Nicko felt at ease when he was on the water. He could feel the storm brewing. It made him just a bit uneasy. He knew Snorri felt it too. He shok his head as he readied to sail. Marcia still didn't understand boats. Or water for that matter.
      Alice breathed in the wet air. It smelled like a storm. Why had Marcia insisted on going this instant? She lowered her brow with a frown. Alice glanced over at Torri. She seemed excited to go on a boat.
   "First time?" She asked softly. Torri nodded and her face fell. Worry flooded her senses. Alice gave her a sympathetic look. She couldn't remeber her first time on a boat. The water had been her friend for as long as she coulf remeber, so if course she learned to sail early.
    "Madame Alice-"
    "It'll be okay. Do you want to hear a story? It's about a girl named Tod." Alice spoke softly. Torri, who was always intrigued by fairytales, nodded egarly. Alice smiled and ushered her and Ethan under the boat. Even as she distracted herself from the threat, Alice could sense something brewing. It wasn't just a storm either.
 
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     Marcia didn't know what had set her on going this instant, but she couldn't fight it. She shuddered when the wind off the moat hit her. The wind she didn't mind, but what really made her shake was the fact that some darke force was able to take over her actions and thoughts. Who were they and what were they after? The wind started to blow harder and the boat rocked with such force that Marcia toppled over.
  "We're reachin' the place where the storm is on land. The effects'll be on the moat and the river. I'm thinking there's another storm farther down too." Nicko yelled over the howls of the wind. Marcia grumbled and sat herself up.

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   Ethan could feel boat sloshing around in the moat. Hopefully it would end soon or he'd get sick. Alice popped down below deck.
  "Just a thunderstorm nearby." She said. Ethan nodded and got comfortable. Torri had herself wrapped up like a child in school waiting go the teacher to tell them exciting news. He knew she liked fairytales, he did too. Alice settled herself on a stray crate that creaked so much it could only be empty.
   "Okay, would you like to hear the story of Tod, the fishy wizard?" She asked. Torri nodded with wide eyes. The story was her own, but twisted a bit. Torri wouldn't know the difference. "It was a long, long time ago on a stormy night. Tod's friend had just been taken by were-beasts. She didn't know it at the time, but that night, her life would change forever. It was all because of the Magykal river storm..." Alice continued.
   Ethan felt the Magyk in the air. There was a strange feel to it. Like somone was calling someone. This.was powerful Magyk. It wasn't the good kind either.

~~~~~~••••~~~~~~

Hey guysa sorry for the looooong hiatus. Don't kill me! School started and I don't have much time to myself. I'm a very busy person. Hey, quick question, who do you think should be Septimus' wife, or is it widow? Please tell me in the comments! Thanks!

- TT