High Coven (High Witch Book 3)

By Mona Hanna

Ariel is getting used to being a new mother and is excited to see her best friends Hallie and Sean again. She just wants to spend time with them and relax and hear about their wedding. Unfortunately, relaxing is the last thing any of them can do on this visit.

Thrust into a new place, the High Witches are delighted to find the fourth—but the circumstances couldn’t be worse. A group of men are determined to stop them from casting a spell that could change the world, bringing immense joy but also great disaster. The risks of the spell might be beyond their ability to handle.

A great darkness is coming. It will take more than two High Witches to stop it: it will take a coven.

High Coven is the third and final book in the High Witch series.

• Language: English
• Publisher: M. Hanna
• Release date: Nov 12, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310812446

Mona Hanna

Mona Hanna is an author of fantasy/romance books. She enjoys writing about love, magic, conflict, trials and the joy of overcoming them. Mona enjoys reading, movies, chocolate, and adores cats. She hopes to release many more fantasy books in the years to come.

Book preview

Prologue

The four men sat in the darkened cavern, with only a few candles spread out on the rocks nearby to provide light. Large stones were their seats, assembled in a rough circle. Raven gazed at the other three. He was younger than them, in his early forties, while his companions were in their fifties. They were all worried. They hadn’t thought this day would ever come.

There was always the prophecy.

But no one had believed in it.

Until the girl was born.

A girl who shouldn’t exist. A girl who should never have been born. A girl whose mother defied all odds.

Now the prophecy could come true.

They could never allow that to happen.

Raven cleared his throat, and the grey-haired men looked at him. So there are four, Raven said. "Four, when there should only be three. We have two options. We capture one of the High Witches. Problem solved, if we can manage it. Or we watch them, carefully, and make sure they don’t cast the spell. They know nothing about it, as far as we can tell. At the first sign that they’re even aware of the spell, we intervene."

Raven paused, rubbing his forehead, the mess of it all making him feel ill. He swallowed loudly, then continued. "If we’re going to capture one of them, the baby born when Nadia died is our best bet. Julia. Her mother doesn’t know she’s a High Witch, and her mother has no magic—she can’t defend her child. I don’t fancy capturing a child. As much as this is a horrendous situation, it would be a terrible mess to do so. I say we watch them, all four of them, and just be prepared. As long as they don’t meet, we’re safe."

Raven took a deep breath but knew what they were all thinking. It was obvious. Ariel found Hallie. What’s to stop her from finding Julia?

Ariel is the danger, Ewan said, his deep voice low and smooth. He clasped his hands together tightly. She’s the leader. We can wager she’s determined to find Julia, given that she did so much to find Hallie. And what she did to save Sean—how can we stop a woman who’s unafraid of death?

Silence filled the air again. Raven didn’t want to say it, but he knew it needed to be said. So we capture Julia, he stated.

The men around him sighed collectively. Kidnapping a young child was the last thing any of them wanted, but it was their best hope for stopping the prophecy from ever coming to fruition.

We capture Julia, Ewan said also. Keep her away from the others forever. We’ll take care of her mother, help her afterward. There’s nothing else we can do. It’s the best way.

No, Raven thought. It’s not the best way. But it’s the only way.

He felt ill once more.

Chapter 1

Ariel sat in the front room of her home in the warm sun of early spring, holding Erica in her arms. Erica had finally settled down after crying and fussing for hours. She was teething, going through a rough time at six months old, and most of the time wasn’t sleeping for very long. Ariel was exhausted; Brayden too. Ariel had said she’d trade half her magic for a good night’s sleep. Brayden said he’d give his left arm. But it was just something they had to deal with.

Ariel yawned, wondering if she could put Erica in her cradle. Or would she just wake up and cry again? She gazed at the sleeping child, amazed someone so small could cause so much fuss. She smiled. Erica looked like an angel as she slept. Ariel wanted to kiss her a dozen times.

