A Hidden Witch - By Debora Geary Page 0,48
to make stuff for aches and pains, anyhow?” His brain finally caught up with his mouth, and he glanced at Moira with concern. “Sorry, Gran. I know that stuff works good for you.”
“Healing hurts is a great gift,” Sophie said, “and not one to be taken lightly.” Her eyes twinkled. “But I have a little recipe that says it will help a baseball pitcher’s arm recover faster.”
Sean looked interested in spite of himself. If anyone could make him sit through potions without grumbling, it would be Sophie. And Elorie had a sneaking suspicion that the pitcher’s potion had a lot in common with the one Gran used for her aches and pains.
Aaron and Mike returned from the pantry, bearing pies. “Anyone have room for blueberry pie?”
If anyone didn’t, they got drowned out under the avalanche of noise from people who did. However, as Aaron started slicing pieces and plating them, there was a sudden drop in volume—the kind that got any trainer’s attention very quickly. Four witchlings were very quiet and all looking at Ginia.
“What are they up to?” Nell asked under her breath.
Elorie shook her head. “No idea.”
“They’ve pulled together a circle of sorts,” Sophie whispered. Nell nodded in agreement.
Elorie watched with interest as one of the dessert plates of blueberry pie levitated, and then disappeared. It reappeared teetering on the very edge of the table in front of Marcus.
He scowled and nudged it to safety. “Aim more carefully, young ones. Who’s doing what?”
Aervyn looked up quizzically. “Can’t you see?”
Marcus shook his head. “Not all of it. I can see you’ve each called some elemental power.”
Aervyn grinned. “That’s cuz Net power is invisible. It’s like a special superpower no one can see.”
Marcus nodded at Ginia in approval. “No mean feat, blending four working spells like that. It looks like you did more this afternoon than accidentally fall in the ocean.”
Ginia giggled. The five witchlings had come in for dinner dripping wet and proclaiming innocence. “We practiced with rocks. Good thing we didn’t start with plates. We kind of dropped a few at first.”
Elorie felt her world tilt. They’d done actual magic with Net power? On the beach?
Nell frowned. “What were you using for a power source, girl of mine?”
Ginia reached into her pocket and pulled out an iPhone, looking sheepish. “I borrowed your phone and tweaked it, Mama. The touch screen works just like the mouse does.”
Nell rolled her eyes. “Remind me to have a chat with you about roaming charges, kiddo. How long did you have it on for?”
“Just a couple of hours, Aunt Nell.” Sean, obviously trying to be helpful, dug Ginia in deeper.
Marcus stepped in. “Since you’ve already spent a fortune, a little more won’t matter. Do that trick with the plates again. I want to watch.”
“Wait.” Elorie was astonished to hear her own voice almost shouting. She was not going to be sidelined yet again by witches doing magic she couldn’t understand. Her home, her table, her power. “Ginia—this is the same magic I have, right?”
Ginia nodded.
Elorie looked at Aervyn. “Can you mindlink with me the way you did in California? I want to see what you’re doing.”
He grinned. “Sure. Can you turn off Uncle Jamie’s gizmo, though? It’s a lot of work to hook into your brain when that’s on.”
And put her mind on display for half the table?
“Not to worry,” Marcus said dryly. He gestured to Sean and Kevin. “These two will be plenty busy with their part of the spell, and Lauren and I have better manners than you think. Aervyn is right—he needs the gizmo off if you want to see.” He crossed his arms, almost a dare.
She wanted to see.
Elorie laid Jamie’s gizmo on the table, focused as hard as she could on blueberry pie, and turned the device off.
Aervyn’s mindlink clicked into place moments later. You can relax now. I can make sure your brain isn’t leaky.
She didn’t much care anymore. Mindlinking had brought her a gift beyond measure. For the first time in her life, Elorie could see power at work. For someone who had watched thousands of spells from the outside, it was sheer joy to finally see the power in which she so deeply believed.
She could see the five witchlings, each calling a power source. The only one she recognized was the network of fireworks—that would be Ginia’s Net power. She concentrated, trying to identify the others. The sinuously flowing lines must be Lizzie’s water energy, and the crackling light would be Kevin’s fire. Aervyn held