Everyone paused to look at me. “ Why are you even here, Joanne?” I used her name and not Mother. She glared at me. 

“Well, if you must know,” Joanne sighed. “Holly stole something from me. If I hold Sedge here for ransom…ha! I might just get what I want.”

Confusion rippled across Holly’s face, and I suddenly realized, I was what she “stole”. 

“She didn't steal me,” I butted in. “I willingly came to her, because she loves me. Unlike you, who only wants me for my magic.” I took a breath. “ You want magic? I’ll give you magic.”

I reached out my hand, shaking a little. Not gonna lie, I was terrified. But I had to do this.

“ꍏꂢꇩꌅꑀ ꁹꆪꄽꌅ!”

I tried out a spell I had learned the day before, making vines thunder out of the ground, crashing into Joanne and Sedge. Luckily, Sedge was fine, and he was able to run over to Holly with ease. 

“Go run inside, find your father. Go Sedge, now.” Holly instructed him.  Joanne was already standing upright, not affected too much by the vines. I scowled. Using magic was hard, and I was tired. Of course, she could just brush mine off! 

“Aster! Ariel,” I turned around, facing them. “I need your help. Please.”