“I need to read the journal myself.” His mother held out her hand, and Petra placed it in her palm. “Petra and Maia, ask your mothers to join me in the vault, and Philip, please bring Orion. This is not a decision that can be made by one.” Then she paused. “Has anyone touched the eye?”
“No. It is kept in a glass box, which is how we were able to see it,” Petra answered.
His mother nodded then quit the room.
Petra and Maia followed his mother and Samantha left as well, though Philip couldn’t understand why. Only Antonia remained. “I should go get my book.” She turned to leave.
“Wait.”
Antonia paused and turned toward him.
“This is too dangerous.”
“No, it isn’t.”
“Why do you want to reveal the rest of the writing?” he asked.
She frowned and tilted her head, eyes narrowed. “I hope for an explanation on how to reverse the spell.”
“For me or for you.”
The “V” between her eyes deepened. “For you.”
“Me, alone?”
“Um…yes.”
“Not because you need to fix this for yourself?”
“You are most important. I need to stop you from becoming a werewolf.”
“But if you have even the slightest part of selfishness, of needing this for yourself as well, you could be blinded and that is not a risk that I am willing to take.”
“I am.”
Antonia turned and rushed from the room before he could call her back.
She held the book and stared at the Eye of Theia.
Did she do this? Was it too dangerous?
Also within the vault were the mothers of Philip, Petra and Maia, as well as Orion Drakos, cousin to Philip, and keeper of Nightshade Manor, which Antonia did not understand. Why did it need a keeper and why wasn’t the Earl of Wharton that keeper since he was the owner?
Perhaps she would learn one day but it wasn’t so important right now. Not while they were all gathered around the Eye of Theia and trying to determine if it was safe enough to touch.
“What does the journal say?” Lady Norcott asked. She was Maia’s mother.
“The Eye of Theia was created for protection. The greatest threat at the time was witch finders. This allowed the wearer to see and watch so that there would be time to hide if they were near.”
“Would that not be a selfish purpose?” Philip asked.
“It wasn’t only to protect the witch who wore it, but others who were with her. All witches, not just one,” his mother explained. “Further, it isn’t selfish if it is simply to keep oneself alive, or not be killed. Had the witch used it to go after the witch finders, no matter how much they may have deserved whatever ill befell them, the witch would have been blinded, because it would have caused harm to another.”
It was fine for self-preservation but nothing else.
“It also tells of another witch who gained control of the eye for the purpose of gaining power, and control. They were blinded.”
Antonia gave a shiver and stepped back, clutching her great-grandmother’s book to her chest.
