26. Andrea
26
Andrea
R esting my chin on my arms that are crossed over my knees, I watch the sun slowly set on the beautiful horizon. Torin brought me right outside of the veil this morning to call my parents before tonight. They have been so understanding about me being gone.
My heart feels incredibly full with Ash, but my mind keeps going back to Zach. I don’t want to break his heart and I don’t regret the time we spent together when Brielle was gone. We got through that together and that created an even stronger bond than we had before, and I don’t want that to go away.
I just can’t keep denying the pull Ash has on me and the obvious history our souls have together. My feelings for him just feel instinctual and meant to be, even though I barely know him in this life.
If someone told me two months ago that this would be my life, I seriously would have called the cops on them. Although all of this is so crazy, it finally feels like my skin is settling over my bones. Like I actually belong in my body and not somewhere else.
Ash and I talked for hours last night about my childhood and how amazing my parents are. He mentioned how maybe once this is all over, he can meet them and the thought doesn’t scare me at all. It’s Brielle finding out that scares me because of how protective she is over me.
I know how much shit I gave her for messing around with Dominic, may he rest in peace.
The click of the balcony doors pulls my attention away from the evening sky. Salem sits beside me and sighs, leaning back on her arms and crossing her ankles.
“I always wished a place like this could exist.” She glances around and smiles. “And here it is.” She stares at me with her big brown doe eyes.
“I used to have dreams of something similar, but seeing it in reality really is something.” I smile at my new friend. Her brown eyes fill with worry.
“Are you ready?”
I look back at the darkening sky now that the sun has gone completely down. Anxiety turns my gut.
“Ready as I’ll ever be, I guess.” A tight smile forms on my face, but I don’t look at Salem. Moonlight illuminates our surroundings.
“It’s time. I set everything up for you.” I can tell she is doing her best to not show her worry. We’ve become close enough in these last few weeks that I know better than to think she isn’t. Hell, everyone is worried.
This has to work. We have exhausted every option. Azra has been searching tirelessly for answers that always seem to lead to a dead end.
“Is Ash here?” I ask. The stars in the night sky twinkle the way they did last night outside of Ash’s windows. I asked him if he would be here tonight, and he nodded.
“Not yet.” Salem sighs as she answers. When I don’t say anything back, she stands and walks toward the doors, stopping just before opening them. “We are ready when you are.”
“What if it doesn’t work?” My voice is barely above a whisper. Salem grabs the handle and sighs.
“I honestly don’t know.” Her defeated tone is the last thing I hear before the sound of the door closing behind her.
After waiting for Ash for another few minutes, I decided to go into the library to prepare for the ritual. The moon will be at full rise soon. Salem said that would be the best time to get the most power from it.
There are hundreds of candles lit in a large U shape in the middle of the library. Salem walked me through how everything would be laid out days ago, but seeing it has my stomach feeling sick.
Brielle will be lying in the U and I will be at the opening with her head in my lap. I’m supposed to use the ash from the tree in each of my palms as a conductor to strengthen my magic. Then, I must repeat the incantation Salem has been drilling in my head for the past few days until I find the bond and begin unraveling it.
Easy, right?
The doors open and my heart jumps, hoping to see those blue eyes. Azra walks in first, then Brielle. The darkness under her eyes is worse than the last time I saw her. Her shaky steps are helped by Azra’s arm around her.
I blink away the sting from seeing her like this. A fire lights within me. I will do this. I will save her life.
“Are you ready?” Salem’s question pulls my eyes from my frail best friend. I nod, dropping to my knees, and sitting on my feet in the position needed. I shake my hands and try to steady my quickened breaths.
Azra walks her over the lit candles, lifting her white gauzy nightgown Celeste loaned her. It was the easiest thing to dress her in without too much energy on her part. He kneels and allows her to fall into his arms. He gently places her on her back and kisses her forehead before placing her head in my lap.
Her distant gaze stares at the ceiling and nothing more. Her lips are cracked from dehydration. Even her once rich brown hair is now dull.
Salem looks out the large windows and nods at me.
“It’s time.”
I glance toward the doors one last time, hoping Ash will bust through. We decided Torin should also be present just in case something goes wrong and we can have as many hands as possible to help.
My palms lift from my sides, facing the ceiling. I cup them as Salem pours the ash from the blackthorn tree out of the vial. The granules chill my warmed hands from my nerves.
The skin beneath the ash begins to tingle. The sensation travels down my arms quickly. My eyes must have widened from the reassuring nod Salem gives me.
I fill my lungs with a deep breath and allow my eyes to shut. A cool breeze hits me and I whisper the incantation.
Tuus sum decens da maiorum potestatem fatali vinculo rumpere.
The moment the last word falls off my lips, the palms of my hands burn.
“It’s burning! It’s burning my hands!” I shout as I squeeze my eyes shut, enduring the pain. I want to get this right. I have to get this right.
“They are testing you, making sure you really have their blood.” Salem’s calm voice eases me slightly. The burn seeps down my arms and quickly my entire body feels on fire. Tears run down my face as images flash behind my eyes.
Exactly how they did when I touched the blackthorn tree. I repeat the incantation over and over in my shaky voice. Each time, the fire cools slightly.
After three more times, the burn completely stops and the room falls silent. The images that were flashing behind my eyes stop on a glowing green iron link chain threaded with red rope.
I reach for it in my mind, my arms not moving, but I can feel it on my fingertips. My skin sizzles but I don’t feel pain.
Placing my palms on the links, I pull with all of my might. The metal groans under my hands, so I try again.
