Chapter 20: New Leadership

Not even a decade into the turn of the century found the family packing up and moving, under Thaddea's direction. There had been a few instances over the thirty years they'd resided in and around the same area, accidents with magic the locals began to equate with the coven. Rather than risk a lynching, the entire family uprooted and moved on, settling into a lovely acreage outside of a small town in western Connecticut.

Though still fit for her age, Thaddea's health had begun to decline and, while I knew she wasn't ill, per se, she confessed to me her greatest fear was leaving the world as her mother did.

"Or Olive," she shuddered. "Please, Sass. Don't ever allow that to happen to me."

Considering she was well past the age her own mother contracted her illness and passed away and that Thad's mind was as sharp and clear as it had ever been, I had no concerns on either front. But her age was taking its toll on her body, tremors taking her on occasion, brief memory lapses, enough she took matters into her own hands and officially began to transfer some of the family magic to her heir, Auburdeen. The coven's second, Precious Mullander, did her best to assist in the transition and, from what I could tell from the gossip and whisperings among the family, the whole process was smooth enough they hardly noticed around the bustle of the transplantation to our new home.

It troubled me to see Thaddea stepping down from leadership, even over a slow course of time. Only in her late fifties, with, as far as I was concerned, many wonderful years ahead of her and a family who adored her, it seemed unfair she only enjoy the success of her takeover for a few years.

"Now, Sass," Thad said, rocking with me in a sunbeam while Orin and Pharo orchestrated the setup of the new house, insisting she sit and not lift a finger, magical or otherwise. "I've been a leader for a long time, and you know it. Olive's decline began years before I took the family magic from her. I'm tired, my boy. So much has happened to this family. It's time for a new leader, a shift in direction." She beamed proudly out the window at her daughter as Burdie commanded with natural ease, lending her power to the unpacking from the backs of the large wagons we'd brought with us. "A new century is upon us and fresh blood is the perfect way to welcome it."

"Your blood is just fine," I said, pushing against her fingers with my head.

"Indeed," she laughed. "And will be for quite some time. It's not like I've handed over the reins entirely, silly cat."

But it didn't take her long, no matter what she said to reassure me. As soon as the family was happily settled, Thaddea made it official, the hand-off of the family magic flowing seamlessly from mother to daughter. The coven celebrated the ease of the transfer, how beautiful the ceremony, but I refused to see it as a success, not while my Thad was set aside so immediately by her own daughter, Burdie's mode of leadership much more aggressive than her mother's.

And her first order as the new leader of the Hayle family? Shocking the lot of us, she named Lilibeth as her second as well as her heir.

"Unheard of," Precious complained to Thaddea the morning after the deed was done and the new power structure settled. "Not only is her second a child," Lilibeth had only just turned fourteen the month previous, "but tradition doesn't allow her heir and second to be the same person. You know this, Thaddea. For obvious reasons." Yes, for reasons of balance and power. It was a huge weight to place on the girl's shoulders, especially one as spoiled and temperamental as Lilibeth. Time had done nothing to soften her edges. In fact, truth be known and much to my personal chagrin, she reminded me of myself when I was a demon boy.

She bore watching carefully, which I'd done from the day she attacked sweet Benella with such venom, and I'm glad I did. That same morning Thaddea softly told Precious it was no longer her business and to speak to Burdie on the matter, her former second leaving in a huff, I caught Lilibeth in her true nature once again.

Needing air, I found myself outside, exploring our new home. The many months I'd spent on my own so long ago had given me a craving for the outdoors I'd never felt when I lived on Demonicon, a sense of connection to the world around me. At least once a week I would wander, usually overnight, though I hadn't had an opportunity to examine our new surrounds and had to remind myself the terrain was different, as were the neighbors whom I'd grown accustomed to.

The trickling tickle of a creek's song drew me as I passed behind the new house, scampering down the hillock and into the pines, over a rabbit run. It felt wonderful to stretch my legs, though my joy at the experience was short lived.

Magic surged nearby, shielded, but I was close enough I felt its ripple. Fear now driving my steps, I streaked through the underbrush, bursting out of the scrub to find a despicable scene unfolding.

One of the teenage girls, Angelique, from a new family who had only joined our coven a few months before, crouched at the edge of the waterway, tears streaking down her terrified face. She huddled in on herself, arms wrapped around her, a thin shield of protection all that stood between her and her attacker.

Lilibeth. At first my mind refused to believe. She was in a role of responsibility, now. A second and heir to her coven. Surely there was some misunderstanding, some reason behind the cruel smile on her face, the lashes of magic she teased the girl's shields with, all while her three best friends giggled behind their hands at the scene.

"Your power isn't strong enough for this coven," Lilibeth said, blue fire whipping out in a thin rope to wrap around Angelique's shield. The girl jumped, cried out in pain, tried to stagger backward, to escape, only to fall into the stream, water soaking her skirt to her waist, pulling against her attempts to stand. "Why should I let you and your pathetic family stay if you're so weak we have to protect you all the time?"

More giggling. Nasty, horrible... growling under my breath, I stalked out of the brush with my fur on end, demon fire in my eyes, letting the magic I had show in a film of crackling sparks cascading from my coat.

"Lilibeth Fayline Hayle." She stopped, eyes wide, turned to see me standing there, glaring. "What by the blessed elements do you think you're doing?"

Lilibeth's friends froze, stared at me with horror. I might not have been powerful, but they all knew me, the fact I had not only Thaddea's but Burdie's confidence as well. One shove was all I needed to make them bolt.

