1
00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:03,560
Speaker 1: A familiar is not chosen, A familiar chooses, and the

2
00:00:03,600 --> 00:00:08,240
magic obeys. The Nine Old Laws of witchcraft scratched into

3
00:00:08,279 --> 00:00:12,320
Henry's first scratching post. Henry knew something was changing long

4
00:00:12,359 --> 00:00:17,839
before Silver did. Witches were always emotional volcanoes brilliant, chaotic,

5
00:00:18,039 --> 00:00:22,600
occasionally explosive, but this shift was different. Magic in the

6
00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:26,760
hollow hummed louder. Old pathways stirred beneath the roots of

7
00:00:26,800 --> 00:00:30,559
the pines. The lamp post flickered at odd hours, as

8
00:00:30,559 --> 00:00:34,359
if trying to blink out a warning, and Henry Henry

9
00:00:34,399 --> 00:00:37,600
felt his wings tingling beneath his fur, a sign he

10
00:00:37,640 --> 00:00:42,399
had hoped would never return. He sat atop the cottage cabinets,

11
00:00:42,719 --> 00:00:46,280
grooming a wing with unnecessary aggression, when Silver called up

12
00:00:46,320 --> 00:00:49,600
to him, Henry, are you all right, No.

13
00:00:49,960 --> 00:00:53,000
Speaker 2: Henry said flatly, I am preemptively annoyed.

14
00:00:53,640 --> 00:01:00,439
Speaker 1: Silver frowned by what the future? She stared. He continued

15
00:01:00,479 --> 00:01:03,119
grooming with the air of a philosopher who'd lived too

16
00:01:03,159 --> 00:01:07,680
long to explain things concisely. The Fernwood bloodline a problem.

17
00:01:09,159 --> 00:01:12,280
Silver sat at the table with her journal open, flipping

18
00:01:12,319 --> 00:01:16,640
through pages of her mother's handwriting, Henry, what does it mean?

19
00:01:16,680 --> 00:01:21,159
That fernwood witches guard the space between. Henry paused midlick.

20
00:01:21,719 --> 00:01:25,879
His ears twitched, his wings rustled once, like memory passing

21
00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:26,799
through him.

22
00:01:27,159 --> 00:01:30,959
Speaker 2: It means, Henry said slowly, that your family was not

23
00:01:31,120 --> 00:01:32,959
made to stay in one world.

24
00:01:33,560 --> 00:01:37,280
Speaker 1: Silver blinked. But that sounds incredibly stressful.

25
00:01:38,319 --> 00:01:40,239
Speaker 2: Yes, Henry said, it is.

26
00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:44,560
Speaker 1: He hopped down, landing gracefully, wings tucked tight.

27
00:01:45,359 --> 00:01:50,719
Speaker 2: Magic runs in lines, Silver. Most witches cast spells, some heel,

28
00:01:51,200 --> 00:01:55,319
some manipulate the elements. Some brew potions so potent they

29
00:01:55,400 --> 00:01:58,159
violate several culinary safety guidelines.

30
00:01:58,920 --> 00:02:03,000
Speaker 1: Silver winced, like my clarity potion. Henry ignored that.

31
00:02:03,799 --> 00:02:07,000
Speaker 2: But Fernwood's fern Wood's guard the thresholds.

32
00:02:07,599 --> 00:02:12,840
Speaker 1: Silver hesitated, thresholds between what Henry looked up at her

33
00:02:13,560 --> 00:02:17,199
really looked with ancient eyes that had watched centuries shift

34
00:02:17,199 --> 00:02:17,719
around him.

35
00:02:18,360 --> 00:02:22,560
Speaker 2: Between the worlds, he said, quietly, and between the living

36
00:02:22,639 --> 00:02:25,599
and the lost time and more.

37
00:02:26,599 --> 00:02:30,759
Speaker 1: The word more held an ominous glow. Silver's heartbeat stuttered.

38
00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:36,840
A chill swept the room. My family did that. Henry's

39
00:02:36,840 --> 00:02:38,199
tail curled around her ankle.

40
00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:42,240
Speaker 2: Yes, he murmured, and now so will you.

41
00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:49,479
Speaker 1: The origin of Henry properly told. Silver swallowed Henry, how

42
00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:53,439
old are you? Exactly? Henry stared at her, unimpressed.

43
00:02:54,039 --> 00:02:58,560
Speaker 2: I am timeless, so very old. Rude.

44
00:02:59,039 --> 00:03:02,280
Speaker 1: Silver bit her lip. Are you older than Fernwood Hollow?

