Chapter 51
Fifty-One
VIVIENNE
It seems like forever since I first stepped foot in Bloodstone Institute. I had no idea that saying yes to the whims of the dragon kingpin would change my life the way it did. Even though Larsson caused me so much pain, I’ll be forever grateful that his obsession with Lucca’s necklace sent me here.
I sense the dark magic that’s sealing the catacombs from the rest of the institute before we have a visual of the door leading to it. It’s malignant and wrong. Goose bumps break out on my skin, making me shiver.
Lucca puts his hand on my lower back, lending me his strength. Our eyes lock, and like always, I’m blasted with the love he has for me. Our connection will never cease to amaze me, and it seems I’m more linked to him than ever. Could it be because I’m carrying his child?
“Everything all right?” he asks.
“Yes.”
Aurora freezes ahead of us, opening her arms wide. “No one move. This is as far as we can go safely.”
“Can you see the blockage?” Vaughn asks.
“Sort of. It’s like there’s a haze in the air, and everything is a bit distorted.”
“I see it too,” Miranda adds.
Lucca squints. “I don’t see anything. How about you, love?”
“Yeah, I see it.”
“Me too,” Rikkon chimes in.
“Can it be broken?” Vaughn asks.
“Only one way to find out.” Aurora moves her arms, gathering energy around her petite frame until we can barely see her.
When the green light enveloping her is so bright it hurts to look at it, she unleashes it at the barrier.
The magical wall trembles upon impact, absorbing the energy, but it remains intact.
“Damn it! I was certain that would work,” she says.
“Maybe you need more juice.” Saxon touches her arm.
“Can you tell us what the spell is?” Miranda asks. “We can join you.”
Aurora looks at her sister. “To break this barrier, we need to use warlock magic.”
“We can’t join in the spell,” the High Witch says, “but we can lend you our powers.”
Aurora’s eyes widen. “Are you suggesting a circle?”
Isadora nods. “Precisely.”
“Let’s do it, then,” Rikkon says, taking a step forward, but Solomon stops him.
“A circle of witches can only be formed by females, boy.”
“That sounds sexist,” Saxon retorts.
“It’s not sexism, it’s biology,” Aurora explains. “Neither Rikkon nor Solomon would be able to align with our frequency.”
Isadora draws a pentagram inside a circle on the floor, and Aurora steps into the center of it. I step forward, joining Miranda, and Isadora around her. “I’m not sure what I need to do.”
“I’ll cast a spell to form the circle. You’ll sense the waves of magic. All you have to do is surrender to it.”
“Okay,” I say, hoping it’s as easy as she makes it sound.
“Ready?” the High Witch asks us.
We answer yes in unison.
I close my eyes because it’s easy to concentrate when I can’t see Lucca’s concerned gaze on me.
The High Witch begins her chant, and immediately, I sense strands of magic wrap around my body and connect me to the others in the circle.
My magic flares within my core, becoming threads as well that weave with Isadora’s and Miranda’s magic.
It’s like we’re knitting a huge blanket over Aurora.
I can see it covering her even though my eyes are closed.
Aurora performs the same spell she did before, but it’s much more powerful now.
The energy surrounding her is bigger and brighter.
This might actually work. When she releases the ball of energy, it’s like a cannonball.
I open my eyes just in time to witness it hit the invisible wall.
It looks for a second like it will collapse, but unfortunately, all the blast did was crack the barrier.
Aurora collapses inside the circle, missing hitting the floor thanks to Saxon, who runs to her with his supersonic vampiric speed.
“What the hell! How could it not work?” Vaughn pulls his hair back, yanking at the strands.
“It didn’t break, but there is a crack,” Solomon points out.
Saxon looks at the first familiar. “Aurora can’t cast that spell again.”
“She won’t have to.” Rikkon unsheathes his skyfire sword, which had been hidden as it always is. The sacred sword from our people that only the most skilled warriors earn the right to yield.
He raises it above his head and brings it down with all his strength, hitting the barrier right where the crack is. A bright flash of light forces me to shield my eyes from the glow, but when the light dims, I no longer sense the dark magic from the barrier.
“You did it, Rik. You broke the barrier!” Miranda shouts.
He looks at her. “No, we all did. Now let’s go.”
“We can’t rush down to the catacombs. Jacques most likely has more nasty surprises for us,” Solomon warns us.
“Right,” Lucca starts, then tenses. “Where’s Vaughn?”
Ahead of us, the door to the catacombs is ajar. “He’s already gone.”