Leslie observes the silver sparkles shimmering over the water. “As the Elder, I am going to make the final decision. We should attempt to break the seal on the far side of the fog. If the children should perish, I will take full responsibility. Spence, if you are willing to risk your life to save them, I won’t stand in your way.”
Tanner’s face grows sullen as he looks at his partner. The rest of us lower our heads. My intuition tightens in my abdomen again. But what else can we do?
Archie lays a hand on Tanner’s arm. “The two of us can be prepared to cast a healing spell once he finishes.”
“We’ll all be ready to help,” Zoe says. “We can do this together.”
“But we need Ronnie and Derek’s blessing.” I wait for my best friend’s response.
She tears up and nods. “Derek, I think we have to try. My intuition tells me not to, but we can’t leave Luna in there one more minute.”
“OK.” Derek wraps his arms around her. “You’re the witch. I have to rely on your judgment.”
“Let’s do it now, then, witches,” Trinity says. “Seamus, we’ll gladly accept your help, if you’re still offering.”
“My pleasure,” he replies. “May I recommend we form a line along the perimeter of the pond? Ms. Morgan will have more difficulty attacking the coven that way.”
“You mean it will be difficult to kill all of us at once.” Archie says.
“Precisely,” he replies. “But we are many. Each of us should prepare to back up the person on your left and right. You’ll need to respond quickly.”
Leslie glances at Agnes. “My dear, we should not stand together. We are experienced, but our reflexes aren’t what they used to be.”
“Speak for yourself, sweetheart,” the hedge witch replies. “I survived an attack by the Kenilworths—ancestral witches to boot. I can fight off one pathetic Tylwyth Teg.”
“Let’s form our line of attack, everyone,” Trinity says, motioning toward the pond. “Ronnie, I understand you want to fight, but Seamus can replace you in the circle. Derek can’t defend himself against a Tylwyth Teg with a mama-bear attitude. Take cover near the forest. If Alys sees you here, she could lash out even more.”
My best friend makes eye contact with each of us. “Good luck. Bring my Luna back to me.”
I lock eyes with her. “We won’t stop until we get her. I promise.”
“Don’t worry, Ronnie,” Spence says, removing his coat and shoes. “I’ll bring her back.” He kisses Tanner. “Be ready to warm me up, hon. I’m gonna need it.”
“I love you, Spence,” he replies. “Don’t do anything stupid. Just get them out of there.”
Derek clasps Ronnie’s hand and they walk toward the forest. They find a large rhododendron and kneel behind its glossy green leaves, rolled up like cigars in the icy temperature. Spence stands at the water’s edge, shivering and rubbing his arms.
We line up shoulder to shoulder along the bog—Archie on my right side and Seamus on my left. Raising our hands together, we face our palms toward the silvery strip of fog, chanting to summon our power. As our magic intensifies, we interlock our beams of amber until all thirteen connect to form a thick central laser, as Agnes suggested. A buzzing like that of a motor echoes through the park. Holy crystals! I hope the townies can’t hear this.
“What now, Agnes?” I ask. “Do we set an intention on the weak part of the barrier? Does one of us decide where to focus it?”
Agnes shouts over the roaring hum. “I don’t fucking know. I told you I wing it. Witchcraft isn’t an exact science. Seamus, do you have a suggestion? We can’t blow this.”
Wow! The hedge witch is asking for help. That’s a first.
“Yes,” he replies, gazing into my eyes. “Gwyn should set the intention. Everyone, clear your minds and focus on the energy beam.”
Archie nods at me. “Do it, Gwyn.”
I search for the spot where the fog appears to open and close, gyrating to the left and right. If I set my intention in the center-most position where the swirling stops and moves in the opposite direction, I should break the seal.
“I’ll count backward,” I yell. “Three, two, one. On one, give me all you’ve got.”
The magical laser intensifies, the amber glow thickening into a wide beam of energy. I filter out everything around me—the trees, the foggy clouds of our breath, the gloomy skies above, Archie, Seamus, the others. I may have one chance to do this before Alys attacks.
“On my mark!” I shout over the humming. “Three. Two—”
“NO!” a female voice shouts behind us. “You’ll kill the children!”
We snap our heads around. It’s Courtney Erickson, and her husband John is with her.
“Stop! You don’t need to break into her protective bubble. I can pass through the shield and retrieve the children.”
We lower our hands, and the amber laser beam dissipates as Courtney rushes to us. Leslie addresses her.
“How is it possible for you to enter through the barrier? Do you have knowledge of a special spell?”
Courtney stares at me, pleading with me to decipher the puzzle for Leslie. Because for some reason, she can’t answer the Elder. I inspect her pale-blond hair, blue eyes, and fair complexion. I look at John, his head covered in golden locks. The frigid air has numbed my cheeks, but not my brain.
“Because she’s a Tylwyth Teg.”
Chapter twenty-eightTo Save the Children
“Fuck me,” Agnes says loudly, breaking the shocked silence of the coven members.
Archie whispers in my ear, “Well, that explains her early obsession with me.”
“Sure does,” I whisper back. “And the variance in her magic. My stronger intuition must have sensed the difference. Seamus’s did, too.”
