Gethin looked at me. "I need to get back, oversee the team."

I nodded. "I'll be fine here."

He paused, then nodded and strode back towards the forest. I watched him go. I was a mixture of nerves and determination. I needed to see Fiona.

But why? Was it because I thought she was a suspect? If that were true, was I being incredibly foolish visiting her alone? Or was it because I wanted to find out more about this balance she had mentioned?

I took a deep breath, feeling the earth's pulse beneath my feet. I felt drawn to Fiona's shop.

As I walked through the streets of Llyncroft, the midday sun caressed my skin. I looked up at Fiona's shop. The windows were dark even in the middle of the day.

I pushed on the shop door, and it slowly opened. I wasn't sure if I was making the right decision. Was I walking into a lioness's den or seeking advice from a friend?

Fiona looked up from a book she was reading at the counter. "Evie," she said. "To what do I owe this unexpected visit?"

I stepped inside. The air was heavy with the scent of old wood and paper. "I wanted to talk," I said, not sure if that was true.

Fiona looked at me, then nodded towards the two chairs between the bookshelves. "Then let's talk."

Fiona's slender fingers wrapped around an ornate teapot and poured me a cup of tea. She handed the cup over to me. I took it, enjoying the warmth seeping through the china.

I could smell the floral scent rising from the tea. It was good to focus on something so normal. Fiona sat opposite me, never taking her eyes off me.

I wasn't sure how to approach the reason I was here. Time to pull up my big girl pants and trust we had built a friendship, which I wasn't just about to break.

I took a sip of the tea. It was a complex mix of herbs and flowers, which was a testament to Fiona's attention to detail. It was just what I needed to calm my nerves. I knew there was no easy way to ask my question, so I decided to be direct.

"Fiona," I said, carefully putting down my cup. "Why did you take the arcanite from Bella's hand?"

Fiona held my gaze for a moment, her eyes as cold as ice. Then she leaned back in her chair. Her face darkened.

Fiona sighed. "I had to take the chance of being seen," she said. "The villagers have suspected me and my motives for centuries."

She looked down at the teacup in her hands. "But I recognised the arcanite, Evie. I knew it was dangerous." Her voice was urgent, but quiet. I wanted to ask her about the centuries comment but I knew I needed to listen first.

"The stone has great power. If it were to fall into the wrong hands. The damage I've seen it done over the years," Fiona trailed off, her face dark. "I took it to protect Bella." There was no doubt in her voice, and I believed her.

The room felt smaller somehow. She watched me, waiting for my reaction.

I nodded. "I think I get it," I said. "You were protecting Bella. But why?"

Fiona's eyes were concerned as she spoke. "Bella, as a young witch, she is like a magnet to the stone. It would enhance her creativity, but also her emotional vulnerability. The stone isn't evil, Evie. It just amplifies what is there, and cause her to become psychotic."

I frowned, taking in the information. "So it's not evil," I said. "But it could be dangerous?"

"Exactly," Fiona nodded. "Arcanite has a way of intensifying a person's essence. In someone like Bella, who is only just discovering her powers and the world around her, the effects could be unpredictable and overwhelming."

I sat back, taking in this new information. The stone wasn't evil. It was a catalyst. It brought out and intensified a person's latent characteristics, and they could either flourish or go out of control.

"And you," Fiona said, leaning in. "You feel its call, don't you? As an Earth Elemental, the stone would just deepen your connection to the land."

I shivered. She was right. I had felt drawn to the stone Bella had found before it was taken. It resonated with me, and now I knew why.

I sat in silence for a moment, the tea cup warming my hands. "So, what do we do with it?" I asked. "If it's so powerful?"

Fiona looked at me. "We need to keep it safe," she said firmly. "And out of the hands of people who would use it for evil."

I knew there was more I needed to tell her, but felt a reluctance.

I took a sip of tea. The warmth spread through me. "There's something else," I said. "Stones were taken from the ground by force. The earth, I heard it scream."

Fiona's face remained impassive, but her eyes sharpened, silver in the dim light of her shop. "And you think it was me?" Her voice was calm, but I could see the tension in her body.

I nodded. "Well, there was a shadow, like when you took the stones from Bella. It could have been you." I was careful with my words, watching for any change in her demeanour, second guessing myself for being so direct. If she had taken the stones, I had now put myself in danger.

Fiona was silent for a moment. The only sound was the ticking of an old clock on the wall.

She leaned forward. "Evie," she said. "I've done a lot of things in my life, some I'm not proud of, but I've never hurt the earth for arcanite." She denied it, but there was something in her eyes. I wasn't sure if it was understanding or regret.

"I've seen what happens when arcanite is taken from the land," Fiona said. "It's not just taking power, it's destroying our world. I would never do that."

I studied her, looking for any sign she was lying. Fiona looked sincere.

"Do you know anyone or seen anything that might explain this?" I asked. "Whoever it is doesn't care about the balance you told me about, which is why I didn't think it was you."

Fiona looked away for a moment before meeting my gaze. "I have my suspicions," she said. "There are those who want power and don't care about the consequences."

The bell above the shop door rang, and Gethin entered. "Like this one," said Fiona.