Pull
Pull
Pull
Cracks appear in the metal with each pull. My hands start to glow with the same green hue. I hear muffled voices around me.
“What’s happening to Brielle?”
“She is breaking it. It’s working.”
I take a deep breath and scream the incantation in my mind as I strain until it’s painful to pull these links apart. The red rope frays one thread at a time. A pressure builds in my chest.
Almost there. Only a few more strings?—
A blast of heat pulls me out of my mind and I fly back into the wall. An excruciating pain radiates through my head. I open my eyes to a blurry, bright golden light. Blinking to clear my vision, I grab the back of my head and notice blood coating my finger when I hold my hand in front of me.
Looking back up from my hand, I realize the glowing gold light is… is Brielle. She is floating vertically in the middle of the candles, surrounded by a glow that is coming from within her. She looks ethereal as her hair floats around her with her arms spread wide.
I search for Azra and notice he is in awe on the ground on the other side of the room. The blast must have affected us all.
Brielle’s head snaps up from where it was hanging back, her eyes glowing such a pure gold just like the rest of her body. She takes such a large gasp and then drops to the floor, the light around her diminishing.
Every candle in the room snuffs out, leaving us with swirling smoke and moonlight filling the area. She crouches over her legs as she hyperventilates.
Azra rushes over to her and hesitantly places his hand on her back. Once his skin touches her and nothing happens, he grabs her and pulls her into his arms.
Her eyes flash to me, still with a simmering glow but not nearly as bright as a second ago. I can feel the power radiating off her. It’s nearly suffocating.
Brielle tries to stand, her legs wobble beneath her before she collapses again. This time, she is unconscious. I jump up regardless of my pounding head. Azra places his hand over her chest, his blue light colliding with her golden hue.
“She’s okay. Her body is repairing itself from the months of neglect. She needs rest.” He stands with her in his arms. He looks at me with such gratuity and nods before carrying her to their room.
Torin is helping Salem up from across the library. Walking over to her, I touch the back of my head again and hiss when I feel a gash.
“Let me take a look at that.” Torin gently moves my hair before my scalp starts to sting.
“Ow!” I jump at the shock. He smiles and appears beside me. “What did you do?” I touch the back of my head and feel no more pain or any cuts, only the blood from where the wound used to be.
“You’re welcome, little witch.” He nods at Salem before leaving through the double doors. My brows pinch as I still search for the cut that was there seconds ago. Then I remember when Azra healed Brielle’s broken hand months ago. It seems much longer than that.
“What happened?” I ask Salem, who is pale like she has seen a ghost.
“Everything was going as planned, but your eyes were glowing and?—”
“Wait, my eyes started to glow ?”
“Yes, they sprung open and were glowing green, the ash in your palms absorbed into your skin. Then Brielle started to levitate and glow.” She shakes her head and runs her hands through her maroon hair. “I have never felt power like that. You two are quite the combo.”
Her eyes widen and her hands grip my biceps. “No one can know what you are.” She whispers in a panic, pulling me closer to her. “There are beings you can’t even fathom that would do anything for the power you possess.” She shakes me. “Promise me you won’t use your magic around people you don’t know.”
I quickly nod, my brows pinching together. I’ve never seen Salem truly frightened before. What else did she see while I was breaking the bond? I try to recall how I did it, but I don’t remember.
The last thing I can think of is closing my eyes and then my memory goes black. Looking back at Salem, her eyes still filled with worry, I mutter, “I promise.”
She drops her hands from my arms and blows out a long breath. Now that the pain in my head is gone, my thoughts are clear.
Ash never came. My limbs are heavy and my chest begins to ache. Why wouldn’t he show up? He knew how anxious I was about this, and he didn’t even bother coming.
Did he realize I am too different in this life than his last love? What puzzles me more is how much I actually care if a male wants me.
Almost as if my thoughts summoned him, the doors swung open, Ash’s face twisted with worry. He nearly knocks me over from the force of his hug.
“I was so worried about you,” he whispers and kisses the top of my head.
Rapidly blinking, I push out of his embrace. His head tilts as my mind races for an explanation for him coming now.
“Why didn’t you come for the ritual?” I ask flatly. Ash clears his throat and glances at Salem, her arms cross against her chest as she leans against the desk behind her.
“I’d rather not talk about this right now.” His voice is low and controlled. He reaches for me once more and I step away from his touch. His jaw ticks and he straightens his back. “I didn’t come because if I even had one thought you were going to get hurt, I would have killed her. It was best for me to stay away. Torin promised to tell me once it was over,” he forces out.
I can see Salem’s lips part and her eyes widen from his admittance in my peripheral. Heat flushes through my body.
“You will never hurt Brielle—do you understand me? If I risk my life for her, that is my choice. This is my life.” My teeth clench together. I don’t care if he and I are bonded in any way.
“I understood before you had to tell me. It’s why I stayed away. You don’t think it killed me to not be here tonight?” His dark brows furrow. “I was going out of my mind worrying if you were safe.” He reaches forward again, but I don’t move out of the way this time. His shoulders relax. The warmth of his touch on my skin bleeds in my veins and warms my entire body.
My heart which was just beating uncontrollably resumes normal pace. A calmness settles over me when he is near, even now when I am upset with him.
He pulls me closer. His hand slides into my hair as his thumb rubs my cheek.
“I’m sorry,” he whispers. The library doors creak open and I turn to see a creature I have never seen before.
“Oh, he is quite handsome when he grovels, no?”