Chapter IV

"I am seriously having some doubts about going too this ball." Ella said as she was sweeping the floor of the Labuff's ballroom with Cayla.

"What happened was an accident, the coven will understand." She reasoned with Ella, her fiery red hair was barely contained in a ponytail.

"But I the leader, I am supposed to set an example, Bella will never let this go."

"What if Bella never found out?" Cayla stopped sweeping and gave her one of her mischievous smiles. With her freckles, and dull green eyes, one look at her you would never believe what the small witch contained in her, she was a firecracker.

"No. It is my duty to tell them," she empathized the next part, "ALL OF THEM, even Bella. If I am in trouble than the whole coven is in trouble."

"We could always run..." Cayla's eye's lost their smile and darted to the floor.

"Hey, look at me." Cayla refused to look at Ella's eyes but Ella tilted her face up to her's. "You will never be without a home again. I promised you that when I found you in the woods, never without a home.."

"Never without a family." Cayla finished for her, "Thank you for taking me in, I owe you my life."

"Your lucky we did, not just anyone can handle your fiery personality." Ella punched her lightly on the arm, bringing a smile back too her face, and making her laugh.

"Ugg! We still have to wax this thing," Cayla said poking the floor with the soft bristles of her broom. Then a smile of mischief appeared on her face "But who said we had to do this without magic?"

"Cayla..." Ella warned but knowing in her mind she couldn't stop her.

"No one is around! And with you whole sensor thingy we could totally get away with it." Cayla said already rolling up her sleeves, and using magic to enchant her broom to move to the wall.

"Alright, one, my sensory power only works in the forest. Two, we have a posable witch hunter on the loose and you want to do magic?" She put her hands on her hips, letting the broom go, it continued to sweep by itself, and Cayla gave her a pointed look. Annoyed, Ella snapped her fingers, silencing the brooms sweeping, and sending sparks into the air.

"The house has wood in it right? So it is close enough. Besides Henry is way too cute to be a witch hunter, oh come on tell me you at least think he is cute."

"No! He is not cute. His dark curly hair that you just wanna run your hands through, or those dreamy green eyes, and the chiseled jaw..." But shut her mouth when a look of 'I told you so' came for Cayla's face..

"No definitely not cute, handsome is more like it." She had grabbed the wax and placed it into the bucket, then raised her hand to rest just over it, she heated the wax into a pooling liquid. Her tongue was sticking out the side of her mouth in concentration, trying really hard not to melt the bucket to. Final satisfied she flipped the bucket over, and the boiling wax spilled over the ground.

Bella and Cayla's magic was connected, because the sun was basically a big ball of fire, and Cayla was fire, the aftermath of their magic did the same, their hair glowed. Pulses of light banded through Cayla's hair, making it, if even possible, even reder.

They had begun to spread it around the room when Ella heard footsteps ecoing down the hall leading to the ballroom. "Cayla!" She hissed, "Someone is coming!" They both panicked, and Cayla quickly pulled out her emergency cap out of her apron, being a witch you had to have stuff like that in case of situations like this, and  tugged it on her head. Although it did little to conceal it, it was better than nothing. Ella ran to one of the doors too the hallway, hopeing to distract whoever happened to be in that section of the house, she nearly ran smack into him.

"Henry!" She called out in surprise starting to back up but then remembered Cayla and then stepped further into the hallway.

"Ella! Just the girl I wanted too see! Look I wanted to apologize for last night, for expressing such powerful opinions. Not some material for a casual conversation, huh?" he followed her further into the hallway, unaware she was leading him away from the ballroom.

She stopped in the hallway right before they came to the great-room and looked down at her shoes when she replied to him, "We just have different opinions that's all, no need to apologize for expressing yourself."

"You are different, you know that? No one I have met before has even gotten close to how unique you are. All the other girls I have met are only interested in what I am, not who I am" He said tilting her face up to his, forcing her to look into his eyes.