45
00:03:03,199 --> 00:03:04,479
Henry narrowed his eyes.

46
00:03:05,159 --> 00:03:08,000
Speaker 2: Define older, Henry.

47
00:03:08,520 --> 00:03:13,159
Speaker 1: He sighed, loudly, dramatically, as if she were interrupting his retirement.

48
00:03:14,319 --> 00:03:18,039
Speaker 2: Fine, the truth is this, I was created long before

49
00:03:18,199 --> 00:03:22,159
Fernwood Hollow had cottages or gardens or a bench for

50
00:03:22,280 --> 00:03:23,560
dramatic revelations.

51
00:03:24,240 --> 00:03:30,360
Speaker 1: Silver leaned forward, created by who? Henry's wings unfurled, not fully,

52
00:03:31,039 --> 00:03:33,840
just enough that the silver light shimmering along the feathers

53
00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:35,159
illuminated the kitchen.

54
00:03:35,960 --> 00:03:41,280
Speaker 2: A witch, he said, voice softening, not Rowan, not your

55
00:03:41,319 --> 00:03:42,840
mother older.

56
00:03:43,520 --> 00:03:45,080
Speaker 1: Silver's breath caught.

57
00:03:45,400 --> 00:03:48,479
Speaker 2: Her name was Queen Erelithe Fernwood.

58
00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:51,800
Speaker 1: Silver whispered, my ancestor.

59
00:03:51,879 --> 00:03:56,879
Speaker 2: The first. Henry confirmed. She forged, the line, built the hollow,

60
00:03:57,439 --> 00:04:01,560
spoke with magic as easily as breathing, and summoned forth

61
00:04:01,599 --> 00:04:02,319
the dragons.

62
00:04:03,080 --> 00:04:06,960
Speaker 1: Silver pressed a hand to her chest. A queen was

63
00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:07,759
she powerful?

64
00:04:08,719 --> 00:04:13,800
Speaker 2: Henry's gaze distant, terrifyingly and kind and lonely.

65
00:04:14,719 --> 00:04:15,400
Speaker 1: He looked away.

66
00:04:16,240 --> 00:04:20,639
Speaker 2: She called me into being from moonlight, feather, memory and

67
00:04:20,759 --> 00:04:22,319
something she refused to name.

68
00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:27,120
Speaker 1: Silver smiled gently. She made you because she was lonely.

69
00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:30,160
Henry cleared his throat with a fence.

70
00:04:31,519 --> 00:04:34,720
Speaker 2: She did not make me, but she required assistance. I

71
00:04:34,839 --> 00:04:42,000
simply stayed longer than necessary. But yes, also, companionship, which

72
00:04:42,079 --> 00:04:44,759
is without familiars, do tend to explode.

73
00:04:45,439 --> 00:04:48,360
Speaker 1: Silver blinked emotionally.

74
00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:50,000
Speaker 2: Among other ways.

75
00:04:50,360 --> 00:04:55,639
Speaker 1: The overarching truth Henry has avoided telling her. Silver returned

76
00:04:55,639 --> 00:05:00,560
to the journal. Henry, the spirit yesterday, the one with

77
00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:06,079
the silver glow, was that Queen Arelith. Henry went still, too, still.

78
00:05:06,959 --> 00:05:13,879
Finally he said, mayhaps. Silver exhaled shakily. Oh. I wasn't sure,

79
00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:15,040
because she felt.

80
00:05:15,519 --> 00:05:19,480
Speaker 2: But Henry added, you are not ready. Just know it

81
00:05:19,560 --> 00:05:24,000
was connected to her, to your bloodline, to the hollow waking.

82
00:05:25,000 --> 00:05:29,800
Speaker 1: Silver looked up slowly. What does that mean? Henry stretched

83
00:05:29,800 --> 00:05:33,439
his wings once, as if preparing for something heavy.

84
00:05:33,480 --> 00:05:36,040
Speaker 2: It means the barrier between worlds is thinning.

85
00:05:36,600 --> 00:05:41,000
Speaker 1: And when that happens, Silver waited. Henry's voice dropped.

86
00:05:41,680 --> 00:05:43,439
Speaker 2: Something is preparing to cross.

87
00:05:44,319 --> 00:05:49,199
Speaker 1: The room felt colder, quieter, cross from where Silver whispered.

88
00:05:49,959 --> 00:05:54,319
Henry didn't answer, not directly, because he didn't want to lie,

89
00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:57,720
and he wasn't ready to tell her the truth. Not yet.

90
00:05:58,079 --> 00:06:03,759
Magic misbehaves again. Silver pushed her hair back, trembling slightly.