"You trio of misbehavior," I snarled at them. "Get yourselves home and tell your parents you are evil girls who need to be punished."

They didn't move. Not until my temper finally had the better of me. I pushed against the limits of the power inside me and swelled in size, an old trick I'd not been able to master since becoming a cat. But fury and determination to make an impact was enough incentive, it seemed, added to the growing magic inside me. With a silent thank you to Sydlynn for the extra power, I lifted my now giant head, brushing the branches above me, and roared.

"GO HOME!"

They ran, screaming and sobbing, while Lilibeth gaped up at me as though she'd never seen me before. Her ropes of magic died and she staggered back a step as I turned to the stream and offered Angelique my enlarged paw. The weeping girl took it and my help, as I pulled her free of the water and spun on Lilibeth.

"An apology," I snarled over her. "And assistance in cleaning up your mess."

Lilibeth's eyes flashed with rebellion, the heat of her temper Auburdeen's, but without my darling's good nature to soften it. But the spark of her resistance collapsed at last, lips turning downward, eyes filling with real tears.

"I'm sorry, Angelique." Lilibeth's water magic slid forward and stripped the other girl's dress of moisture, earth magic cleaning the soil from her skirt until she looked freshly pressed.

"It's all right, Lilibeth," Angelique said. "I can't imagine how hard things must be for you now."

I shooed the girl away as I shrank to my normal size, liking the feeling of how my power had grown. Was it possible it was growing on its own? And, with enough time, would I recover fully?

An interesting notion I'd never considered before. But, for now, I had other concerns.

Lilibeth sank to the ground and covered her face in her hands. It was the first time in her life she'd shown me any kind of weakness so I went to her, climbed into her lap. Her arms fell to her side, hands stroking my fur with hesitant touches. My power slid around her, my purr soothing her and I was surprised to find she let me in when I went poking about.

"I really am sorry," she whispered to me, a worried frown creasing her young face. "Sassafras, I'm not a cruel person. Am I?"

I didn't comment. She didn't need honesty at the moment. And I was happy to support her if it meant helping her find the right path. She was a Hayle, after all.

"I think I am," she said at last, hugging me to her, my purr rattling her teeth as I tried to soothe her further. "I don't want to be, I really don't. But sometimes..." She let me go, a little smile, so sad, so anxious, pulling at her mouth, "I am scared of myself."

"Your mother is notorious for her temper," I said. "It's part of what makes you Hayle women such amazing witches. And leaders. But Lil," I used her mother's nickname for her for the first time since I'd known her, "there is a great deal of responsibility to being a leader."

"I know." She tensed before relaxing again, sad smile replaced by bitterness. "But I have no choice, do I?"

"You do." I rose, put my paws on her shoulders. I was right, then. Burdie, in her need to have the perfect daughter, to erase the sorrow of her two losses, had done no justice to her relationship with Lilibeth. "You are your own person, don't ever forget that. And you always have a choice. Tell your mother you're happy to be heir, but that she needs a second of her own." I kissed her cheek with my nose, leaving a shining, damp spot behind. "There is no weakness in that, Lil. You're still young, for magic's sake."

"I can't," she whispered, though hope rose in her eyes. "She won't listen."

"She'll listen to me," I snapped. "And your grandmother."

The girl I knew she could be hugged me and laughed and, for the first time ever, I felt love for Lilibeth grow inside me. I loved Burdie too, of course I did, but at the moment I was ready to kill her myself.

Lilibeth held back but, to her credit, she didn't retreat when I confronted Burdie and Thaddea over the situation. At first, Auburdeen tried to argue.

"My daughter is perfectly capable-"

"Her capability is not an issue," Thaddea said. And I'm grateful she did, because her tone was soft, much less caustic than mine would have been. "We are all aware how powerful darling Lil is." The girl smiled shyly, blushing a little, chin rising. "But she's a girl, still, Burdie. I agree with Sassafras. As does the rest of the coven."

Burdie scowled at her mother. "Tradition," she said. "Stupid tradition. This is my coven now."

"It is," I said. "And the decision to request Lilibeth fill both roles is yours. But the choice to do so," I turned to look up at the girl, "is entirely hers." I snapped my head back, glaring at Auburdeen. "Unless, of course, this is no longer a free coven. In that case, I'll be taking my leave immediately."

Thank you. Lilibeth's soft gratitude told me this was exactly the right thing to do.

"Very well." Burdie sat up straighter, a little smile on her face, condescending toward both her mother and I before nodding to Lilibeth, her confidence in the girl's choice already decided. "Lil, darling. Do you want to be my second?"

Lilibeth hesitated and I feared she was lost. Until I felt Thad reach for her and support her the moment I did. Smiling sweetly, truly a beautiful girl now I was willing to admit it, she curtsied slightly to Auburdeen.

"I want to be," she said in a clear voice. "But as heir, I feel it inappropriate."

Burdie's face fell before she sighed and waved her hands at us. "Very well. A united front." She wrinkled her nose at Thad who patted her hand. "I'll choose another second."

Victory was sweet.

And Lilibeth? Much changed after the whole affair. Not only did she confess to her mother and Thad what she'd done to Angelique, she abandoned her nasty trio of friends, correcting them when they tried to develop their own bullying circle, and even found time to welcome and befriend the girl she'd reviled.

I stayed close to Lilibeth in those next few years, seeing her blossom and develop into a lovely woman. But every so often my concern would return when a flash of cruelty or a moment of weakness would send Lilibeth into an absolute fit of rage.

I could only hope time would soften her harsh temper or her rule would be a rocky one.

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