Exton

Leaving a second floor room after delivering room service, Ike pauses. There is a feeling, a distinct path of... something. She refocuses her eyes, looking for the telltale remnants of magic. Multihued sparkles glimmer before her Gargoyle sight, floating in one direction as if following something. Breathing deep, she opens her inner sight to the Wards.

She feels Pandora's spell, the touch point where it passed through the Wards. She also feels something else. There is a second casting downstairs, similar but not... quite. There is a touch of unease brushing her mind. Ike follows it with her thoughts. A sudden flare of panic is hidden quickly, but fear presses hard against the thin shielding. Ike focuses on the wall, feeling the panic rising. Chloe!

Tia Ike... M..m..momma will be mad.

The fear in the little girl's thoughts has Ike racing towards the nursery. She touches on Teri, finding the baby boy laughing and amused by something. She feels Ob and Pandora hurrying towards her. Their questions are met with her own. Chloe has a stronger wall than any of them expected.

Ike throws open the nursery door, expecting to find chaos. Instead she finds Chloe curled up in the Nanny's arms, sobbing, while Teri reaches toward the ceiling, feet kicking in joy. There is a whirling mass of magic bouncing along the ceiling like a large ball. Whenever it touches the walls, it stops for a moment, then slingshots in another direction.

"Gitanilla, what is it?"

Chloe looks up at her aunt. "It's momma's 'tection spell. I was pretendin. I didn' do it a' purpose."

"Of course you didn'..."

Ike throws up her hands instinctively to ward off the ball of magic flying straight at her. It had bounced off the other wall and zoomed straight at her head. Stunned, she finds the magic caught in her palms. Instead of the magic channeling through her, the spell became quiescent as if waiting for direction. She feels her brother and Pandora in the doorway behind her, but keeps Chloe's attention on herself so the child doesn't clam up.

Ike stares at the swirling mass, refocusing as she was taught as a young gargoyle. The colors are gemlike to one who can see magic. She can pick out several threads to the spell, a fluid tapestry of color and intent. She can see protection, love, and excitement, along with a touch of pride swirling in the mixture.

"Wow... Chloe, this is beautiful."

The little girl watches the ball in her aunt's hands. "Really? I did good?" The tears have stopped, replaced by fascination, and relief at her aunt's praise. At Ike's nod, she opens up more. "But it wouldn't GO! Momma's left. Mine got bigger, then followed me..."

"It just needs to escape the Wards, I think... or merge with them. I am not sure which, but your mama' would." Ike shifts the mass to one hand, running her other along the edge of it.

"Momma will be mad. She told me not to play with magic till I was bigger."

Pandora steps around Ike and peers closely at the spell in her hands. Chloe bites her lower lip, tears filling her eyes. "I'm sorry momma. I wasn't castin... I was showing dolly..."

Pandora gathers her daughter in her arms. "Not mad sweetie... but let's see if we can send this where it needs to go. Ike, what do you see?"

"There are strands here, some look much like yours when you cast, but there are others that are deeper in tone, more jewel colored."

Pandora nods. "Then Chloe needs to direct it. I could take it apart, dispel it, but it is a protection spell by the feel of it." She turns to Chloe, calm outward while her insides are a twisted mass of pride and subsiding fear. "It's your spell, so you need to send it. Unless you want me to show you how to take it apart."

Chloe's eyes go large as she realizes her mother is not scolding her. "Send it?"

Pandora nods. She whispers instructions into Chloe's ear. The little girl does as she is told, Pandora bolstering the strength of the sending with a little of her own skill. The ball lifts slowly and sinks through the wall. They follow it into the hall and watch as it escapes into the night.

Ob looks at Ike, voicing what he knows his wife wants to know as well. "How did you do that? Gargoyles channel energy, not capture and play with a spell."

Ike shrugs. "I just... caught it."

Pandora purses her lips, thinking. The trio reenters the nursery. Ob picks up Teri and bouncing the boy on his hip as the nanny straightens up a bit.

"Tori can cast spells. You can hold them." He looks at Pandora, then at Chloe. "Our daughter can already cast spells..." I think Chloe's Witchcrafting classes need to start."

Pandora nods, her mind already rearranging her schedule to make time for lessons.

"Ike, would you like to sit in as well? There may be something useful for you. I remember Tori saying you have Witches in your ancestry."

Ike looks down at her hands, then at the wall the spell disappeared through. She can still see vestiges of the energy. Her words are slow, but thoughtful.

"I think that would be a very good idea..."