I paced back and forward in the small lounge, but rushed to Agnes's side when I heard her moan. "Wake up, we're here for you."

Gethin knelt beside her and took her hand in his. "Agnes, we need to get you medical treatment. You know that means a long journey to Monmouthshire."

She didn't open her eyes, but there was the slight nod of her head. Gethin gently lifted Agnes from the couch, even that made her moan. "I'm so sorry, Agnes," he muttered into her forehead as he held her.

He gently laid her down in the back of his car. I desperately wanted to go with her, but knew there was no way for me to leave the village. I felt a hand on my shoulder. "Come on Agnes, we've been through worse things together," Mrs. Miller said, slipping into the back of the car. "Soon this will be one of those tales we tell over your home brewed wine."

Why didn't I see it? Sometimes I was so self absorbed. Of course, Agnes had friendships and relationships which were longer than the one I had with her. Not everything was about me, even though I might be the cause of this trouble.

I spun around at the sound of Alun's mocking voice. He was there, smirking, as if he hadn't just tried to burn us to death. "Well, well, well. I must say, I'm impressed. I didn't think you had it in you to get out of the burning barn. Witches were always meant to die at the steak. Maybe I should have tied you down. May be next time."

I felt anger rising inside me, but before I could respond, Gethin stepped in between us, fixing Alun with a stare.

"Evie, concentrate on finding balance. We don't need your energy spiking right now," he said. "We've got this."

I nodded, my hands shaking as I tried to focus on Agnes's still formed in the back of the car. I closed my eyes, trying to block out the sounds of the confrontation behind me.

In the midst of the chaos, I thought of May. I remembered her smile and the way she always believed in me, even when I didn't believe in myself. I thought of the feel of her hugs, the smell of her perfume, the sound of her laughter.

I felt power surge through me and opened my eyes, focusing all my energy on Agnes, willing her to heal and come back to us. Hoping that I wasn't just about to release an uncontrolled burst of power which would do more damage.

Before I could do anything, I caught sight of movement out of the corner of my eye. I turned my head to see Gethin and Marcus changing into wolves. I watched in awe as their bodies shifted and changed. Somehow, seeing Gethin in his wolf form seemed natural. I didn't want to admit it to myself, but I had been looking forward to seeing him in this form. He had a large, strong, pure black animal which was moving with certainty and grace.

The wolves bounded forward with their teeth bared after Alun, who turned to run. I watched as they chased after him, their paws pounding noiselessly against the ground as they ran.

Alun faced the wolves as they ran towards him, flinging balls of fire in their direction. The firebombs flew through the air, scorching fur and filling the air with the acrid smell of smoke. Well, I guess that answered how he had started the fire in the barn, even though he had used an accelerant to make it spread.

I watched as Gethin and Marcus ducked and dived, trying to avoid the fireballs. They growled and snapped, leaping at Alun, but he was too fast, always evading them.

The firelight from the fireballs danced off something on Alun's wrist. I tried to make out what it was through the smoke and flames. My heart sank as I saw the unmistakable glow of arcanite.

I remembered Agnes telling me about the dangerous mineral, how it could amplify a warlock's power to dangerous levels. In Alun's hands, with his anger and desperation, the arcanite was a weapon of mass destruction.

"Gethin!" I shouted, my voice hoarse from the smoke. "The arcanite! It's on his wrist!"

Gethin's wolf's head turned towards me. His eyes widened as he took in what I was saying. He barked something to Marcus, and they renewed their attack, trying to get close enough to Alun to remove the bracelet.

But Alun was too quick, his magic too strong. He sent out a shockwave of energy, throwing the wolves backwards. They yelped in pain, trying to get to their feet.

I looked down at Agnes. She was pale and still. I knew I had to do something. I couldn't let Alun hurt anyone else.

I closed my eyes and reached out with my senses. I could feel the earth beneath my feet, the life force of the plants and animals around me. I drew on that power, feeling it flow through me.

I opened my eyes and looked at Alun. He turned to me, surprise in his eyes as he saw the look of determination on my face.

"You don't know what you're doing," he sneered. "You're just a novice. You can't hope to defeat me."

I stood my ground, feeling the power of the earth surging through me. I was out of my depth, but I knew I had to do something. I couldn't let Alun hurt anyone else.

Then I felt a familiar presence. It was Fiona, her shadow form materialising beside me. Her eyes widened as she took in the scene before her. The injured wolves, the scorched earth, and Alun, his face twisted with rage and the arcanite glowing on his wrist.

"Fiona!" I croaked. "Alun's using arcanite bracelets! We can't get near him!"

Fiona's shadowy form flickered and crackled with barely contained anger. She turned to face Alun.

"You dare to use arcanite against us?" she boomed. "You have no idea what you're messing with, Alun Davies."

Alun sneered. "I know exactly what I'm doing," he said. "I'm taking what's mine. And no one, not even a Shadow Weaver, is going to stop me."

He raised his hands, and the arcanite on his wrists glowed. I watched in horror as he sent a blast of energy towards Fiona. Instead of knocking her back, as I expected, it seemed to go straight through her shadow form.

She sent a blast of her own magic towards Alun, the darkness seeming to flow from her hands and swirling around him.

Alun staggered, but the arcanite protected him. He laughed.

"Is that all you've got?" he sneered.

In the shadows she sent towards him, I sensed she allowed herself to become a shadow and swirl around him. I noticed the darkness surrounding his wrists, which moved with purpose. Differently from the shadows she had sent, which seemed to act more like smoke.

Alun gasped as the bracelet flew off his wrist and into the air towards me. I caught it, feeling the power thrumming through it.

"No!" Alun screamed, lunging towards me. But without the arcanite, his magic was weakened. Gethin and Marcus leapt at him, pinning him to the ground.

I looked down at the arcanite in my hand. If it could amplify Alun's power, what would it do for mine?

I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked up to see Fiona in her physical form. "That's not a good idea. Promise me you'll never use this stuff to cause harm. It will change the essence of who you are."

I hesitated. In my hands, I had the thing that could help me destroy the man who attacked me and killed May.