is the little witch afraid of her magic?”
“She’s afraid of everything,” Sarah said. “Vera’s a filthy witch, too, but at least she can use her magic properly. Remember when we caught Hallie trying to make a fireball and she kept making these huge flames appear? She can’t even do something as simple as that. She’s such an idiot.”
Clara chuckled. “Show us some magic, Hallie,” she said again, “or we’ll tell the boys you want to kiss them. Rick especially. He’ll love that.”