A Hidden Witch - By Debora Geary Page 0,77
over and tucked the flower into Elorie’s hair. “Such magic you have in you, my love. Every witch must find their own path. If yours doesn’t involve transportation for Realm players, that is for you to choose.”
She paused, debating whether to go on. “But think on this, granddaughter. I haven’t been able to toss a witchling in the air in thirty years. You brought joy to me and that sweet boy today. It’s not all wires and technology. The hearts and minds are as real as those on the beach under the moonlight.”
She touched Elorie’s cheeks. “It’s love that is at the very core of witch tradition, my darling girl. The rest is just trappings.”
Chapter 18
Elorie tried not to grumble as she settled onto the inn’s back porch. Witch lessons were putting a serious dent in her studio time, and her fingers still yearned to create. She touched the heart hanging around her neck.
Beckoned by some silent call, witchlings flooded up from the beach with Mike and Sophie in tow. Marcus, Moira, and Nell followed Aaron out of the kitchen, bearing glasses of milk and lemonade. It was the chocolate cake in Aaron’s hands that had everyone’s attention, though. Now Elorie knew why the witchlings had arrived in force. Sean could sense any freshly baked goods in a three-mile radius.
Lauren walked around from the front of the inn, a FedEx box in her hands.
“What do you have there, my girl?” Moira asked.
Lauren smiled. “Freedom.”
Borrowing a knife from Aaron, she opened the box and pulled out several iPhones. Elorie tried not to scowl at yet more technology. She was working on changing her attitude. Really she was.
Lauren met her eyes. “The Net witches amongst you will be happy to know that you are each now the proud owner of one of these. Jamie shipped them out, and he’s adjusted them in some ways he hopes will amplify your power.”
Ginia grabbed the nearest phone, touched the screen a few times, and closed her eyes. Moments later, she beamed. “It’s awesome. Uncle Jamie totally amped it.”
Elorie assumed that was a good thing.
Marcus handed her a phone, and then rolled his eyes when she looked at all the screen options blankly. Her cell phone was of the no-frills variety. Evidently her first official witch lesson of the day needed to be how to access the Internet on an iPhone.
It was mildly embarrassing that Aervyn figured it out faster than she could. It was mortifying that Gran did.
All that was forgotten when Ginia had them lay hands on their screens and call up Net power. Elorie felt the rush blaze through her mind. Her eyes flew open, mirroring the shock she saw on Gran’s face.
“Oh, my,” Moira said, looking at her phone in awe. “That was quite something.”
Elorie could see Uncle Marcus and Nell exchanging glances. She couldn’t blame them. Any sane witch trainer was innately cautious, and a ramped-up power supply probably wasn’t the greatest idea with a porch full of half-trained Net witches.
As one of those witches, however, she reveled in the power under her fingertips. Okay, maybe this was a piece of technology she could learn to appreciate. It was small enough to carry in her pocket.
Lauren touched her hand. “It’s more than that. Jamie fiddled with the way these phones access the Internet in ways I don’t understand, but you should be able to use it pretty much anywhere.”
Ginia grinned. “Totally portable Net power.”
Elorie paused in an agony of hope, wanting to make very sure she understood. “Even on the beach?”
Ginia nodded, engrossed in her phone. “Sure.”
It was freedom. Elorie stroked the phone reverently. She would be able to call her power standing where land and sea met, like witches since time began. It was a gift beyond measure.
She looked up at Lauren, heart on fire. “This was your idea?”
Lauren nodded. “Jamie did all the work, though.”
Elorie reached into her pocket and turned off Jamie’s other gizmo, the one that kept her head from leaking. She wanted them to feel how much this meant to her. Mind-witch heads snapped up as the full force of her gratitude swept across the porch.
“Thank you,” she whispered. “Just—thank you.”
~ ~ ~
Nell grinned as Aervyn ported himself out of the way of a sizable wave. Given the wet state of his rolled-up pants, either he was mostly losing his game of magical chicken with the ocean, or he wasn’t trying very hard.
The iPhones had been a great idea, but sometimes it took a mama to