Layla cringed, and Quin tightened his hug. “We're not hiding, grandma.”
Several people gasped as Rhiannon stepped closer, her grace faltering. “What do you mean? You have to, Quinlan.”
“No, we don't, and we're not going to. The decision has been made, so this discussion is a waste of time.”
Tears gathered in his grandma’s mint-green eyes as her ferret crawled from her satchel and skittered to her neck. “He'll kill you,” she whispered, blindly grasping for Lann's hand, “both of you.”
“That's a risk we’re willing to take,” Quin replied, “but we're hoping to turn the tide.”
Every spine straightened as several people got to their feet.
“You intend to challenge him?” Belinos asked.
“No,” Rhiannon protested. “You can't.”
“Why can't they?” Banning argued. “I don't blame them for not wanting to hide.”
“I second that,” Drystan offered.
Selena threw him an incredulous look. “We're talking about their lives, Drystan.”
“Yeah,” Alana agreed, following her mom's lead.
“I know that, honey,” Drystan soothed, running a forefinger across his wife’s and daughter’s wrinkled foreheads. “But a life in hiding would be miserable. Fighting for freedom is a viable option.”
“Yeah,” Brayden added, following his dad's lead.
“It's not that simple,” Kearny noted.
Banning twisted in his chair to face his father. “You think they should hide?”
“I'm not saying that,” Kearny corrected, “but a suicide mission isn't what I’d consider a viable option.”
“Who says it has to be a suicide mission? Look at their power-bands. Agro wouldn't stand a chance.”
“Agro isn't the one to worry about,” Catigern interjected. “It's the vultures watching his back that make fighting an impossible option.”
“Absolutely,” several women agreed.
“Absowutewy,” Alana repeated.
Quin scanned Layla's aura and could tell she was feeling the pressure. “That's enough,” he insisted, but nobody paid attention. Nearly everyone had stood and was offering their opinions, their voices a steady stream of quick rebuttals. Quin was okay with this. It was pointless, sure, but his family could debate all day then hug and kiss one another goodnight. For them to disagree so avidly was nothing to get worked up about, but Layla didn't know this about her family. She'd never seen them debate, and since her face remained hidden, she wasn't seeing them now. She was merely hearing them, her head filling with fervent voices and conflicting point-of-views.
Her lungs quickened as her muscles tensed, and Quin ran a hand down her hair while getting Caitrin’s attention. “Either you put an end to this or I will...”
His threat trailed off as the dark blue in Layla's aura expanded, stretching like a dome to envelope the entire circle. The arguing abruptly ceased, and everyone’s mouths hung open as they stared at the bold and colorful ribbons spiraling through the sad swell – twenty-seven rivers of light, one for each coven member. The inky-blue haze reached beyond the chairs and halted, trembling in place for several seconds. Then it snapped back in, leaving a soft and melancholy hum floating on the air. The pets released dejected noises as they tucked their heads in, and the magicians stared at Layla in dumbfounded wonder while the wind carried the sorrowful tune into the forest.
Quin had never seen anything like it, and panic disrupted his pulse as he carefully pulled Layla's face from his chest. A solitary tear skated down her cheek, and he brushed it away with his thumb while sliding his fingers into her hair. “Did you mean to do that?”
Her forehead wrinkled as she took a choppy breath. “Do what?”
“Your aura, it just pulsed, covering this entire circle.”
“Did it? I’m sorry.”
He sighed and ran his thumb over her lips. “Don't be sorry.”
He was sure the aura’s odd reaction stemmed from her extreme sadness over the situation. She'd always felt emotions on a higher level than normal, and it seemed their bonding had increased her sensitivity. This deeply troubled him. If the strength of her emotions affected her aura so fiercely, he couldn't imagine what they did to her heart, particularly when she had her aura concealed.
He cupped her face and leaned close. “Do you want to go inside?”
“I go where you go,” she answered.
“Are you okay?” he pressed. “Physically?”
She nodded, so he kissed her forehead and wrapped her in a hug, turning his attention on their family. “This discussion is over. I’ve made up my mind, and there isn't anything you can say that will change it, so there's no point in debating the issue. As you can see, it's a sensitive subject.”
