Cate Tiernan - Night's Child

"This is unbelievable," Morgan breathed as their number grew. "I just went over the house. I can't believe this is happening." A wave of nausea overcame her, and she had to sit down. So many years she'd lived peacefully, without the thought of dark magick. And now it was surrounding her and Moira, with someone out there waiting to use it to strangle them both. "Like I said, they were spelled to keep you from finding them. Someone wishes you harm," Sky said with characteristic understatement. She held up a small glass bottle full of nails, pins, needles, and vinegar. "How's your stomach been lately? Any ulcers?"

"No," Morgan said, shaking her head in disbelief. "Goddess. I'm just so grateful that Moira hasn't been hurt."

"These people must be just astounded every day," Sky said, "when they read the paper and don't find an article about how your roof caved in or your brakes gave out or you slipped on your walk and broke your hip. You're stronger than they think. Or else their magick is pathetic." She looked at the pouch with distaste, then added it to the small pile in the corner of the yard.

"Katrina and I have been doing a lot of protection spells," said Morgan. "This house itself is built on an ancient power ley, and we tap into that."

"Oh, yes, the legend about the local power ley. Didn't know anyone knew where it was. Good. That's the only explanation I have for the fact that you're still standing. That and you're Morgan of Belwicket," Sky said. "Some of this stuff has been nasty."

All of a sudden Morgan felt as if she couldn't bear it. She collapsed to the ground. "Sky," she began. "I thought I was done with all this."

"I know," Sky said. "And you should be. You've been through enough." Her black eyes became thoughtful. "But you're no ordinary witch. You're Morgan of Belwicket. Maeve's daughter. Ciaran's daughter. You are the sgiurs dan."

Morgan's eyes opened wider. The sgiurs dan-the Destroyer. Ciaran had told her that years ago, as part of his explanation for wanting her dead. Every several generations within the Woodbane clan a Destroyer was born. A witch who would change the course of Woodbane history. "But didn't I already change Woodbane history, by helping to destroy Amyranth? By removing Ciaran from power? And now by leading Belwicket in a new direction?"

"I certainly thought so," Sky said wryly. "But maybe the wheel has something more for you to do."

The wheel of life. Fate. Karma. Morgan felt oddly inadequate for what the wheel kept dishing out. "Sky… I just don't know if I can fight anymore, not like I did back then."

Sky's gaze was calm and sure. "Morgan. You are stronger than you know. How strange that you still don't realize that."

Then she turned and began to set up what they would need to undo all the dark spells. It was harder to undo magick than to do it. They had to work backward, unraveling what had been wrought. It was easier working together, Morgan thought. If she'd had to do this alone, one step at a time, it would have taken so much longer. And unspoken between them was the same constant thought of where this could all lead, a reason to work as quickly and thoroughly as possible-Hunter.

By two o'clock that afternoon the house and yard had been cleared. The actual physical embodiments of the hexes and spells would be buried in the sand, down by the sea, where time and salt water would slowly purify them. Morgan and Sky began to relay new circles of protection. It was a shame there wouldn't be a full moon that night, but they had to work with what they had. They couldn't afford to wait even a moment. They worked from the inside out. Starting in the northeast corner, which was in the guest room, Morgan and Sky lit small brushes of dried sage. These they waved in every corner, in the closet, around the windows. Their smudgy, herbal smoke would help purify the energy and rid the house of evil intentions. They chanted protection spells in each room, sprinkled salt on every floor, and washed each window so that evil would be reflected and healing energy could flow through. Morgan drew sigils of protection on the walls above every door frame and window frame. In each corner of every room she put a small chunk of pure iron, surrounded by a circle of salt.

Outside, Morgan and Sky walked the perimeter of the property, carrying lit candles and burning sagebrush. They gathered handfuls of willow twigs and lightly slapped them all around the low stone walls that surrounded the house and yard. Again Morgan drew sigils of protection above every door and window, drawing them first with silver paint, then overlaying them with invisible lines, marked with her own witch's sign.

They traced Xs across each door and window with Morgan's athame and sprinkled salt in a solid line on the inside of the stone walls.

"You're going to look out your window and find your yard full of deer," Sky said dryly as they sprinkled salt.

"As long as they're not evil Ealltuinn deer, that's okay," Morgan said.

"So you still think this is coming from them?"

"I don't know anymore," Morgan answered. "I can't see how any of them would know about Hunter…."

Sky met her gaze, and neither said anything. But Sky's eyes were filled with the same mixture of hope, desperation, and fear that Morgan felt. And Morgan even noticed Sky's hands trembling slightly. It was all either could do not to break down from the torture of needing to know if Hunter was really alive.

"We're almost finished," Sky said quietly, resuming her work.

In front of each of the garden gates they drew seven lines of protection so anyone entering with harmful intentions would find themselves slowed and perhaps even too confused to follow the path. Last but not least, the two women stood together and chanted the strongest power chants they knew, overlaying them with ribbons of protection, of ward evil, of warning, of reflection of harm. They went around the whole yard, all around the house and the back garden, singing and chanting, dispelling the last of the negative energy and replacing it with strong positive energy.

"Whew. That's done, and done well," Sky said, glancing at the sun's position when they were through. "Must be almost four."

"Moira will be home soon," Morgan agreed.

Inside the house, Morgan made a pot of strong tea. While they waited for Moira, she and Sky exchanged small talk, avoiding the one topic Morgan knew was all either could really think about.

"Alwyn's expecting a baby," Sky told her.

"So's Mary K.," Morgan said. "Twins, in fact. I'm going to be an aunt. I can't believe it's taken her so long. I thought she'd have nine kids by now."

Sky grinned, then seemed to listen for a moment "Someone's coming."

"It's Katrina," said Morgan, casting her senses. She got up to let her mother-in-law in, then introduced her to Sky. "Hello," said Katrina. "Morgan's mentioned you to me."

"Pleasure," Sky said with her natural reserve.

"Sit down," Morgan said. "I'll get you a cup."

Katrina took a chair, resting her walking stick against the side cupboard.

"Don't get old," she advised Morgan and Sky. "Christa Ryan tells me to walk two miles each day or become as stiff as an old board, so I do, but I'd rather be home working crosswords in front of the fire."

"Do you want me to try to help?" Morgan offered.

"Nae, lass. It's just these old bones. Don't trouble yourself," Katrina said, taking a sip of tea. Morgan had made the suggestion before that she try to heal Katrina's arthritis, but Katrina always shrugged her off.

Nodding, Morgan glanced at the clock. It was hard not to want Moira by her side every minute. She sent her daughter a witch message. Don't be late. Not today.

Moira was torn as she approached her house that afternoon. Sitting through classes had been torture, when all she could think about was all the questions she still had about Ciaran, her mum's past, and… Colm and Hunter. But she didn't want to face her mother yet, either. Still, she'd received the witch message from Morgan just as school had ended, warning her to come straight home-that it was important.