All Chapters of Hayle Coven Novels: Chapter 251 - Chapter 260

By the time Mom arrived later that day, everything was back to abnormal. Not that I was complaining she was home or anything. Even though she still hadn't found Gram, she decided to stay. Uncle Frank agreed to go on alone, sending back reports as often as he could, though I could tell from Mom's frequent moments of quiet anxiety they weren't often enough for her liking.It was pretty comforting to have her address the entire coven and tell them as much as she commended them for standing with me in the end, her disappointment at their doubting me from the beginning hurt her deeply. Mom was so good at the whole emotional manipulation thing she had all of the family witches in tears at the end of it, begging me to forgive them. I did, and right away. They'd paid their dues and more.With one exception, of course. Celeste was a stone set so deep in her own slop she refused to budge. And while she calmly accepted Mom's chastisement, I knew her anger still lived. Naturally the woman claime

I paused at the bottom of the stairs by the heavy wooden bookcase and reached for Shaylee. She came slowly, unhappily, her Sidhe power sliding over the carved oak. The Gate's magic responded instantly, the whole structure swinging gently aside to let me in. I understood her dislike, but it was getting a little old. It's not like the Gate was going to spring open and Thalion, prince of the Seelie, would rush through and kidnap us or anything.At least, I was pretty sure that wouldn't happen. She wasn't so much. And I guess she had the right to worry. He'd almost tricked us into crossing over, after all, into giving up our life here out of pure Sidhe selfishness. And yet, I was pretty tired of her love quadrangle with Seelie and Unseelie alike, not to mention the worry she felt every time we came to visit Liam. I walled her off a little so she could sulk in peace as I strode through the open entry, careful to close it behind me before making my way further into the stone lair.Hard not

I think Mom guessed the same thing at the same time I did. She gasped, one hand reaching toward the young man. He actually backed up a step, gaze dropping to the floor, a twisted and uncomfortable look on his face. Sassafras understood it the moment we did."It's not my fault." So odd to hear that voice out of a human mouth. His whole body tensed, sneakered feet shuffling on the floor. My brain flickered to a million questions, one of them asking where he'd found clothes. I didn't recognize the dark striped shirt he wore, the deep denim jeans. "I tried to help, I swear it.""He did," Dad whispered. Our attention swung back to him as he smiled at Mom, a soft and loving expression. She cried out, a small sound, hands stroking his face. He looked so ordinary, so normal, I realized how much his power had maintained his demon appearance, even as reduced as he had been. My Dad now looked like any other dad-still handsome, still tall and broad, but ordinary.That fact struck me like a blow

Once family time was over and she'd deemed Dad sufficiently recovered, Mom spent the rest of the evening trying to restore his power. Which meant Sassafras endured it right along with them.I waited, watched, saw the pain in Sassy's face, his endless squirming, waffling between empathy for what was clearly an uncomfortable process for him and annoyance he was making such a big deal out of it.It was as if Mom was trying to use the family magic to wrestle the power out of Sassy, but every time the column of power dove inside him, the amber magic reacted, at first fighting her, then dissipating so her energy simply slid through him like a sieve over water.When Dad finally cried out while Mom's magic wove a lattice between the pair, hurting him too, she finally relented."We'll try again in the morning." She patted Dad's hands without a glance for the rest of us, including Meira who clung to me like I could save her from what was happening.Mom ushered us all out, Sassy and Galleytr

I'd been to the magic caverns so many times, I forgot Sassy had only been there once with no time to explore. The moment the Gate's power opened the entry and let us in, the former cat turned teenager was practically lost in the endless stacks of books. Galleytrot lifted his big head from his usual place under Liam's desk and followed him.I sank into one of the big chairs with a sigh as Liam handed me a can of soda from the small fridge he'd installed, one of his only nods to modern technology. That and his laptop.Ancient Sidhe magic or not, a guy couldn't be expected to survive in this day and age without his favorite modern conveniences."How's your dad?" Liam took a sip from his own can, eyes full of concern.I shrugged, not really wanting to talk about it while I listened with growing annoyance to Sass and Galleytrot laughing in the stacks at something they'd found. Sassy didn't have the right to be amused. Not while my father was reduced to nothing thanks to him.A deep bre