"Is this how you treat all girls? Give them a compliment and then expect them to melt like chocolate? Just as you said," She said pointing to her chest, "this girl, is different. I don't fall for guys like that."

He just smiled at her, and then tilted his head as if listening to something. With a sudden burst of speed he pushed her flat against the wall with his arm, and flattened against the wall beside her, she opened her lips too shout out but his hand was covering her mouth."Shh," he said, and cocked his head listening still. Footsteps clicked in the great room and paused at the door frame too their hallway. Henry grabbed her wrist and pulled her around into the doorway that was next to them, just as the person turned around to look into the empty hallway. He quickly shut the door, trying to be silent.

"Sorry about that," He said nervously running his hand through his hair, completely aware of how awkward the situation was. "I am hiding from my babysitter." He said sarcasticly, clearly grumpy about it.

"And why do you have a someone looking after you? I know you are an important person or else Charlotte wouldn't have an interest in you. " She asked completely oblivious too the thing staring her in the face.

"I kinda don't wanted to talk about it."

"OK then." She gave him a smile to ease up the tension. Then, she finally looked about the room they were in. It was a large, tall ceiling room, like most in the house. But this was part of the original house that stood 300 years ago. So the floor creaked underfoot, and the walls were made of polished cedar wood, and carved into them were details of ivy climbing up the wall. The room was dark, and it was obvious that no one had been in there for a long time because everything was covered in a thick layer of dust. There were big heavy velvet drapes, covering the window, creating an erie feeling in the room. The most extravagant thing, and the only thing, in the room was a large grand piano, with a sleek black cover.

Henry also looked around the room, his eyes rested just at the piano, then too Ella. She walked quickly too the piano and flipped the piece of wood, covering the keys. "I wish I could play." She said with a sense of longing edged into her voice.

Henry walked beside her and stared down at the keys, "I can teach you, if you want."

She looked at him with a startled expression, "You can play. Oh course you can, you're rich. I bet you have had the best tutors in the world teach you." She answered her own question.

"Actually, I am self taught." He said with a sigh.

"Really? I just assumed that..."

Henry cut her off with a dismissive wave of his hand, "It is quite alright. I know the stereotypes, and besides I have always been good at music. It is something that just comes naturally to me."

"Can I hear you play?" Ella said eger too the soft ping of the piano keys.

"Yes of course." Majestically he slipped into the black leather seat, and blew on the keys, creating a puff of dust to fly into the air. Ella coughed and walked over to the covered windows. Ripping back the curtains, bright light spilled into the room, and she opened the window. Fresh air filled the room as Ella walked back too behind the piano, Henry, scooted over to make room on the seat, and she sat down next to him.  His soft hands poised over the keys, and he sent a sideways glance at Ella before beginning.

At first, the song was slow, then it sped up, his fingers flying up and down the keys, and Ella's eyes could barely keep up. This lasted for about three minutes before he hit the last chord, the sound of his music rang in the air for a moment longer, before it ended leaving them in silence. "Did you like it?" Henry asked cautiously.

"It was amazing."  She said softly, surprised that such talent could come out of a character like Henry.

"I knew you would like it!" He declared triumphantly, "Does it make you want to fall for me now?" He leaned closer to her, and knocked his shoulder with hers.

"You jerk!" She stood walked to the other side of the room, as is she was going to leave.

"Hey! Wait I was joking!" He ran out of the room after her, and chased her down the hallway. "Ella!" She stopped and refused to look at him, they were halfway to the ballroom by now. "Why do you always run away? Tell me, you can trust me."

She hung her head and said, "I can't get close to you. No matter how wonderful a person you may be, I can't be friends with you."

A single tear ran down her face, and Henry lifted her head up to meet his eyes. He saw the tear, and cupped her face in his hands, and wiped the tear away with his thumb. "Yes you can, what ever skeletons you are hiding in that closet of yours, you don't have too tell me. Not until you're ready."

