by Mona Hanna
Alexandra squirmed farther in her chair, desperate to get Julia away from these crazy people.
The younger woman moved behind her and untied her ropes. “We’re here to help,” the woman named Hallie said, finally undoing the ropes.
Alexandra stood, undid the cloth around her mouth, then hurried over to the taller woman. She took her screaming daughter out of the woman’s arms and held Julia close, kissing her head, trying to calm her down. She stared at the blonde woman and then looked around the room.
Two young men walked into the room, one holding a crying baby, followed by a much older man. Alexandra looked at the man lying on the floor, the light still around his legs, the blonde woman pressing one of her feet firmly to his chest.
“Sean, help me get him to a chair,” the woman said.
Alexandra stepped back from everyone, having no idea what was going on. “Who are you people?” she called out. “What just happened?”
“My name is Ariel,” the blonde woman said. “We’ll explain everything. Please, take care of your daughter. I promise everything will be clear soon.”
Alexandra didn’t know what to do, so she just took Julia into her bedroom and shut the door. She sat on the bed, still trying to calm Julia’s cries, wondering if she was having a strange nightmare. Who were those men? Why did they want Julia? And who were the people who now stood in her house?
She was only sure of one thing.
This was huge trouble.
Chapter 10
Alexandra sat on her bed while Julia slept under the covers. It took quite a while, but she had finally calmed the young girl down. Alexandra was a bundle of nerves while a group of strangers was within her home, but she was too stressed to leave her room. She just sat there, frightened, while she listened to the muffled voices. Finally, after quite a while, there was a knock at her door.
The door was opened slightly, and the woman named Hallie poked her head through. “May I come in? I wanted to explain everything to you.”
When Alexandra nodded, Hallie walked in and shut the door, then stood before the bed. She looked at a chair in front of the dresser, picked it up, moved it near Alexandra, then sat down.
Alexandra looked at the young girl—she barely looked eighteen—and waited for her to speak.
Her tale was a long one. First, Hallie asked if Alexandra had seen Julia use magic. Alexandra said yes and that she was confused by Julia’s magic. Hallie explained that Julia was a special kind of witch called a High Witch. She said a High Witch had more powers than a regular witch, and her magic was much stronger.
Hallie explained that she was also a High Witch, as was Ariel and Ariel’s daughter, Erica. Hallie said there were only four High Witches in the entire world, and that her and Ariel had wanted to find Julia for quite a while so they could tell her parents about their child’s special magic. Hallie said she and Ariel had cast a special spell to find Julia, which is how they found out where she lived.
“But then things became much more complicated,” Hallie said, “because of the men who want to take Julia away.”
Alexandra sat forward on the bed. “Who are those men!” she said. “Is one of them still here? What in the world do they want with Julia?”
Hallie frowned. “It’s difficult to explain. I only found out the truth last night. I can barely understand it myself. I think maybe that would be better explained if we joined the others. Do you think you’re ready to meet everyone else?”
Alexandra took a deep breath. “Alright,” she said. She stood, and Hallie rose also, leading the way to the door. Hallie opened it, and both of them walked down the hallway and into the front room. Ariel was sitting on the settee, holding her sleeping baby, while a man with light brown hair sat next to her.
“This is Alexandra,” Hallie said. “You’ve met Ariel. Next to her is her husband, Brayden. That’s my husband, Sean, sitting at the table, and beside him is Raven.”
Alexandra nodded to everyone. She noticed the man who had tried to kidnap Julia was tied with ropes to a chair in the corner of the room, a cloth around his mouth. She looked away from him, not wanting to face him. She went and sat on the other settee and Hallie sat next to her. She looked at her hands.
“Someone please explain what’s happening,” Alexandra said. “Why do those men want Julia?”
There was a moment of silence. “It’s almost silly, really,” Ariel said. “Julia’s only a child. Erica’s only a baby! I don’t even know if we could cast the spell even if we wanted to.”
“What spell?” Alexandra asked. “What spell? You want my Julia to cast a spell? What are you talking about?”
