Chapter 2252

Grace was examining the mushroom circle. "This is a real circle. Fully functional. Have alook, Daniel."

He turned on his sight and looked at it. He had done this before, and it still freaked him out. The centre of the mushroom circle looked like a vortex of purple energy, swirling to a dark centre. If he were to move around it, the perspective wouldn't change. It looked like it was drawn on a piece of paper. It was always unnerving to him. He turned off his sight.

"Freaky, isn't it?" asked Grace.

"Yeah," he replied and then showed the girlswhen they wanted to see it, too.

"Bitty?"asked Jason."Did you feel anythingwhen you walked through it?”

"No. Not at all."

"Can you try again?" he asked.

"Should I?" she asked the rest of them."Maybe it

was a fluke?"

Grace shook her head."Nah,I think you'll be fine. The mushroom circle tried to pull you in, but maybe it was trying to pull in all the gnomes connected to you? You are uniquely anchored,I think."

Bitty shrugged and hesitantly stepped into the mushroom circle. Daniel looked with his sight and saw the maelstrom was churning like crazy but washed off Bitty like she wasn't there.

She stepped back out.

Bitty shook her head."I didn't feel anything at all."

"Jennifer, want to try something?" asked Grace.

"Like what?"

"Hold Bitty's hand and walk in with her."

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah. I think you'll be fine."

Jennifer looked thoughtful for a long time and then nodded.

Bitty took her hand and together they stepped into the mushroom circle.

Jennifer disappeared leaving Bitty holding nothing but a shocked face.

"Oh, my Gods!" cried Jasmine and rushedtoward the mushroom circle before Amber caught her and stopped her.

"Don't!"

"Fuck," declared Grace."I really thought thatwould work."

There was a bright flash and then Jennifer toppled out of the mushroom circle and collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud. She was sobbing uncontrollably, and she curled up in the foetal position.

Brian was beside her in an instant and laid his hands on her. His healing washed over Jennifer, and she seemed to collapse with relief and shuddered."She's severely malnourished and

dehydrated. Are you all right, lass?"

"Syn!Praise Syn, Brian!Thank you, thank you,thank you, Syn!" she sobbed loudly."No,I am not all right!Days!I was in there for days and days!I can't go back! I can't!" She spied the mushroom circle and scrambled away from it, panic, and fear on her face. Brian held her and hid her tear-streaked face in his jerkin. Daniel and his girls looked at one another, helpless to do anything. Bitty hugged Jennifer from behind and apologised over and over.

Grace looked grim."We head back out. We need to regroup and think this through. I've never seen a circle do any of these things. No way Jennifer was in there for days. You only have until sundown inside the realm. Outside it is but a moment, but never for those inside. Maeve has changed the rules."

Two days later, Daniel pulled Amy, Amber, and Jasmine aside. Jennifer was still recovering. She spoke of wandering for days no longer feeling her connection to Syn. That had been the hardest part for her. She had never been so alone. She had tried what Grace had said to do, but nothing had worked. Eventually, desperate,

she had called out for help, but no one answered. Somehow, she found the mushroom circle again and lain down.

She had prayed to Syn, exerting her full will and faith to the task. Then she had felt a sliver of her presence and she had prayed all the harder. She said she had lain there praying for days. Then Syn finally found her and pulled her free.

Daniel sat at the small fire, with his witches and Bitty sitting with him. Off to the side, Grace was talking with Jason, Brian, and Jennifer.

"I want to ask you guys something," startedDaniel. "I don't know if it's possible."

Amy took his hands. "What's that, love?"

"Can we extend our witch circle to the others?We can already feel Grace and Bitty. Can we extend it to Jennifer, Brian, and Jason? And will that protect them? I know, it sounds impossible. But with what we just saw with Jennifer, we need to try something."

Amber looked thoughtful."Maybe? Mom never spoke about it. But I think a witch circle is

limited to witches and the bound spell caster. It's a spiritual bond mostly. Magical, too, I mean witches have the same power and can share that power."Amber chewed her lower lip and looked at Bitty."Bitty and the gnomes might know."

They looked at Bitty, but she shook her head.

Grace left the others and came over."Brian and Jason agree with me. It's time to go. Maeve has shown herself to Daniel. Jennifer is mentally done for the moment. She was separated from her goddess for fa r too long, and that has an effect on those tied to deities. I hate to say it, but we are done here. Maeve won't allow us to get any deeper into the Wilds now. We head back to Acron. We head out at once."

