Chapter Ten

Kalum

"ENOUGH!" Emira yells. Pink mist erupts from her outstretched hands and explodes through the room. As it touches each person, we are thrown back into our seats. In less than a second, the only person left standing is Emira. She looks over her shoulder at me and her eyes shine with power.

Trust me. Her voice echoes in my head. I nod slightly and she turns her gaze back to the Salem Coven.

"I am Emira Spring, the Aether Witch." Her voice radiates power. "You come into our home unannounced, question the Goddess and make demands of us. We refuse your demands. Now leave." The girl snarls at Emira and starts to rise out of her chair. Adham grabs her arm and forces her to look at him.

"Enough Shae." His low voice echoes through the silent hall. Shae pulls her arm but his grip is too tight. He stands and looks at us. "We have overstayed our welcome and apologize for our members." He looks over his shoulder at Shae. "Let us end this on friendly terms." He walks to the middle of the room and holds out his hand. Luna nods and walks to meet him. She takes his hand and shakes it. Energy pulses through the room.

"Luna!" Emira cries out and throws her hand towards Luna. Pink magic wraps around Luna and pulls her back to us. I stand and push my hands forward. A hurricane force wind crashes into Adham and pushes him against their table. The scraping of chairs behind me tells me that my friends are standing as well. They each call their magic to them, only to have them snuffed out as soon as they appear. Confusion spreads through us. They try again and fail. My wind disappears. I push again but nothing happens. I can feel my magic stirring inside of me, trying to break free. I look to Emira. She meets my gaze and the fear and anger in her eyes is overwhelming. Her pink magic still curls around her hands and arms. Realisation dawns in her eyes and she turns to face the Salem Coven.

"You have a Silencer!" Her accusation rings through the room. And is met by laughter.

"Very good, Aether Witch." Adham claps his hands slowly and gestures to a young man standing in the back of the group. "Meet my son, Ezekiel Blackburn, Silence Witch of the Salem Coven and one of our strongest members."

"Too bad he isn't strong enough to silence me." Her voice drips anger. She raises her hands and sends her pink magic at the young man. It wraps around him and I can feel my magic start to resurface. The man gasps and the magic of each of my friends reappears. Emira keeps her hold on the man. I step up next to Emira. Stella takes her twin's other side. Adham starts to clap again.

"Well, well, well. You are as powerful as Shae believed. No wonder that Greater Demon didn't hesitate to come after you." All eyes turn to him. He smiles a self satisfied smile. The energy in the room rises.

"You-you sent the demon?" Emira stutters. Unlike herself. I can feel the fear inside of her through our soulmate mark. But mostly, I can feel the anger boiling over. She throws her arms forwards and her pink magic pushes the Salem Coven against the wall. "Because of you, I was apart from my friends, my family for a year!" She all but growls. But Adham just laughs. He turns his head to the side and looks at his son.

"Now." That one word is all that he says, but Emira's magic seizes. My magic disappears again. Emira relaxes and flexes her hand, trying to summon her magic, but pink sparks is all that shows. She glares daggers at Adham.

"What have you done?!" She yells. Adham laughs. He laughs.

"You met my son, now meet my daughter, Lyla, she has the ability to strengthen anyones magic." Lyla has the nerve to wave. "Anyway, it was lovely to meet you Aether Witch, let me tell you, you really live up to the legend. Now, before things get too heated, it is time for us to leave. Izabelle?" Adham looks at yet another member of his coven. The girl, Izabelle, nods and raises her hands. Grey mist swirls around the entire coven. "Don't worry, Aether Witch, we will be back for you and no one will be able to protect you." He is swallowed by the magic and then it is just us. And a giant crack in the wall where the Salem Coven were standing. Water starts to leak out of the crack, slowly filling the chamber. I throw my hands forwards and try to stop the water. The pressure created opens the crack further. Emira joins me in trying to stop the water. Her magic works alongside mine, I feel the rush of strength as our magic mingles and works together.

"Luna!" Emira calls out. "We can't hold it for long. Eddie, call the dolphins!" Eddie jumps into action and raises his hands, letting his silver magic spew into the air. I push my magic further, straining to keep the water from entering the chamber. "Kal!" I turn my eyes to Emira. "Let the water in!"

"What?!" Every member of the 15 yells out all at once.

"We can create an air bubble around us! That way the dolphins can get to us!" Despite everyone's clear objections, I trust Emira. She is the most powerful witch that I have ever met and she would never let anything happen to any of us. I nod. She waves one of her arms behind us and pulls the Fifteen to us so that we are standing in a tight group. She turns back to me. "On three! One...two...three!" We drop our arms and call on the remaining air in the chamber. With closed eyes I pull it towards me and imagine it circling around and forming a sphere. I envision the sphere splitting up into thirteen smaller spheres and together with Emira I place the spheres around each of the Fifteen's heads. I open my eyes and we are standing in the water, everybody wearing an air bubble over their heads. Except for Emira and I. Water being both our elements, we can breathe underwater. I turn to my right and look at Emira. She stands there with her hands on her hips, her long platinum blonde hair flowing around her like a giant halo. She looks at the others, her eyes scanning over them all quickly. She's counting them and taking in injuries. She seems satisfied with her counting as she turns to Eddie.

"Hey Ed? Did you get to the dolphins?"

"Yes, they should be here any second, with the MerFolk cavalry!" Emira nods. "We should get out of here and wait for them outside. We all walk out together and stand on the seabed. Emira smirks at me. "Great second day back right?" I can't help it. I laugh out loud. Emira giggles and blows a bubble kiss at me. Her smile falters and she spins around, her blades at the ready. All of the Fifteen pull their weapons and magic, standing ready for a fight.

"Em?" Stella speaks up. "Can you see anything?" Emira takes a step further into the sea. I step up next to her and squint into the warm crystal blue water. In the distance, seven forms emerge. They have green and blue tails and muscular human torsos. Their long auburn hair flows behind them as they speed towards us. Four of the seven carry long spears with sharp seashells as tips.

"You can relax, White Cove Fifteen, we come to help." The leader of the group says with a deep voice as he approaches us. He wears a glistening golden crown with different seashells adorning it. He carries himself with a regal aura that suits a king.

"King Aberath, it is an honor to see you again." Emira curtsies to him. As do I and all of the Fifteen. He smiles kindly.

"Rise, it is an honor for me as well. It has been too long since we last spoke, Aether Witch."

"Yes it has, your Majesty. Thank you for coming to our aid at such short notice."

"It was nothing. We live here together, as such, we must work together. How can we help?" Luna walk-swims towards us and bows to Aberath.

"We could use your help to patrol the island borders. We need to be ready if the Salem Coven decides to come back." Luna speaks with a firm voice.

"Very well. The underwater border of the island will be patrolled in less than an hour, with extra protection here at Moonshine Beach."

"Thank you." Aberath nods and turns around. With one flick of his long sleek blue and green tail, he and his guards disappear in a whirlwind of bubbles. Luna turns to us. "We need to get back, protect the coven." I nod. The coven lives in a small town by Moonshine Beach hidden from the humans by a spell. But it is not shielded from the magical communities. "Let's go." Emira speaks up next to me. She waves her hands in front of her and pushes her pink magic towards the sea bed. The magic swirls under our feet and before I know it, we're standing on the water's surface.