Changeling

“I don’t know Eoife. I mean… maybe this mission isn’t for me. Maybe you should find someone who’s better equipped—”

“Morgan,” Eoife interrupted me, “I think you’re overreacting. Come with me to the circle—it will calm you down. And we can talk a bit about how to approach Killian from now on.”

I sighed. It would calm me to attend a circle, especially since I’d skipped Kithic’s this week. And Alyce was always a warm and comforting presence—I could only hope that no harm would come to her anytime soon. “All right,” I said finally. “Where is it?”

Starlocket was meeting at a cozy, cedar-shingled house on the outskirts of town. When I rang the doorbell, the door was answered by a tall, formidable woman who looked to be in her late thirties. She had long, dark brown hair that reached all the way down to her butt, and she wore a brilliant robe of purple silk. “Hello,” she greeted me.

“Hi,” I said. “I’m Morgan Rowlands. I’m a friend of Alyce and Eoife’s.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Morgan.” The woman regarded me calmly. “Welcome to my home. I’m Suza

I thanked Suza

“Morgan,” she whispered finally. “I’m so happy you’ve come.”

“It’s good to be here.” Seeing Alyce made me realize how much I’d missed my friend and confidante, and I had to fight back tears.

Alyce’s eyes met mine, and I could see her concern shining there. Her voice dropped. “I know that you had a difficult time in New York.”

A difficult time, I thought. Difficult was right. One blessing of this new assignment was that it kept my mind off just how much my life had changed in the last week. I nodded, not feeling up to talking about it just now, even to Alyce.

“Morgan?” I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned to find Eoife in a green linen robe. “We should talk.”

I nodded and followed Eoife to a private corner of the room, after saying good-bye to Alyce, and promising we’d get together as soon as possible.

“Listen,” Eoife began, “Killian isn’t going to open up to you right away. What we’ve asked you to do us to get close to him, and that’s going to take more than just one meeting. Given what we know about Killian’s upbringing, I can imagine that he doesn’t trust people too easily. If you were able to make contact and tell him who you are, you should consider this first meeting successful.”

She had a point, I realized, but I hadn’t counted on my half brother disappearing into the blue. “But how can I be sure there’ll be a next meeting?” I asked. “I have no idea where Killian went or how he got there. And he’s not answering my witch messages.”

Eoife put her hand on my shoulder. “Morgan, remember: Killian is your half brother. He may not want to share everything with you right away, but we believe that he will feel a co

I sighed. I didn’t have time. Starlocket didn’t have time.

“What if I scried for him?” I asked hopefully. “I’ve always had good luck with scrying with fire. I could find what he’s up to—”

“Absolutely not,” Eoife said instantly. “What’s most important right now is to keep Ciaran and Killian’s trust. You don’t want to scare them off with a lot of questions at once or by letting them know that you’re watching them. Once Killian gets to know you, the subject of Ciaran will inevitably come up. But for now, as hard as it is, you just have to be patient.”

I nodded reluctantly. “I understand,” I said quietly. “I’m just… scared.” I looked over to where the coven was gathering. I couldn’t bear knowing that I’d failed to save them.

“Being afraid is natural, Morgan.” Eoife followed my gaze to the coven members. “But you mustn’t allow that fear to drive Killian away.”

An hour later I no longer felt afraid. Joined with Eoife and the members of Starlocket, I swirled ecstatically in our circle, feeling my magick course through me in a way that made me feel powerful, unstoppable. The fire in the fireplace glowed orange and blue, and I was a part of that fire: fire was my partner, and together we were capable of anything. I would see Killian again, I felt sure. The power in me could not be contained. I would help Starlocket any way I could.

Then, suddenly, everything changed. There were other voices in the room, voices that didn’t belong to any of the members of Starlocket. They were lower, harsher, inhuman. Slowly they began to get louder, until they were almost shouting. They were chanting words I didn’t recognize, but the mere sound of them made my skin crawl. The voices built to a crescendo, and suddenly the fire sputtered and was gone. The circle stopped moving. Through my haze of magick I saw somebody falling to the floor. A sudden shock of fear ran through me, like ice water pumping through my heart.

I dropped to my knees and closed my eyes, and I could feel the magick ru

Before me on the floor lay Suza

I felt a welling of fear. “What happened?” I asked. “What’s wrong with her?”

Eoife was the one who answered me. “A taibhs came,” she said in a hushed voice. “More than one, I’d say. Dark spirits. They broke through all our protections and attacked the circle. Suza

“Is she okay?” I asked in a near whisper. “Will she be okay?”

Eoife’s voice was somber. “I hope so, Morgan. But I just don’t know.”

6. Forbidden Magick

There is a villager here named Nuala. Without the abbot’s permission I asked to meet her, as she was one of the few Wodebaynes who would meet my eyes.

I asked her frankly what devilry was at work here. She said no devilry at all since there was no devil. I cried out that that was heresy and that if she had no fear of the eternal fires of hell, how could she hope to join our Lord in heaven? Brother Colin, she laughed and said there was no heaven either. As I gasped in horror, she leaned close so I could smell heather and smoke in her hair. She said, “I’ll fill your cows udder if you kiss me.”

I turned and ran. Surely, Brother Colin, this Nuala Riordan is the devil’s own agent.

— Brother Sinestus Tor, to Colin, May 1768

By the time I left Suza

I spent the rest of the night wide awake in my bed, terrified by every little sound I heard. Tuesday was another meaningless day: moving through classes, lunch, classes, without any of it registering. It was endless and foggy, clouded by my worries for Suza