15. Chapter 15
A fter moving all our items to the study, we make our way outside to make a small fire and cook some food. I also use the time to share everything the governess told me. To say the guys were stunned by all the new information would be an understatement. When I finish, we sit in silence for a few minutes, staring at one another.
“So what’s the plan?” asks Matt. “Do we stay and try to defeat the curse, or do we walk away and pretend nothing up here ever happened?” He’s picking apart dinner as he speaks, holding them out for Quoth to take. “No attacking me cause you’re hungry, okay buddy?” He whispers.
“What do all of you think?” I ask. “My mind is spinning with reasons for both options.”
They look between each other before Josh finally speaks up. “You know I’m always up for an adventure. I say we stay and see what we can do. What’s the worst that can happen? I get sucked into a crypt again?” He laughs darkly, but no one else joins in.
“If this curse has been around for so long,” Patrick starts, “it’s powerful and would be hard to beat. I don’t think it’s worth the risk to you or us to take. I know my family has been tied here for generations, but there has to be someone better qualified to take on this curse. I could talk to my parents and see if we can get the coven involved. I don’t think it has to be you.”
I look at Matt, who is sitting next to me. “I think we are all here for you, no matter what,” he says. “And while we may be in danger, it is you who will be in the most danger. So it is your choice, and I will follow whichever you choose.” He grabs my hand and brushes a gentle kiss across my knuckles.
Josh and Patrick both agree with Matt, promising to follow my lead as they have been, whether I decide to stay or to go.
“So…” prompts Matt. “Can you share what’s going on in that head of yours?”
I nod, twisting my fingers together as I feel my nerves start to get the better of me. “I am honestly stuck in the middle. Yes, so far it seems like something bigger is at work here. The dreams, the ghosts, the pull to come here… How, after all this time, things from Spells Hollow ended up in the archives. It seems like this is fate or destiny or whatever else you want to call it.
“But this curse has been around so long… It can’t be a completely destructive force since some of the ghosts are still here and are avoiding the pull of the crypts. I can’t control my magic. Hell, I can’t even feel my magic most of the time. It seems impossible that I am the best one to break this curse and save this town or coven. Like maybe in a few years, once I’ve had time to practice and to gain control of my powers, maybe then I could come back and see if the curse is still in place or what I could do then.” I push myself off the ground and start pacing back and forth.
“But Nan was so convincing. She said it had to be me. That they are running out of time or something. And my ancestor seems to think I can do it. Why she’d trust me, I don’t know, but it’s nice to know she has faith in me.”
A gentle wind brushes my cheek in a caress that reminds of the one she gave me in the field. I smile softly, cupping my hand to my cheek.
“I can’t promise I’m going to be successful, but I have to try. For myself. For my ancestors. For the poor ghosts who are being tormented in their afterlife instead of getting to move on in peace.” I stop pacing, spinning to face the three men still seated around the fire. Smiles are spread across each face.
“So where do we start?” asks Josh, pulling his food from the fire.
“I have no idea,” I answer, plopping back onto the grass and nudging my food free as well.
“Well, doesn’t one of us know how magic works?” asks Matt, looking at Patrick, who is parting the flames around his lunch to make pulling it out easier.
“I know how mine works,” Patrick answers. “But I’m not high enough in the coven to be tasked with teaching the young ones. I only know how I was taught.”
“Well, that sounds like more than any of the rest of us know,” Josh quips. “So I guess we base whatever we can on your training.”
Patrick chews his food before nodding. “Okay. We can get started training Mor’s magic after we eat.” He cuts his eyes to me, “If you feel up to it.”
I nod again. “Yep. I’m up to it. I have to be.”
“You can rest if you need to,” Matt says, reaching over and giving my hand a squeeze.
“Yeah, there’s no shame in wanting to take a day. You did just pass out for the second time in the last twenty-four hours,” Josh adds. “These ghosts have been waiting centuries. Another day or two won’t hurt them.”
“That’s assuming I can get my magic to work right on the first day of training,” I say, rolling my eyes. “And I doubt that will happen.”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself,” Josh encourages. “How long do young witches normally train?” He turns to face Patrick.
Patrick drops his face toward the ground and rubs the back of his neck. “Two to five years for most. The fastest I’ve heard of someone gaining control of their magic was about nine months, but everyone believes her parents gave her some foundational knowledge before her powers manifested.” He looks up, his cheeks tinged red.
