Chapter 8 #3
Frustrated with no outlet, she turned and stalked through the door that led to the back.
She didn’t stop until she pushed the back door open and found herself outside near the pools.
Raising her arms, she let her own magic loose and cried, “Reveal the curse that was cast on my husband, Hunter. Show me the spell that was cast over this land!”
Magic swirled around her, dipped into the pool, made the water glow with a deep aqua blue, and then just fizzled out as if she hadn’t just put everything she had into the spell.
Faith sank down onto one of the zero gravity chairs and just looked around at the oasis. It was as beautiful as it always had been, but now, to her eyes, it was tainted.
Sadness hit her like a ton of bricks, and without her permission, a single tear rolled down her cheek.
“Hey, Faith,” Abby said, taking a seat next to her. “What is it?”
Noel sat on her other side, wrapping an arm around her shoulders while Yvette kneeled in front of her, taking one hand in hers.
Their comforting gestures only made another tear fall.
“Oh, honey,” Abby said, wiping the tears away. “Tell us what’s going on.”
Faith was overwhelmed by the support from her sisters.
They’d been close growing up, but after Abby moved away, things had changed.
They’d gotten better since Abby had come back.
But while they spent time together and got along well, they were all busy with their own lives, and well…
That sisterly bond they’d had as kids hadn’t ever felt quite the same.
But right then, with her three sisters fully present for her, she just felt a little overwhelmed and a lot grateful.
“This place, it means everything to me, you know? I built it from the ground up, and it’s always been my place of peace. And now…” She sniffed, unable to say the words.
“It’s the place that attacked Hunter,” Abby finished for her.
Faith nodded, feeling miserable. “I know he’s all right, and I shouldn’t be falling apart like this, but I just can’t help but feel like I lost something important yesterday.
Like I lost the joy I always had when I unlocked that front door.
My peace is gone, and now all I can think about are those stupid vines.
” Faith stared at the fence that was covered in foliage. “I just want it gone.”
“We can make that happen,” Yvette said.
“Yeah, we can,” Abby chimed in.
“Let’s do it,” Noel said as she stood.
“How?” Faith eyed them suspiciously.
“Easy,” Yvette said. “I’ll burn the vines, and when the ashes fall, Noel can send them into the woods with her air magic.”
“Won’t that burn my fence down with them?” Faith asked, horrified that they might have another disaster on their hands. Though Yvette was a highly skilled fire witch, and it was likely she could handle any trouble.
“Nope. It’s a controlled burn,” she said with a wink. “Trust me.”
As she held her sister’s gaze, she realized that she did trust her. She trusted all of them. “Okay. I’ll be on standby with my water magic if things get out of control.”
“Good plan,” Abby said. “I’ll just stand here and look pretty.”
They all laughed.
Faith and Noel took a few steps closer to the jasmine that covered the fence.
Then Yvette held out her hands, and suddenly the foliage was on fire.
It wasn’t a huge blaze, just a flicker of fire over the vines that turned to ash in no time.
As the ashes fell, Noel sent them swirling in the air, holding them there long enough to have full control, and then sent them to the outdoor fireplace, where they collected until Yvette was finished.
Twenty minutes after they’d started, the fence was clear of the vines and the ashes were cooling in the fireplace.
Faith stood and eyed the fence. She figured that she’d be upset that it no longer looked like the lush garden she’d always envisioned for the outdoor space, but all she felt was relief.
She pulled both of her sisters into a hug and whispered, “Thank you.”
“It’s no problem,” Yvette said. “You’d do it too if you were in our shoes.”
“That’s true,” she said with a nod. Then she eyed the fireplace. “Do you think it’s okay to send those into the woods yet?”
“Let’s see.” Noel poked the pile with an iron rod. When there was no evidence of smoke or embers, she raised her hand, pointed at the pile, and then sent the ashes over the fence, leaving the fireplace clean as a whistle.
“All done,” Noel said. “Is it time for lunch yet?”
“Nope,” Abby said, jumping up. “We’re gonna sage this place first. Then we can eat.”
“Perfect,” Faith said. “Hand me a smudge stick.”
Abby handed all of them a couple of the sage sticks, and then all four of them went to work on smudging the spa. By the time they were done, Faith was starting to feel the calming vibes creep back into her system.
She took a deep breath and said, “I think it’s going to be okay now.”
“Sage sticks to the rescue!” Abby said.
They all laughed.
“Okay, who’s buying lunch?” Noel asked.
Faith chuckled. “I guess that’s me. Pizza?”
“You’re on.” Abby slipped her arm through Faith’s and led the sisters out of the spa.