Chapter 17: Sneaky Interloper

I marched into the clearing like I owned it. Which I did, honestly. The ones gathered in the back who didn't see me coming leaped out of the path of my power as I made a blade from it and forced it between them, stirring meeps and cries of fear and surprise. Yes, I could have handled this better. But was I in the mood?

What do you think?

"Nice of all of you to join me," I said, voice booming as I boosted it with magic. My words echoed back from the trees, fed with power enough they smoldered as they crossed visibly through the bonfire, sparks hissing from the magical residue as I came to a firm halt in front of Coradine and the smirking Jagger. He didn't get it, did he? I'd firmly and completely ground him into the dirt after his little cheating experiment. And he was actually back for more?

I would have facepalmed if I thought it would do me a bit of good.

"We told you to come." Yeah, she was going to get away with that attitude about the same time the blonde in her hair grew in naturally.

"There will be no fight tonight," I said, making sure not one of them left after my first announcement, sealing off the clearing with my power while they fell still and fear-real, actual roiling terror-stuttered out of them to pool at my feet like drool. Too much? Not enough?

Whatever. I was done. "In fact, from this moment on, all fights are now cancelled and anyone caught breaking the rules will suffer the consequences."

"Like you have the power..." Coradine spluttered to a halt before paling.

"That's right, witch," I said, smiling down at her from my superior height. "Heir to the coven. And I'm not talking turn your ass in, Coradine, you can forget me ever running to Mom or GreatGram. I'll deal with rule breakers personally." The fire roared beside me as my amber magic fed it, pushing it up so high it cleared the tree tops, seemed to reach the very stars. "AM I UNDERSTOOD?"

Was it wrong this was the most fun I'd ever had in my entire life? Yes. Yes I'm sure it was horribly wrong. But I still loved every second of it.

"You can't... you wouldn't..." Coradine tried, her magic reaching out to the crowd, even to her own posse who seemed willing to believe me. Jagger stepped back, though why he thought a second round would be more successful than a first... that was, unless he'd planned to cheat.

The bastard. I'd teach the sneaky interloper to even consider he was as powerful as a Hayle witch. But I'd handle him later. After I dealt with Coradine. He'd be going home with a firm and unhappy Hayle heir talking to his coven leader about him.

"I can and I am," I said, speaking to the gathered young witches. "Go home and don't even think about coming back here. Or starting up anywhere else. I'll find out and you won't like the consequences." I glared around the circle, made sure I met as many of their gazes as I could, pushing at them with the power of the coven to make sure they complied. While it was possible they might try to circumvent me at some point, right now all they wanted to do was run.

Awesomesauce.

"Fun's over. Now git." I cracked the shields and let them drop with a sizzle of threatening demon magic and the barest earth shake so they'd know I was serious. Because teenagers, yo. Sometimes over the top was the only way to get through to them. Besides, I was having a snapping good time and who knew when I'd get the chance to show off again?

Oh, Ethie.

They left and quickly once I released them, Coradine's friends abandoning her as I held her personally before me, knowing before I confirmed the accusation just who it was had let the old woman sorcerer into our territory.

The fire returned to normal size while the leader in me rose up and did her duty. "You permitted a stranger to enter our territory tonight without asking your coven leader."

She spluttered before shrugging, looking away, sullen and hideous despite her pretty face. "So what?"

She had no idea I held her fate in my hands. "You do know your coven law, don't you?" Her frown of derision held fear. "What are you talking about? She was a harmless old lady."

Sly anger returned. "And who says I did and you didn't?"

"Because I know you did," I said. "She turned you in, you idiot." She blanched at that, but held her ground. "And if there is any trace of that sorcerer's power on you," I delighted at the spark of terror that lit her eyes as she realized what she'd done, "and you're proven guilty of betraying your coven, do you know what comes next?"

She shook her head, mouth hanging open. Surprisingly, it was Jagger, still lingering and watching, who answered, the few witches who hadn't fled hovering close in sick curiosity.

"Banishment," he said, voice dull. "And, if the intruder proves a threat to the coven, death is always on the table."

Coradine spun on him, hands shaking. "You told me to let her in."

He backed away, his own hands in the air, open palms up, smirk back. "Nice knowing you, Cor." And then he fled, running off with the others chasing him. Though I gave a bit of credit to Rennie and Johanna for staying behind, despite their obvious fear.