“Please, don’t panic,” Hallie said. “We’re not asking for anything. To put it as simply as possible, the men who were trying to capture Julia believe that, if the four High Witches come together, we could cast a special kind of spell that would give all the witches in the world extra power should they need it if they’re in trouble. Apparently the spell has dark repercussions—the men think we can’t be trusted with the decision about whether or not to cast it, and wanted to take away Julia so she would never meet with us. The men weren’t going to hurt Julia, but they do want to keep her away from us—from you—forever.
“We haven’t decided if we want to cast this spell—me and Ariel only found out about it last night. So we have two problems. We have to make sure we stop the men from trying to take Julia away again, and we have to sort out what we’re going to do about this spell. I’m not sure how to deal with any of this. We need to think about it. I’m so sorry, Alexandra. This must all be so overwhelming for you. We can leave you alone in a while, but we need to ensure Julia’s safety. I don’t want to leave here until we can make sure she’ll be alright.”
Alexandra looked at her hands again. What she’d just heard was the craziest story she’d ever encountered. But there had been men in her house trying to take her child. One of them was still there! Was Julia a High Witch, like Hallie said? Julia certainly had strange powers, powers Alexandra couldn’t explain. Was all of this true? She didn’t know what to think of this special spell Hallie was talking about—Alexandra would be damned if these people thought her child was going to be involved in strange, dangerous magic. She just wanted all of them out of her house. But they had saved Julia. Maybe they were good people. Maybe she needed them.
“Do you think one of you could send word to Julia’s father, Cameron?” Alexandra finally said. “He doesn’t live with me. I think he needs to know about this. He lives a couple of hours away by horse. I—I want him to be here.”
“The carriage is still outside,” Raven said. “One of us could go to him.”
“I’ll go,” Sean said, standing up. “I’ll just need his address.”
Alexandra reached for a pile of books on the table and retrieved the piece of paper with Cameron’s address from beneath them. “Here it is. I don’t know what you want to tell him, but just tell him I need him here. I think he’ll come straight away.”
Sean moved towards her and took the slip of paper. “I’ll be back soon,” he said to Hallie, kissing her on the forehead. Hallie smiled up at him, and then Sean walked towards the door and shut it behind him.
Alexandra fiddled with the folds of her skirt. “Now what to we do? And what to do we do about him?” She pointed to the man who was tied up in the corner.
The man glared back at them.
“You just leave him to me,” Ariel said. She gently passed her baby over to Brayden, then stood up. “I think we need to talk.”
***
Cameron sat in his kitchen, drinking a cup of tea, trying to ease into the Sunday morning. He was glad it wasn’t a work day. He was counting down the days until he could go back to see Alexandra and Julia. Only a few days to go! He couldn’t wait to see his little girl again, to spend some time with her. And, as much as he tried to deny it, even to himself, he couldn’t wait to see Alexandra too.
She was so headstrong, so willful, so intoxicatin
g. Everything about her—her hair, that gorgeous skin, those dark eyes he could get lost in. They were the same age, but he felt like she was so much more than him—so sure of herself, so sure of what her life was about. Look at how she was taking care of Julia so perfectly. He admired her, respected her—and felt the same attraction to her that made him endlessly pursue her in the first place.
She’d denied him back then—she’d made it clear she didn’t want anything to do with him in the beginning. But she’d come to him in the end. The time they’d shared was the most intense, passionate, sensual experience of his life. He’d never felt so much for anyone. Then she’d said she was pregnant, and he’d fled.
He was younger then, more foolish, more reckless. He’d been a fraud, only pretending to be wealthy, when he was nothing more than someone who’d conned his way to get everything he had. He tricked people with his magical ability, charmed his way to have places to stay and food to eat. He did truly care for Alexandra, but settling down, a life of babies and work and all that went along with that—he just couldn’t face it back then. He’d been a fool. He only hoped he could undo the damage he’d caused.
