After the Summerland (The Witches of Spring Hill Book 1) by Patricia Proctor Page A

Cian and Brianna follow suit, Brianna hesitating slightly as she
passes her aunt’s line of vision.
    The Alexander kids
observe all of this and watch Selene move in closer to their dad and rub him on
the shoulder while saying, “Well,
I
look
forward to seeing
you
around.” She
turns to go back to her car, leaving behind the cloying scent of cloves and vanilla.
    “Well, that was weird,”
Liam says as he climbs in the jeep.
    “Dad, something very
strange is going on,” Kaiden starts before being interrupted by Liam who says,
“I know, son. We’ve got a lot to talk about.”
    Rowan, Kaiden, and Chloe
look at each other, and then look at their dad, each reflecting internally on
the events of the day. They know it will be difficult to come up with just the
right words to explain what happened at school today. Liam starts the jeep and
heads home to the house on the hill.

Chapter 10
    When they get home they
quickly climb out of the jeep, but before they can even close the door, Liam
says, “Just leave your backpacks in the jeep — we’re going back to the clearing
to talk.” He watches their individual reactions and finds that Chloe looks as if
she is expecting this, Rowan looks extremely nervous, and Kaiden looks excited that
something is happening.
    Chloe is not surprised
that the conversation is going to take place in the clearing. She has always
been aware of an ‘energy’ when she is back there by herself. The strong energy
connects her more fully with the earth and herself. Nowhere else is her
connection more powerful than in the open space between the rocks at the very back
of the yard. Walking through the garden, she waves her hand over the herbs that have grown since the last time she was out here. She looks over at Rowan to see if she notices,
but Rowan looks uncomfortable and completely out of her element.
    I hate being outside,
Rowan thinks to herself. I would rather be anywhere but back here. Why couldn’t
we have the family meeting inside in the family room or around the kitchen
table like normal people? Never feeling an affinity for the outdoors, she
spends as little time out here as possible. For once she wishes she were more
like Chloe, who seems to bloom right in front of her, just like the flowers
that Chloe tends so carefully year round. Why all the way to the clearing? she wonders, as she moves through the shadows cast by the
tall pines and evergreens.
    Kaiden is excited to be
going back to the clearing. We haven’t all been back here in years, he thinks
to himself. When they were young Liam would take them back here to play, but
since they’ve grown up there never seems to be the time or interest, other than
on the part of Chloe who spends time back here alone. He has thought of joining
her, but something always seems to get in the way: a game, basketball practice,
video games, his friends, or even homework.
    The clearing is through
the gardens and past the edge of the yard. Rock outcroppings, boulders, and a variety of trees
form a large circle before the yard gives way completely to the dense woods. The temperature is moderate year round since the tall pines,
evergreens, and oak trees surrounding the clearing keep the area shaded in the
summer and the large boulders keep out the cold winds in the winter. At some
point, a makeshift fireplace was carved into the stone to add heat to the
clearing on the coldest winter days or the cool spring nights.
    The rocks look natural, but are arranged unnaturally,
as if someone deliberately moved these giant boulders to create the circular shape
of the clearing. The rocks are stacked creating ledges, similar to manmade
shelves. A variety of fallen branches, sticks, twigs and pine needles gather in
the crevices while moss grows in the shaded areas of the rocks, creating a
juxtaposition of hard and soft.
    The ground is made up
of flat shale rock, and is covered with fallen leaves, moss, and pine needles.
Old fallen logs are situated around the circle