by Amelia Shaw
I stared at her, then began to laugh. “You’re stealing coffees?” I shook my head. “Well, that’s original.”
She shrugged and kept drinking her stolen café latte, or whatever it was.
She gestured with her hands, and I said, “What?”
“I asked you which of your problems you were trying to cure?”
“Oh...” I glanced down at the books again.
I’d almost forgotten about my worries. It was one of the best things about Courtney. She was so funny, carefree, and happy. I could forget that I was worried about something for a long moment. It was nice to just relax—if relaxing was an option in the first place.
“I was looking up the Council, actually,” I told her, easing the books off my lap and onto the floor. “Not that there is much about the hierarchy of the magical realm. And looking at legitimacy... and stuff.”
I rubbed my eyes, and then blinked once, twice. I took another sip of my tea and sighed.
Courtney reached over and grabbed one of the leather-bound books that I’d borrowed from Bella’s bookshelf.
“What’s this stuff? Shielding?” Her gaze lifted to mine and I shrugged.
“Yeah, well, considering how little we were taught about them, I think it’s something we need to work on,” I said. “At least I need to work on it. Abigail made it a big deal during my trial. Me shielding blows, I mean.”
“You know, you haven’t really talked about what happened at your trial,” Courtney said, her gaze fixed on the book. She started picking at the cover and I winced. I knew Bella wouldn’t be happy if she caught Courtney messing up her books, even if she didn’t mean to.
“Yeah, well, maybe another time.” I pressed my lips together. I wasn’t trying to shut her out. Really, I wasn’t. I just wasn’t ready to talk more in-depth about it than I already had.
Courtney didn’t respond right away. For a moment, I worried that she would demand more information. Instead, she sighed.
“Okay,” she said, setting the book aside. “You showed me this morning how in need of shields I am.” She rolled her eyes at herself and the tension eased out of me.
“Trust me, we all do,” I said. “You are much better at this than I was when I first started. Mother taught us a little about mental shields, but not enough about physical ones. And the witches and wizards of the realms are vicious.”
“Then we definitely need to work on them,” she said, her eyes burning with determination.
Another thing I loved about Courtney was that she would walk into fire without asking questions. Bella would want to know everything about it. I was just glad I didn’t have to answer any questions, at least not right now.
At that moment, Bella strode into the room with a heavy-footed purpose. “I agree.”
I turned to look at Bella, where she stood clasping a large black book to her chest. I shouldn’t be surprised that she’d overheard our conversation, but part of me was. How much had she heard? Was she going to start questioning me about my trials? Just because Courtney dropped it, didn’t mean Bella would.
“What have you got there, Bella?” I asked.
“I was listening to you and Courtney and realized that you’re right,” Bella said. She took a seat on the edge of her chair, smoothing down the wrinkles of her shirt before sliding the book on her lap. “We don’t have any defenses against a magical attack. Mother did not train us, nor set us up for a fight from the outside. Probably one of the reasons she never wanted us to find our father.”
I nodded. “I hadn’t thought about that,” I said.
This was why it was so important to involve my sisters. They saw things, thought of things, I wouldn’t be able to do.
“So,” Bella said, flipping the pages. The gold emblem on the cover somehow caught the light even though it was practically smothered by her lap. “I found something that might help us, all of us... but it can be pretty painful.”
I raised my brows.
“Painful?” Courtney asked doubtfully.
“But it’s strong?” I asked, not caring how much it would hurt.
I would be in more pain if I was attacked in the magic realm. Hell, I’d be dead. Whatever Bella had for us, I would endure if it meant I would be able to protect myself.
“Yes, very,” Bella said. She sounded certain. Whenever Bella sounded certain, she was right about things.
“And does it last?” I asked.
“Yes, that’s the best part!” Bella grinned. “The spell creates a tattoo that is life long, but it entwines with your magic, but it’s painful as it paints on your skin.”
