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“Protecting Jack.”

She managed to stand and turned in time to see Jack charging towards her.

THERE ARE ALWAYS CONSEQUENCES TO ONES ACTIONS

She didn't have time to react which was perfect.  He felt a trickle of blood run down his cheek from his head wound. It didn't bother him. A little spilt blood was worth the price. His head connected heavily against her stomach. She screamed as he flung both of them to the floor.

             
He pulled back his fist and let it fall heavily against her face. She didn’t cry out, she only looked at him, this infuriated him more. He pulled his fist back but now she smiled and then spat at him. Warm wet mucus hit his cheek. His hand moved to wipe the bloody spit from his face. She jerked beneath him. He couldn't keep her in place. She jerked again and he heard the whistle of the wind as he flew through the air.

             
For a second he was flying, he grasped his power but it failed him. He tried again but it wouldn't come. He hit the floor making his body scream in pain.

“Time to play with the big boys!”

He was dragged over the grass by the collar of his shirt leaving him kicking at the air. Before he could gather his bearings, it must have been only seconds, he was slammed to the floor again.

“Get up!”

Jack turned over and looked at a heavy set man whose eyes were pure dangerous ice.

“Get. Up!”

Jack wobbled to his feet, felt the earth dip and sway. The man grinned now. He lifted his hands ready to levitate the guy all the way to China.  Before he could, a sharp pain hit his back forcing him to his knees. Air whooshed out of his lungs. He looked at the man standing in front of him as another person pulled his arms behind his back. The man’s smile widened, the force on his arms increased. He screamed as his shoulder blades protested under the pressure, they were all but touching. Before he felt them pop something kicked him hard in the side. His hands were still bound behind his back. His mouth opened and closed. His lungs had stopped working. His heart jack hammered.

“Enough!”

A woman’s voice echoed around them. He fell to the floor; the freedom sent his body into overdrive. He sucked in air too quickly which resulted in a coughing fit. He rolled over on to his knees; his lungs inhaled much needed air.

             
Wiping his mouth, he looked up.  Eli, Clay and Clio were held by the man who had attacked him. There were three of the same man. He shook his head wondering if he was seeing triple rather than double. He looked over at the house and saw Cora sat on the grass guarded by the man-
again
- and a woman. Tabitha, he knew her name now, was also stood at her side. He stood up slowly.

“Do not think of doing anything, young man. It will be the last thing you do.”

“I could kick your arse if I wanted to!”

She laughed striding towards him. “I'll believe
that
when I see it.”

Barely sparing him a glance as she walked past him, she stood in front of Eli.

“What is the meaning of this attack?”

“It wasn't an attack, it was...”

Eli’s explanation drifted off because it was an attack.  Jack would tell her that. Tabitha, obviously bored with Eli, turned her attention to Clay.

“And, who might you be?”

“Clay Barnes.”

From this distance he saw Tabitha cock her head to the side in what he could only assume was her way of measuring him.

“I've not had the
pleasure
of meeting you yet.”

“I'm a newer member of the coven. I am in Jack's coven but-”

“Then you were involved in an attack?”

“No Tab, he wasn’t.”

His head whipped to Cora. She looked at the woman at her side and then slowly they moved towards him.

“Cora, don’t move.” Tabitha’s protests fell on deaf ears.

Cora brushed off the woman’s words. Cora didn’t look at him but the woman’s cold steel eyes glared at him.  Cora shrugged off the woman’s help and gave a quick nod to the man holding Clay. He let go and stepped back. Jack looked around, several faces showed confusion. They didn’t know either. That meant Cora had been keeping secrets. Tabitha turned her attention back to Eli.

“I will repeat my earlier question, why did you start an attack?”

Rage popped inside his chest. Why was he being ignored? “Eli is not the leader of this coven, I am!”

Tabitha turned to face him. “You will accept the consequences of your actions. But first I want my question answered.”

He looked from one face to another and refused to be ignored. “She,” he said, pointing his finger at Cora, “she thinks she can take a member of my coven away from me. She thinks she can make them all turn against me. I will kill her before she does that!”

“I will kill you before you touch her,” Clay snapped.

“See, he’s already on her side.”

“I haven’t taken anyone. He isn't on any side. I didn’t even know about Clay and your coven. He never told me,” her voice became a whisper at the end.

“Keeping secrets already,” he said amused and laughed at Clay.

“If it wasn’t for Eli our coven would have fallen apart ages ago. You are nothing but a-”.

Jack lifted Clay like a feather in the wind and launched him against a tree. Within seconds he felt the blast of cool air hit him in the chest. He flew back landing on his butt. He was up, levitating. Powerful bursts of water were fired at him but he continued to move even though the speed exhausted him.

“Enough!”

Red hot heat encased his body. He screamed dropping like a sack of potatoes to the floor.

“Clay, perhaps you could cool off your High Priest.”

Jack’s body was pounded with freezing cold water.

“Ayden, you may let the other two go.”

“Eli,” Tabitha began, “I want you to take your High Priest and leave. If you enter this property again you will be dealt with. We will need to discuss this event at a later date.”

