Daniel gawked at her. “How did you know?"

Roger answered for her. "She saw it in a vision. Perfect timing, too."

"Perfect timing?"

Glenda laughed again. "My most powerful visions are when I am being pleasured. Roger had pushed me to a new height. When it happens, I drag Roger into it. His pleasure was immense. So was mine. Thank you.

“But to answer your question, Daniel. I am not a witch that forms circles. Nor can I bind a spell caster unless I go to great Lengths.

That process will ensure the male is bound but will hate me for all their life. I love Roger. I could never do that to him."

Daniel looked uncomfortable. "I am bound, and I don't hate them. Amy and Jasmine were in love before we formed the circle. We've always assumed that love made it different. Were we wrong about that?"

"No. Not wrong exactly. Love plays a part, but there is something else at play. Something I cannot see, despite my efforts. I am blocked by something powerful."

"Like Syn?" offered Daniel.

"No. Not her. By being a seer, I can see the games the gods play, more or less. Their cause and effect, mostly. Syn is watching you all very closely. Even helping from time to time. No, it is something else. I've never felt it before."

"What does it feel like?"

"Power. All-consuming power. But not bad. Not intentionally. There's something lurking behind all this. Some power at play. I would say it is amused. But that's the problem with seer visions. They are often filled with images my mind conjures to explain concepts I cannot understand."

"Is it Quinten?" asked Jasmine.

Glenda laughed again and this time Grace joined her. "That fool? No.

He's being manipulated by his so-called One God. Either he's blind to it, or a willing contributor. Not sure what's worse. He has a role to play. A minor one.

“What I see most of all, when the visions come, is war. Massive war.

And fire, always fire. The world is heading toward a massive confrontation. And always I see you, Daniel, with your three witches standing proudly beside you. While all around you, there are flames."

"And Grace and Bitty?"

Glenda looked serious then. "Funny you should say that. Before, my visions were just you and the witches. Since you formed your circle, I catch glimpses of Bitty and Grace now, too. Somehow, they are part of your circle, and not part of it.

“Your circle is unique. Amber, you know that. Your mother was an expert in this. Never in my lifetime has a circle formed with a willing and loved spell caster in the centre. Although, I'm sure it must have happened before. Who can say? There's no record of it.”

Bitty nodded her head. "The gnomes never found anything Like that.

Not once."

Glenda stared at Bitty for a moment and then resumed speaking.

"Interesting. Where was I? Oh, right, circles. The weakness of all circles is the spell caster. They are hostages, and an unwilling participant. They may think they want it, but subconsciously, they are screaming as the trapped slaves they are, beholden to the whims of the witches who claimed and coerced him. Bound spell casters will fight the circle even while fighting for it. It's a horrible existence, and it always leads to violence and death. There is a reason all civilised nations kill witches on sight. They are an abomination. Make no mistake.