Brayden walked into the room from the kitchen. Ariel looked at him sharply, trying to warn him not to make noise with her gaze. He nodded, quietly coming and sitting in an armchair. He smiled at Ariel, then gazed at Erica. Ariel rose and went to their bedroom to put Erica in her cradle. She came back into the front room and sat, and Brayden joined her.

Let’s sleep right now, Brayden whispered. Just lie down here. She’ll wake up any second and I need sleep.

No, I have to clean up before Hallie and Sean get here, Ariel said quietly. It’s only two days before they arrive! I haven’t prepared the spare room, I have to sweep, I have to cook...

Sleep now, clean later, Brayden murmured, bringing her into his arms and attempting to lie them both down. You’re a High Witch. Use your magic to help clean.

There isn’t a cleaning spell and you know it, Ariel said, her voice coming out louder than she’d meant. She looked towards the bedroom, but Erica was still asleep. She lightly swatted Brayden’s arm, making him let go of her. You sleep if you want. But I have work to do.

Ariel stood and started walking towards the kitchen. She frowned, knowing she loved her husband but wanting to kill him right now. She picked up the broom to sweep the floor. She could move the broom with her magic, but it would take less effort just to sweep the floor physically. She heard footsteps approaching and saw Brayden standing in the doorway.

What do you want me to cook? he said softly, defeat in his voice but warmth in his eyes.

Ariel thought for a moment. Pies. Chicken and apple and beef. You’ll need to go to the market. Get eggs and butter and...

I know what goes in a pie, dear, Brayden said, smiling. And we’ll need a hundred other things. I’ll write a list. You keep cleaning. I’ll try to be back soon...

Erica started to cry, making Ariel cringe. She covered her face with her hand. Oh my darling. Why won’t you sleep?

Brayden groaned. When Hallie and Sean get here, it’ll be two more people to help with Erica. Then we can sleep. You did tell them in your last letter we only invited them here to give us a rest?

Ariel half-smiled but was too worn out to laugh. She walked back into her bedroom to tend to her baby. Her heart leapt, though, at the thought of seeing her two closest friends. Even though they lived halfway across the world, they were everything to her. It would be wonderful when they arrived. It would be perfect.

***

Hallie sat on the bed in the small room she and Sean had rented, in the town where their ship had docked. They had only just arrived and still had to travel for a couple of days to reach where Ariel and Brayden lived. After three long weeks aboard a filthy, rocky, cramped ship, they just wanted to wash and rest. Hallie rubbed her neck, every inch of her feeling sore and weary, and flopped back on the bed.

Sean put their bags by the door, then went to the bed and lay down beside her. It’ll be great to relax and have a meal that is edible, he murmured. I’ve been spoiled, living on land for almost a year. Forgot how awful it could be on a ship.

It’s probably different when you’re working on one, Hallie replied, almost falling asleep. Oh, Sean, I want to lie here for a week. I’ve never been so exhausted.

Sean chuckled softly. Oh, my darling. You’re spoiled too. Never mind. Not exactly the trip away I’ve been promising you.

Hardly, Hallie said. Not how I wanted to celebrate us getting married. But seeing Ariel and Brayden will be celebration enough. I still wish they could have seen the wedding. Just like I wish I could have been there when Erica was born.

The traveling is too much, Hallie, Sean said. Erica was only born three months after we last saw Ariel and Brayden, and there’s no way we could have gotten away. And our wedding was when Erica was only a couple of weeks old, so that ruled out them visiting us. We’ll tell them all about it. The main thing is our other friends and family were there, so it was still the day we wanted.

Sean hesitated for a moment. I’m... glad you were willing to go back home to get married. I know I’ve said it before, but I’m so grateful you were willing to do that. It meant so much more that my parents were there, and it meant something to me that your parents were there too. I know you’re a long way from being close to your family, but they were so happy to see you, Hallie! I’ve never seen your mother hug you like that.