"No. I can't." She pulled away and turned to look down the hall.

"And why not? Am I not someone you can trust?" He asked walking around so he was in front of her.

"No it's not that... It's just... It's not just my secret, I can't share it with anyone, or trust anyone other than the six of us."

"And why can't you open your horizons? Why can't it be seven?" He asked trying to  understand.

"Because you're not like us. If we opened up to anyone else, there would be severe consequences. So because of this Henry I have to say goodbye. Not just for my sake, but for my friends." She stood on her tip-toes and leaned closer to his face, his breath caught and he stared into her eyes. "I am so sorry for this Henry." She said softly, then brushed her lips against his forehead.  

The green sparkles left from her spell made Ella feel sad, although she quickly dismissed the feeling,she knew it was the only way to get him off her back. Henry was limp against her arms as she slid him down too the floor. "Cayla!" She called out knowing well that she was at the door listening to their every word.

"Did you have to knock him unconscious?" Her rambunctious friend poked her head out of the doorframe farther down the hallway, her red hair was out of it's cap, and only half of it was still in it's ponytail. "He was getting to close too me, so I tried out this new spell, he won't remember anything about, or related to magic. That includes me..." She said the last part softly so Cayla didn't hear it.

"Oh, smart." Cayla practically skipped down the hallway to her, "You're not going to leave him here right?"

Ella Just gave her a look then said, "If anyone else found him passed out on the floor, it will arouse suspicions. I really hate to do this... but..." She opened her hands, and a butterfly flew out of them, then flew off sending a message to Bella.

They waited for a while before someone shouted in their ear, "What the hell is the matter with you! And you rant at me for not being careful!" Bella emerged livade, her blond hair glowing like a lightbulb.

"You called Bella?" Asked Cayla her expression was questionable.

"Yes well Bella has discovered that she could bend light, therefore making her invisible, and a valuable asset to this particular situation. We need to get him upstairs, Bella, can you please help us?"

"I'm here aren't I?"

"Thank you!"

"If one of us goes down the whole coven goes down. I understand this concept, some of us," She shook her head at Cayla, "Don't quite understand it yet."

"BELLA!" Ella yelled at her then looked at Cayla.

She had an expression unreadable on her face, and replied, "No Ella it is ok, really. Bella is entitled to her opinions, just as I am too mine." She glared at her. "I have to go finish waxing the floor, because if you are going up too bring Mr. Sleeping Beauty upstairs, and the floors aren't done... We are both out of job." she stalked down the hallway, clearly upset.

"Did you have to pick on her?" Ella growled at Bella.

"What can I say? She doesn't belong here."

"Of course she does! And don't forget who brought you in as well."

"How could I ever with you reminding me all the time?" Bella said annoyed, "Are we going to do this or what?"

"Quickly, before they see us." placing one arm around one side of his torso, and flinging his arm around her neck she lifted him up slowly. Bella did the same, and soon her hair started flaring, meaning that the spell was done.

"No one can see us," She warned, "but that doesn't mean they can't hear us." In agreement Ella brought her fingers to her lips, then too her head, showing she understood.

And so the painfully long drag too the service stairs left them both winded and exhausted. Leaning him against the wall Ella allowed Bella to take a break, "I will be right back." She whispered to Bella looking over her shoulder as she walked down the hall to the servant's cafe.

"Ok But be quick. I have to renew the spell in three minutes." Bella whispered back.

Ella quietly crept down the hall, trying to barely make a noise. She stopped at a doorway that led to the cafe and sneaked into the room. There were three girls sitting around a rectangular table, they were giggling about something.

"Oh my god did you see his hair!"

"His eyes!"

"I heard he is realy rich!"

Just as Ella predicted they were talking about HIM. She listened carefully, trying too find out where he slept.