******** 下

IT TOOK THEM only two days to exit the Wilds. Grace said distance had no meaning in the Wilds. If Maeve was letting you go, she let you go, she added. Seeing Acron up the road sped them along faster and soon they trudged into the town and disappeared into the inn. After a couple of days enjoying hot food, hot baths, and soft beds, Grace said they had no

other option but to head to see her mother. If the Light fae had the egg as Maeve suggested, she said her mother might know. Brian seemed sceptical but agreed with the plan, seeing they had few other options.

A week in Acron had them all recovered from the ordeal in the Wilds. Amy had forgiven Daniel for fucking Maeve and made up for her distance by spending a memorable night with just her and Daniel alone. She walked funny for a day but with a smile on her face.

Jennifer had begged their forgiveness and disappeared for a few days to commune with Syn. Brian looked worried at her departure but when pressed he would only shake his head. Jennifer had looked distraught and small when she left.

When she returned, she looked radiant and at peace. Brian had been elated and whatever had worried him had seemed not to have happen. Worry had lined her face since she had entered the mushroom ring. She wouldn't speak of what had happened to her and Jason and Brian convinced Daniel and the witches to leave her be. It was between her and Syn. And so, they

had. Now those worries were gone, and she seemed more resolute than before.

"She is weakened," was all she said."But shegrows strong again."

Later, Brian would tell Daniel that freeing Jennifer from Maeve's grasp had likely come with a promise from Syn to Maeve. He didn't know what that would be, but worried about it. Syn wouldn't speak to him about it.

Jennifer on the other hand, seemed refreshed and more alive than before.

It was a couple of more days later that she admitted that the experience had only solidified her faith in Syn. And that Syn was doing well. That cheered Brian up and he and Jennifer grabbed Jason and found a secluded spot, near the others, to remind themselves of the wonders between consenting adults.

Amy had gone to speak to Mark Marshall about her parents. When she had returned, she had been furious. Her parents had fled Acron, the mark of Syn on their foreheads being too much for them. Mark Marshall and Kevin Kelly had

purchased the trading post from them for a steal. Amy was furious with them and their smug looks. She insisted they leave Acron immediately.

A few days later, on the road south, they camped near a small river. Daniel fashioned a fishing pole and parked himself by a sheltered bend of the river on a bank near some lily pads where a fallen tree lay in the water, providing shade for the fish. He asked for some time alone, and the witches, while looking concerned, gave him his space. They drew back from the bond and gave him time alone with his thoughts.

He returned a few hours later with six nice sized brook trout, already cleaned and ready to cook. Bitty took them from him and settled by the fire to cook them. Daniel gave her a kiss and settled down amongst his ladies. He opened the bond and sent his circle his love. Both Grace and Bitty stopped what they were doing for a moment and looked distant with a small smile on their mouths.

"Feeling better, love?" asked Amy, wrapping herhands around his left bicep, and holding tight

while he sat cross-legged on the ground. She placed her head on his shoulder.

Jasmine hugged his other side and Amber sat across from them.

"Yeah. Much better, thanks," replied Daniel."It'sbeen a bit much, hasn't it? The school didn't exactly prepare us for the Wilds, did it?"

Amy shook her head on his shoulder."No. But Glenda and Roger did. And Brian and Jason. Grace, too, obviously. They all helped us transition into true adventurers."

Daniel nodded, saying nothing else. He had come to the same conclusion while fishing. The horrors and reality of the Wilds were too much to accept. During his time fishing, he had examined it as best as he could. Mostly he wondered what the Realm would be like without Maeve's cruelty hanging over their heads. He had even tried to speak to the phoenix inside him. It had all been futile. Finally he had just pushed everything aside. All he could do was continue to push forward with his witches by his side.

"What do you think the fae lands will be like?"asked Jasmine to no one in particular.

Amber stirred and looked thoughtful."I imagine it's beautiful. Full of wonders. Magic everywhere."

Grace, sitting only a dozen yards away watching Bitty cook the fish with hunger, snorted."It's all candy and wine. You reach up and pull down a sweet. You drink from the waters and cool wine quenches your thirst..."

Jasmine looked over to Grace with wonder on her face. "Truly?"

Grace looked over at a smiling Jennifer and just shook her head.

"No, hon," said Amy. "I imagine it's just like here.Just with fae everywhere."

"Nope,"replied Grace and she rose and walkedaway.

"Something is really bothering Grace,"murmured Daniel. He watched Bitty tending the trout, now hung over the fire on sticks. A

small pot with wild potatoes and carrots she said were safe to eat boiled away at the edge of the fire and she stirred it every now and then.

"Bothering all of us, I think," added Amber.

"I don't think we have accomplished much,"sighed Daniel."We know nothing more than we did before. Except for Maeve suggesting the egg is with the Light fae."

"Do you believe her?" asked Amy.

"No."

"Then why are we doing this? Why head all theway to see Grace's mother?"