This Coven Won't Break - Isabel Sterling Page 0,23
rows them down a stream. Except it’s upside down. “What’s with all the swords stabbing the boat? Are we going to get a flat tire on the way or something?”
“I don’t know exactly. Lauren hasn’t gone over reversed cards yet. I didn’t even think I had any flipped around in the deck.” Gem massages her temples the same way she does whenever she gets a headache. “Something about the travel itself feels like it’s going to be dangerous. I don’t think it’s a flat tire though. Any idea what that could be?”
“None.” I stare at the card and try to concentrate, wondering what might be dangerous about traveling to New York. The city isn’t exactly the best place for an Elemental, but that’s not—
Realization crashes over me like a wave, and a shiver trips up my spine. Could the cards really be this accurate? “Elder Keating put up a barrier spell, but it’s only big enough to keep the Hunters out of Salem. When I go to Brooklyn, I’ll be outside its protection.”
Morgan sits up and actually closes her book. “They put up a barrier?” She scowls when I nod. “Of course no one bothered to ask my parents for help.”
When Gemma and I stare blankly at her, Morgan explains. “Remember the runes you found at the Witch Museum over the summer? If the Council let us, we could lock down the town in a matter of hours.”
New hope sparks within me, bright and alive. Maybe Morgan’s parents can protect all the witches who will be in the courthouse. Maybe they can keep the Hunters away. But then my rational mind takes over. If their barrier repelled Hunters, it would still create the same risk of non-witches seeing the magic in effect.
Gemma’s hand stalls over the third card. “Why don’t they let you help?”
“Because we’re Blood Witches. Because they think we’re creepy or monsters or goddess knows what.” Morgan flops back onto the bed and drapes an arm across her face. “I’m so sick of everyone hating us.”
“I don’t hate you,” Gemma and I say at the same time. We share a smile, but Morgan lets out an unintelligible grunt of a response.
“You’ve noticed it, haven’t you?” Morgan peeks at us around her arm. “The way they keep to themselves? Each Clan may have representation on the Council, but they almost never work together. Cal and Archer are both Casters. The Elder who visited is a Caster, too.”
Gemma abandons the final unturned card and swivels in her chair to face the bed. “But they recruited Hannah, and she’s an Elemental.”
“Only because they wanted something from her.” Morgan’s tone settles over my skin like frost. “There aren’t any Casters with a story like hers. If there were, I’d bet anything they’d use the Caster Witch instead. Their Elder certainly didn’t want my help, despite Alice and I being in the same Clan.”
There’s something bitter and hurt in her voice, and it pulls at my heart. “Do you want to help?”
“Do I want to help my girlfriend recruit another Blood Witch?” Morgan turns the intensity of her blue gaze on me. “Of course I do.”
Gemma glances between Morgan and me, confused. “Why would they ignore perfectly good magic?”
Morgan waves a hand in my general direction. “You tell her. I need more of my boys, and I’m ninety percent sure the one guy is bi, which you know I love.” She reopens her book, but there’s tension around her jaw as she reads now instead of the carefree expression she had before.
“It’s kind of a long story, but I can give you the highlights.” I glance anxiously at Morgan, but she’s focused on her book. “Have I explained where witches come from yet?”
“I know how babies are made, Han.”
“Where our magic comes from.” I roll my eyes at Gemma, but I know she’s only teasing. Probably to deflect from how desperately she wants to know about everything. “The Mother Goddess who guided the creation of this world has three daughters, known as the Sister Goddesses. Once humanity was well on its way, the Mother Goddess disappeared to tend to other realms and left her daughters in charge. After a few thousand years, they grew restless in their task and started issuing each other dares.”
“Dares?” Gemma raises a brow at me.
“That’s how my parents explained it to me. Though I was only eight at the time.” I shrug. “Anyway, the Eldest Sister created the Caster Witches, and when it was the Middle Sister’s turn,