9. Chapter 9

9

Chapter 9

Rowan

I take a deep breath as I enter the grand conservatory of High Priestess Seraphina Moonshadow, my gaze sweeping over the gathering of coven leaders. The mingling scents of exotic plants and the hum of ancient magic greet me. I can feel the power pulsing through the room. It's more than a little intimidating. Particularly as I take in the serious faces of those in attendance – which is pretty much everyone. In addition to the High Priestess and all of the coven leaders, most of the high-ranking elders are here. There are also many lesser knowns, me among them. Although, I guess my family has a certain stature in the community.

Across the room, I see Heath Moonshadow lingering beside his mother, Astra. I pinch my lips together as my cheeks flush when he catches my eye. I've had a crush on Heath since high school, although I doubt he's aware of it. Then again, maybe he knows and just isn't interested; it's not like he doesn't have his pick of us. I think that at some point, every teenage witch in our region has had the hots for Heath Moonshadow with his raven-black hair and violet eyes. I fiddle awkwardly with my glasses as I look away.

"Gran!" I smile as I spot a familiar figure and immediately relax a little. My grandmother stands at the head of the circular table, touched by the soft, magical light. Her astute eyes scan the gathering, taking in the growing number of witches. As a past High Priestess of the Coven Conclave, she still commands respect and attention. She winks at me and indicates a chair not far from her own.

I take my seat, my heart in my throat. I'm trying to appear calm, but inside, I'm a mess.

There's a vampire in my head.

Can anyone see it?

"Chin up, girl." Poppy is on the backrest of the chair, just behind me. Her tiny claws dig into the fabric as she leans in close, her whiskers tickling my ear. I can practically feel the judgmental look she's giving me. "You look like you're about to swallow a toad. Where's that Blackwood spirit?"

I roll my eyes, trying not to let her see how much her words sting. "Easy for you to say," I mutter under my breath. "You're not the one who went up against a horde of bloodsuckers."

"Hmph! You need to toughen up. Be a bitch, witch." Poppy's tail swishes with emphasis, and I swear I can hear the smirk in her voice.

Bitch?

That couldn't be further from my state of mind right now. And who can blame me? The attack on our sacred Starlight Vigil has left me shaken, both physically and mentally. Not only because of the violence of it. But the image of that tall, imposing vampire – the one I've been hearing in my mind – is seared into my memory. It's wrong. I shouldn't be thinking of him at all. Though I guess it's hardly surprising.

A vampire. A freaking vampire!

As the other coven leaders file in and take their seats, Gran moves closer and sits down near me. Her presence, as always, is soothing, but I can't help stealing glances at the others, wondering what might be going through their heads. Whatever happens here tonight, it's going to be big. Conclave gatherings are normally restricted to elders. Tonight, most of our community is here.

The High Priestess moves to where Gran had been standing at the head of the table and clears her throat. The room falls silent. "Sisters…brothers…," she begins, her voice calm and measured, "we have been through a great tragedy. The attack on Mia Blackwood's Starlight Vigil was a brazen act of aggression, one that cannot be ignored."

I feel a surge of anger at the mention of the attack. I want to jump to my feet and demand vengeance. Instead, I force myself to remain still, listening intently as Seraphina continues.

"We must determine the best course of action to protect our community and ensure that such an atrocity never occurs again," she says, her gaze sweeping over the assembled witches. "The safety of our coven, our families, and our way of life is at stake."

As the discussion unfolds, I find myself torn between the desire for justice and the need for caution. And it seems that I'm not the only one. Voices are rising as tempers flare. I jump when Morgan Shadowmaster slams his fist on the table, his eyes blazing with fury.

"This is unacceptable! We must strike back! Let them taste the full force of our magic!" His outburst sends a ripple of murmurs through the room, some nodding in agreement, others shifting uncomfortably in their seats.

Aurora Greenleaf rises slowly, her voice soft but firm. "Violence begets violence, brother. Perhaps we should extend an olive branch to the vampire elders, seek understanding before we risk igniting a war." She spreads her hands, palms up, in a gesture of peace.