“Years?!” I squeak. “I don’t think we have years to get this figured out.” I shake my head. “No, nope, I don’t know. I wanted to help them, but this makes me think it’s impossible.”
“We won’t know until we try,” Patrick says. “What’s the worst that can happen?”
“You aren’t alone,” Matt reminds me. “And we will support you. Why don’t you try to see what you can learn, and if it’s too hard, we will let Patrick see what his coven can do.”
“Back up plans are good,” I murmur to myself. “Okay,” I say louder. “I’ll try. We will give it a week, and if I can’t break the curse, we will see if the coven can do something.”
We finish the meal quietly, all lost in our own thoughts about what the future holds for us.
* * *
I’m back in the middle of the grass between the house and crypt, but this time instead of just Patrick standing across from me, Josh and Matt are here as well.
We spent time collecting sticks and other yard debris of various sizes. Patrick says the coven has training bars that go up in size to challenge the witch’s power that are able to withstand the various forces, but beggars can’t be choosers.
“Tell me again how I’m supposed to what… talk to the sticks and rocks? Heal the sticks and rocks?” I ask, eyeing the pile skeptically.
Patrick laughs. “You don’t.”
“Then why did we spend time finding all this?” asks Josh.
“There is more to earth powers than just healing and more to spirit than just speaking with ghosts.” Patrick shrugs like that should be obvious.
“Like…” Matt prompts. “You are the only one who has done this training before.”
“Sorry, it’s easy to forget you three didn’t grow up knowing all this,” Patrick apologizes. “We will be focusing on earth powers first. I doubt either of you want to give up your will and control of your body—” He cuts off as both of them splutter. “Yeah, that gets into the spirit power, but earth can be used to reshape the earth, cause earthquakes, move where rivers flow, build a mountain. If someone is powerful enough, there’s not much they can’t do.”
We all stare at him, our mouths hanging open.
“Do you mean to say that Morrigan is going to be able to make new mountains or destroy some that already exist with her mind?” asks Matt. “I don’t know whether to think that is awesome or terrifying.”
“Not her mind. Her magic,” Patrick answers. “But yes to creating and destroying mountains. Not soon, but one day. I think her magic is strong enough that she could.”
“Yeah, that’s never going to happen,” I say. “I don’t want to be responsible for something like that!”
“It would take years of training to reach that level,” Patrick reassures me. “Today, we simply want to see this pile move. A little wiggle would be great.”
He has Josh and Matt sort them into piles by size, then points at the smallest of the piles.
“Start with these,” he instructs. “Find your magic and draw it up. Tell it you want the ground under that pile to move.”
I nod, taking a deep breath and centering myself. I find the little warm spot hiding deep inside and poke at it. Nothing happens. I try talking to it mentally, asking if it will come out. No luck. I dig my mind into the little ball and pull hard, doing my best to force the magic up. It stays firmly tucked away deep inside.
I let out a sigh and open my eyes. “It’s not working,” I say. “I’ve tried everything I can think of to get my magic to rise to the surface, but it won’t budge.”
Quoth grabs one stack in his talons, strewing them around the ground as if to show me what I’m supposed to be doing.
“Just keep trying,” Josh suggests. “Didn’t you say it took a little while last time to get it to respond?”
“It did,” I concede.
“What did you do last time?” asks Matt.
I look at Patrick, thinking back. “I don’t know. I tried and nothing happened, then I was ready to give up. Patrick talked to me and then, like a switch was flipped, it was there, and it was responding. And as quickly as it came on, it went away again.” I shrug.
“He talked to you?” asks Josh. “Well, start talking, pretty boy.”
Patrick laughs at the jab. He starts in on his pep talk, but no matter how much he talks, my magic stays right where it is.
“Are you sure all you did was talk?” asks Josh.
Patrick and I make quick eye contact, then look away.
“There may have been a few kisses as well,” Patrick adds. “They weren’t planned or anything, but…” He raises his hands out to his side.
“I volunteer for that job!” Matt chimes in. “If Mor will have me.”
“Yes, I’ll have you,” I tell him, stepping closer.
He wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me to him until I am pressed against his chest. He leans in, eyes locked on my lips. Pressing onto my toes, I take control, claiming his lips with mine. He groans as his tongue snakes out and battles mine for control.
Time seems to lose all meaning as my world narrows to the two of us and the sensations running up through my body. Most are familiar to me, but then I feel something I’ve only felt one other time.
I pull back and look at all three men. “It’s back. My magic is back!”