Curse Broken (Cursed Descent (MistHallow Academy) #3)

29. Matilda

29

MATILDA

I take a deep breath as we enter the vault where the syphon stones are kept. The air is charged with latent power, and my skin prickles as we approach the bag containing the stones.

“Ready?” Vex asks, his hand hovering over the containment runes.

I nod, steeling myself. “Yes.”

He deactivates the runes, and the syphons kick in immediately to do the job they were crafted for. I stifle my grunt of pain as it tugs on the power inside me, ignoring Vex’s sharp look.

He carefully upends the bag, spilling the syphon stones across a nearby table. They clatter and roll, a rainbow of colours and shapes. My breath catches as I feel their pull, like dozens of tiny magnets tugging at my core. My head spins, but I force myself to push it back.

Slowly, I extend my hand over the stones, letting my Praxian power flow through my fingertips. The stones react instantly, glowing and humming. I close my eyes, focusing on the sensations.

One stone feels different from the rest. Warmer, more resonant. My fingers close around it instinctively.

“This one,” I murmur, opening my eyes. In my palm sits a perfectly round stone of deep, shifting purple. “This will be our foundation stone.”

Vex nods approvingly. “Good choice. Now for the classification stones.”

With the foundation stone chosen, I turn my attention to the rest of the syphon stones. Each one needs to be carefully selected based on its compatibility with different magical frequencies. I take a deep breath and extend my hand once again, this time seeking out stones that will harmonise with each classification.

For the elemental magick of earth, I select a brown stone with flecks of gold. For fire, I choose a red stone; water, a blue stone; air, a white stone. For telekinetic abilities, I choose a smooth, light blue stone that gives off a sense of calm control. The stone for healing is a warm yellow, radiating healing energy and hope.

Vex watches me intently as my hand hovers over a deep red stone with veins of black running through it. “Dark magick,” I murmur.

“Perfect,” he replies, just as quietly.

The list goes on with Vex murmuring to me, so I don’t miss one. Witches, Warlocks, Vampires, Werewolves, Fae, Mages, Dragons, Merfolk, Pixies, Fairies…

My hand is shaking and I’m sweating, as I choose stone after stone to act as channels for the separate magick to survive.

My knees give way, but Luc holds me up, standing behind me and gripping my hips.

“I’m shutting this down,” Vex states.

“Let her finish,” Luc murmurs. “I’ve got her.”

I grit my teeth, determined to finish what I started. “Just a few more.”

Leaning back against Luc’s solid warmth, I force myself to focus. The room spins slightly, but I push through the discomfort. My fingers tremble as I select the final stones. One for Shapeshifters, another for Necromancers.

“That’s it,” Vex murmurs, but I shake my head, and he frowns at me.

“One more…”

Lastly, I pick up a small opalescent stone that shifts and changes as I look at it.

“For the Druids,” I whisper, closing my fist around it. “I won’t let us be lost, even if none exist right now.”

“Perfect,” Draven murmurs.

With the last stone chosen, I slump back against Luc, utterly drained. He scoops me up into his arms as Vex quickly reactivates the containment runes around the scattered stones. Draven loads the backpack up with the stones I’ve chosen and zips it shut, keeping it away from me. The pull on my power eases, but I still feel them trying to drain me.

“You did it,” Draven says, his voice tinged with pride and concern .

I manage a weak smile. “Told you I could handle it.”

“Barely,” Vex mutters, but there’s no real heat in his words.

“You need to rest now,” Luc says firmly. “We’ll enchant the foundation stone and connect it to the others after you’ve rested. You need to get away from them for a while.”

I want to argue, to insist that we keep moving forward, but I know he’s right. I can barely think straight. I need to get away from the syphons.

Leaving the containment vaults behind, Luc disperses with me in his arms back to my bedroom in a blast of Hellfire.

As soon as we materialise in my bedroom, the drain on my power eases significantly. I let out a shaky breath, slumping against Luc’s chest.

“Better?” he murmurs, his lips brushing my temple.

I nod weakly. “Much. Thank you.”