Everyone bowed their heads and returned to their seats, and Quin relaxed. “Thank you. Like I said, we're not hiding. We're going to prepare ourselves the best we can then face the Unforgivables.”
Several people mumbled their disbelief, and a few women sobbed. Rhiannon, in particular, struggled to accept this decision. “It's not possible, Quinlan.” She looked at her son with bloodshot eyes. “How can you just sit there and let this happen, Kemble?”
Kemble sighed as he squeezed Cordelia's hand. Then they both stood and walked to their son. “I understand this is difficult to accept, Mom, but it wouldn’t be any easier for us to watch them leave not knowing if they'll ever come back. Furthermore, and most importantly, they don't want to live that way. They’d rather die than give up their life here, so they'll fight for their freedom. And they'll not fight alone. They’ll have three bonded couples standing with them.”
More sobs stabbed the air, and Catigern scowled while shaking his head. “That's not enough.”
“You’re right,” Kemble agreed.
“So what do you intend to do?”
“We’re recruiting volunteers, people who are itching to see Agro die and don't mind risking their lives to do it.”
“You have people in mind?”
“A few, but not enough, so if any of you know someone who might want a piece of the Unforgivables, let us know. We're desperate for help.”
“Why?” Banning asked. “There must be thousands who’d love to take a chunk out of Agro.”
“We can't trust them,” Quin explained.
“So?” Banning returned. “That doesn't mean they won't be useful when the time comes.”
“That's true, but we’d prefer it if our situation doesn't become common knowledge. We could be facing several battles if that happens.”
Catigern ran a hand down his face and looked at the sky. “That won’t be an issue if you don't survive this one.”
“We understand that,” Quin replied, “and if we can't get enough trustworthy help, we might resort to strangers, but we'll attempt to keep our secret unless it becomes necessary to reveal it.”
“When do you plan to do this?” Lann asked.
“As soon as we're ready,” Kemble answered. “We don't know how long Agro's patience will last.”
“And how do you intend to get ready? Besides calling in help.”
“We need to find out what our new bonded mates are capable of, particularly Layla. And she needs to learn defensive magic. Then there's the matter of making the plan and setting the trap.”
“Do you have a timeline?”
“No. But our plans are already underway, so we'll know more soon.”
“What plans?”
“We've made calls to several people; a few of them are on their way. And we've secured a location for Layla and Quinlan to practice.”
“You've decided on a place?” Quin asked.
“Yes,” Kemble answered. “It's two hours from here, which is a little inconvenient, but it's fireproof and remote. The forest rangers were our only issue, and we've convinced them to let us camp for a couple of weeks without interference from their men. We’ll cast a hexless shell the first time we visit and leave it up until we’re done.
”
“Good,” Quin approved. “Did you hear that, love? We get to play without limits.”
“That will be fun,” she mumbled, still tucked in her safe spot.
“Why do you need a special location?” Lann asked. “Why can't you practice here?”
Quin laughed. “Because we’d burn the place down. Layla taught me a new trick before we bonded, and the result was a fireball bigger than six of our houses combined. She didn't even put everything she had into it, and now we’re stronger. We could probably torch our lawn with one spell.”
“What new trick?” Lann asked.
Quin looked down. “Would you like to show them?”
“I have a better idea,” Layla countered, grinning up at him. “Let’s give them a sample. You get the men; I’ll get the ladies.”
Quin smiled and kissed her nose. “That's a fantastic idea.”
They spent the next hour letting their family experience their fire, and the way the magic affected everyone’s attitude was encouraging. Post-power euphoria undoubtedly contributed to the positive shift, but Layla could tell hope wiggled into their hearts when her fire blossomed in their hands.
Only one coven member remained – little Alana, who'd been patiently waiting on the edge of her seat. Layla hated making her wait, but not as much as she hated the idea of burning her, so she saved the toddler for last, intent on testing her skill as much as possible before taking the risk.
Alana hopped from her chair when her turn finally came, and Layla tried to hide her concern as she knelt. “Hold up your hand, angel.”