Hallie looked away, moisture forming in her eyes. She remembered her wedding day, a small ceremony with her and Sean’s close family and friends. Her mother had indeed hugged her when she arrived home—something that surprised Hallie. Her mother had also wept, babbling about how long it had been since Hallie had been home. Hallie had been touched, warmed by her mother’s tears. She still wasn’t close to her family, but the barrier between them had partly been broken down. At least Hallie knew now that her mother cared for her. It was sweet. It was lovely.

Thank you for asking me, Sean, Hallie said, turning to him. Thank you for convincing me to go back home. It was all so strange—I mean, the wedding was lovely, but it was strange, people coming together to celebrate it, when all I’d experienced in that town was rejection and fear. It was only a small number of people, but it was still beautiful. I was happy when we arrived back at our house, but I am glad I went back home for a while. Hallie put her hand on his chest, and he covered it with his own.

Then he stood. I’ll tell the people that work here to prepare a bath—maybe you could arrange to have our things washed? The sooner we take care of that, the sooner we can go to bed. Oh hell, a proper night’s sleep. I can’t wait.

Hallie smiled, also rising. She ran her hand over her dishevelled hair, knowing it was a horrible mess. A good night’s sleep was just what she needed. Then in two more days, she’d see Ariel! She was so happy.

***

Julia! Julia, no!

Alexandra dusted the dirt away from her young child’s hand, stopping Julia from spreading it all over her clothes. Julia began to cry, sitting on the grass next to the basket of washing her mother was hanging out. Alexandra sighed and squatted beside her. Do you really want to be covered in dirt, my dear? she said, smoothing some of her daughter’s silky black hair away from her face.

Her child’s dark skin was very close to her own, a deep olive tan, Julia’s just a couple of shades lighter. Their eyes were a matching shade of brown. Julia’s hair was soft and straight, though, while Alexandra had to contend with long, very thick, wavy hair. She gradually calmed her wailing daughter by giving her a toy to play with, and then she returned to hanging out the damp clothes.

Moments later, Julia wandered across the yard, heading towards the trees at the other end. Alexandra kept a careful eye on her. She thought about how much Julia had changed since she turned one a few months ago. Walking, talking more, seeming to understand so much. Although looking after her daughter mostly on her own was very difficult, she adored her child, loved her with her whole heart. It was a blessing, however, that her parents and sister lived close by, as they were able to help a great deal. Alexandra received no help from Julia’s father—and never would. She scowled as she thought of the devil.

He’d arrived in town out of nowhere, handsome, charming, seemingly wealthy, and had a confidence about him, brought on partly by his ability with magic. While warlocks and witches were often frowned upon, Cameron was proud of being a warlock, amusing those in the town with shape-shifting.

He’d pursued Alexandra, who was working at the local tavern as a waitress. Men never pursued her—an unmarried woman close to thirty was viewed as odd, strange, an outcast. People suspected there must be something wrong with her, although she’d have wiped the smile off their face if they’d said it to her directly.

But Cameron went after her as if she was the most beautiful woman in the world, and Alexandra couldn’t help but succumb to him in the end. They had a glorious handful of weeks together, but when Alexandra told him she was pregnant, he disappeared, just like that.

That’s when she discovered he wasn’t wealthy—he’d conned his way into everything he’d had. He was nothing but a charlatan, a fake, and Alexandra felt like such a fool for falling for him. In the end, though, she had Julia, and she couldn’t ask for anything more. She still worked as a waitress, with her mother or sister watching Julia when she had her shifts.

There was only one thing, however, that always worried her.

Julia was a witch. A powerful one. Alexandra knew nothing of magic. But the spells she’d seen her daughter cast, without even trying—spells of every kind, just pouring out of her—it was a concern. How was she going to raise a witch?

And why in the world was Julia’s magic so strong?

Chapter 2

Ariel flew to the door when she heard a loud knock, threw it open, and grinned when she saw Hallie and Sean standing there. She enveloped Hallie in a huge hug, wrapping her arms around the shorter woman. You’re here! Ariel exclaimed, and then she turned and hugged Sean.

Brayden gave Hallie a quick hug and turned to Sean.