He sets me down gently on the bed, his hands lingering on my waist. “You need to rest, Tilly. That took a lot out of you.”

“I know,” I sigh, fighting the urge to close my eyes. “But we still have so much to do.”

Vex and Draven appear in quick succession, their expressions a mix of concern and determination.

“The stones are secure with Blackthorn,” Draven says. “You can work on enchanting them after you recover.”

“Wake me up after a couple of hours. We have to get this shit sorted. ”

“Two hours, not a second more,” Draven says, settling down next to me.

I curl up into him with a giggle and close my eyes.

“Time to wake up, petal.” Draven’s voice cuts through my foggy, sleepy brain.

“I just closed my eyes,” I murmur.

“No, that was four hours ago.”

My eyes fly open, and I sit up. “Four? I said two , you utter dick.”

He chuckles and shoots me a wicked smile.

“You are a top-class arsehole,” I grouse as I realise he was messing with me to get me to wake up.

“Got you up, didn’t it?”

“Shower and change of clothes before something to eat,” Vex says, coming out of the bathroom where I hear the shower running.

I grumble but drag myself out of bed, still feeling a bit groggy but much better than before. The hot shower helps clear my head, and by the time I emerge, dressed in the fresh leggings and oversized tee that Vex had laid out, minus my knickers, I might add, I feel almost back to normal.

The guys are waiting with food that makes my mouth water. It’s piled high with sandwiches and fruit that they must have grabbed from the cafeteria. My stomach growls loudly as the smell hits me .

“Eat,” Luc says, pushing a plate towards me. “You need your strength.”

I don’t need to be told twice. I devour two sandwiches and an apple before I even pause for breath. The guys watch me with amusement.

“Feeling better?” Vex asks.

I nod, swallowing a mouthful of water. “Much. Thanks for all this.”

“Anything for our queen,” Luc says, and I grin at him.

“You needed it,” Draven says. “But now we need to move. Are you ready to work on the stones?”

I take a deep breath, gathering my wits. The Praxian power hums steadily, replenished by rest and food. “Yes. The sooner, the better now.”

“We need to do this one by one. It’s going to be a giant time suck, but one stone at a time shouldn’t drain too much power out of you,” Vex says, getting down to business. “So we will start with the foundation stone, seeing as that is where all the rest will be powered from.”

He waves his hand over the desk, and the foundation stone I chose appears in the middle, its deep purple depths swirling with potential.

“Okay,” I say, reaching for the stone. “Here we go.”

I reach out and touch it, but after that, I don’t really know what I’m supposed to do. Somehow, I have to connect this stone to my magick.

As soon as my fingers make contact with the smooth surface of the foundation stone, I feel a jolt of energy. The Praxian power recognises its potential conduit. But how do I actually forge the connection?

I close my eyes, trying to visualise the flow of power. In my mind’s eye, I see threads of rainbow light drifting from my core, reaching out towards the stone. But they stop short, unable to bridge the gap.

“I don’t know how to do this,” I admit, frustration creeping into my voice.

Vex’s hand settles on my shoulder. “Don’t force it. Let it come naturally.”

Taking a deep breath, I loosen my grip on the stone. I imagine my power as a living thing, curious and eager to explore. Slowly, tentatively, I feel it reaching out towards the stone.

There’s a moment of resistance, then suddenly the connection snaps into place. The stone grows warm in my palm, glowing with energy. I gasp as I feel the Praxian power flowing into it, filling its crystalline structure.

“It’s working,” I whisper, eyes still closed.

“Good,” Draven says. “Now, focus on creating a permanent link. The stone needs to be able to draw on your power even when you’re not touching it.”

Sweat beads on my forehead as I concentrate. This is the tricky part. I need to establish a connection that will persist indefinitely. I picture roots growing from the stone, burrowing deep into the well of my power.

The stone grows hotter, almost uncomfortably. Just when I think I can’t hold on any longer, there’s a flash of purple light behind my eyelids. The heat subsides, leaving a steady warmth.

I open my eyes, blinking away spots from the flash of light.

“Did it work?” I ask, looking up at the guys.