"I have something to tell you girls!" Cried a triumphant servant. The other two girl's chatter immediately stopped and focused on the servant who spoke. "I was cleaning the third floor when I saw the other visitor go into Henry's room. And so being me, I went to go eavesdrop..." Ella stopped listening as she walked briskly to the door, why should she? SHe got what she wanted, but what the servant's words hit her she stopped in her tracks. "Yes thats right. He was talking about some servant girl with brown hair, and how she had enchanted him with her mysteriousness." Another servant with brown hair lifted her hand up too her hair and opened her mouth in shock.

"I greeted him in the hallway once! He must mean me." She said as she stood and straightened her apron.

"Maybe," another said, "whoever this girl is she is incredibly lucky."

"What's that!" Yelled the brown haired girl who was pointing at the space Ella was standing.

Oh no she thought The spell is wearing off!

A butterfly decorated with glowing suns and was a bright white color landed on Ella arm. "Hurry," it whispered, "I need to renew the spell so come back!" After relaying its message, it disappeared in a puff of white smoke, that smelled faintly of marshmallows burning on an open fire.

Ella feet barely skimmed the floor as she ran down the hallway back to Bella, and there at the foot of the stairs was Bella blinking in and out of visibility as she tried to redo the spell. She almost didn't make it, Ella grabbed Bella's hand just as her hair flared up, showing that it was done. "I made it." Ella she said between her heavy  breaths.

"Barely." Bella glared.

"I know were his room is. It is on the third floor." Ella inwardly groaned as she looked at the stairs.

At the same time Bella said "We are not going to be able to get him up there in time, we need Eric."

"Eric maybe, but can you cloke four people?" Ella asked concerned for her friend's ability to do magic. "I understand that three is a job for you and you could barely keep it up for long but if we include Eric that would be difficult, right?"

"Ya but I have a plan, and it includes Damon." She gave Ella a funny look when she mentioned her brother.

"What?" Asked Ella feeling twitchy about Bella's strange stare.

"Nothing, nothing..." Bella sent two messages out, almost immediately Damon  traveled out from underneath the shadows of the stairs. His gaze first went to Bella, then quickly flicked to Ella.When she felt his eyes on her she looked at him, but he had turned his head too the hallway that the Cafe was on. "He can see us for some strange reason. Maybe because he is my opposite."Piercing screams came from the door as Ella faintly could see the three girls running as fast as possible away from the cafe, and towards them. The girls turned the corner and fled down the next passage to the ballroom. Ella quickly turned to see whatever they could possibly be fleeing from. There was a large bird, about three feet tall waltzing down the hallway, his wings were neatly tucked behind him, and as he was walking he slowly was transforming from bird, too man.

"Eric, you nearly gave those girls a heart attack!" Teased Bella unaware that she was still invisible.

"Who is there? Bella I swear if you are spying on me invisible, so help you, i'm gona..."

"Bella..." Ella said trying to get Bella to undo the spell.

"Wait Damon is that you? Is Ella here too? What the hell is going on?" Eric said to Damon and two invisible girls.

"Alright." Bella said, and she released the spell, making her, Ella, and a still unconscious Henry at their feet.

"What the hell!!!" Eric called out, "What is he doing unconscious, at the bottom of the stairs?"

"I would also like to know." Bella put her hands on her hips and glared at Ella.

Quickly she defended herself. "He was getting too pushy, so I erased his memories with a new spell I tried."

"Oh." Three sets of mouths agreed at the same time.

"So we need to get him upstairs." Eric took some of the weight off of Henry with a gust of lifting wind, Damon on the other hand, he concealed them in shadows so Bella and Ella could drag Henry up the stairs.

When finally they placed him on the bed, and were walking out of the house when Bella burst out, " I need too talk too Eric for a second." She grabbed him by the wrist and started walking away too the gardens, but not without throwing a knowing glance at Damon.

"Ok." Ella replied confused, "I guess it is just you and me redecorating the coven room." She looked sideways at Damon, "That is if you even still want to."

