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with a small bag. She got to her knees and poured the contents of the bag in her hand.
    “Sand?” Mabon asked, fighting with Stefan.
    “Earth.” She looked down at Stefan and sprinkled some on his forehead. “Trap of sand, trap this bane and evil will.” She sprinkled more. “Trap of sand, I place a bind upon Stefan.” His body went immobile in their hands, and he looked up at her.
    “What happened? What’s happening to me?”
    She stroked his head. “I don’t know.”
    “You, my friend, are possessed,” Aarawn replied.
    “Can we let him go?” Rowan asked.
    “Yeah, he’s okay for now.” Autumn felt the darkness ease around Stefan. Hiding?
    They let him go and gave him room to sit up. “Possessed by what?” he asked, rubbing his head. Hunger still gripped him but controllable now.  His eyes widened as he looked over at Adair, and then River. He got to his feet, wanting to apologize.
    “I don’t know, but we have to find out,” Mabon said, watching him go over to the picnic table.
    River moved over, making a cross with his fingers. “Away, evil demon!”
    “I think that only works for vampires.” Drake shook his head, trying not to laugh.
    “He tried to bite me!”
    “Actually, it looked like he was going to eat you,” Aarawn pointed out. River shuddered and got up, walking to the other side of the table.
     
    ****
    By the next day the small binding had faded away, letting the evil presence in Stefan break through. They had to tie him down while they figured out what to do next. Anatha and Aarawn went to gather the herbs from Autumn’s greenhouse. Mabon and Autumn were cracking the books, looking for the beasty inside Stefan.
    “A teacher, eh? I bet the kids are missing you,” Mabon said.
    “Nah,” she replied as her mind wandered. “Bunch of ungrateful heathens, mostly.” If the bad people got to Stefan, could they get to the others? Rowan? River? What would she do if something bad happened to them? Her dream came to her, and she stared at the book with wide eyes.
    My choice , she thought.
    Aarawn and Anatha walked in with a bag. Stefan howled.  “Shut up!” Anatha shouted. “He’s as bad as Envy’s dog. Any luck?”
    “Not really,” Mabon said.
    Autumn looked down at the book and what she had opened it to. Cwn Annwn, Hounds of the Hill. Very large white dogs with red ears. Stefan’s aura was white with red specks. Dogs of the hunt. Belonging to the fairies of the Underworld. Underworld! Her mind repeated.
    “I found it!” she said happily. “He’s possessed by the Dogs of the Hunt!”
    “The hounds of Arawen,” Aarawn said. “Why didn’t I think of that?” He walked around Stefan, watching him closer. “The evidence is there. Plus it’s the only beast dog thing relatively close to Arawen.”
    “Only one, though. Stefan would have been torn apart if it was the whole pack,” Mabon said.
    “So what now?” Anatha asked.
    “We have to get him to Fontane,” Mabon replied.
    “Who?” Autumn and Anatha asked at the same time.
    “Not who … where. It’s the witch’s safe haven.”
    “I’ll contact Pyrus,” Aarawn said, leaving the room.
    “I’m going to go with you guys,” Autumn said, looking up from her book, her mind on Rowan and River.
    “I think Pyrus wanted you two to come along anyway to teach you more about your magic,” Mabon said, hiding the fact that he would enjoy his sister coming along, wanting to get to know her better. There were so many lost years they had to make up for.
    “Can the guys come?” Anatha asked.
    Autumn shook her head. “You know they want to go find their families. I think it might be best if they go.”
    “Autumn.”
    “No. We are not putting them in danger. They’ll be okay farther away from us right now. Plus, this way, they can take Envy and Ivy Lee with them. You know everyone wants them to take a small vacation.” Anatha nodded, not sure it was a good idea
     
    ****
    Rowan stopped turning the hay with the pitchfork