“Otay,” Alana agreed, reaching for the sky.
Keeping her gaze on the baby’s shiny purple eyes, Layla touched a forefinger to the back of her tiny hand.
“Wow,” Alana whispered. “That feews gweat.”
“Good,” Layla breathed, picking her up. Then she lifted her into the air. “Now shoot it at the clouds.”
Alana's nose wrinkled as she obeyed, and an emerald-green fireball twice the size of her teeny body shot from her palm. She squealed and clapped, and her excited gaze didn’t leave the sky until the fire and its trail of smoke dissipated. “That was fun, Waywa! May we do it again?”
Layla laughed and lowered her into a hug, nuzzling her strawberry-blond curls as she answered. “Absolutely, my little flame-thrower, anything you want.”
Chapter Fifteen
The family stayed on the lawn throughout the afternoon and into the evening, brainstorming, playing, and keeping each other close. By the time the table was set for dinner, they had a plan to pinpoint the Unforgivables' camp, seven volunteers to spy on it, and they'd added five names to the list of people who might be willing to fight.
Caitrin was double-checking the contact information on possible volunteers when his head snapped up. His focus shifted for a few seconds, and when it returned, he searched out Brietta. “Did you forget to tell us something, dear?”
Brietta's eyebrows drew together then lifted with realization. “Kegan and Weylin,” she blurted, looking at Quin. “I invited them to dinner. I thought it would be okay since they'd met Layla. I… I didn't know,” she quietly finished, motioning to the gold and silver haze around them. “I'm sorry.”
“It’s okay,” Layla assured.
Quin shrugged as he looked at Caitrin. “They're on their way in?”
“Yes,” Caitrin answered, returning his attention to his list. “You have about thirty seconds to decide what you're going to do.”
“Hide your lights, Layla,” Quin instructed, following his own advice.
Layla quietly cursed, but obeyed, trying not to pout about it. Then Quin’s arm came around her shoulders and pulled her close.
“What do you want to do?” he asked.
She gnawed on her lip as she watched the sky. “We should tell them, right? I mean, we're not hiding from the people we care about, the people we can trust. Can you trust Kegan and Weylin?”
Several people answered yes, including Quin, so Layla lifted her hand. “I guess that's your answer.”
“Okay,” Quin agreed, “but don't release those heavenly lights yet.” He looked up as Kegan and Weylin descended into the clearing. “They still don't know who you really are. Let's explain that first, then ease them into the shock of our auras and bonded lights.”
“Okay,” she mumbled, snuggling into his side. Then her heart swelled when he shifted her onto his lap.
Brietta met their company halfway, and Kegan pulled her into a hug as Weylin ruffled her hair.
“Why so concerned?” Kegan asked, sweeping his gaze over her aura.
Before she could answer, Alana and Brayden bombarded the guests. “Keg!” Alana squealed, jumping into flight.
Keeping one arm around Brietta, Kegan caught Alana in the other then flipped her around, perching her in the crook of his elbow. “Hey, little Alana. You've grown.”
“Wike a weed,” she confirmed. Then she kissed his cheek before turning her attention on Weylin, who was hanging Brayden upside down by one ankle. “I wiww save you, Bwayden!”
Soaring from Kegan's arm, she safely landed in Weylin's. Then she tried to tickle his thick neck with tiny fingers. He grinned as he tossed her into the air, and with a little help from his magic, he softly caught her by one ankle.
“Ha, ha,” he taunted, swinging the siblings back and forth. “Now I have two prisoners to tickle.” And with that, they both doubled over, laughing hysterically as Weylin tickled their bellies with magic.
Kegan returned his attention to Brietta and the air around her. “Is something wrong?”
“I forgot to let everyone know you were coming,” she explained.
“Oh.” He smiled and kissed her forehead. Then he turned to the rest of the family. “I'm sure they don't mind. Right, guys?”
“Of course not,” several people replied.
Free from Weylin's snare, Brayden jumped on Kegan's back. “Of course not,” he repeated, his voice mockingly mature as he gave him a noogie. Before Kegan could retaliate, Brayden soared away, pointing and laughing as he went.
