Page 37 of A Keeper of Time

“Ye can no’ see it, but ’tis there,” Edna assured them.

“We need to get back home.” Ashley sounded calmer than she had when Edna had looked in on them after they first arrived.

The other women all nodded in agreement.

“Maggie is working on it. I promise I’ll get ye back to yer families and I’ll get those who belong in San Francisco back as well. It may take me some time so ye’ll have to be patient. Do ye trust me?”

“Of course we do,” Angelina said. “Is there anything we can do to help?”

“No. Just keep me in yer thoughts. I’ll try to be in touch again.”

Zeke entered the room. “What’s going on?” He noticed the fireplace first and then Edna. “Edna, is Brenna with you?”

“Nay. She is no’. Doona worry. She’s with her brother. He’ll protect her.”

“Can you tell our husbands where we are?” Jenna put her hands together in prayer. “Please.”

“If I can, I will. Remember, be patient.” Edna hated to say goodbye. She wanted to give them every reassurance that they needed. “All will be well. I promise.” She hoped she would be able to keep that promise. She knew it to be almost impossible to undo what another witch had done, but Evanore had found a way around it, so perhaps Edna could as well.

The fire died out. Edna held William close. He was the only comfort she had in her invisible prison. “Thank ye again me furry friend.”

Chapter 11

Maggie returned to the Council in the morning. She sat in a small waiting room next to the larger room she’d been in the day before listening to muffled voices, thumps and thuds for quite some time, all coming from the room next door.

What are they doing in there? she wondered.

Melusina had greeted her at the door and ushered her into the room she now occupied without a word. She understood that she was to stay there until they came to retrieve her. Other than the chair she was seated in, the room was empty. The walls were painted black as was the ceiling. It felt like she was sitting in a hole. A creepy hole at that. The sensation that she wasn’t alone was too much to take and Maggie abruptly stood and walked out of the room. She knew she shouldn’t, but she was going to find out what the heck was going on.

She opened the door to the room she thought she’d been in the day before only to find it had been completely redecorated. New desks, new rugs, new curtains and no witches. She spun around trying to locate them, but they weren’t there.

“Hello!” Maggie called into the empty room.

“We’re here,” Melusina’s voice came to her.

“Where?” Maggie asked, turning her head this way and that searching for them.

“Here,” Daire said.

“I cannae see ye,” Maggie said.

“Yer no’ supposed to see us,” Mardella said.

“I’m confused.”

“We were working on a spell to counteract the one Evanore is using. We can no’ undo her spell, but we can use one of our own to make the house visible to everyone.”

“Oh,” Maggie said. She was happy to hear they had been working on it. “Does it work?” She was anxious to know.

“We’re no’ quite there yet. We’ve made ourselves invisible, but…”

“We’re working on the spell that will make us reappear.”

This was worrisome. If they couldn’t find a spell to bring themselves back Maggie was concerned about their ability to help her aunt.

A bright light flashed and there they were. All three were looking a bit disheveled, but there. Maggie was relieved to see them.

“That worked,” Daire said.