Half Magic | Book 2

Thirty Five: The Gathering

Witches poured into the valley, bringing with them strange sights, smells, and animals. If it wasn't clear before that the witches were from all walks of life, then it certainly was now. Some of them didn't even speak the common tongue. There were all manner of dress, some with face paints, many were adorned with bones and feathers and teeth.

They can't have been too far away, because they all arrived within that day. But they came from all the different caves that spilled into the valley, making me wonder even more where all those tunnels went to.

But what bore down on me the most, was their eyes. I could see them thinking it, assessing me. Lark's girl was here. I looked just like my mother, it was obvious at first glance who I am. I had finally gotten used to the witches in the valley looking at me. The novelty of my lineage had finally worn off and now they looked at me to greet me or simply to see who passed by. The new arrivals set me back to the first day I had found the valley all over again.

Schula smacked my shoulders. "Too tense."

I jumped when she smacked me. We were sitting outside Mila's cabin, and Schula was braiding my hair. I had stopped trying to hide my ears months ago, but now she was purposfly braiding my hair away from them for all to see and know that I was not Lark, but a different person. I had to stand strong today if I was going to convince them to help us.

I relaxed my shoulders and looked over to Schula sheepishly. "I can't help it. I'm nervous."

"Well don't tell them that," she said. "There, all done."

I reached up to touch her handiwork. My usual two braids were long gone, replaced by a couple dozen smaller ones that began at the back of my head in a knot, then flowed downward. I wore the decorative ear jewelry that Schula had given to me in the desert, drawing attention to my elven heratige. 

"Thank you, Schula." I stood and stretched.

"Of course." She leaned over and hugged me tight. "It's nearly time. Let's go see how Nassir is doing and wait for the events to happen."

We walked down the slope to the bottom of the valley. The courtyard was already filled to the brim. More benches had been brought from nearby porches, and makeshift seating like upside down buckets and overturned feeding troughs were scattered in there as well. But few of the witches were actually seated yet. Too many felt the urgency and excitement in the air. Old friends were reuniting, curious young witches were being told about the gathering and why it would be called early, and the elder witches were trying to coral the whole mess.

To the side of the courtyard, a goat pen had been comendeered and the goats safely moved away so that Nassir could keep the captured fae captive. He was now up to his neck in rock as thick as my arm was long. That fae was going nowhere.

We walked up to the pen to see a smiling Nassir, leaning against the rail while the fae spat profanities at him from the pen. 

"Good evening," Nassir said merrily. 

I couldn't help myself from smirking at the fae in the pen. "Good evening, Nassir."

"I believe the gathering will begin soon. Mila told me as much, and Puko went off with her." Nassir nodded in the direction of the gathering.

"I guess we just wait then," Schula said, joining Nassir at the fence.

We watched the group of witches that milled about nearby. Mila was in there, with Puko on her shoulder. Noda was trying to pull together some kind of order as well. Purda was there next to Gelwyn. Several of the other witches who had patrolled for the intruder were around as well. But the final thing that triggered the gathering to settle, was when Gelwyn raised a hand and lit the dimming courtyard with purple flames.