Chapter 5

‘Maddie, thank God!’ Rodolf hugged her excitedly.

Esmee had tears in her eyes of joy when she got home.

Maddie was shocked to find out that she had already been in the hotel for three weeks! Esmee and Rodolph had caused their spell to be broken by not consuming food and drink in the house. Nobody checked them because they were meaningless.

Esmee and Rodolf had not been able to find her, not even with a spell supported by herbs. That meant she had been under a heavy spell.

They had discovered that Floyd de Graham was the head of a lineage of ancient black magicians. That he had to do with the opened portals in Hintlop, Stonehenge, the pyramids of Chizeh.

He had wrapped Omen around his finger, as were Jente, Anke, and Lies in his power. They walked around the house like zombies. Fulfilled assignments for Floyd and his men.

Regularly there were all kinds of strange men on the floor, who disappeared just as quickly as they appeared. The group they belonged to was called the Zaeafranen, which means crocus, just like the herb used in the anti-love elixir. And that was probably what Esmee had heard Omem say. It was an ancient group of dark magicians.

When the gates to the pyramids of Gizeh and Stonehenge were opened through the Witte Wieven, black magic had been released, which they claimed and used.

They were known for their manipulation spells, which made someone see and do what they wanted.

‘That's why they had to take me out,’ Maddie suddenly understood, ‘if I had any energy left from the moon goddess, then I was the danger. Then I could expose them. Because the lunar energy can see the truth, right through the strongest magic. Plus, I can probably easily lift all of their spells.’

‘And that's why they poisoned elixir,’ Esmee said, glad she understood, ‘and extra manipulation to be sure, as the icing on the cake.’

Maddie nodded. She looked at the amulet around her neck. Raven was still not home, although the amulet showed he was safe, she no longer believed it.

‘How are we going to track him down?’ Esmee asked concerned, ‘he told Rodolf you knew a way before he left.’

‘The amulet can also track him down,’ thought Maddie, ‘he told me that.’

Rodolf first provided a plate of food. Maddie had felt her hunger for a long time. Of course, she couldn't eat much, but she could feel how well it was doing her body.

‘You can't make it through magic alone,’ Rodolf warned her, ‘you have to learn to eat again.’

Maddie took the amulet in both hands.

‘Amulet, fior grádh,

amulet, true love,

fallaiche air beulaibbh mo shúilan,

is hidden from my eyes.

Coimhead air agus sealltainn dhamh,

find him and show me

na bha aca dhomsha fad na húine,

what I haven’t seen all along. ‘

The amulet started to glow, its energy was exchanged with Maddie. The story of where Raven was emerged in her head. She could see him clearly.

‘My God,’ she suddenly groaned when she realized he had been there for about five weeks, ‘they hid him out of sight with a manipulation spell!’

She beckoned Rodolf and Esmee to come along. She crept into Raven's room because she didn't want to be caught by Floyd or his henchmen.

It was cold and chilly in that room, no Raven to be seen. Maddie lit the fireplace. She moved her hand. Some sort of curtain moved.

They could see what had been hidden from their eyes. Raven floated in a cloud of dark, black energy above his own bed.

Esmee covered her mouth in horror, he had been there all this time, deep in trance. Under the influence of black magic.

‘How do we get him out of there?’ Esmee gasped in disgust.

‘Not us,’ said Rodolf, ‘it's ancient magic, but the moon goddess can do it.’

Maddie nodded. She closed her eyes in concentration.

Maddie made contact with Lexan.

Rodolf and Esmee saw red energy pouring out of her. It embraced slowly, both Maddie and Raven. It was a rotating movement, most of the color came from her heart chakra.

Suddenly Raven opened his eyes. Slowly he sank onto the bed he'd floated a few inches above.

He recognized his room and saw Maddie deep in trance, saw the red energy pouring out of her. Slowly the energy returned to her. Then she staggered for a moment.

‘Raven!’ It sounded full of love, full of joy.

She leaned forward and almost lost her balance again. His strong arms caught her. He felt worried because she looked so terribly bad, emaciated with a white face from fatigue.

 How long had he been under a spell? Because he understood that immediately.

She wrapped herself in his arms, exhausted. She felt like a limp bird.

Raven's eyes turned questioningly to Rodolf, who quickly explained to him briefly what was going on.

Raven's gaze darkened. Five weeks away from his life! Five weeks away from Maddie, who had given them the chance to harm her. And they certainly had, it showed on Maddie.