"Of course I do, what gave you the impression that I didn't want too keep your company." He said and the continued walking to the tree but stopped when he felt Ella's gaze on him.

She had stood in the same spot amazed at what he had spoken. "What?" He asked turning to face her his eyes caght hold of her's.

"That is the longest I have heard you speak, ever." She said surprised.

 He simply shruged and said "I haven't realy noticed."

"Oh..." She walked towards him and then headed down the path to the tree, Damon followed her.

"Well if you must know, that is the least I have hear you say." Ella stopped and looked at him.

"Did Damon just make a joke?" She asked astound, and stared into his saphire eyes.

"I think he just did." Damon smiled sexily.

"The third person doesn't suit you." She turned and walked to the birch tree which was just off the path from where they stood.

"Really and what does?" His voice was just behind her ear, his breath tickled her neck slightly.

"I don't know." She replied pushing back the bush to reveal her home.

"Do you want to find out?" He spun her around to face him and pulled her closer to him.

"What ever Bella told you, I am not looking for someone right now. I am sorry, but with the possibility of the witch hunter, and Henry... I don't have time for a relationship right now." She stepped back a little and looked at his deep blue eyes.

Damon smiled slightly and replied softly, "I understand. But you need to listen to my argument."

"Ok..."

" I have always had this connection with you. I feel strongly about you that I have never felt for anyone else before, even stronger than me and Bella's connection. I don't know what it is about or why I feel the way I do, but all I know is I care alot about you."

"Damon, can we talk about this later, we have too get the tree done." Her breath caught as his gaze intensifies.

"Ya OK."

She dropped her gaze, and spun around, starting to walk too the tree, in an attempt to avoid answering. She stopped at the roots and looked up trying to catch sight of the coven room. Finally spotting the window that belonged to the coven room, Ella walked underneath it. Then, raising her hands up, she sent sparkles into the air causing a tree too shoot up, out of the ground. Making a fist in one hand and moving it to the side, she pulled the coven's cavern out of her house, and over the steadily growing tree, the hole that was left behind grew over, leaving nothing but the roughness of bark behind.

The large blob of the Coven room slid into the mammoth tree that was just grown, it smoothed over and now there is no bump left over. Next Ella grew massive branches, larger than cars, that spiked out from the Coven room, intertwining with it's neighboring trees. And lastly, she grew another large elevator, leading up to the new tree, and a walkway, connecting the two matching masives.

A sudden rush of energy left Ella and she would have collapsed to the ground if it weren't for Damon's strong arms that wrapped around her waist. "This is why I wanted the coven here," She said between gasps, "Going to be weak for days."

Damon said nothing, but he set his hands aglow sending what magic he had too spare into her, too replenish her energy. "No Damon..." She moaned, aware what he was doing.

"Shh, it's ok. We will get you better." When he had lent her what he could spare, and she could stand on her own again, he let go of her waist.

"Thanks." She said gratefully, aware of how close he was.

"Anything." He whispered into her ear, his voice tickled the strands of hair, causing them to brush against her cheek.

"Let's call the coven over, I think that they should be here for us going into the new tree for the first time." She said to him, turning around to look him, and studied his face. He had dark blue eyes, and black wavy hair, his face was chiseled like a statue, and had a large mouth.  

"Do we have to?" Damon answered, a slight smile appeared on his face.

"Yes." She laughed softly.

"Mmm, alright. I will send the messages, you are still recovering." Before Ella could protest, his hands glowed with a black aura, sending ravens into the air, cawing madly. She looked at him and he shrugged, "I prefer ravens too butterflies." Just as Ella's magic caused the green sparkles, and Bellaand Cayla air glowed, Damon has a less obvious sign. His pupils grew larger, and took over the iris, causing him to have onyx colored eyes.