"You can't tell." Coradine turned back to me, vicious and pleading all at the same time. "I'll tell them you started the fight club."

"Which I didn't," I said. "Yawn."

She flinched. "They'll believe me," she said, "the coven will. Everyone knows you're broken."

"Really." Was it like this all the time for Mom and Nanna and GreatGram? This absolute surety born of knowing in your heart you were a Hayle and nothing, not one thing in the Universe could stand in your way? Heady and powerful and, as I inhaled and exhaled the smoky scented night, sobering.

I could use this, absorb it and make it turn me into something I wasn't. Tempting, this powerful feeling, this need to crush my enemy the way she'd tried so hard to crush me. Instead, I at last saw her with pity and regret, that we could have been friends if only.

If only I wasn't heir and she wasn't oh so jealous of that fact.

"Go home, Coradine," I said, turning my back on her. "And stop being a bitch if you can help

it."

Funny thing about power. Sometimes it takes more strength and courage to just walk away.

I'd never felt so good about myself. That was, until I realized I had an important message to deliver, one I could have and probably should have done immediately. But when I reached for GreatGram, for Mom, I found nothing. Which meant my leader was in a meeting and my mother was off-plane.

Well, crap. I had to do something, tell someone. Who? Ameline? Sass? But they were as out of touch as GreatGram, likely in the same meeting. I considered a few of the witches, the Kennecotts for two. Even Oliver was a possibility. But I didn't want to go to just anyone for help. I wanted my family.

And that left Nanna.

I realized my stupid arrogant mistake the second I stepped through the veil and into the vast foyer of her offices in Hong Kong. What was I thinking, bothering the leader of the World Paranormal Council with coven business? I almost turned around but it was too late, her power touching mine with a hint of fear, something she hid well despite her distraction.

GreatGram, Ameline and Sass weren't the only ones in a meeting. Only this one I interrupted felt like I'd stumbled into the middle of the United Nations.

That didn't stop her from shutting down what she was doing while she mentally ushered me into her office. I smiled sheepishly at her secretary, the tall, muscular Swedish witch, Astrid Svennson, smiling back as she opened the glass door to Nanna's large, white office. I turned down her query about refreshments and paced the space, not even taking the time to look out the huge windows over the port. I'd grown up in Hong Kong, off and on until the age of eight, so the view didn't impress me much.

I turned as the door to the office opened again, an apology to Nanna for interrupting her on my lips only to freeze and stare and swallow past the nervousness that grew in its intensity when I realized it wasn't her at the door.

It was my dad. And he didn't look happy to see me.

I fumbled for something to say, felt my tongue lock in my mouth, stuck to the roof for lack of words. There'd been a time we'd been very close. Before his new wife, Payten, had twins and they'd moved back here to council headquarters. Leaving me with GreatGram while he and his fresh family started over. Not an Enforcer, no, but Nanna's first assistant and right hand.

I barely knew him anymore.

Didn't help he stared at me like that, as if he didn't know me, either, unsure what to do with me. And I realized then, despite my animosity toward Oliver, Mom's boyfriend had been more of a father to me-as had Demetrius and Poppa and most of the male figures in my life-than my own dad.

Not that I had delusions about him. There was a time I adored him and used him and our relationship against Mom to hurt her. And for a brief time I considered perhaps I'd been misjudging him as much as I had everyone else in my life. But this father, this distant man with his handsome, stern face and dark hair hanging over his chocolate eyes, with his bulky shoulders and frown of judgment, this man was never the man I thought he was.

Neither of us spoke for a long moment, an instant in time that hurt so much it might have been a weapon, pinging against my skin in tiny barbs of razor pricks, clutching at my heart and squeezing so hard I was sure I'd pass out.

He turned very pale himself and I could only imagine my own face showed my distress.

When had I seen him last? Weeks? Months? Dear elements, was it over a year ago?

It could have gone worse if it hadn't been for Nanna's arrival. She bustled in behind Dad as if she didn't notice our mutual standoff and hurried to my side, her long, white robe swishing around her legs and hanging from her elegant arms, enveloping me in the scent of lilacs even as her hands pulled me tightly to her.

"Tell me," she whispered in my ear.

All I can say is I loved my grandmother so much at that moment, it was easy to forget Quaid Tinder was ever my father.

***