Vex nods, a hint of pride in his eyes. “See for yourself.”

He takes the stone from me and sets it on the desk. Even without physical contact, I can feel the connection, a faint tug on my power. The stone continues to glow, drawing a steady stream of energy.

“Incredible,” Luc murmurs, leaning in to examine it. “You’ve created a self-sustaining link.”

Relief washes over me. “One down, many more to go.”

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Draven cautions. “We need to make sure this one is stable before moving on to the others.”

I nod, understanding his concern. We can’t afford any mistakes.

“How do we test it?” I ask.

Vex considers for a moment. “We could try severing your connection temporarily. If the stone maintains its charge, we’ll know the link is solid.”

The idea makes me nervous, but I know it’s necessary. “Okay. How do we do that?”

“I can create a barrier around you,” Draven offers. “It will block your magick from reaching the stone for a short time.”

I take a deep breath. “Do it. ”

Draven swirls his hand, and dark energy drifts from his fingertips. I feel a chill of death as the barrier forms around me, cutting off my connection to the foundation stone and pretty much everything else. I gasp for breath as death claws at me, but I force myself to relax and see what’s happening on the outside of the barrier.

For a moment, nothing happens. The stone glows steadily on the desk. Then, slowly, the light dims.

My heart sinks. “It’s not working,” I say, disappointed.

But Vex holds up a hand. “Wait.”

Just as the glow seems about to fade completely, it suddenly flares back to life. The purple light sparkles, growing stronger until it’s shining as brightly as before.

“It worked,” Luc says, grinning. “The stone drew on its stored power when cut off from you, then replenished itself once the connection was re-established.”

Relief floods through me as Draven drops the barrier. I feel the link snap back into place, the gentle tug of power resuming. “Okay, so we know it works as the foundation stone, even without the Praxian powering it up.”

“Yes, but to maintain the flow of magick, it will need that power,” Vex reminds me.

I nod. “Next.”

Vex summons the first stone to the desk, placing it next to the foundation stone.

“You need to dig deep for this,” he murmurs. “All this magick is inside you but dumped into one channel. You need to find the classification and split it. ”

“Got it,” I murmur, even though I have no idea how I’m going to do this. But Vex is right. It’s all here, I just have to find it.

“Mages,” Vex says, kneeling next to me and placing his hand on my thigh. “We need Blackthorn to have his full magick first, so focus on that inside you. Pull on whatever it was that made you choose this stone to begin with, okay?”

I nod, taking a deep breath as I place my hands on both stones. Closing my eyes, I try to focus on the vast well of power inside me. It’s overwhelming at first, a swirling vortex of different energies and magicks. But slowly, I sense distinctions, threads of different colours and textures.

I search for the essence of mage magick, picturing Blackthorn’s controlled power, his mastery over the arcane. I focus on the strand that made me choose this stone and draw on it. A glimmering silver strand, intricate and complex. I gently tug on it, drawing it towards the surface.

As I concentrate on that specific type of magick, I feel it separating from the rest, becoming more distinct. The foundation stone pulses warmly beneath my left hand, while the mage stone vibrates under my right.

“That’s it,” Vex murmurs encouragingly. “Now, guide it into the new stone.”

Sweat beads on my forehead as I try to direct the flow of mage magick. It’s like trying to pour water through a sieve. Some of it wants to slip away, blending back into the whole. But slowly, painstakingly, I manage to channel it into the waiting stone.

The mage stone grows hot in my hand. I can feel it linking to the foundation stone, creating a network of power in its own little mage-y bubble. When I open my eyes, both stones are glowing brightly.

“Can you ask Blackthorn if he can feel his magick strengthening?” I ask, closing my eyes again. “On it,” Draven says and disappears, returning momentarily to say, “Yes. He can feel his magick back to normal. And not to worry, Chaos is with him. You did it.”

“Thank fuck for that,” I say, opening my eyes and slumping back in my seat.

“Too bad you have dozens left to do,” Luc says.

“Gee, thanks for that,” I grumble, but pull on my big girl knickers. I can’t stop until all of this is done. I can’t leave even one supernatural without their full power.