Chapter 9

Ari's POV

My heart did not stop racing even though the howl died away.

Wolves were close.

Too close.

Silas made his way, hastening to the fringe of the clearing, leaning on his cane. "Everyone into position! Now we must have the concealment barrier!

The witches went flying about and made a great ring about Witchwood. Their hands were up, and they were fast chanting.

I had Harriet held close to my bosom. Her small fingers were hooked in my hair.

I whispered and gaped, "It's Silas out there. Lucius is here. I can feel him."

Silas turned sharply. "Do not let fear guide you. Focus on Harriet."

"I can't breathe," I said, shaking. "What if he finds us?"

"He won't," he said firmly. Not with the concealment barrier. Now stay close."

There was another howl--lower, more coarse, with rage.

My skin prickled all over. Harcourt tensed in my hands, her little body hard.

One of the witches screamed, "Wolves at the edge! I see eyes—five... no, six of them!"

Silas raised his cane. "Begin the barrier!"

The voices of witches became one high-pitched chant. The air shimmered. We felt ourselves circled by a thin blue wall of light which built itself over our heads in the shape of a dome.

But it flickered. Weak. Unsteady.

One witch gasped. "Silas, it's not holding!"

"Why?" he barked.

The Alpha has a magic, his curse--and he is straining against it!

My legs almost gave out. "He's breaking it?"

Silas set his jaw. "Not if we strengthen it."

"But how?" another witch cried. "We don't have enough energy!"

Harriet gave a sharp and bright cry. A tender golden glow was on her body.

Silas, who was staring and blinking with his eyes, muttered, Ari. "The baby—hold her up."

"I—what? Why?"

"Do it!"

Trembling in my hands, I raised Harriet a little. Her eyes were open a little, blue, and burnished with a low light.

Then—

A magic flash came out of her small frame.

Like a wave, it flew through the air.

The wavering wall stabilised immediately. The blue dome became lighter, stronger and enclosing Witchwood around like a shield.

The witches fell back in consternation.

"Did… did the baby do that?" one whispered.

Another nodded slowly. "I felt it. Pure energy. Powerful energy."

Silas touched his heart with a hand. Nothing had ever seen a stronger infant than Harriet.

I stared at my daughter in awe. "She saved us?"

"Yes," Silas said softly. But such power--that is hard to come by. Dangerous. And difficult to control."

I embraced Harriet in my arms, and her light was gone. She yawned as though nothing out of this common sense had taken place.

"She's just a baby," I whispered.

"She's more," Silas replied. She is a cross between a witch and a wolf with awakened magic. It means that her tantrums may hurt other people... or herself.

Fear twisted in my stomach. "Then teach me how to help her. Teach me everything."

Silas nodded. "We begin now."

Silas, who was in one of the Witchwood huts, placed a few small objects on a flat table-stones, feathers, bowls and herbs.

Harriet was sitting on my knees, chewing her fingers and was usually very quiet.

It is a lesson easy to learn, Silas said. You should know how to feel her magic till it explodes.

I frowned. "How do I do that?"

Oh, magic runs like water, he said. You have got to experience the strain till it ruptures.

I nodded slowly.

A small wooden bowl was lying on the table, and he pointed to it. "Place your hand over it."

I did. "Now what?"

"Close your eyes. Breathe. Feel the air around the bowl."

I inhaled shakily. Exhaled slowly. My hand was floating over the wood.

I do not feel anything, I murmur.

"You will. Try again."

I breathed deeper.

"Good," Silas said. "Now feel Harriet's energy too. It never ceases to be linked with yours.

I turned my head to look at her. "I don't know how."

Just lend your heart, he said.

I tried.

Slow breaths.

Quiet thoughts.

Focus.

Then--but presently--a warm thing came to my hand. Like a heartbeat, but not mine.

"I feel it," I whispered. "A small… thump."

"Good," Silas said. And now take a bit of your power. You should teach your daughter not to release all that she can control.

I nodded.

But before I could move—

Harriet made a tiny sound.

A shiver passed through her body.

Silas's eyes widened. Caution--she is accumulating power now.

"What do I do?" I asked, panicked.

"Calm her! Speak to her!"

I lifted her into my arms. "Harriet, baby, it's okay. Mommy's here. You're safe."

She blinked up at me.

The table bowl started shaking.

"No, no, Harriet," I whispered. "Don't do that—"

Silas muttered, Ari--pay attention, she is on the verge of discharging a pulse.

The bowl rattled harder.

Then—it lifted into the air.

My breath caught. "Harriet! Put it down!"

But she only giggled.

"Ari—move!" Silas shouted.

The bowl radiant was--jostled-- and--

BOOM!

It burst into fragments, falling like wood chips through the room.

With a gasp, I covered Harriet with my body.

Silas hurled up a fleeting shield against the rubbish.

By the time the smoke cleared, the table was burnt.

Harriet saw what had been destroyed... and giggled once more.

Silas looked at the mess, and he heaved a breath. Ari... your daughter is becoming even more powerful than anticipated.

I took Harriet in my arms with my heart racing. "Silas… what do we do now?"

He didn't answer.

Since, as it happened, another bowl was beginning to shake-- itself.