“Ohh.... Mother would hate that!” Courtney said with glee, clapping her hands and laughing. “Which obviously means we must do it.” She looked over at me. “You won’t tell on us, will you? Now that we know you’re able to still talk to Mother, I don’t want the things I’ve told you in confidence getting back to her.”
I smiled, shaking my head. I ignored the pained heartbeat. I didn’t like to be reminded I didn’t have access to Mother the way I used to.
We all began to chuckle. Mother had always been a common ‘enemy’ and joined the three of us, even at times when we were more likely to fight.
And in this bittersweet moment, the connection between us grew and strengthened.
I sighed, looking down at the stack of books around me. Had Bella been through these already? I hoped she didn’t mind that they were now full of sticky notes and barely legible writing.
I looked at Bella, then Courtney, as the laughter began to die down.
“Well, I’m in,” I said seriously. “Anything to give me a fighting chance against those assholes.”
“I’m in too,” Courtney said. “I know I’m not heading out with you just yet, but I don’t see the problem with strengthening our defenses. Just in case.”
Bella squirmed in the chair. A stray strand of hair fell in her face, but she did nothing to move it. “They won’t stop some attacks, of course,” she said, hesitating. “It isn’t perfect.”
“Like what?” I asked. I trusted Bella, and I definitely wanted the extra protection, but I wanted to know what I was getting into before I rushed into it.
“Like a dagger to the heart for instance,” she said.
I coughed, remembering the fight with the wolf shifters in the Fae realm. “Ah, okay.”
“But it will stop people poking into your mind, blasting you with hot magic,” she continued. “Not perfectly of course. A powerful warlock or witch can work around any defense, but I think this will help. And honestly, knowing what I know, anything is better than nothing.”
It was far less helpful than the research my bookworm sister had been doing. I still didn’t understand how I could slave away for hours and not find the information I was looking for, but Bella could walk in and have a protection spell in a matter of minutes.
“When can we get started?” I asked. I stretched out my legs, and they screamed in protest. I had been sitting for too long. My back ached. I placed one hand on the small of my back and arched, giving it a good stretch as well.
“We can do it now if you like,” Bella said. “I’ll have to do you and Courtney, then tomorrow, maybe when you’re feeling better, you can do me.”
My stomach tightened, my pulse quickening. “Is it really going to be that bad?”
I looked over at Courtney. She pursed her lips and shrugged.
Bella’s smile was tight. “I don’t know... the book just says to be prepared for anything from a light burn, to falling unconscious due to the pain.”
My mouth fell open. “Woah...”
Goosebumps rose on my skin, but it didn’t dent my resolve. I was going to do this no matter what. The Council wanted me dead, and I needed all the help I could get.
“Well, shall we do this in our bedrooms then?” I suggested, standing up. I decided to leave the books where they were. I didn’t want to have to clean up and waste time. I’d rather get this over with now, if it was possible.
“So, we can lie down straight after if necessary?”
Part of me wanted to go second, of course. Put off the pain as long as possible and see what happened with Courtney. It was selfish, and I knew it made me chickenshit. Courtney was the baby of the family. If anything, it was my job to lead the way, pave the path, let them know there was nothing to worry about it.
I glanced over at Courtney. Fear filled her eyes. She didn’t even bother trying to hide it either. Her teeth gently gnawed at her bottom lips and her fingers tightened into fists.
She was scared.
I didn’t think Courtney could be scared of anything.
Bella nodded. “Yeah, that’s probably a good idea,” she said, standing as well. She took the book with the mysterious gold emblem with her. “You wanna go first?”
I inhaled. “Yes. Definitely.” My nod was sharp and jerky. I hoped they didn’t call me out for being afraid, even though I was. “May as well rip the bandage off, so to speak.”
Before I could chicken out, I marched down the corridor and opened the door to my bedroom. I rolled my wrists, trying to soothe the fear that hissed through my body like a scared cat.