Eli nodded and moved towards him. Giving him a look to tell him to be quiet, Eli took one of his arms and dragged it over his shoulder. He felt Clio take his other arm and they slowly moved away from Cora’s house.

“Clay.” Eli stopped, turning around to Clay. “We need a coven meeting. You need to be there.”

“Wait.” Clay looked at Cora. Jack watched in disgust as the man looked like he was ready to beg. “Cora, I didn't know. I would never-”

“I suggest you leave,” Ayden snarled.

Jack walked away from Cora and her coven.

Okay, that hadn’t worked out the way he’d hoped.

THE LAW MUST BE UPHELD, AT ALL TIMES

She hobbled into the house with Ayden’s help.

“Are you all right?” Ayden asked her.

“Yeah, I’m just great,” she whispered so Tabitha couldn't hear her complain. “My rib hurts
again
. I swear it’s punctured my lung. I have mountains forming on my body from whatever that man pelted at me. My knee feels like someone has got a cheese grater to it and the only man who took an interest in me turns out to be a member of Jack's coven.”

He smiled at her. “It’s good to see that you still have your sense of humour.”

“Huh,” she groaned as pain shot down her leg.

“Sweetheart, are you all right?
” Her mother ran to her and thre
w her arms awkwardly around them both.

“Ouch, Mum, my rib.”

“Sorry, love,” she apologised as she shyly smiled at Ayden.

Ayden helped her gently on to the sofa.

“Would anyone like a drink?” her mother asked playing host.

“I think we could all do with some tea,” Tabitha smiled at her mother who was positively glowing.

The smile on Tabitha's face faded as she faced Cora. “Cora, you need to explain yourself.”

“I don’t need to explain anything.”

“Do not get smar-”

“I think what Tabitha is trying to say,” Ember interjected, “is that we are deeply concerned with what has happened here. Please, we would like to hear why this event has happened.”

“I met Clay whilst I was working in the shop just before our picnic in the field-”

“Bloody Jesus!” Ayden’s outburst made her jump.

“Ayden, let her speak,” Ember chided.

“I swear I've only seen him a few times and he stayed for lunch today.”

“I never would have let him stay if I knew it would cause trouble.”

“It’s not your fault, Laura. Without you, we could be facing a different outcome.”

“Why?” Cora asked.

“Your mother heard the commotion outside and rang me. Ember used her ability to project here. She made sure you were safe until we arrived.”

“Safe? How is being thrown across the drive, safe?”

“You were very impressive, Cora,” Ember assured her.

Cora didn't feel impressive.

“Anyway, please continue.”

“Clay left saying he had to get home. Around ten minutes later there was pounding on the door. I opened it and Clay came in gasping for breath. He was trying to tell me something, it was at that point that Jack shouted me. I really didn’t know Clay was part of the other coven. He didn’t know I was a witch either.”

“I could have busted that chump’s arse,” Ayden snarled.

“No, Ayden. You will not lay a finger on him. Clay tried to help me before you arrived.”

“Do you like this man?” Tabitha’s question surprised her.

“It was very early days. I’ll admit that I liked the attention, who wouldn’t? Have you seen him?” she paused but received silence. So no one else was goi
ng to comment on his good looks?
Fine. “We didn’t know each other; it was at the stage of it being something fun.”

“Before this happened Ember and I were preparing a spell to put over an area in which both you and Jack could... you know...” Tabitha glanced cautiously at her mother. No one wanted to state the obvious in front of her. “We had that particular area sorted; unfortunately, it was done in the open.”

“Oh, well, soooorrrrry. Next time he comes knocking at my door, I will cower behind the sofa.”

“Cora,” her mother warned.

“That amount of magic and the emotions behind it were bound to be noticed,” Ayden pointed out.

“Commoners notice when wind, water and people fly into the air,” Ember noted.

Cora swallowed the golf ball that was suddenly lodged in her throat.

“Instead of a government or the Royal family, we have a law of our own. They make sure the rules are followed.”

“Who are they?”

She didn't want to know so why had she asked?

“The Corenthio Coven. The current members of this coven are Varick, Akina, Melitta and Evander. They are much older than Jack's and your coven put together, with age comes more power.”

“Enough doom and gloom for now,” Ayden interjected, the smile on his face slightly forced. “We need to decide what we are going to do with the other coven.”

“Cora will need to speak with the High Priest whilst we are present.”

“Are you joking? Jack can’t string two words together let alone have a conversation about something so important.”

“Good one, Cora.” Ayden slapped her on the back making her wince in pain. “Oh, sorry.”

“Cora, you have a responsibility now. You are in charge.”

Great.

*

He slumped on the sofa ignoring the shouts from various places in his body. Eli paced up and down the room with his hands rammed in his pockets. Clio was stood at the door next to Clay, they both remained silent. He closed his eyes.

“Why didn’t you tell us that you were with Cora?” Eli asked Clay.

“It was none of your business. I may be part of this coven but you are not my parents, I don’t have to answer to you. Plus, I honestly didn't know that this Cora was the same Cora.”

“Jesus, Clay. How many clues do you need to be given? I mean, she works in a bloody witch shop; how can you not know!?” he snapped.

Clay shrugged his shoulders which added fuel to the raging fire already blazing inside him.