All the cards

1

"So you're clear on the plan?" Amity was walking with her brother.
"Yes, Amity. I'm going to go meet Hayley, bring her back here where your friend will undo the curse." Elijah sighed.
"Good." Amity said. "Nik's made himself scarce for the evening."
"I know, and Freya's going out with Amira. You will be waiting here with the children. Freya put a boundary spell and a cloaking spell around Esther, so she can't leave."
"Good."
"I'll bring her back, sister."
"I know- I just. Hayley's going to be back. I can hardly believe it."
"Well, believe-" Elijah stopped mid sentence as his sister gasped, arching her back, her arms hanging limply by her side. Her eyes flashed a bright green. "Amity!" He said, picking her up and speeding her to her room. Her eyes rolled back, showing the whites of her eyes and she began to shudder and convulse as Elijah brought out his phone to call Freya. She didn't pick up and he tried to hold Amity down. He walked to the door to call Freya verbally, afraid to leave his sister alone. Soon, Amity stopped and sat up. "Amity." He walked to her side and she looked at him.
"Lia." She whispered, and disappeared.
"Amity!" He called. "Ami!" There was no answer and he decided to call her phone. It started to ring and he noticed it on her bedside table. Freya walks in.
"Yes Elijah?"
"Amity- she disappeared."
"What do you mean?"
"She was going through our plans for tonight, again, but mid-sentence she stopped and went unconscious and started to convulse. Her eyes changed colour, and she woke up and she just disappeared. Even when teleporting, Amity at least needs a spell."
"Any dizzy spells?"
"No, not this time. She didn't even fall. She was upright, except she was... bent backwards?"
"What colour?"
"What?"
"What colour were her eyes?"
"Green. A really bright green." Freya frowned biting her lip. "She said 'Lia' before disappearing."
"Of course." Freya scoffed. "Aria?!" There was no reply. "We need answers." Aeliana popped up.
"Hi, can't really talk."
"Where the hell is my sister?" Freya fisted her hand, trying to telekinetically choke her. It didn't work, and Aeliana just shrugged it off.
"You remember our deal? Turns out my psycho brother came earlier than expected."
"What did you do to Amity?"
"I gave her her magic back." She shrugged. "She's fine. She can't come, and I should also go." Aeliana shrugged and disappeared.
"What deal?" Elijah turned to Freya.
"Well, in return for saving Hayley, she wanted Amity to help her get her brother in check. It's a long story."
"Sounds it. I guess we continue as planned. But I need you to babysit."
"What, really?"
"Yes really. You can have your night out after. Right now, we don't have Amity and I need to get Hayley."
"Okay, fine." Freya said. "We'll stay in."
"Thank you." Elijah looked at his watch. "I should get going. I will see you soon, sister."
"See you." Freya waved as he left. She looked at Amity's rumpled bed and sighed walking back out to her own room.

Elijah drove out to the bayou, where he'd usually met Hayley with the children and started putting out a spread of food. He'd only just finished when he heard a truck approaching. A man stepped out, heavily armed with assault rifles.
"Hell of a spot for a picnic." He said.
"Yes, if you can tolerate the mosquitoes, it's actually rather serene." Elijah replied, picking up a platter. "Finger sandwich?" The man didn't move so Elijah put it back down again.
"Trouble is, you're trespassing. This whole area is now property of Kingmaker Land Development. In two years, it's gonna be golf courses and condos." Two other armed men got out of the car, standing behind the first across from Elijah.
"I take it you're not on the Board of Directors?"
"Uh, my team and I are ... animal control. There's been an influx of wild predators. My boss pays, uh, top dollar to wipe them out.
"Wild predators?" Elijah asked.
"Wolves, if you could believe it. Killed a half dozen last night." He held up his rifle. "And this baby can take a head clean off." Elijah smiled fakely at the man and took a step toward the hunters. "Anyway, I'm gonna have to ask you to clear out ASAP." He clapped Elijah on the shoulder and Elijah used that to grab his the arm and twisting it so hard behind his back that the bones snap loudly. The other two hunters immediately raised their guns aiming it at Elijah, but he easily sped towards them, disarmed them, and shoved them so that they fell flat on their backs on the ground. The first hunter, whose broken arm was then cradled against his chest, attempted to lean on his rifle and stand to his feet. Elijah walked back over to him, taking his gun, throwing it aside, and grabbed him in a choke-hold. He looked at him in the eyes, preparing to compel him:
"Call off your men. You leave this place. You find another line of work. No more dead wolves."
"I'm just an independent contractor. There are other teams out there. I don't have the authority to-" Elijah snapped the man's neck so as not to hear any more of his excuses and sighed looking out to the trees, hoping Hayley would soon show up.