shook her head as if trying to clear her thoughts. “The sooner we find her, the better,” she said, bending down, gathering the two books from the table, and rising. She turned and began to walk to the kitchen.
Brayden hoped this wasn’t going to take too much of a toll on her. He didn’t want her to worry. He felt excited about meeting the other High Witch too. There were two more of them out there—would this spell find both of them? Brayden wasn’t sure if the baby High Witch would be using her powers yet, but their child was already able to use magic. They just had to wait and see what would happen. Brayden wondered once more about the older High Witch. He hoped she was happy. And again, hoped she was safe.
Chapter 8
Hallie struggled to catch her breath. Sean lay beside her, doing the same. She’d just experienced the most intense, pleasurable, satisfying time in her life. She shut her eyes, the glorious feeling still within her, rippling over her. Sean pulled up the bed sheets, wrapped her in them, and cuddled her up to him while he put a muscled arm over her stomach. She snuggled up to him, then heard him laugh, his chest vibrating. She looked at him.
“You’re glowing,” he murmured, kissed her forehead, then became still as his breathing began to slow down.
Hallie looked at her arm, and saw it: a golden glow shimmering over her skin. She shut her eyes, too spent to be embarrassed, beginning to fall asleep in Sean’s arms. They’d made love all night before and then woke late only to beginning touching each other again. Hallie didn’t think she could experience anything more amazing than she’d felt yesterday, but today it was so much better. Luckily it was Sunday and she didn’t have to work, so they’d been able to spend all day in bed. She was exhausted and happily drifted off to sleep. Her last thought was how perfect things were. She was so in love.
***
Hallie stood against the wall of the small wooden building that was her school classroom. All the children from her small town were taught in the same large room. She looked at the ground, twisting her foot in the dirt, waiting for lunchtime to be over on the very hot day. After eating her sandwich, she had nothing to do until it was time to go back to class. She had no friends except Sean, and he was playing with some boys today. She didn’t mind learning at school, but lunchtime was terrible. Waiting to be picked on. Waiting to be teased. She was looking forward to turning fourteen, when school would be finished for good, but she had six years to go.
She looked over the yard, seeing the groups of children sitting together or playing ball games, and was horrified to see Clara walking towards her, followed by her two friends. The girls were ten, and she was frightened of them. The trio reached her, standing over her, making her press her back against the wall.
“Show us some magic, Hallie,” Clara said, smiling cruelly. “We’re bored. Be a good witch and show us a spell.” Clara flicked her long brown hair over her shoulder and glanced at her friends. “Or are you too afraid?” she said. “Is the little witch afraid of her magic?”
“She’s afraid of everything,” Sarah said. “Vera’s a filthy witch, too, but at least she can use her magic properly. Remember when we caught Hallie trying to make a fireball and she kept making these huge flames appear? She can’t even do something as simple as that. She’s such an idiot.”
Clara chuckled. “Show us some magic, Hallie,” she said again, “or we’ll tell the boys you want to kiss them. Rick especially. He’ll love that.”
Hallie felt her heart beat faster and panic ran through her. Tears pricked her eyes, and she felt shaky all over.
The three girls laughed, then were shortly joined by four more. “What are we doing?” one of them asked, the half-circle of people huddling around Hallie, making her feel suffocated.
“Teasing Hallie,” Clara said.
Brayden hoped this wasn’t going to take too much of a toll on her. He didn’t want her to worry. He felt excited about meeting the other High Witch too. There were two more of them out there—would this spell find both of them? Brayden wasn’t sure if the baby High Witch would be using her powers yet, but their child was already able to use magic. They just had to wait and see what would happen. Brayden wondered once more about the older High Witch. He hoped she was happy. And again, hoped she was safe.
Chapter 8
Hallie struggled to catch her breath. Sean lay beside her, doing the same. She’d just experienced the most intense, pleasurable, satisfying time in her life. She shut her eyes, the glorious feeling still within her, rippling over her. Sean pulled up the bed sheets, wrapped her in them, and cuddled her up to him while he put a muscled arm over her stomach. She snuggled up to him, then heard him laugh, his chest vibrating. She looked at him.
“You’re glowing,” he murmured, kissed her forehead, then became still as his breathing began to slow down.
Hallie looked at her arm, and saw it: a golden glow shimmering over her skin. She shut her eyes, too spent to be embarrassed, beginning to fall asleep in Sean’s arms. They’d made love all night before and then woke late only to beginning touching each other again. Hallie didn’t think she could experience anything more amazing than she’d felt yesterday, but today it was so much better. Luckily it was Sunday and she didn’t have to work, so they’d been able to spend all day in bed. She was exhausted and happily drifted off to sleep. Her last thought was how perfect things were. She was so in love.
***
Hallie stood against the wall of the small wooden building that was her school classroom. All the children from her small town were taught in the same large room. She looked at the ground, twisting her foot in the dirt, waiting for lunchtime to be over on the very hot day. After eating her sandwich, she had nothing to do until it was time to go back to class. She had no friends except Sean, and he was playing with some boys today. She didn’t mind learning at school, but lunchtime was terrible. Waiting to be picked on. Waiting to be teased. She was looking forward to turning fourteen, when school would be finished for good, but she had six years to go.
She looked over the yard, seeing the groups of children sitting together or playing ball games, and was horrified to see Clara walking towards her, followed by her two friends. The girls were ten, and she was frightened of them. The trio reached her, standing over her, making her press her back against the wall.
“Show us some magic, Hallie,” Clara said, smiling cruelly. “We’re bored. Be a good witch and show us a spell.” Clara flicked her long brown hair over her shoulder and glanced at her friends. “Or are you too afraid?” she said. “Is the little witch afraid of her magic?”
“She’s afraid of everything,” Sarah said. “Vera’s a filthy witch, too, but at least she can use her magic properly. Remember when we caught Hallie trying to make a fireball and she kept making these huge flames appear? She can’t even do something as simple as that. She’s such an idiot.”
Clara chuckled. “Show us some magic, Hallie,” she said again, “or we’ll tell the boys you want to kiss them. Rick especially. He’ll love that.”
Hallie felt her heart beat faster and panic ran through her. Tears pricked her eyes, and she felt shaky all over.
The three girls laughed, then were shortly joined by four more. “What are we doing?” one of them asked, the half-circle of people huddling around Hallie, making her feel suffocated.
“Teasing Hallie,” Clara said.
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