If By Mallory
Chapter 1: Widow's Vale
My father, Ciaran MacEwan, was seated at the breakfast table, New York Times in hand. "Good morning, Da," I said cheerfully. I kissed him on the cheek and sat down next to him.
"Emily, get Morgan some breakfast," my father said, not too loudly, but his voice carries. In a few moments, Emily, our maid, brought in a glass of orange juice and a plate of food for me.
"How's international affairs?" I asked, pointing to the newspaper.
He grimaced. I grinned. "Not too well, huh?"
"No, not especially. How are you?"
I took a sip of orange juice. "Good. Today's my last final exam, then only one week of school left, and we won't do anything. I can't wait for summer."
"Morgan, there's something I've been meaning to talk to about."
"Yes, Da?"
"I have to go away in two weeks."
"Where?"
"Scotland."
"Amyranth business?"
"Yes. And I don't want you to stay by yourself."
"But, Da! I've stayed by myself before."
"I just want you to be safe. Selene moved to a small town about two hours away from here about a month ago. I would like it if you would stay with her."
"I hate Selene," I pouted.
"Be diplomatic, dear. How are you going to be able to inherit Amyranth if you hate all its members?"
"I hate Cal, too."
"He is an idiot, isn't he?"
I laughed. "All right, Da, if it'll make you happy," I conceded.
"It would make me very happy."
"Are you going to be able to contact me from Scotland?"
"I don't see why not."
"Good. I have to go to school. When will you be home tonight?"
"In time for dinner."
"See you then, Da."
I go to a small private school. My best friend, Loren, was absolutely heartbroken that I had to go away. "Leave New York City, for the whole summer? That's crazy."
"Yeah, well, you know, Dad has A. business. "
Loren's mother is also part of Amyranth.
"He should have let you stay with us. Cal Blaire is tedious."
"I know. Ugh. Come visit me, ok?"
"Definitely. We can shake things up in Smalltown, America."
"So what's this Amyranth thing that you have to go to Scotland for?" I asked Da at dinner.
"Have you heard of James MacDunna?"
"I think so. Didn't he write Darke Magick For Enlightened Witches?"
"Darke Spells," Da corrected me. "You know also that the information in that book is some of the darkest magick ever?" I nodded. "And that he only made one copy and they thought that copy was lost?"
"Yeah, so?"
"My friend Jonathan Campbell found it."
"Awesome. So this book is what's going to make me suffer through Cal Blaire for an indefinite period of time?"
"That, and the fact that the counsel is watching us more closely for the past two years. Since you've been initiated. I would feel safer if you were in the company of other blood witches, even if one of them is Cal Blaire."
"Is it something I should be worried about?" I asked.
"No, not right now. You should be worried about exams. How were they?"
"Oh, so-so. I know I did well the math and science ones. And I probably passed the majority of the other ones."
"Good for you."
"Cal Blaire," I groaned.
Two weeks later, I arrived in Widow's Vale. I peered skeptically over my blue sunglasses. This was going to be one helluva boring summer.