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Her mother had returned from a meeting with their coven and they had decided this was the only way to protect Exerilla and the coven. White Magic. Her mother told her that their type of White Magic was stronger than Dark Magic. Their coven was concerned about Harlan Radley’s direction and the fact that he was getting too powerful. They were not ordinary witches and warlocks, but immortals as well. They had learned to blend into the human world, and enjoyed their anonymity. Their coven was the most powerful white coven in existence. Harlan was considered a ‘wild card’. They didn’t want to have to deal with him if they didn’t absolutely have to do so.
“I am not asking you dear, I am telling you; we don’t have a choice.” Her mom sighed, “Sometimes, we have to make sacrifices for the good of the whole. Samhain will be here before you know it and then you can return.”
“Mom, I don’t mind making sacrifices for a reason. Here is the thing. I don’t believe my father will force me to marry Galen. I will make him realize how much I dislike the man! I don’t think he will be able to compel me.”
“You can’t believe that Exerilla, you are thinking with your heart. In human time, you have reached your majority. As a witch, you will reach majority the first Samhain after your twenty-first birthday. At that time my daughter, your power will be greater than mine or your father’s. It is there just beneath the surface, humming away. That is what is giving you this false sensation of being strong enough to resist a compulsion spell.” Her mother shook her shoulders, “Baby, I feel your power ready to emerge. In the meantime, you are in danger of losing yourself to him and to the Darkness. You have his genes and although he was never entirely dark he had dark in him, which means you do as well.”
“My darkness is no more than a bad temper,” X laughed. “And I still think, I can get through to him.”
“Exerilla, he has the power to compel you with his magic. He won’t listen to you. He wants you with him, working beside him. His love for you won’t stop him from that goal. You aren’t strong enough yet to resist his power of compulsion, but afterwards…”
“After Samhain, I know, I will come into my own.” Exerilla clammed up. No point in going around and around about this.
“Go take a walk and calm down.”
“Good idea,” Exerilla agreed.
“And while you are walking I want you to think about the little vacation you will be going on. It will only be for a few months and then you can come back, safe in the knowledge that you can no longer be compelled by him.” Her mother smiled at her encouragingly.
“If Dark Magic isn’t as strong as white, why can’t you over-ride any compulsion spell he zaps me with?” X asked reasonably.
“I can’t prevent him from casting the compulsion spell. As your father, he can do this in your regard. Once he has done that, even I cannot break it. Only you can, and you won’t have that power until Samhain.”
“Ahha,” X said sighing.
“Everything in the past is ready for your arrival.” She took the pendant off her neck and put it around Exerilla. “When Samhain has passed, use this and return to me. It won’t work until then. Don’t forget, you can only use the simplest magic in the past, or he will track you. And never use your wand. Using it will lead him to you like a laser beam. Understood?”
Exerilla closed her eyes, “This sucks and I haven’t agreed yet.”
“Marrying that awful wicked man would suck even more.” Rachel hugged her fiercely and X suddenly got worried. “Mom, have you considered that papa will be angry…with you as well.”
“Yes, he will, but I mean to play ignorant very well. I will tell him that you have a mind of your own and you decided you won’t be used this way. I’ve got this, don’t worry about me.”
Exerilla decided to take a walk on the beach and think things over. She was surprised to find her father walking toward her. He looked well, dressed in casual beach attire and smiling warmly at her. She returned his smile. Perhaps she could talk to him now, alone and reasonably.
The next thing she knew, her father was walking away. She stared at his retreating form and put a hand to her head. He vanished into a dark cloud. She couldn’t remember what they had talked about. Wait, what’s up with that? Okay, put it in order. What do you remember, Xie girl? she thought to herself.
She remembered hugging him, and then he looked into her eyes.
“Oh hell,” she said out loud. “He compelled me to do something, but what?”
Suddenly she had an overwhelming desire to go home and bathe, fix her hair, and pick out a dress because she had a dinner date with Galen.
She wouldn’t go out with that freak if he was the last man on earth!
She couldn’t believe she had a dinner date with Galen.
This was so not happening, yet, she couldn’t resist the urge to go and pick out something pretty for her date with him.
What the hell was happening here? She couldn’t recall even speaking to Galen and arranging a date. Why would she? He disgusted her!
Dawning, and even with that dawning, knowing that her father had compelled her, she could not resist the need to dress and prepare herself for her date with Galen. Her father had compelled her to wear the prettiest dress she owned to dine with a man she despised. In that moment she knew she was powerless to resist that dictate.
All at once she knew.
If she stayed she would end up married and in bed with a man she loathed.
Just as her mother said he would do, her father had compelled her to do something against her will.