"About the thing before, I wanted too say..." A large cry of an eagle cut off Ella's words as Eric swooped around the tree, circling it in a spiral. He landed and looked at the two of them with a knowing look, Bella appeared next to him, also looking at her brother with a gaze full of questions.

Quick as lightning Cayla zipped through the trees and stood by Ella's side "Hello Ella!" She greeted happily, and you would have believed that she completely forgotten about the argument when she greeted everyone with a warm voice. That is until she got to "Bella." She said coldly, without emotion on her face as she stared down Bella.

"Cayla." Bella replied just as coldly.

"Girls..."Eric warned, annoyed at their bickering, and they stopped glaring at each other too look at him.

"Thanks Eric," Said Ella grateful that they listen to someone. "Now all we need is Xena-"

She was cut off as someone behind her said "Here!" The coven spun around to see a soaking wet Xena standing in the path.

"Oh my god Xena!" Cayla rushed to the shivering girl that stood before them and put her hands out, they were glowing red.

The water evaporated quickly leaving her as dry as a dessert, her hair was a frizz. Suddenly Xena burst out "Cayla you're burning me!" In Cayla's attempt to not burn Xena, she did just that.

            Cayla pulled her hand back, ashamed, "Oh Xena I am so sorry!"

            "It's ok." Xena responded quietly, and then to the coven she apologized "I am so sorry that I am late. Some of us just don't have super transport like others."

            "It's ok." Ella replied looking all around at her coven. She smiled at all the familiar faces, feeling proud that they all were happy. She remembered what they were like when she found them. Eric was first, he was her brother whom was lost to her when their parents died during the witch hunt in Andilatia.

 She remembered the cold of the stones pounding her feet as she ran barefoot, barely older than six; her hand was clasped in her brother's. They were running from the Imperial Guard, their home was already gone, their parents dead. She remembered that the boat docks were in sight. Almost there, she thought, when her brother was ripped from her little hand by an I.G., its green suit burned into her mind forever. Eric barely had enough time to push her behind a shipping crate, and yelling out a "RUN" before being dragged from her life for nine years. He showed up again, changed forever, but still her brother, five years ago, with a mission in mind, stop the injustice of witch hunts.

Turning to Bella, who was a few years older than Ella, who found her clutching Damon's hand, in the field a few miles outside of the capital city of Andilatia, Sharmon, during one of Eric and Ella's rescue missions for trapped witch. They took them in and decided that they should start the Coven, a safe haven for all witches.

That witch they saved, it was Xena. She was caught in her home country and was brought to Andilatia to be executed, but thanks to Ella and Eric, she lived.

Lastly, Cayla was found in their woods, wondering, and lost. Ella found her and they were instant best friends, immediately welcoming her to the Coven. Bella was cautious from the beginning, and Ella knew that this was because she was upset that she wasn't the only light witch there. This was three years ago, and none of them have control over their powers, or know how to use them, the only thing they do know is that when together, they are unstoppable.

"Ok let's go in. Ella if you please." Eric gestured to the new tree with his arms; Ella walked up to the trunk and showed the Coven what she did.

"There are six hands, one for each of us with our initials carved in the palm, on the tree. Place your palm there and send your energy to the tree and it will respond." She demonstrated by placing her palm along her incision in the wood, her hand glowed green, and when she pulled it away no sparkles were shown.Gasps of awe came from the coven, amazed at this new technology that allowed them to use magic on the tree without the side effects.  

The elevator came down, and its tangled branches became undone so the six of them could fit in the large box. They rode up to almost the top of the tree where the elevator stopped at a walkway woven by branches. Here the sky was showing, this was because when Ella built the tree, she cleared the branches to expose the sky on the way into the tree. They walked, one behind the other, staring over the railing at the view. Birds flew form the tops of trees, and you could just see the tip of the Labuff's house in the west, the river was winding from the mountains. To the east, the ocean Forunu was barely visible; the white sails of pleasure boats for the rich were flying around in the wind on the sea. They had reached another door; again, the door had six hands on it.