Catigern laughed at his great-great-grandson's orneriness then smiled at their guests. “You and Weylin are always welcome, Kegan. Grab a chair. Dinner will be ready soon.”
“Don't mind if I do,” Weylin accepted, sparring with Banning on his way to the circle.
A moment later Banning was in a headlock, and Weylin turned his blond hair gray before letting go and flying toward an empty chair. Halfway there, his gaze landed on Quin, and he halted in mid-air, suspiciously eying his friend for several seconds before landing in front of him. “I see you still have your mysterious angel.”
Quin smiled. “Did you have any doubt?”
“No.” Weylin shifted his gaze to Layla. “Hey, gorgeous.”
“Hey, Wey,” she returned. “How's it going?”
“Grand as always. Still hiding that beautiful aura, I see.”
“For the moment.”
“That's a shame. I barely got a glimpse of it before you flew away Monday.”
“You'll see it again.”
He grinned and raised his eyebrows. “I look forward to it.” Then he sobered as he looked at Quin. “Is she rubbing off on you, man?”
Quin laughed. “You could say that.”
But his good humor didn't placate Weylin. “Why are you hiding, Quin?”
Kegan approached and stood beside Weylin. “Good question. I can't remember the last time I saw you without your aura.”
“I’ll explain,” Quin offered, summoning two chairs. “Take a seat.”
They did, and Brietta quickly summoned another chair, positioning it so she could watch their reactions.
“First of all,” Quin stipulated, “what I’m about to tell you is sensitive information and should never be repeated.”
Kegan's and Weylin's eyebrows drew together as they nodded and leaned back, ready to listen.
Quin looked at Layla, smiling as he ran a forefinger across her lips
. Then he met his friends’ stares. “Layla's an extraordinary witch, guys, and I'm not just saying that because I love her. I’m saying it because she's Rhosewen and Aedan's daughter.”
“What?” they returned, sitting up straight.
They knew the story… well, some of the story. All the locals did. Any coven that had anything to do with the Conn/Kavanagh coven knew of Aedan and Rhosewen's sad tale. It had become a legend of sorts among the younger generation, and over the years it had been distorted by those who weren't close to the family, warped and glamorized into fiction. But nobody outside the family, no matter what they might claim, knew the whole story.
“Aedan and Rhosewen had a child?” Kegan asked, turning wide eyes on Layla.
“Yes,” Quin answered, “and you're looking at her.”
“But that would mean... What would that mean?”
“Well, as you know, Aedan and Rhosewen were bonded children who bonded with each other, so Layla was born with magical and physical abilities handed down by three bonded unions. We didn’t get a chance to discover Aedan and Rhosewen’s magical limits, but using what little knowledge we have, we've estimated Layla could surpass the combined power of four magicians.”
“Are you serious?” Weylin exclaimed.
“It's a guess,” Quin clarified.
“But where has she been?” Kegan asked.
Quin searched Layla's eyes, getting unspoken permission to recount her sad beginning. Then he kissed her head and looked at his friends. “To answer that I need to start at the beginning. You’ve heard the story about Agro discovering Aedan and Rhosewen's union and showing up at their wedding, which is true. That's exactly how it happened. But the rumors claiming they fled for their safety are false. They fled for Layla's safety. Rhosewen was already pregnant when they left. But what nobody knew, not even them, was that Rhosewen had been cursed the night of her wedding. The spell was meant to kill her upon giving birth, and that’s what it did.”
Kegan and Weylin frowned, their auras darkening as they looked at Layla, but they didn't interrupt Quin’s explanation.
“Aedan feared Layla would be an easy target if she returned home, and he didn’t want her carrying these burdens through childhood, so he chose to hide her in the non-magical world. She was adopted by a hexless woman the day after she was born. Then Aedan searched out Agro and somehow convinced him Layla had passed away with her mom. Aedan didn’t leave that meeting alive, and he’d asked Layla’s adopted mom to change her name and move without telling anyone where she was going, so Layla dropped off the radar. They ended up in Oklahoma with new identities, both of them completely unaware that magicians exist.”
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