Page 82 of This Coven Won't Break
“Hannah, what are you doing?” Mom asks.
“Making it quiet enough tothink.” I reach for the storm’s power, but it’s vast. So much bigger than I could ever control alone. “Alice!” I shout her name, and a second later, the pink-haired Blood Witch appears from the hallway.
She takes in the scene in the room, and her face drains of color. “What—”
“You want to help?” I ask, and she nods. “Then help.”
Mom starts toward us. “Hannah, it’s too big. You can’t—”
But Alice’s power floods my body, and magic explodes within me. This time, when I reach for the heart of the storm, I’m able to grab hold. My awareness shatters across the sky, but I’m still not strong enough to push it away. I glance to the Blood Witch, her pink hair flowing down her shoulders. She presses her lips into a thin line and grabs hold of my wrist.
Together, our combined magic is enough to call a swell of wind that pushes the storm west.
Alice releases me, and I collapse onto the floor. The next rumble of thunder is far off, barely audible from here, but Gemma’s voice is loud in my head.
Controlling the weather would be a handy trick.
I told her we couldn’t. That it was impossible.
Maybe we don’t know anything about the limits of Clan magic. Not when we work together.
“Hannah?” Mom rushes to my side. Static shocks us when she touches me, but she holds tight and helps me to my feet. “What the hell were you thinking?”
“How is that even possible?” Archer is staring at me now. “Elementals can’t do that.”
Beside me, Alice is breathing hard, but she grins. “Apparently with a little help, they can.”
“Such a badass.” Morgan’s voice is quiet, but it spins me around. She’s lying on the couch, her clothes still soaked in blood, but there’s fresh color in her cheeks.
“Are you okay?” I want to run to her, but her parents are sitting protectively on the edge of the couch.
The corner of her lips quirks up, but she doesn’t make any move to sit. “Never better.”
Cal looks between Alice and me. “Imagine what an entire coven could do with Blood Magic on their side.”
“We could spread the potion for miles.”
“And we could coordinate with other covens across the country,” Cal says. “I can send instructions to all the Casters we know. If we can get a list of all the Hunter locations, we could launch from strategic points. We’d still have to destroy any new research they’ve started this week though.”
“What if we borrow from Keating’s playbook?” A plan comes together piece by piece in my mind. “We’ll need the Council’s permission, and we’ll need most of the coven’s help, but I might have an idea.”
30
THANKS TO THE SUCCESSof Cal’s potion, we manage to convince Elder Hudson to approve my plan. Most of the coven adults agree to join us, leaving Veronica, Sarah, Rachel, and Mrs. and Mr. Blaise behind to keep an eye on the children.
It takes three more days to lay the groundwork, and by Wednesday, we’re ready to go. The Casters have made more of the memory-altering potion. Cal, Lexie, and Coral are also bringing smoke screen and knockout potions with them. Morgan wanted to come, but her parents have her on bedrest for another week until she’s fully healed. Her mom is staying home with her, but her dad is part of the team.
My mom is coming, too.
The large van jostles over the uneven pavement as we near the drop-off point. Mom sits beside me, and I catch myself shooting nervous glances at her. I finally understand why she hated me being involved with the Council so much. Watching her run toward danger feels terrible.
The only thing stranger than Mom being here is the fact that Archer isnot.
But that’s part of the plan, too. When we left for Hall Pharmaceuticals, Archer was walking a handcuffed Benton back into the police station. Other detectives should be questioning the escaped convict now, while Archer pulls together his piece of the puzzle.
“Nervous?” Mom rests a hand on my knee, stopping it from bouncing.
“It’s going to work,” I say, and I feel it in my bones. This is it. The calm before we unleash the storm. Before we take back our lives.
