The Witching Hour

Chapter 16 - Gathering

If the murders of innocent creatures put the community on edge, the calling of a Council meeting amplified the nervousness and dread. In the past, the resident governing body over the selected species of creatures met at least once a season, but as often as once a month during the occasional generation. Peace and prosperity prospered during those eras of more regular meetings. At times, when the community thrust itself into chaos, the once a season became mandatory to barter treaties and other agreements.

MalachiPeak's courthouse would be the backdrop of tonight's meeting. The locationrotated depending on the season, but in recent years, the Council had beengoing to here. The layout of the room proved to be perfect. The representativesof the factions rested at the far end of the room while a table or a podiumdepending on the amount of people sat before it. The two provided a space forpeople to air their grievances if needed. Behind the podiums sat a gallerywhere the different factions sorted by their species.

Ella, Aura, Marina and Ivy waited to be called in the foyer of courthouse. Ella paced across the room, running a hand through her sleeked-back ponytail. The rest managed to keep their cool, even if they were indeed freaking out. Aura and Marina shared a knowing look. Having grown up in Malachi Peak, their parents dragged them to every gathering. They spoke at length how boring these meetings were since little action ever took place, especially because all believed this to be a time of peace – at least until Cassie disappeared.

Her vanishing resulted in discord for the witches. No one wanted to take Cassie's place. They knew their magic would begin to wean without a consecrated Pentacle so they hid under the guise of mortals. Few openly practiced magic. The rest did so in the safety of their homes. Having been disconnected from the community for awhile, Ivy wasn't sure if she would be able to tell witch from human nowadays.

"What if you see them?" Marina whispered at Ella, whose head shot up at the question.

The fire witch's eyes acted as a window the struggle raging from within. "I don't even know what they look like."

Lie. They all knew it. With the resources at her fingertips, she had no doubt looked up her birth parents. No one wanted to call her out during a moment like this.

"You're still going to use the name?" Marina referenced Ella's true last name.

"I may be a Smith in name, but I am a Mishal by blood." Ella's eyes held all the conviction. "I love my parents, but here, Smith means nothing. Mishal evokes a sense of power."

Aura nodded despite appearing to be thinking about something else. Ivy watched Ella go back to pacing. When Cassie found Ella, she brought with her a series of revelations. The biggest was the fact that Ella was adopted. She had been born right here in Malachi Peak and given up for adoption. It took the whole group by surprise, Ivy especially. Could that mean she was from here too? Cassie never mentioned it, and Ivy refrained from asking. As far as Ivy knew, Ella had never contacted her birth parents. Still, the Mishal name echoed on the lips of the townspeople whenever they saw the fire witch.

The grand doors opened, signaling their time to enter. The four witches walked through the middle of the gallery, keeping their eyes trained on the half-moon of seats before them. Ella led the group. No surprise there with her fiery personality and penchant for embodying what it meant to be the first-born. The rest fell in line and took their seats at the table.

As Marina settled into her chair, a hushed silence fell on the room. The representatives entered one by one and took their seats. Ivy stared in awe at the powerful radiating off them in droves. However, one chair stayed empty.

Cassie's.

The realization blindsided the earth witch. Water collected at the corners of her eyes. She wiped them away before anyone could notice. Marina didn't need her vision to feel the pain. Her hand squeezed Ivy's elbow in reassurance. They would get through this evening, and they would find Cassie's abductor.