To Spell With It

by Amanda M. Lee

  “But ... how?”

  “Just feel your way around. You should be able to slip inside.”

  He sounded so sure of himself I decided the best thing to do was give it a shot. “Okay. I don’t know that I believe this is going to work, but it can’t hurt to try.” I headed for the wall, but Galen grabbed my arm before I could get too close.

  “Wait a second,” he argued. “What if there’s something in there?”

  “Like what?” Wesley’s eyes flashed with amusement. “Do you think May was keeping magical creatures in there for sport? That’s where she put her most prized and dangerous items. If she still has that talisman — and I doubt she would’ve gotten rid of it — then it’s in there. It’s a closet. There no dragon waiting for her.”

  Even though I knew he was joking, my heart gave a small jolt. “Dragons aren’t real, are they?”

  “Not the way you think,” Galen replied calmly. “Although ... they’re kind of real. We’ll talk about that later.” He leaned over and pressed a kiss to my forehead as he released me. “Be quick. I don’t like the idea of you being in a place I can’t enter.”

  I faked bravado for his benefit. “I’ve got it. Don’t worry about me.”

  “I can’t help it. Worry goes hand-in-hand with love.”

  “Oh, geez.” Booker and Wesley made twin sounds of disgust.

  That was enough to make me smile as I hunkered down and tentatively reached out my fingertips. They slipped through the wall easily into ... nothing. Well, I was sure there was something on the other side of the wall. I just couldn’t see it … or apparently feel it.

  “Weird.” I snatched my fingers back to stare at them. They were perfectly fine. “I think there really is a door there.”

  “Of course there’s a door there.” Wesley made a derisive snort. “You’d best get to it.”

  “I’m going.” With one more look at Galen, I poked my head through the wall and into darkness. I found myself in a weird little room that looked to be lit by fairy lights.

  The room was sparse. There was a small leather chair in the corner, what looked to be an altar table with books stacked on it and a small shelf with a variety of trinkets spread across it. One of those trinkets was copper in color and it was the item I immediately went for.

  “I think I found it,” I called out, my fingers wrapping around the disc.

  The second I made contact with the item my head started to pound and my vision went fuzzy. Warmth coursed through me, and I was positive it came from the disc. I tried to drop it, but it was already too late. I fought the darkness threatening to overwhelm me, but I wasn’t strong enough to regroup and escape.

  Even as I leaned away, I tumbled into the abyss ... and I didn’t stop falling for a very long time.

  I LANDED IN ANOTHER WORLD.

  That’s all I could think when I finally managed to open my eyes and found myself sitting in front of a huge bonfire. Around me, various people dressed in odd clothing talked among themselves, arguing fiercely.

  “The split is necessary,” one of the women announced. She had long gray hair that fell past her shoulders and she looked determined. She reminded me of someone, and it took me a few moments to put my thoughts in order. She looked like Judy, which I found interesting. They weren’t twins, but they shared the same fierce eyes and narrow nose.

  I glanced around, confused. “Um ... excuse me.” No one looked in my direction. “I don’t want to bother you,” I started, hating that I sounded so timid. “I’m not sure how I landed here, but if you could tell me how to get back to Moonstone Bay that would be great.”

  They ignored me. It was as if they couldn’t see or hear me. Then another familiar face popped into existence to my left and I almost jumped when I realized who it was ... and that she appeared to be corporeal.

  “May?”

  My grandmother smiled at me. She looked more amused than upset. “I knew you would eventually find the closet. I just thought it would take you longer.”

  I poked her arm, curious. “Are you really here?”

  “As much as you.”

  The enigmatic comment wasn’t comforting. “What am I doing here?”

  “You’re bearing witness to a very important moment in history,” she replied, folding her arms over her chest and watching the beings — who all looked ready for a fight to the death. “I’ve watched this scene numerous times over the years. It’s the first time you’re seeing it, but I can sum it up for you.”

  I opened my mouth to argue, but the Judy lookalike was yelling. “I don’t care what the rest of you think … or feel! This is what’s supposed to happen. This was always how things were supposed to go.”

  “Not all of us agree with that,” another voice volunteered. I couldn’t see the source, but it came from the darkness behind us. “Some of us believe we’re supposed to remain together. That’s when we’re strongest.”

  “I don’t happen to believe that,” the woman shot back, her eyes flashing. “We’ve debated this a hundred times over. Opinions won’t change. It is what it is.”

  I was confused and wanted to take May up on her offer. “That would be great ... and then I want to get out of here.” Even though I appeared to be invisible, which was an odd feeling, I wasn’t keen on remaining. The moon looked red and it cast an ominous pall over the proceedings. “Did I travel through time?”

  “Not quite.” May laughed at the notion. “You traveled into a memory. It’s something trapped within the talisman. You have to witness the moment, want to use the talisman in the appropriate manner, and then come out the other side to wield it.”

  “How do you wield it?”

  “I don’t know. I never had a reason to wield it. For a long time I thought it was a candle holder.”

  “Wesley told me. Judy Pitman is appalled by that, by the way.”

  “Judy is exactly the sort of person who should be kept away from the talisman,” May warned. “She wants to use it for a dark purpose.”

  “Is that her ancestor?” I inclined my head toward the gray-haired woman. “They look a lot alike.”

  “That is her ancestor.” May moved her jaw, her gaze darkening. “You’re in Greece right now. Greece of the past, but still Greece. You can understand what they’re saying thanks to the magic of the talisman. It’s trying to explain the scene to you to the best of its ability. This is the moment when the elementals split and forever changed their future.

  “What followed was war, famine and endless killing,” she continued. “The elementals almost wiped each other out. That’s what some of the factions wanted to do to the humans.”

  “And what’s that?”