91
00:06:04,319 --> 00:06:07,839
But Henry, if something is coming through, what are we

92
00:06:07,920 --> 00:06:13,319
supposed to do? Henry hopped onto her lap unusually gentle.

93
00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:16,839
Speaker 2: Prepare, learn, grow stronger, and.

94
00:06:17,439 --> 00:06:24,360
Speaker 1: He hesitated trust colt. Silver's cheeks flushed. Why him? Henry's

95
00:06:24,399 --> 00:06:25,519
wings shimmered faintly.

96
00:06:26,519 --> 00:06:30,399
Speaker 2: Because fern woods do not guard the threshold alone, he said,

97
00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:34,279
they never have. The mcmillans were the other half.

98
00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:38,839
Speaker 1: Silver blinked the what Henry sighed.

99
00:06:39,360 --> 00:06:42,439
Speaker 2: Oh, stars, I really must do everything.

100
00:06:43,480 --> 00:06:49,279
Speaker 1: The McMillan connection, or why fate has no subtlety? Henry

101
00:06:49,319 --> 00:06:52,240
paste tail swishing like an irritated metronome.

102
00:06:53,240 --> 00:06:57,800
Speaker 2: Your line, he said, opens the threshold. His line keeps

103
00:06:57,800 --> 00:07:02,160
it stable. Together. Fern wood and McMillan prevent the worlds

104
00:07:02,199 --> 00:07:03,720
from tearing into each other.

105
00:07:04,319 --> 00:07:05,480
Speaker 1: Silver's eyes widened.

106
00:07:06,079 --> 00:07:12,040
Speaker 2: That sounds important, it is, Henry said, disastrously so. And

107
00:07:12,079 --> 00:07:16,240
the hollow only awakens both bloodlines when something threatens the balance.

108
00:07:16,879 --> 00:07:21,319
Speaker 1: Silver swallowed hard, are we in danger? Henry glanced toward

109
00:07:21,399 --> 00:07:28,600
the window, where Twilight pressed against the glass like an observer. Oh, absolutely, Silver, squeaked,

110
00:07:29,319 --> 00:07:31,000
Henry continued, but.

111
00:07:31,040 --> 00:07:34,439
Speaker 2: Do not be dramatic. The danger is not here yet.

112
00:07:34,720 --> 00:07:35,879
It is simply.

113
00:07:36,040 --> 00:07:41,160
Speaker 1: Awake elsewhere in the woods. Colt stood beneath the pines,

114
00:07:41,560 --> 00:07:45,240
pendant glowing hot against his chest. He didn't know why

115
00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:48,439
the magic reacted to him, or why it whispered Silver's

116
00:07:48,480 --> 00:07:51,360
name like a memory, or why the hollow hummed like

117
00:07:51,399 --> 00:07:54,560
a giant heartbeat beneath the soil, but he felt it.

118
00:07:55,160 --> 00:07:58,759
Something was coming. Thunder snorted beside him, stamping the earth.

119
00:07:59,279 --> 00:08:01,199
Colt exhaled, I know.

120
00:08:01,199 --> 00:08:01,800
Speaker 2: He murmured.

121
00:08:02,160 --> 00:08:05,839
Speaker 1: We're running out of time. Back at the cottage, Silver

122
00:08:05,879 --> 00:08:10,120
wrapped her arms around herself. Henry, what if I'm not

123
00:08:10,360 --> 00:08:16,600
enough for this? His wings unfolded gently, protectively, curling around

124
00:08:16,639 --> 00:08:18,399
her shoulders like moonlit armor.

125
00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:23,959
Speaker 2: You are fern wood, he whispered, and fern wood does

126
00:08:24,040 --> 00:08:24,680
not break.

127
00:08:25,480 --> 00:08:29,399
Speaker 1: Silver leaned into him. Will you stay with me, Henry

128
00:08:29,439 --> 00:08:30,800
pretended to scoff.

129
00:08:31,160 --> 00:08:34,840
Speaker 2: I vowed to stay. My vow is stronger than steal.

130
00:08:35,679 --> 00:08:39,679
Speaker 1: But his wings never left her. Outside, the lamp post flickered,

131
00:08:40,279 --> 00:08:44,399
the hollow trembled lightly like a sleeper stirring, and somewhere

132
00:08:44,440 --> 00:08:47,320
deep within the forest, something answered the stir with a

133
00:08:47,360 --> 00:08:52,879
faint echo. Soon Henry's wings tightened, Silver closed her eyes,

134
00:08:53,639 --> 00:08:56,440
and the story stepped one chapter closer to the truth.