Page 12 of Magic Touch
"Sir William, please show them." Ready to defend, I pull my magic to me.
William stands up straight, opens his coat and releases the blue magic from his chest.
A gasp rises up from the witches.
Sara Beth lifts her hands, and her palms fill with yellow light.
I jump in front of William. "He is not a witch, and even if he were, he means you no harm."
The witch by the stillroom begins to chant a spell.
The other three rush forward, each ready to cast defensively at William.
I force my own ball of a lighter blue out of me and hold it aloft, while William smartly tucks the magic in him away.
"How dare you bring that creature here?" Sara Beth's eye twitches, and she faces me, gold orbs of magic rising brighter in her outstretched hands.
Not letting my guard down, I rush to say, "Two days ago, Sir William came to me with no magic. He was in need of healing. I drew part of a bullet from his leg and healed him. The effort was almost too much, a mistake on my part. Afterward, this magic grew inside him. I thought it would fade. I've never heard of magic transferring. But it didn't fade, and I was able to teach him some control over it. I have vowed to do no harm, just as you have, Sara Beth. I have harmed him, and I come to you to help me correct this."
Minerva puts her hand on Sara Beth's arm. "She tells the truth. And I don't sense any danger from the man. We would have felt that he was a true witch when he arrived. The fact that none of us knew reinforces Esme's story. Besides, he is a war hero. Someone surely would have noticed if he were a witch."
Sara Beth lowers her hands and nods to the other witches, who cease their spell casting. Striding close, she studies William.
William puts his hands on his hips and pulls his shoulders back as if to allow her a good look.
I don't like it one bit. He looks too fine to be in the company of this many women.
"Lucy," Sara Beth bites out a command, "go and ask the high priestess if she will join us."
The rosy-cheeked witch with thin brown hair runs out the back door.
"You told this witch you had no power?" Sara Beth points to me but keeps her eyes on William.
"I told her nothing on the matter, as I didn't even know such things existed until her touch. Witches and the like were the things of fairy stories. Who is this high priestess and what will she do to me?"
Minerva eases forward and places a hand on my shoulder, sending calm through me with her touch. She says to William, "Prudence Bishop is our high priestess. She will determine if you are a danger, and perhaps can tell us why this has happened."
"Prudence Bishop?" I ask. "My mother spoke of her, but I assumed she was dead by now."
"Not yet, child. Though if Goddess is kind, someday soon I will join her." The scratchy voice comes from the back door. Step by slow step, Prudence Bishop crosses the hall. The members of the coven bow in low curtsies. Even Sara Beth honors the high priestess with contrition.
As she approaches, waves of magic emanate from her. Her dark-blue eyes are full of power. Hunched back and all, she is a force, even at her age. She arrived so quickly, she must live very close, maybe even another apartment within the coven house.
As she touches my cheek, instinct tells me to move into her, but my heart pounds, and I want to run.
"I remember the day you were born, Esme O'Dwyer. Your parents were very proud, and I gifted you a piece of quartz."
My thoughts shift to the shard point of clear quartz sitting on my dresser. "I still have it, Great Mother. I did not know it was from you. I have always had it and cherished it."
She looks into my eyes, and I feel her magic inside me for an instant, then it retreats. "You healed this man?"
"Yes. I went too far and had to use a restorative." I don't want to say too much.
Staring at me until I want to squirm, Prudence smiles. "He tended you while you recovered."
Impossible to lie, so I nod.
Prudence's thin lips twitch with amusement. She moves to William, who gives her a courtly bow like one might give a duchess.
