A Hidden Witch - By Debora Geary Page 0,12
We have two ways of knowing that are giving us different answers, and that’s a bit tricky.”
“Our code’s right, Mama.”
The trouble was, Nell agreed with her middle triplet. “One step at a time. Let’s see what the scan says, and then we’ll have more data to work from. Go ahead and spell us into video chat.”
Nell had commandeered Jamie and spent all day working with the three girls, refining and testing the scanning code. In addition to mind and elemental powers, it now took a reading on healing and spellcasting talents. They could distinguish between active, trained power and untrained potential, and even get a decent estimate of magical strength.
It was a sweet piece of coding, and they’d tested it on practically every witch in California who owned a computer mouse.
Mia and Shay were at Jamie’s place, working to integrate the scans into Enchanter’s Realm. Ginia, who had the deepest attachment to Moira, had asked to stay for Elorie’s test.
Nell hoped that wasn’t a really bad idea.
Ginia bounced on the chair beside her. “Hi, Aunt Moira!”
“Hello, sweetling. And hello to you as well, Nell.”
Nell could see Elorie’s face. Her eyes were full of sadness and dread.
Her empathetic witchling could see it, too. “Don’t be scared, Elorie. The scan is really easy, and we worked hard all day to make it a lot better.”
A face Nell recognized, but couldn’t name, came onto the screen.
“This is my nephew Marcus,” said Moira. “I think you’ve met him a time or two, Nell, but it’s been a while.”
Marcus spoke in a kind of arrogant growl. “She’ll know me better as Gandalf.”
Ginia gasped and stomped her foot. “Oooohh! You locked me in a high tower yesterday and gave the key to the evil sorcerer’s apprentice!”
Marcus raised an eyebrow. “You’re Warrior Girl?”
Nell thought he should look a little more impressed. Ginia, having just displaced Sophie, was now the number-four-ranked player in the witch-only levels of Realm, and hot on Gandalf’s heels. Her girl had some mad gaming skills.
“Don’t worry, Mama,” Ginia whispered behind her hand. “He’s toast—he just doesn’t know it yet. Nobody locks me in a tower and gets away with it.”
Marcus held up his mouse. “Okay, Warrior Girl—run this scan of yours on me. I want to see how it works.”
Nell leaned forward and hit a few keys. “I’ve sent a screen-share so you can see the readouts we get.” She nodded at Ginia to start the test.
The trio of heads on the Nova Scotia end all squinted at the screen. Marcus read aloud. “Mind powers at moderate to strong levels. That’s right.”
Elorie pointed at the screen. “Strong air elementals, weak in water and earth.”
Marcus snorted. “Someone needs to double-check their code. Air and water are correct, but I don’t have earth power.”
Ginia glared. “You do so, Gandalf.”
Nell elbowed her witchling. “This is real life, daughter mine, not the game. No trash talking—show some manners.”
Moira chortled. “You might keep that in mind yourself, Marcus.”
Still mutinous, Ginia eyed her archnemesis through the screen. “Have Aunt Moira test you, then. I bet you do so have earth power.”
The tone of her delivery earned another elbow, but Nell couldn’t fault the idea. Marcus raised his eyebrow again. “That’s not necessary. I’m a trained witch; I can pull any power sources available to me.”
Ginia crossed her arms. “So pull earth power, then.”
He gave an arrogant shrug and reached off-screen, coming back with a closed flower bud in his hand. Nell smiled. Moira always had flowers nearby. Marcus closed his eyes for a moment, and then focused on the bud.
Ginia was the only one not the least bit surprised when the flower very slowly bloomed. Moira gave a delighted laugh. “I guess you can teach an old witch some new tricks.”
Marcus studied the flower a moment longer. “That’s some nice coding you’ve done, Nell.”
Nell grinned. “Wasn’t me. Warrior Girl and her two sidekicks did almost all the work.”
Marcus scowled. “There are three of you?”
“Yep,” Ginia said. “But if you wanna take on all three of us, you have to leave the witch-only levels. Fight us code-to-code. My sisters aren’t witches.”
He almost cracked a smile. “I think I’ll stay where I have magic on my side, little fighter. I have no doubt the three of you could take me down coding with one hand behind your backs.”
It took a moment for Nell, caught up in the banter between her daughter and Marcus, to notice Elorie’s white face.
Oh, shit. They had more important things to do than schedule a Realm take-down.