CHAPTER TWELVE #2
Nyssa sorted through her notes, firstly pulling out the ones she’d made on a particular binding ritual in one of Alaric’s tomes.
‘I think something like this could work if I combined it with a high-level confinement spell, but it’d need to be one that can’t be broken by anyone but the caster.
That way, even if Morven or whoever he might be allied with is theoretically powerful enough to unweave the spell, they won’t be able to.
Can you help me search those ledgers for anything that might have that sort of enchantment? ’
Liora was already reaching for the nearest scroll. ‘Absolutely.’
The two worked in companionable silence as they trawled through pages upon pages of incantations and bewitched objects, Liora occasionally asking Nyssa if she could explain the magic behind an enchantment or whether Nyssa thought certain objects might be useful.
It was surprisingly easy to slip back into a role of leadership, so much so that by the time the sky had started to darken, Nyssa was starting to feel like perhaps she would one day be worthy of leading her coven again.
It was a powerful feeling. One that coaxed out in her the sort of inspired excitement she’d had as a young witch, eager not just to discover new magics for the sake of recognition, but for the pure joy of it.
And so when she came across a particular entry in one of the tomes Alaric had given her that mentioned a ‘binding elven artefact used in imprisonment spells’, she actually let out a yes loud enough to cause both Liora and Nyx to jump.
‘Bleeding gnomes, Nys!’ Liora placed one hand on her chest and the other on Nyx’s head. ‘You scared the hell out of us!’
‘Sorry, sorry, but I think this could be it! Centuries ago, the elves hid an artefact of immense power, one believed to offer great protection to any who knew how to activate it … Dammit, the rest of the text is in ancient druidic.’
Nyssa had learned some of the language during her studies, but not enough to translate more than a word here and there.
She glanced at the clock hanging on her kitchen wall.
‘Do you think Elowen and Alaric will mind if I ask them to come over? I’d wait until tomorrow, but the sooner we figure this out, the safer we’ll all be. ’
‘Nah, Alaric will probably just be at the tavern – I think Amelia’s visiting again – and Elowen doesn’t have a shift tonight. Besides,’ the bard added, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes, ‘Elowen would take literally any excuse to spend time with you.’
Nyssa’s cheeks heated. ‘Really? Because I feel like she’s been avoiding me since the night I trapped Morven.’ The night the elf had healed her, her soft fingers dancing along Nyssa’s skin in a way that had plagued her dreams most nights since.
‘… Elowen is pretty reserved. I’d never seen her show interest in anyone before you arrived. Whatever happened in her past … I think it hurt her pretty badly. If she’s pulling away from you, it’s not because she wants to, necessarily. It’s probably because she’s scared.’
I won’t hurt her.
The words clogged in the back of Nyssa’s throat.
She would never intentionally hurt Elowen (in fact, she’d hurt anyone who ever did), but, like Nyssa, the elf had been cast out by the people she’d expected to always be there for her.
Considering Nyssa had been pretty vocal about her intention to move on from Nighthaven someday, it wasn’t much of a surprise Elowen was scared of getting close to her, knowing Nyssa was planning to up and leave.
As much as Nyssa wanted to see where things could go with Elowen, she was still so unsure of her future.
Right now, dealing with Morven and regaining control of her magic had to be her priorities.
And as painful as it was, it was only fair to Elowen that Nyssa put up a boundary between them until she knew whether or not she was planning to stay.
‘Actually, it is getting pretty late.’ Nyssa closed her notebook and feigned a yawn. ‘I’ll message and ask them to meet at the café tomorrow. Shall we say eleven in the morning?’
Liora’s eyebrows lowered suspiciously. ‘You’re not planning on opening that notebook the second I leave and working on it by yourself all night, are you?’
‘No.’ It wasn’t a lie – she couldn’t make much more progress without Alaric and Elowen’s help, anyway. But there was something else she could do. ‘It’s been a long day. I’m just tired, and I don’t want to risk making any mistakes.’
‘… All right, then. I’ll see you tomorrow. Nyx, make sure she sleeps!’
Nyx sat up straight and gave a loud, affirming meow, and the second Liora left and Nyssa went to reach for Edith’s latest letter, the familiar began to claw gently at her hand.
‘Nyxalia, stop that right now. You are not in charge here.’
The claw Nyx gave her this time was a little less gentle. Mreow.
Nyssa let out a sigh through her nose. Having had this argument many times before, she knew it was one she was probably going to lose. ‘Fine, fine. If I complete the second trial tonight, we can have an extra hour in bed tomorrow morning. Deal?’
Nyx’s claws were replaced with her head as she rubbed against Nyssa’s hand with a happy trill that Nyssa took to mean she agreed.
And so, grabbing the envelope with the letter and enchanted object inside, along with her grandma’s grimoire, Nyssa left Familiars in its crystal circle and made her way up to the attic, where the enchanted candelabra awaited like a watchful sentry in the dark.