Daria's POV

Harriet screamed.

Not a cry. Not a whimper.

The scream with which, like lightning tearing the sky open, it broke into the forest.

I threw the bunch of herbs to my fingers and magic shot out of her like lightning flashing in the eyes. A flash of blue and silver broke out and crashed against the walls of our hiding-place. My wards had gone off round me, and could not be reined in.

"Harriet!" I ran to her.

Her little body shaken as though something was struggling to escape, she was on her knees with her chest gripped to her. Her tears were streaming like children, and were...