Page 78 of Which Witch is Willing?
37
By the time Nick arrived, the crowd outside had lost their patience and the ability to maintain the peace. Cries ofAngel Babyechoed into the house as the four horsemen and four elemental witches gathered in the parlor. The horsemen, with the exception of Killian, remained standing, while Claire and her sisters sat.
Claire had returned Violet to her mother, and she’d dozed within minutes. The precocious baby lay sleeping in her mother’s arms, oblivious to the commotion outside, all because of her. Killian sat next to Tierra, holding them both closely.
Worry glistened in Tierra’s expression as she glanced to each of the occupants in the room. “I don’t like this. Not one bit. I don’t feel Violet’s safe.”
Killian hugged her tighter. “She’s safe here, my gazelle. Look around you. The power that resides in this room is unmatched by anything they have out there.”
Moira crossed her arms protectively over her belly. “I agree with Tierra. They’re creepier than a two-headed clown. I can handle the negativity we’ve been living with. But back home, when someone started bein’ all nice and stuff, that’s when I knew it’s best to beware.”
Nick dropped a hand to Moira’s shoulder, and she leaned her head against him. “I don’t have the patience for this madness. Dru and I have taken out bigger armies. I say we let loose and dispense with them.”
Julian shook his head. “This is not a matter of conquering the believers, Nicholas. Aerin and I discussed this at length upstairs. We believe the issue is that Lucy has lost a significant amount of her power, which has left the world unstable. The last time any of us saw Lucy, she’d lost half her face and was barely more than a corpse.”
Aerin stood and took Julian’s gloved hand. “With the world having very little dark power now, the light has tipped the scales. While light might seem better than dark, a world out of balance is detrimental either way. If we dispense with everyone outside, others will replace them.”
She pointed at Moira. “We need that baby now, too.”
Moira rubbed her stomach. “You’re preachin’ to the choir on that score. I feel like ten pounds of possum crammed into a two-pound sack.”
Dru claimed Aerin’s space on the couch and draped an arm around Claire. “Maybe we need something to induce labor. If he gets any bigger, Moira’s gonna burst.”
Moira sighed and dropped her head. “Been trying everything I can think of to break my water, but nothing’s workin’. I thought about asking Uncle Sal to take me out on his boat when the water is really rough.”
Nick shook his head. “Not happening.”
Claire shot her a sympathetic smile. “If anyone could cause her water to break, a Water witch should be able to.”
“Unless,” Julian said, “the baby can’t be on earth at the same time as Lucy. Maybe he has to wait for her departure before he can completely enter this realm.”
Nick walked to the cabinet and poured a glass of scotch. He downed it in one swallow and refilled the glass. “Looks like we have one option. Remove Lucy from this planet.”
Tierra frowned. “I thought you guys weren’t supposed to say her name. That doing so would draw her attention.”
Killian shook his head. “With as diminished as she is now, I doubt she can do much more than crawl. Even if she could hear us, she wouldn’t be a threat. Her reign is over.”
Tierra shook her head. “You say that, but someone switched out Aerin and Moira’s gift and replaced it with brimstone. You’re the one who said it was Lucy. She has to have some power, or one of the coven is working against us and with her. No one was hurt, but I feel like it was a warning. We need to be careful.”
Claire considered Tierra’s thoughts. “Maybe Lucy somehow convinced another witch to do her bidding. It wouldn’t be the first time. Or maybe she overtook someone’s body like she did with our sister.”
Aerin eyed the group. “We definitely need a plan to get rid of her. Then if there’s still a threat remaining with one of the coven members, we’ll move on to that.”
Moira shifted and then rubbed her belly where it protruded from her tank top. “If we could somehow get her inside the Standing Stones, I bet she’d be even weaker there.”
Claire liked the idea, but… “She’s not dumb enough to go there. The bait to lure her in would have to be something she’s desperate for.”
Aerin turned to Tierra and focused on the baby sleeping in her arms. “I think she might risk it if she could gain control of Violet.”
“No!” Killian and Tierra said in unison, and Killian jumped to his feet.
Julian looked to his brother horseman. “Hang on a minute, Killian. Let’s consider this more fully. Obviously, we’re not going to put Violet’s life in danger.”
Insight blew through Claire’s mind. “No, but there is the portal between the Stones and our mother’s room upstairs. Lucy can’t enter that room.”
Tierra tilted her head to the side. “So, you’re thinking of luring her there with Violet, but Violet doesn’t stay. She goes immediately through the portal to the room.”
“That’s an interesting idea,” Aerin said.