I dig my nails into my palms, my chest tight with conflicting emotions. The memory of the fight flashes through my mind – the screams, the chaos, the fear. My fingers twitch, itching to cast a spell to take out those bloodsuckers.

Right. What good would that do?

Once again, the image of that tall vampire surfaces – the shock in his eyes that mirrored my own. My stomach churns at the thought of being so closely connected to something so vile.

Except he wasn't vile, Rowan.

Rubbish! Of course he was.

"I vote for caution." It's Lysandra Starfire now. "What if retaliation only leads to more bloodshed? What if we're not strong enough to face the full might of the vampire clans?

As the debate rages on, I feel Gran's eyes settle on me, and I know that she's gauging my reaction. She's always been able to see through me, to sense when something's bothering me. Maybe I should speak to her about what's happening. If anyone would know what to do, it would be Gran.

But what the hell do I say? I wouldn't even know where to begin.

Ignatius Emberstone, his eyes blazing, stands up abruptly, stopping my train of thought. "That attack was unprecedented. Our magical defenses were breached as if they were nothing more than cobwebs!" His voice thunders off the conservatory walls. "How can we trust in our wards when they failed us so spectacularly?"

"You are right, of course," Seraphina responds. "The attack on the Starlight Vigil exposed a vulnerability we've never considered before. Our sacred spaces are fragile. Unsafe."

Zephyra Skydancer, usually so calm and collected, looks shaken as she speaks up. "We've relied on the same protective spells for generations," she says. "Perhaps it's time we looked to new methods, new magics to keep us safe."

Behind me, Poppy chitters in agreement, muttering, "Finally, someone with a brain cell to rub together. I was beginning to think I was the only one here not running on magical fumes."

"Quiet, Poppy!" I say out of the corner of my mouth.

As the witches around me nod sagely, I feel a twinge of guilt. If only I were a stronger witch, maybe I could contribute something meaningful to this discussion. But my unreliable magic makes me feel like an outsider, even among my own kind.

"What about reinforcing our existing wards?" Marina suggests. "We could layer them, make them more complex and harder to penetrate."

Thaddeus Runeweaver shakes his head. "Complexity isn't always the answer," he counters. "Sometimes, the simplest spells are the most effective. We should focus on strengthening the fundamental energies of our protective magic."

Suddenly, Kara's voice cuts in, clear and confident. "What if we combined psychic barriers with our traditional wards?"

The room falls silent, all eyes turning to my sister.

"Go on, child," Gran encourages, her eyes twinkling with interest.

Kara takes a deep breath before continuing. "Our traditional wards focus on physical and magical protection, but what if we added a layer of psychic defense? Something that could pick up on evil intentions even before someone planned an attack?"

I can see the skepticism on some faces, but others look intrigued. Thaddeus frowns, his dark eyes narrowed. "And how do you propose we create such a barrier? Psychic magic is notoriously unpredictable."

I wince at his words, all too familiar with the frustration of unreliable magic. But Kara doesn't falter.

"That's where the combination comes in," she explains. "We use our traditional wards as an anchor, then weave the psychic elements through them. The stability of the physical wards would help control and direct the psychic energy."

Yeah, Kara, you go, girl!

"That's right, Kara, show them what you've got!" Poppy echoes my sentiment.

As Kara speaks, I can't help but feel a surge of admiration for her. She's always been the talented one, the one with the brilliant ideas. Part of me wishes I could be more like her, but another part is just grateful she's here, fighting for our safety. Across the room, Mom smiles as she listens to my sister. I can see the pride in her expression. Beside her, my dad reaches for her hand, their fingers interlacing.

One day, they'll look at me that way. I'll make it happen!

Gran stands up slowly, her eyes gleaming with that familiar look she gets when she's onto something big. "Kara's idea has merit," she says, her voice carrying the insight of generations of magical knowledge. "In fact, it reminds me of an ancient protection ritual I once studied."

The room falls silent once more, all attention now on my grandmother. I perch on the edge of my seat, eager to hear what she has to say.

"The Veil of Minds, it was called," Gran continues. "A powerful spell that created a barrier not just around a physical space but around the very thoughts and intentions of those within it. It was said to be impenetrable, capable of repelling even the most determined attackers."