When I twisted back around, Bella was standing in the doorway with the book clutched to her chest and Courtney was leaning against the wall. She couldn’t even look at me. Her hands kept fiddling with her pants and then her hair and then her face. She wasn’t ready for this.
I opened my arms, palms up, waiting for Bella to hit me with whatever magic was going to level me.
“Where do you want me?” I asked.
“Ah.” Bella glanced down at her book as she held it out in front of her. Her eyes scanned the text and she nodded. However, when she lifted her head so she could lock eyes with me, she gave me a hesitant smile. “Can you strip down to your knickers. Might be easier for the tattoo to work.”
“Oh, yeah. Sure.” I wasn’t sure why I needed to be practically nude, but who was I to argue?
I stripped off my jeans and tank; and stood in my matching black knickers and bra.
“Okay. I’m ready,” I said, and closed my eyes, not sure I wanted to watch as Bella shot me up with some sort of magic I hadn’t heard of before.
Hadn’t heard of before...
My eyes shot open.
“Where did you find this spell, Bella?” I asked, eyeing the way she was reading the book.
She looked up from the place she was reading. “It’s in one of the advanced magic books I’d hidden inside my skirts the day Mother died,” she said. “I’ve been poring over it, hoping to find some clue as to whether Mother’s magic killed her because she was burning through so much of it just trying to keep our realm up and running, or if it was something else.
I blinked. “Sorry, what?”
Bella blushed a pretty shade of pink. “Well, after Mother got sick, I started going through the hidden parts of our library that she’s told me not to look in.”
My eyebrows lifted. I had never expected Bella to break rules; Courtney, absolutely. Breaking rules was practically her middle name. But Bella?
“And in one of the books it taught me how to create these hidden pouches in my skirts. I can hide anything in there... books, jewelry... Doesn’t matter the size. They all fit.”
I put a hand up as I tried to process what she had said. My sister had ‘hidden depths’ I didn’t know about, in more ways than one.
“Are you telling me that you... hoarded Mother’s ancient books?” I asked slowly, putting my hands on my hips.
It was only when my hands found my hips that I remembered I was questioning my sisters in my underwear.
“Ah... yeah.”
A massive smile slid onto my face. “Brilliant!” I said, shooting me gaze over to Courtney and pointing to her. “Did you put her up to this?”
“This is all Bella,” Courtney said, her grin matching my own.
Bella tapped her finger on the book, her face turning pink.
“So, you’re okay for me to try this?” she asked tentatively, catching my eyes. It was almost as though she didn’t trust herself and needed me to reassure her.
I trusted her, but I wasn’t sure about this spell. Still, I had to be brave for them.
“Yes! Definitely,” I said, gesturing. “Bring it on.”
Bella swallowed hard. She glanced between Courtney and me, and then down at her book. She pulled her wand from her pocket and began to speak in an ancient language I’d heard my mother use only a handful of times.
An enchanted breeze whipped around Bella’s dark hair as she spoke faster and her fingers began to glow.
I rocked back, the air around us pushing me as though I was caught in a storm. I planted my feet stronger, bending my knees a little to stay where I was.
I wanted the protection of this type of magic. I was strong enough to endure it. I was sure. My fingers tingled. I bounced on my toes with excitement.
I wanted this. I needed this.
I was the daughter... we were all the daughters of the most well-bred warlock in all the realms, and an incredibly powerful witch. We had to be made for more than this.
The end of Bella’s wand began to glow a soft pink, that transformed into a deep, dark ruby. She lifted the wand up in the air, speaking louder and faster, chanting a string of words I didn’t understand. The house around us creaked and shifted.
And then, with a powerful shout, Bella struck me with the magic in her wand.
I stumbled backwards, pain centering in my ribs, around my heart, exactly where the spell had hit me. I gasped, placing my hand over my chest, trying to catch my breath.
