Page 30 of Blood Match

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.”

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