Maddie sat down, she was so exhausted. She told Raven briefly about what had happened to her in those weeks.

His jaw muscle moved furiously

‘They even use magic in the ordinary world,’ Esmee said.

‘The Zaeafranen only consider themselves, which is good for them. Anything for power control, ‘said Rodolf. ‘You were put out of the game in order to take out Maddie.’

‘I think they will soon find out that I have disappeared from the hotel room,’ said Maddie softly. ‘I could no longer sustain the spell of my projection in that bed there. I needed my strength for you.’

Raven's gaze softened.

‘It's okay dear,’ he said tenderly.

He got up, focused on that deep power within him, the power he never addressed. Which he never really wanted to address. His eyes brightened, he murmured a spell.

‘Draoidheachd leis na cumhachdan uile

Magic with all powers

cuir an àite na tha a-mach às na sùilean aca, agus cuideachd

extract what is there from their eyes and besides

 A'toirt dhaibh na cumhachdan trom,

give them with the black powers,

 na bha daoine eile den bheachd a bha daoine eile a ’faicinn.

what they thought others were going to see. ‘

Raven's room was dark. No more Maddie to be seen. Only the bed with Raven on it wrapped in dark magic, as the Zaeafranen had done.

Esmee and Rodolf looked at each other in surprise. Suddenly it was as if a curtain had been pulled back. Maddie became visible in the glow of the burning fireplace. She was lying on the bed and was already fast asleep.

‘Wow,’ said Esmee, deeply impressed, ‘you should teach us that too!’

Raven smiled, arranged with them that they would meet the next day to discuss everything when Maddie had rested a little.

Raven closed the door softly and disappeared behind the curtain of manipulation.

‘My girl, what the hell did they do to you?’ Raven leaned over a sleeping Maddie.

He saw the dark circles beneath her looking sunken cheeks. Her thin body, where her ribs were clearly visible, the bruises she had sustained.

He felt an intense anger blaze through him, had to hold himself in order not to rush down madly to take revenge.

Maddie floated above the bed with a movement of his hand. He got her under the covers. He magically made her outerwear disappear. With a very heavy spell, he gave her some of his own body energy.

It made him exhausted when he felt how much she actually needed. And he realized it shouldn't have lasted longer.

Then she would have lost so much she would probably have been killed.

He went deep within himself. A gray glow appeared and healed her, but also himself. Then he slid into the bed next to her. She groaned in her sleep, snuggled up against him, and visibly relaxed. With a healthy color on her cheeks again.

It took a long time for Raven to calm down before he fell asleep.

Maddie felt a rush of happiness when she woke up. She was in Raven's arms. So it hadn't been a dream. It took a while for all the memories to return.

She smiled and moved over to Raven, kissing him on the mouth until he kissed her back in an automatic reflex and opened his bright blue eyes.

She had so missed that warm, loving look in his eyes. His hand slid under her head so that he could kiss her extensively.

‘I was so tired physically,’ she said, ‘they had done a lot to my body. I understand that I have hardly eaten for weeks. ‘

‘It showed,’ Raven replied, smiling.

She kissed him, her hands moving boldly across his body as if she wanted to feel with her fingers that he was all right. He gently kissed her back, answering her quest with her fingers, with his own expedition.

She groaned as he ran his hands over the spots on her body that were so extra sensitive to his touch. She relaxed and enjoyed his body warmth on her bare body. He did the work until she could no longer control herself.

She drew him to her hungry.

A moment later, panting, they lay resting in each other's arms, fully connected again.

Maddie told Raven softly about Mike. How this had forced itself into her life, slowly but surely.

And how he had kissed her and almost forced her to react to it. She told of the lunar energy how she had embraced it, had let it in.

Of her escape and how she finally found him.

‘Mike huh?’

She saw anger in his eyes. Also felt this in the kiss he gave her.

Yes Mike, ‘she replied.

He saw in her eyes that he didn't have to worry about her love for him. He pressed another kiss on her head, put his hand on her heart and the other on his.

Before she understood what he was doing she felt his hand getting warmer, almost hot.

She became physically stronger again thanks to his body energy.

He saw the black circles disappear from under her eyes, the gray color of her skin lifted, her red hair shone again. When drops of sweat hit his forehead, Maddie grabbed his wrist.

‘This is enough sweetheart.’

He looked into her blue eyes and felt her strength. She had recovered.

He recognized the power of Lexan, the moon goddess. Raven took her in his arms to rest together. He didn't tell her, but when he gave her the energy, he had seen the images of what she'd been through.

