16. Chapter 16
“ W ell, that’s interesting.” Josh chuckles, shoving his hands in his pockets as he leans back and lets out a low wolf whistle. “I think we’ll need to do some extensive testing on this theory later, but for now, get your sexy ass over here and show us what you can do.” He winks, doing a Vanna wave towards the smallest pile of junk.
I steady myself, reaching inside me for the now-pliable ball of magic. I aim, picturing the pile shaking around in a mini earthquake as my magic travels up my arm and out through my fingertips. This time there’s nothing stopping its path, and the magic rushes out, the teal tendrils curling about at my command.
The smallest pile dances across the ground.
“Good,” calls Patrick. “Now see if you can move up through the sizes.”
I nod, not wanting to stop thinking about my magic and risk it going dormant again. Turning my head slightly, I eye the next pile, asking my magic to move the ground under the pile. The ground rumbles and shakes, moving not only that pile but all the piles around us. The shaking continues growing stronger the longer it lasts. The guys lose their footing, landing on the ground.
I gasp, trying to pull back. Asking my magic to stop, to return to me. My feet slip out from under me. My back smarts from where I land, but the ground stills. I sigh in relief.
“Well, that was impressive,” Patrick tells me. “I knew you were powerful, but it seems to have dimmed.”
I quickly scan inside, finding my magic tucked away again. “Yeah. It’s gone back to ignoring me. It’s like as soon as I finish a spell, it stops listening.”
Patrick hums. “That’s not something I’ve heard of before.”
“Didn’t you mention a book?” asks Matt.
“Yes. We found my family’s grimoire,” I tell him. “I’ve read most of it to see if it would help.”
“Can I take a look?” he asks. “Finding more gems didn’t pan out, but maybe I’ll catch something you missed or didn’t know was important at the time.”
I nod, pushing myself up and going to my bag. I find the grimoire in the bottom, fishing it out and passing it over. “I hope you can find something, because it feels like we are right there to figuring this out if we could just get that one last piece.”
He moves over to the side, where a downed log sits, leaning back on it and propping the book on his knees.
“Are you ready to go again?” asks Patrick.
“Do we really want to? It wouldn’t stop when I wanted it to. Is there something less destructive we can try?” I let my arms flop to my side.
“It’s part of the process,” Patrick reassures me. “Most young witches have trouble calling up their powers, but it’s not a far leap that you are having trouble turning yours off.”
“And,” Josh cuts in. “We are all fine, and it doesn’t look like you caused any big issues. The ground didn’t even crack open.”
“Haha,” I deadpan. “Let’s not plant that idea in my head.”
“Just remember you control the magic, not the other way around,” Patrick tells me, walking over to stand next to me. “And Josh is right. The worst damage that happened was some bruises. It was well controlled for someone so new to magic.”
I force a smile before looking at the stuff strewn all over the area we are practicing in. “I appreciate the confidence, but do you think there’s another form of earth I can practice?”
Patrick looks around, cocking his head back and forth as he thinks. “I guess we could try building the earth up.” He shrugs. “It may be useful in knocking the crypts off their foundations if we get stuck.”
“That sounds a little safer.” I nod. “What are the chances that I am going to make a mountain or even a hill? Heck, I’ll be happy with a molehill.” I laugh at my own joke.
“I’m guessing it’s the same thing as before. Focus on what I want and shape the magic to my will. Just ask the earth to form a hill?” I glance at Patrick. He nods. “Well, here goes nothing.”
I close my eyes and reach inside, finding my magic is still tucked away. “Shit.” I pop my eyes open and look around. “Ugh! My magic still isn’t responding.”
“I’m happy to be of service,” Josh offers me with a mocking bow. “I do believe I’m the only one who hasn’t had the pleasure of helping you free your magic.”
I snort but move closer to him. “If you insist,” I answer.
Josh wraps his arms around me, supporting me as he dips me backwards. His mouth lands on mine more tentatively than I would have expected, considering how boldly he grabbed me.
I smile and run my tongue along the seam of his lips. He doesn’t open for me, instead moving his mouth down to my neck, licking and sucking the sensitive spot behind my ear. I shiver as the heat inside me moves lower. I wish I could squeeze my thighs together, but I don’t want to risk falling down.
Moans and gasps fall from my mouth as my arms tighten around his neck. My fingers find the hair at the nape of his neck and pull, forcing his mouth to release me. My eyes blaze with heat as I drag him back to my mouth, attacking him with a fervor I didn’t know I possessed.
The sound of a throat clearing breaks us apart. Josh rights me, and I spin to see Matt has stopped reading and is watching the two of us.
“As entertaining as that was”—he smiles—“I think I’ve found something.”
I hurry over to his side and drop down next to him. Patrick and Josh move to stand behind the log we are leaning on.
“There’s a section here about magic being tied to emotion. The higher the emotion, the more powerful the magic. It also says that your emotions can affect the outcomes of the magic. Negative emotions can cause darker magic, and positive emotions can cause light magic.”