And now? The last thing he should do is make any kind of advance towards Alexandra. He needed to hold back, only be her friend, only be there to help with their daughter. He couldn’t do anything to ruin the fragile relationship they were building. As much as he wanted to take Alexandra into his arms and whisper to her how much he’d missed her, he couldn’t. He couldn’t hold her, couldn’t kiss her—it killed him, but he could never kiss her again. He just had to shut down the part of him that longed for her. Forever.
His tea now completely cold, Cameron sighed, thinking he should just go back to bed and sleep the day away. He ran a hand through his hair, then saw a ginger blur dash past the door.
“Scruffy?” he murmured, wondering why his cat was in such a hurry. She usually slept all day, barely moved until nighttime. He stood and wandered into his bedroom, and saw a bundle of cat under the bedclothes. Ah, he thought. I must have visitors.
Then there was a knock at the door.
Chapter 11
Everyone sat in silence. Ariel had spent over an hour trying to convince Christopher, the man who she’d captured, to talk, but he just sat there. Raven had said Christopher would know where the men had been going to take Julia and where the others from the group went. But Christopher didn’t say anything, merely sat there quietly. Ariel had threatened him, said she would get the answers out of him sooner or later. But after a while, she gave up and transported with him to Alexandra’s spare bedroom. Ariel left him tied up in there and shut the door so he wouldn’t hear what they were going to talk about.
“Now what?” Alexandra asked, after quickly checking on Julia and Erica. Ariel had put Erica in bed next to Julia so she could rest too, and Alexandra had just found them cuddled up together, sleeping. The sight had warmed her heart, but she was still filled with anxiety and dread over what was happening. She sat in the front room with the others, hoping someone would say something to reassure her. But then she started to get angry—she knew these people were here to help, but Julia was her child, this was her house, and she didn’t want things taken out of her hands. Alexandra stood, and everyone looked at her.
“Look, all of this is making me crazy. I’m so grateful for you for stopping the men from taking Julia, but I feel like you’ve all come here with all this talk of a prophecy and some strange spell, as if I’d just let my child take part in a spell anyway! Julia is a baby, she can’t control her magic yet, and there’s no way I’m letting her get involved with all of you. I—I know I’m sounding cruel, but I have to look after my child. I’d appreciate it if you got Christopher out of my home soon, and then maybe we can sort out how to stop the men from hurting Julia. But she won’t be part of any spell. That’s final.”
Alexandra sat back down, her stomach churning from confronting everyone. But she knew she had to say it. She sat there, waiting for someone to say something.
Ariel finally sat forward. “You’re right—the thought of Erica being part of the spell frightens me too. And I don’t even know how the children could cast the spell, as they’re too young and my Erica hasn’t shown any magic yet. This may be all a lot of worry for nothing—we don’t even know enough about all of this to make a decision. Our priority is protecting Julia—our priority is keeping all of us safe. I don’t want you to be upset, Alexandra—we aren’t going to do anything against your wishes. I don’t think we should leave you yet, however. I want you and your daughter to be safe. I think either me or Hallie will need to stay with you, either here or somewhere else, so if someone tries to take Julia again, we can stop them. Do you agree to that?”
Alexandra thought for a moment. The idea of a strange person in her home unsettled her, but there was no denying that Ariel and Hallie were much more powerful than her. They could certainly protect Julia more than she could on her own. She had to think of Julia first, not her own discomfort. It was the right thing to do.
“Yes, that would be alright,” Alexandra said. “One of you could stay in the spare bedroom. I don’t want to leave here—it’s my home, and who says I’d be safer if I went somewhere else. The men could probably find me there anyway. Right?” Alexandra looked over at Raven, sitting at the table, and he nodded.
“Yes, they’d probably be able to locate you wherever you go. You’d be better off staying here with someone to protect you. I’m sorry about all this. I really am.”
Alexandra looked away, not forgetting that Raven had been one of the men who wanted to take away her daughter. He was on their side now, but she still didn’t trust him. This was all so messy.
“Can I get you all a cup of tea?” Hallie asked. “We need to wait for Sean to return with Cameron, and we might as well be comfortable. Can I use your kitchen, Alexandra?”