How she had been confused, in a world full of mists. He had felt her fears, her pain. Her loneliness, when she was bullied, and how that Mike had put his claws in her. He felt he had to control himself terribly, so as not to make short work of Mike downstairs in the living room.

Fortunately, he had often practiced controlling his feelings during missions he had been doing for years.

He kissed her head and heard from her calm breathing that she had gone back to sleep.

She might be a great witch, perhaps the greatest of their time, but she was also his girl. It was his job it was to keep her safe.

Raven's eyes grew heavy too. He also slept the sleep of healing then.

Raven had provided a nutritious meal with lots of protein and vitamins. They were eating in bed in silence when suddenly the bedroom door flew open.

Floyd stepped in, searched around.

Maddie was shocked for a moment. But Raven had cast a spell that reflected the spell they cast on Raven. It only showed them a Raven in a magical cocoon.

Mike also came in.

‘Where's that girl?’ Asked Floyd. They saw his true colors, his sarcastic, dominating self. That sadistic smile, those cold, blue-gray eyes.

'I do not know. The magic on the door was still intact. Someone must have taken her out of there. Someone with the strength to make a door anywhere, ‘said Mike, with a defensive tone in his voice.

‘Hm,’ Floyd looked around again, without being able to see the truth, ‘she hasn't been here, our Raven is still comfortably in his cocoon.’

‘Maybe Moon?’ Asked Mike.

Floyd scoffed.

‘No, boy she can't, besides she is my own project.’

‘She herself then?’

‘No,’ Floyd laughed even louder, ‘no, she would never breakthrough a Zaeafraan spell, especially after all the loss of magic she suffered from her sexual excesses with the one here.’ And he pointed to Raven, ‘moreover, with her weak constitution, she can only breathe. And even that is exhausting.’

He laughed at his own joke. They closed the door, footsteps left.

‘My mighty red queen,’ said Raven softly. There was pride in his voice, ‘breaking through a Zaeafraan spell.’

Maddie smiled briefly.

‘But, he still has Omem under control,’ she said with a sigh.

 ‘She'll be safe as long as she is.’ Raven kissed her face. Then her neck.

‘Raven,’ she said warningly.

He laughed teasingly.

'I know what I am doing.'

‘Oh God, I hope so.’ She moaned softly and surrendered to him again, heart and soul.

She was curled up in his arms, her breathing betrayed her deep sleep.

Raven looked down at the red hair.

He couldn't get enough of her, but he knew they had to face-off together downstairs. They couldn't put it off much longer.

He knew she was strong when she used Lexan's energy, but he didn't want to. Then she was again exposed to danger. It worried him.

He pressed a kiss on her head. A ripple of thought appeared between his eyebrows.

He also had yet to tell her the truth. The truth about his origins, his magic, his future, which also affected hers. It was hard not to say it, but also to do it.

It could change everything.

But not yet, he pulled the blankets higher over them.

They could use some rest. And that was sure to change, when he told her what he knew. If he told her what he found and who.

And especially who he really was.

Hopefully, their love was strong enough then.

‘Before I was sent to Dreamland by Floyd, I did some research,’ Raven told Maddie, Rodolf, and Esmee.

And he explained that he knew what was going on. The opening of the gates from the pyramids to Stonehenge, Hintlop, and Gizeh by the Witte Wieven had released even more ancient magic. The Zaeafranen had confiscated that. With that, they sowed more fear and they reap black magic from that.

The fear project continued across the country, around the world.

The more fear was sown, the more black magic became available. Fear made energy heavy and they absorbed it.

‘My energy is and was intended for balance in the world. But fear seems to grow faster than love, ‘Maddie said softly.

‘Love is stronger, lasts longer,’ was Raven's conviction. ‘The Zaeafranen are actually afraid of their feelings and obscure them. They are not really alive. They mistake the fear they generate, for power.

‘They made themselves much bigger than they are, they are bags full of air,’ said Rodolf understandingly.

‘I think the Prime Minister is also one of them,’ said Esmee, ‘because why all those box rules that have been invented?’

Rodolf nodded. 'I think you are right.'

He pressed a kiss on Esmee's head.

‘We are going to make this a safe place first,’ said Raven.

Margie's eyes twinkled angrily. She was so sorry. Buddy, who had been made ill by the Zaeafranen. So did the girls in her class, who were so influenced by them to uncontrolled bullying.

Raven understood her feeling.