This time, Bella placed her hand on the palm incision, and opened the door.There was a wooden staircase with a railing that led up an outwards. There were two doorways that led to hallways. Ella led them through one of them. In the hall way there were three opened doorways, the first one held a sort of living room, the furniture was all made out of natural materials, created by Ella. 

The next was the kitchen, all things were owl and human sized, for obvious reasons. The counter tops were polished black marble, adding a contrast to the room.

And lastly, the council room, which was the same, except for one thing. One their way to the other rooms, Xena spotted the hand prints on the outer wall. "What are they there for?" She asked curious.

Ella spun around and looked to where Xena was pointing and answered confused, "I didn't put that there." She walked around the table to the far wall and looked at the slightly curved wall in confusion. Unlike her handprints she created that were in a round shape, these were spread out, and evenly spaced in a straight line. There was a thin line around one hand in the rectangular shape of a door. She placed her hand on her initials carved into the bark, and tried to open the door, but nothing happened. "Guys let's try together." She said still concentrating on her energy flow, and slowly one by one, they stood next to her and placed their hands on their carvings. When Damon placed his hand on the carving, and everyone was connected, the door flings open.

It was a round deck made from wood, but the only thing different about this wood than from Ella's wood was that it had rings. "That's strange." She said giving them a look. "No matter how big I make my trees, they don't have any rings in them because they are brand new, so no bark has the ability to grow yet. But this deck, it has rings in the wood. I didn't do this."

In the corner of Cayla's eye she thought she saw a sparkle floating in the air. But it disappeared under the deck so quickly that she almost believed she imagined it. Almost. It must be left over from when Ella did her spell. Cayla thinks herself rationally. "Maybe your powers are just developing." She reasoned with Ella.

"Maybe." Ella says, deep in thought.

"What's that?" Eric called out pointing to the center of the deck. A round stone pedestal had grown out of the center and on this pedestal was a big, black, leather bound book with a silver swirl on the cover. It was wrapped in a leather strap that had a clip that Eric assumed held the book together. The clip was decorated with the same swirl as on the cover.

"I definaly know I did not put that there." Ella said walking to the book, placing her hands around the cover, pulled it off the pedestal. She pressed the center of the swirl on the clip popping it open and released the strap. Flipping the graceful cover open, Ella quickly scanned the page, her expression was grave. Finally after staring at the page for a long time she said, "Let's go back to the coven room."

Quickly they all filed into the coven room and sat down at their chairs. Bella's had a sun, Damon's a star. Cayla had flame, and quite a few scorch marks. Xena's had a fish, as well as Eric's had a feather. Finally Ella sat down at her chair, which had a tree inscribed upon it, and looked up at Damon, meeting his gaze as he urged her on encouragingly with his eyes. She smiled faintly and looked at the rest of her family.

"This book is about us," she began. "Eric if you would please." Eric levitated the book, cover open, around the table, until it got to Ella, who grabbed it back to read out loud.

The fount page was a letter to them, from someone they thought was dead.

Dearest Leo Coven,

If you are reading this then that means that you are ether facing a great threat, or Othea has decided that you were ready for the knowledge contained in this novel. I know you have many questions, especially my Ella and Eric, and this book may answer some of them but not all. Dear Ella if you are reading this, I want you to know that I love you, and that yes I am alive, and safe. You will be to if you wish to return Home. Eric my darling, you have always been brave, and a good person, do not let what happen in Andilatia cloud your judgement. I love you two, with all my heart.

Love,

Jaceia Swallow

"Who is that?" Asked Bella compleatly confused.

Ella looked at Eric to see they share the same shocked look, but it was Eric who replyed, "Our Mother."

Author's Note

I am finaly done! I am sorry that it took so longto finish but I had finals... and well time catches up to you. Hope you enjoy! Comment, Rate, Read! Thanks for reading!