Read Online The Dashing Witch (The Ward Witches) by Lauren McMinn - Free Book Online Page B

Ward as a person, but I’ve heard that he’s a very strong water witch. It might help to have someone like that on your side.”
    “ I’ll keep that in mind.” Melanie's tone clearly said that keeping it in mind was as far as that would go.
    “ Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to do a little silent meditation and examine your condition. If I’m going to help you, I’ll need to see what we’re dealing with.”
    “ Go ahead.”
    Unlike Dymphna, who only took a few moments to make her assessment, Carol took a full fifteen minutes before she spoke. “The baby is less than a month old, and is just barely starting to grow.”
    “ Yes.”
    “ Even with bed rest and Dymphna’s diet, once the baby starts growing faster and larger, your body will never be able to keep up with the amount of magic that is needed to both maintain your systems and let the baby grow. Your own magic is so strong that your body is hard-pressed to keep that up, much less another's needs. Plainly speaking, unless you get regular infusions of magic, you’ll miscarry, and possibly hurt yourself in the process.”
    “ What?” Melanie was aghast.
    Carol continued. “As Dymphna said, a baby born of two among the most powerful witches in America is going to be a powerful witch. If it can get as much magic as it needs. Some extra magic might help keep it alive, but it will never reach its true potential as a witch unless the baby gets enough energy flowing through its system to prepare it for its future as a witch. It's an amazing opportunity for the community of witches, but it's going to be an amazing hell on your body in the interim.”
    “ So what are you saying?”
    “ Neither I nor any witch in this area has enough magic to spare to help you enough to help you with that level of a strong witch baby. Blood calls to blood, and a family member’s magic would be more potent. Do you have any family that are water witches?”
    “ No. My father is fire, and he would be the only family really to speak of, even if he hadn’t disowned me.”
    “ I’m trying to be blunt here so that you don’t misunderstand. I'm not trying to be cruel. But your only hope is getting magic from Dymphna or Justin. She’s the baby’s aunt, and a damn sight stronger than I am. I can get you through adequately for now, but by the time the second trimester rolls around, I don’t believe that all the witches here working together or in shifts could spare enough to give you what you need.”
    Melanie was flabbergasted. “I didn’t expect that.”
    “ Neither did I. Call Dymphna and put her on speaker phone. We need a plan and there’s no time to lose.”
    Because of the time difference, Dymphna was still at work, so she took a few minutes to secure her privacy for as long as the three of them needed to talk.
    “ Hello, Carol. Haven’t heard from you in a long time.”
    “ Indeed, it’s been too long. Now I’m here with Melanie, and we’ve been discussing her baby.”
    “ Ah.” The syllable was poignant.
    “ I hate to say it, but it’s going to need a blood connection and more power than I can bring to bear to get her through this pregnancy.”
    “ Damn. I had really hoped otherwise.”
    “ I feel bad about this, but I’m not going to pretend to do something I can’t, especially not when a baby's health potentially in danger.”
    “ What are we going to do?” Melanie asked.
    “ How long can you help her?” Dymphna asked Carol.
    “ Another month, maybe two.”
    “ That’s your time-line, Melanie. I can’t get away from work to come to LA, so you’re going to have to come back to Boston. We’ll get you a room in Ward Manor, and you don’t have to see Justin if you don’t want to. But before that month, maybe two, is over, you need to be here so I can help.”
    Melanie felt her stomach drop. “Damn.”
    “ I know. I hate to uproot you like this, but we really need to or I wouldn’t ask.”
    “ I understand. Well there’s nothing holding