‘Those two worlds have always influenced each other,’ he said, ‘yin and yang, also a matter of balance. If you live on this globe, you cannot help but influence others.’

‘If we attack them, won't we create extra danger on Stationsstreet? Something with revenge or something? ‘Esmee asked concerned.

 But Raven was not afraid of that.

‘They blow themselves up so as not to feel fear, but if you let the air out, fear is all that remains,’ was his philosophy.

Floyd sat in the dining room, quietly smoking a pipe. Everyone who knew Moon knew they never allowed smoking indoors. So that already indicated what was actually going on.

Floyd was talking with his son Mike and two more men. The smoke of his tobacco hanging in the room like a gray blanket. Moon was busy in the kitchen making lunch, helped by Anke, Lies, and Jente.

Rodolf and Esmee entered hand in hand. Floyd stopped talking.

He looked at the pair for a moment in irritation.

‘It was so easy to get them under a manipulation spell,’ Floyd said with a sarcastic smile on his lips. ‘No one is a match for the great leader.’

‘Yes Dad,’ grinned Mike, ‘that pretty red one wasn't a match for me either. It was actually very easy to bring her energy to zero. ‘

Mike looked around the circle with satisfaction.

‘Yes, that was certainly easy,’ agreed Maddie, who suddenly came over.

Mike looked confused for a moment, looked around the circle of men, but recovered.

Floyd's eyes twinkled.

Maddie sat on the back of a chair.

‘It's over,’ said Maddie with a lovely smile, ‘no more manipulation.’

Floyd got up, straightened his jacket.

‘I don't know how you got out of that spell, honey,’ he said, glancing at Mike for a moment, ‘but it doesn't matter.’

He raised his hand, muttered a spell, and focused the energy on Maddie.

He smiled triumphantly for a moment. But when the energy hit Maddie, nothing happened. She absorbed the energy without any problems.

‘Yes,’ said Maddie, ‘it really doesn't matter.’

She got up, gestured with her hand, and the living room door closed with a bang.

‘Did you have a magic lesson, girl?’ A tall, bald man also contributed. And the men laughed loudly.

‘Yes,’ said Maddie. The chairs slid apart as she walked forward, even the one with Mike still on it. She walked slowly. Kept watching Floyd.

‘That's enough girl,’ Floyd said in a loud voice, ‘you are no match for the magic of the Zaeafranen!’

‘That's right,’ she said very innocently, but her eyes sparkled from the rage she felt. Anger, which set her insides ablaze and which she struggled to control. The red magic fiercely circled around her.

Floyd turned an energy sphere with his hands so that he could direct powerful energy with the intention of hitting her hard. Maybe, to hit deadly. His eyes darkened to black coals.

The other men wanted to get involved, too, but Raven was suddenly standing in the kitchen doorway, arms folded. He shook his head in warning. Made a small gesture with his finger. The men were nailed to the ground.

They tried to break free. This failed and fear appeared in their eyes. Raven chuckled at the futile efforts.

Floyd sent the ball of energy to Maddie.

She saw his malicious look. Lexan took over, with one hand gesture, his energy dissolved. Nothing remained of the ball.

Floyd then pelted her with energy spells, but she absorbed everything. Or let the energy disappear into nothingness.

The more he attacked her, the angrier she got. Suddenly she had had enough. She left Floyd trapped in a red glow of lunar energy. Her gaze met Raven's, to control the anger she felt.

He was still standing with his arms folded. She read the admiration in his blue eyes, he grinned in amusement. That made it a bit calmer in herself, with that she regained control.

‘Gealach mäthair, a 'Bhan-dia

(mother moon, the Goddess).

Thoir an toileachas dha na huaislean sin

(give these gentlemen their way).

An gease a bh 'ann airson a chéila

(the spell that was for the other).

A 'tighinn home a-nis

(comes to their aid now). ‘

Maddie fired one red ball of energy, this divided itself. Hit the men present right in their hearts. They were instantly victims of their own manipulation spell, loneliness, fear, sorrow. The magic they had was limited.

They no longer knew each other, so they could not mirror their strengths and were completely alone. This gave terrible fear. The same fear that they themselves sowed in the innocent. Only this time no black magic was released.

Rodolph and Raven took the men out and released them there.

They had to find their own way.

‘Hey,’ said Raven, ‘you're Mike, right?’

‘So what?’ Mike tried to hide his fear as arrogantly as possible

 ‘Well, then I know I have the right one,’ said Raven. He lashed out. He punched Mike's nose and a tooth through his lip. Blood spurted from Mike's mouth and nose as he fell. Raven rubbed his knuckles with satisfaction.