"But a spell like that would need immense power," Lysandra interjects, her brow furrowed in concern. "The drain on our magical resources would be significant."

Gran nods, acknowledging the point. "True, but what if we combined it with Kara's idea? Use our traditional wards as a foundation, weave in the psychic elements, and then seal it all with the Veil of Minds?"

As my grandmother speaks, I can see the other witches considering her words carefully. Even those who were skeptical before seem to be coming around.

"It could work," our High Priestess says slowly, her eyes distant as she works through the magical theory. "The traditional wards would provide stability, the psychic barriers would add an extra layer of protection, and the Veil of Minds would tie it all together."

"But getting it right would be tricky," Thaddeus points out, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "We'd need to carefully balance all three elements."

"Then we'll need to work together," Dad suddenly speaks up. "Each coven bringing its unique strengths to the table. It's the only way we'll be strong enough."

Mom nods as she looks at him.

I watch as the High Priestess calls for a vote on the new protective measures. Hands raise one by one, a sea of agreement washing over the room. Kara's suggestion, bolstered by Gran's ancient knowledge, has been accepted. Pride and envy swirls in my chest. My sister, always the achiever, has done it again.

"The motion passes," Seraphina declares, her voice ringing with finality. "We will implement these new defenses immediately."

I can't help but smile. We may not be out of danger, but at least we have a plan. It's more than we had when we walked in here.

"Now," Seraphina continues, her gaze sweeping the room, "we must address the matter of relations with the vampires."

"They're the enemy." Thaddeus's lip curls. "There are no relations to speak of."

"I disagree," Gran interjects. "We can't assume that this event was prompted by the vampire leadership. What if we're dealing with a rogue element?"

Murmurs of agreement, as well as dissent, ripple through the gathering. I find myself nodding along with Gran's words, surprising myself. After all, wasn't I ready to blast that vampire to bits during the attack? But something nags at me…a memory of shock and confusion in eyes like ice.

"What do you propose?" Morgan asks, his tone skeptical.

"We send a delegation," Seraphina takes over from Gran. "To negotiate with the vampire Assembly." The room erupts into discussion, voices overlapping as opinions clash. "The Assembly is led by Arabella Ravenscroft," the High Priestess continues. "She's always been fair-minded. If we could speak with her directly…"

"And risk more of our people?" Ignatius counters, his eyes flashing. "After what they did to us? What they've done to us for so long?"

I feel torn, caught between the desire for vengeance and the hope for peace. My gaze drifts to Gran, seeking guidance. She meets my eyes and gives me a small, reassuring nod.

"A small delegation," Seraphina reinforces, silencing the room. "Carefully chosen and well-protected. We will seek dialogue while maintaining our guard. It's time we put an end to all of this."

The vote on this motion passes as well, though with more hesitation than before. I can see the fear and uncertainty on many faces, mirroring my own conflicted feelings.

"I think we should be hitting them with a whammy,' Poppy mutters. ‘Or better yet, a whole freakin' Wham! reunion tour." I make a small shushing sound and am rewarded with a little snort.

As Seraphina begins assigning tasks to various coven leaders, my mind wanders. I think about the vampire again. What would he think of all this? Would he want peace, or is he thirsting for our blood like the others? Probably blood. Just another mindless animal.

"I'm not a mindless animal."

The voice comes out of nowhere, and this time, I don't bother looking around for the source. I know exactly where it's coming from, and I'm rigid with horror. My breath catches in my throat as I realize what's happening.

He's here. He's listening!

Panic floods through me.

How much has he heard? Our plans, our weaknesses, all laid bare to the enemy. I want to scream, to warn the others, but I'm frozen in place, my heart thumping so hard that I almost expect it to echo around the room.

Get out of my head! You have no right to be here!

There's a moment of silence, and then I feel it: surprise and… Curiosity? Amusement? Before I can decipher it, the presence withdraws, leaving me shaken and confused.

And horrified.

I said, get out!

Everything we've just discussed, all of our plans, have just been exposed to the enemy. And if he heard this, what else has he heard? About Mia's vigil? Is that why they attacked us? The vampires knew we'd be out there, even though the details weren't public. They knew where, and they knew when.

And it's all my fault.