“I’ll get the tea, it will keep me busy,” Alexandra said, standing up. “You—you can come if you like.”
Hallie smiled, standing also. Alexandra led the way to the kitchen, pleased at the distraction. She didn’t know how Cameron was going to react to all of this, but she desperately wanted him there, wanted to see a familiar face. Cameron had promised he wasn’t going to abandon her again. This trial would be the ultimate test of that.
***
Cameron put on his dressing gown, then strode to the front door and pulled it open. A tall, red-haired man who looked about twenty was standing there.
“Hello, my name’s Sean,” the man said. “Are you Cameron?”
“Yes,” Cameron said. “Do you want something?”
“Alexandra sent me. She said she wants you to go to her. I have a carriage waiting outside, if you’re able to come soon.”
Cameron frowned at the man. “Is something wrong? Is Alexandra alright? Is Julia alright?”
Sean hesitated. “They’re both fine. There was some trouble, but my friends intervened and things are okay now.”
“What kind of trouble?” Cameron exclaimed. “What’s going on?”
“It’s a long trip—can I explain in the carriage? I’ll tell you everything, but I just want to get moving. I don’t want to keep everyone waiting for us too long.”
Cameron gritted his teeth, a sick feeling developing in his stomach, but he merely nodded. “Just give me a moment to get dressed. I’ll be back soon.”
Sean nodded and headed towards the carriage.
Cameron shut the door, then quickly went to his bedroom, getting changed into trousers and a white shirt, and then he put on his shoes and headed back to the front door. He ran a hand through his dishevelled hair, and then he locked up the house before walking to the carriage.
Sean was waiting alongside it. “Thank you for being willing to come with me.”
“Of course. I’d do anything for my family,” Cameron said. He frowned for a moment, knowing he hadn’t earned the right to call Alexandra and Julia his family yet. But that’s what they were. Julia was his blo
od; she had part of his soul. He’d give his life for them.
The two men got inside the carriage, then shut the door, and the horses sped away. Cameron looked at Sean, sitting across from him, wondering who the young man was. Who were his friends who had helped Alexandra? How did they know her? Was everything alright?
“Tell me what’s happening,” Cameron finally said.
Sean nodded. “Alright. It’s complicated. It’s really about Julia, her magic. You know that her magic is different to that of a regular witch?”
“Yes, Alexandra mentioned that,” Cameron said. “What do you know about it?”
Sean chewed on his lip. “Have you heard the term ‘High Witch’ before?”
Cameron shook his head. “What’s a High Witch?”
Sean leaned forward. “Your daughter is a High Witch. And she’s very powerful.”
***
Cameron leapt from the carriage the moment it stopped outside Alexandra’s house. He hurried to the front door and knocked loudly. It was opened by Alexandra a moment later. Cameron took one look at the worry in her dark eyes, the frown on her face, and his heart sank. “How’s Julia?” he said. “How are you?”
“Oh, Cameron,” Alexandra said, tears filling her eyes.
Cameron grasped her arm and led her inside, briefly looking at the other people in Alexandra’s front room. He walked with her to her bedroom, then shut the door after them. He noticed Julia and another baby asleep on the bed, but he didn’t let go of Alexandra’s arm. It was all he could do not to envelop her in a huge hug..
“Sean told me everything,” he said softly, so as not to wake the children. “Did men really try to take Julia away? Is she really a High Witch? Is all this talk of a prophecy and a strange spell true?”
Alexandra shrugged. “I don’t know what’s going on. One moment, I was tied up and Julia was in the hands of a horrible man—who’s still here, by the way. But he’s tied to a chair. The next moment, Ariel was in my home, rescuing Julia, and suddenly all these other people were here, and the two bad men who’d trapped me vanished. I don’t know what’s happening—I’ve barely had time to think, let alone absorb the fact that my child is an all-powerful witch. I want everyone to get out and leave me in peace, but Julia isn’t safe. Oh, they’re not bad people, but…”