Rodolf smiled.

Surely feels good?’ He noted more than he asked.

Raven nodded, closing the front door with satisfaction.

Floyd was still nailed to the floor. Moon, whose spell had disappeared instantly, like the others, was trembling on her legs.

It was clear to see that she has inundated with emotions of despair, disbelief, and deep grief.

Maddie had never seen her grandmother so vulnerable small. She hated it.

Anke and Lies were crying softly. The tough and strong Jente also tried no longer to hold back her tears. The heavy magic had also cost them a lot of energy.

Raven was back but kept his distance from Maddie.

‘You apologize,’ demanded Maddie and sat on the table in front of Floyd, ‘and you make sure you mean it.’

He smiled scornfully, but when Maddie looked at him with a rigid look of intention, he felt anxious. He could barely breathe.

Sweat appeared on his forehead.

‘I'm sorry Moon,’ he said, gasping for breath.

Maddie softened her gaze, allowing him to breathe freely again. He sighed with relief. Maddie moved her hand, a crimson door appeared.

She muttered a spell and Floyd suddenly wore a magical San Yak tattoo, which made his body no longer able to tolerate magic. It stayed that way as long as he wore that tattoo and it could not be removed with anything.

The red door slammed open. Floyd was sucked in. Then the door disappeared. The air buzzed with energy that Maddie then released with a spell.

‘Gus an toirt ás an t-súil,

(hidden from view).

Taigh port agus sráid,

(house, portal and street)

Gu bráth díomhair,

(forever a secret).

Sábhailteachd a chaidh a dhéanamh a dh'aon ghnothaich,

(a tailor-made safety). ‘

The words vibrated through the house to every nook and cranny. A bright red glow was visible through the house. Then it slowly ebbed away in the walls and foundations, it slowly became quiet again.

Maddie felt exhausted but smiled satisfied.

Then she saw Raven's bloody knuckles. Their eyes met for a moment. She smiled understandingly and he nodded.

Moon!’exclaimed Jente.

Raven was just in time. He caught Omem who almost collapsed through her legs.

‘Come on,’ his look was concerned.

Moon looked up at him with a faded look. He picked her up and led her to her room.

He closed the curtains with a wave of his hand, lit the fireplace, turned down the light, and suddenly had a drink in his hand. She took it without protest, without question.

Soon she fell into a deep sleep, a restorative sleep that would restore her strength so that she could come to terms with what happened.

Raven covered her up. The potion helped her sort things out mentally, recovering her body from Floyd's manipulative energy. Raven quietly closed the door.

He took a deep breath before walking downstairs. He had felt the strong magic in Maddie. It worried him that she could create so much magic. She'd been exposed to so much in a very short time that he wondered if she could keep everything under control. It hadn't even been a year since she'd first encountered the magical world. And so much was already being asked of her.

Sometimes he thought that her parents' and Moon's choice to let her grow up without magic for so long, had created more trouble, rather than protected it.

But of course, he protected her. Yet there was a sense of unrest in him somewhere. Then he continued down the stairs.

Everyone was gathered in the kitchen.

Anke, Lies, and Jente were impressed by all the events. How could they have fallen for the charming stories with their eyes open? That they had been so open to the manipulation spell?

They had not been able to see the truth, had not been able to help Raven and Maddie. They hated that. They, as coven, should have protected them. But what impressed them most was Maddie's strength. The magic she seemed to have. They couldn't stop talking about it.

Rodolf and Esmee made potions from strong herbs to help with processing what had happened. And slowly peace returned. The coven members decided to return to their homes, where they had not been for so long.

Maddie was very tired of all the energy that had flowed through her and which she should have absorbed. Raven took her to their room early on. She dropped on the bed.

‘I still have to practice, to spread my magic evenly,’ she sighed and turned on her back, ‘I was so furious! Then it got so hard to keep control! ‘

‘Yes,’ Raven agreed.

She laughed.

‘What the hell? Mister I didn't use magic.‘

Raven rubbed his knuckles, which had scars of teeth.

She sat down, held out her hands to him. He put his hands in hers. She pressed a kiss on it and healed the wounds with intention alone.

‘I suppose Mike looked ten times worse?’ She determined.

He smiled.

‘Beautiful!’ She got down on her knees, took off her shirt.

‘Come.’ She smiled seductively. ‘I have a little energy left.’