“I should have realized that,” mutters Patrick. “We are taught from before we have magic to never cast out of anger. There are so many horror stories of people causing irreversible harm over small spats because they let their emotions get the best of them.”
I inhale sharply. “Irreversible harm?! And you’re just now mentioning it!”
“I didn’t want to scare you,” Patrick says with a small shrug. “I figured we’d get to that part eventually, but you don’t seem mad, so I figured that could be a problem for another day.”
“I could have hurt one of you?!” My voice rises.
“But you didn’t,” answers Matt. “Not even close.”
I turn and look between the three of them, all in one piece and all offering me encouragement.
“Could fear affect someone’s magic?” Josh asks.
Patrick thinks for a minute before nodding. “I think it could. If there’s enough fear, especially fear of your magic, I could see that causing it to freeze.”
“Like the flight, fight, or freeze when people panic but with magic.” Matt nods.
“Yeah, but how does kissing you help me unlock my magic?” I ask.
“It looks like your mind wanders away from the magic and toward more fun and private activities,” Matt says. My face heats. “Maybe getting your mind to focus more on your body and less on your fear is the key to unlocking your magic.”
“But why would it go away after I cast a spell?”
“You looked terrified when the ground was shaking,” Patrick reminds me. “And it didn’t go away after one spell last time. The small pile was moved quickly and easily. Then you focused on the larger piles, which is where it seemed to move out of your control, and your fear took over.”
“So as long as Mor isn’t afraid, her magic will work?” Josh asks.
“Maybe…” says Patrick. “Hopefully. Are you feeling your magic now?”
I nod. “I am. But why are we practicing on sticks and rocks when we have eight more crypts to open? Shouldn’t we try to open them?”
“Do you think you’re ready?” Patrick asks.
“As ready as I can be on such a short timeline,” I answer.
“Matt and I found one not far from the tree.” Josh points. “We could start with that one.”
We all agree and walk over until we see the outline of the crypt in the distance.
“Okay, everyone, keep an eye out. We know the O’Byrne crypt was protected by living vines. Who knows if this one will be the same, or if it will have something else protecting it or nothing at all,” Patrick says.
“Would we be lucky enough that it is nothing at all?” asks Josh.
“I doubt it,” I say.
“Curses are like all other magic. They take on different threats based on the caster’s feelings. If he especially disliked one family or thought one maybe on his side, their crypt could be different,” Patrick explains.
We slowly creep forward, watching each step for vines or flowers that may spring alive and try to eat us.
We reach the front with nothing jumping up from the ground to grab us. I sigh in relief, thinking something is finally going our way.
“Would you like to do the honors?” asks Josh, standing at the back of the group.
I walk forward, then reach out and grasp the handle. I tug, but the door doesn’t give.
“What the hell?!” I hear Matt yell as the air fills with squawks. I spin, seeing all three guys being attacked by a flock of ravens.
I run toward them, flapping my arms like I do when I’m shooing Quoth away, hoping they will take the gentle hint. “Where did these guys come from?”
“I’m guessing the curse,” Matt answers. “They just appeared and started attacking when you touched the door.”
I duck and hiss as one of the birds drags its beak down my arm.
“What do we do now?” Josh calls. He’s found a stick somewhere and is swinging it around, keeping the birds away from himself.
“Morrigan needs to open the door,” Patrick calls, holding a ball of fire in each hand. Even cursed birds are scared of fire and keep pulling out of dives toward him.
“How?” I yell, ducking again to avoid a beak to the eye.
A familiar squawk joins the chaos and I glance skyward seeing Quoth’s familiar form flying into the fray. He claws and bites the bird taking them out faster than the guys.
“Just like we practiced,” Patrick answers. “Focus on your magic and see if you can shake the ground hard enough to shake the door open.”
“Seriously?!” I call back. “How am I supposed to focus on my magic while I’m being attacked?”
“You’ll have to trust us to protect you,” Matt says, moving closer to me. The other two follow suit, creating a small circle of protection. Quoth lands softly on my shoulder, nuzzling my cheek before taking to the air around me.
I take a deep breath and try to find my magic. I can feel it, but it doesn’t want to move. Closing my eyes and turning my mind away from the birds, I find the little ball. It answers my pleas eagerly. I direct it into the ground near where I think the door is. The ground trembles slightly. I keep my magic flowing.
“Can you push more power?” Patrick asks. He tries to sound calm, but I can hear him panting from his effort of fighting off the ravens.
I push more power through myself. I can feel the ground rocking beneath me like I’m on a boat in a storm. The bird’s calls are louder. I want to cover my ears but force myself to focus.
Wood creaks somewhere in front of me, and the birds’ attack reaches a peak. I feel claws tangle and rip into my hair and tug at my clothes.
I scream as I push all the power I can find in myself into shaking loose the door.
There’s a loud pop, then silence.
I sink to the ground, utterly exhausted.