The strength in my legs went, and I staggered again. I let go of my chest and grabbed onto one of the four posts of the bed so that I didn’t do anything so weak as to faint. I would never be able to live it down.
“Woah...” I gasped for air as breathing became harder, the pain spreading out. I winced, hissing, trying to do everything I could to keep the tears that accumulated in my eyes from falling.
Like a venom in my veins, the pain pulsed along my limbs with the beat of every heart thump in my chest.
I coughed, hoping for some relief.
“Ava, are you okay?” Bella asked, as she rushed over to me and put a hand on my arm.
I squeezed my eyes shut for a single moment, wishing away my tears and swallowing the urge to cry out.
Then, the pain began to ease and I collapsed onto the bed.
I forced myself to breathe in and out and opened my eyes. Both of my sisters peered down at me with concern written all over their faces.
“It’s okay...” I managed to wheeze, looking down at my body. “Where is it? Can you see the tattoo?”
I couldn’t see it on my breasts, my belly, my legs... I turned my arms over and couldn’t see anything there either.
“Is it on my back?” I twisted around on the bed so that my sisters could see my back, but when I turned around again, they were shaking their heads.
“No, there’s nothing new Ava.” Courtney said, then frowned. “Was it really terrible?”
I shook my head. “Not really.” I paused, trying to find the right words to describe it. It wasn’t bad, per se. But it also wasn’t pleasant. I didn’t want to scare them off from enduring it either, not if it was something we needed to do in order to protect ourselves better. “It was intense, but over quickly. I’m not sure why the spell book warned us it would be that bad.”
“Uh-oh,” Bella said, standing over me. She swallowed and peered down at the book. Her face went pale and she began to flip through the pages, careful not to damage the brittle parchment.
It wasn’t exactly something I wanted to hear from a witch who’d just performed a complicated spell on me.
I lifted my gaze to Bella, still feeling quite weak and unable to stand.
“What uh-oh?” I asked, trying to keep my voice even but failing. I looked over at Courtney, hoping to get some sort of information from her. She shrugged. I jerked back around to
Bella. “Don’t say uh-oh five minutes after performing a spell like that!”
Bella grabbed Courtney and yanked her back, away from the bed.
Fear rippled through me as the pain in my heart began to burn once again. I placed a hand over my chest. My eyes filled with water.
“Bella,” I said. My voice croaked, like it was struggling to come out of my throat at all. “W-what’s going on?”
She stood with Courtney in the doorway, not releasing her arm.
“That was only the first part of the spell,” she said, the words tumbling over each other. With the way the pain seared into me, it was difficult for me to piece together what she was saying. “The protection guard is going up, bonding with your magic. The tattoo comes a few minutes afterwards, and it appears, that’s the hard part.”
My forehead beaded with sweat. So, everything I was enduring wasn’t the most difficult part?
I scowled at her.
“I don’t see—” My sentence was cut off as I cried out. Pain ripped through me, from my chest, arrowing down into my belly. I curled up on the bed, my arms going across my stomach, as though that would help cushion the blow. I hunched over as my skin began to burn like someone had set a hot pitchfork inside of me.
Sweat formed across my skin. I rolled over onto my side, panting. My face contorted into a grimace. The sweat rolled over my cheeks like tears. I hurt too much to actually cry.
I screamed as the tattoo began to form, ripping my belly skin in a pattern that would forever be a part of me. I thought the tattoo would hurt a bit, a pinch here or there. But this was like someone was branding me. This was the most pain I had ever had to endure.
“Don’t fight it, Ava!” Bella shouted from somewhere that sounded far away. Her voice was soothing, though I could detect a hint of worry in her tone. “Just pass out and you’ll be fine.”
I cried out again, rolling over fully into the middle of my bed, refusing to let the pain to win.
But as the magic sunk deep into my core, darkness consumed me.
Chapter 11.
When I woke, I couldn’t bring myself to even open my eyes. Everything hurt.