  May pointed. “Look over there. That man standing next to the air elemental, he’s the fire elemental. He’s as evil as Judy’s ancestor. He thinks they’re working together to enact a plan.”

  “What plan?”

  “They’re going to create an army of super elementals to go after the humans, essentially creating air and fire elementals without souls who will seduce humans and bend their wills. They want to enslave them.”

  I was dumbfounded. “You’re talking about incubi. I thought the air elementals created the incubi by accident.”

  “That’s the lore, but it’s far from the truth.”

  I tilted my head as I listened to the fire elemental make a speech about why splitting their factions was in everyone’s best interests, how it would allow for the preservation of culture and a new step forward.

  “We cannot function as one species,” he warned. “We must become four separate species … even if those species aren’t always equal.” His eyes gleamed at the prospect and caused my blood to run cold.

  “The water and earth elementals don’t seem so keen about it,” I noted as I stared at the two individuals in question. They were both women ... and largely quiet. They sat on a bench and watched the proceedings with dispassionate gazes. “They look resigned to their fate.”

  “I’ve watched t
hem so many times I feel as if I really knew them,” May admitted. “I believe they realized the air and fire contingencies had a plan and wanted to steer clear of it. They sensed trouble and wisely took a step back.”

  “The fire elementals turned into demons,” I said. “That means they went full-on evil, right?”

  “Not all of them but a large contingent did.”

  “I don’t understand.” Frustration flowed through me. “Why didn’t you tell me all this before?”

  “Because I’m not the May you know. I’m the May who visited here before.”

  If she thought that would clear things up for me, she was wrong. “Weren’t they the same May?”

  “I’m an echo,” May explained. “When May left, a small part of her remained. I’m that part. I’m aware of what happened in her world, but I’m forever trapped in this one.”

  That was a little sad. “Did she leave that part of her here on purpose?”

  “No.”

  “When I leave, will a part of me remain behind?”

  “Yes, but you’ve nothing to fear. It’s just a memory within a memory.”

  “Okay.” I tapped my bottom lip and turned back to the argument. “There’s something important to see here.”

  “There is.”

  I watched the fire elemental slam his hand on a stone table. He seemed to be annoyed that anyone would dare question his wisdom. “I’m not here for further debate. The decision has already been made. You know the vote won’t go your way. You can’t force us to stay with you.”

  The earth elemental spoke for the first time. At least, I assumed she was the earth elemental. She was dressed in muted browns compared to the blue the other woman wore. “This is a mistake,” she supplied, her tone grave. “Our gifts complement each other. We are meant to act in accordance with each other, balance each other. No force on this earth can fight us when we are together.”

  The fire elemental sneered. “Some of us feel that way about our own factions. You belong to the weakest faction, so it makes sense that you would want to act as anchors around our necks. We don’t want that.”

  The earth elemental sighed, the sound long and drawn out. “You don’t see what’s right in front of you. I pity you for that. By the time you realize this was a mistake it will be too late to piece things back together.”

  “We won’t need things pieced back together,” the air elemental barked. She had Judy’s imperious attitude. “We’re going to transcend what we were designed to be and become greater.”

  The earth elemental merely shook her head. She was defeated and she knew it.

  “Is it the collusion between the fire and air elementals?” I asked finally. “I mean ... the cupids pretend that they didn’t purposely create the incubi. They maintain it was an accident and boast about how they try to control their mistakes, destroy them, when they’re made aware of the situation.”

  “Do you believe that?”

  “I ... .” That was a good question. It was also timely. Something about the situation had been bothering me for a long time. “The incubus we’re dealing with here, it was created for a specific purpose. They want this talisman for more than just the power they think it holds. They want to make sure the truth doesn’t get out.”

  “Just because they say one thing doesn’t mean they’ve abandoned the plan they hatched thousands of years ago,” May pointed out. “It might’ve taken longer than they imagined, but the plan is still on the table.”

  “And they need the talisman to enact the plan.” That’s when the final piece of the puzzle slipped into place. “They need the talisman because it has the power to allow them to do ... something. I’m not sure what that something is, but I’m betting it’s not good.”

  “The talisman is full of power,” May agreed. “The power was meant to be used for good. The cupids want to use it for evil. That’s always been their goal. You can’t allow that to happen.”

  “So I have to leave it here, keep it hidden.”

  “No. You have to take it with you. You’ll probably need it.”

  I shook my head. “If they can’t get their hands on it, that’s better.”

  “Except you’ll need it for the battle to come. I don’t know everything, or even all that much, but I do know that. No matter what, you can’t let the cupids get their hands on it. That goes for the demons as well.”

  “What about the sirens?”

  “The sirens are another story. They have their own issues. I’m sure you’ll figure that out eventually. It’s not important now. They’re allies in this as far as you’re concerned.”

  “So ... what?” I was at a loss. “I should take the talisman with me and then do ... what? I don’t know what to do.”

  May’s smile was kindly. “You’ll figure it out.” Her nose wrinkled when the fire elemental jutted out his hand to strike an agreement with the air elemental. “The incubus is an immediate danger. You have to destroy it. The majority of the cupids can’t be trusted either … except Booker. You can always trust him. He’s different from the rest.”

  I was grim. “How do I get out of here? I need to go back.”

  “You do,” May agreed. “The final battle is waiting for you. I just wanted you to know how the pieces were stacked against you before you waged your war.”

  That didn’t sound promising. “I don’t understand.”

  “You will ... and soon.” Her eyes filled with sympathy. “Don’t lose hope. You’re stronger than you think.” With those words, before I had a chance to question her further, she pushed me as hard as she could.

  I flew through time again, the disc clutched in my hand, and this time when I landed I was back in my bedroom ... and it was empty. Everyone was gone and I was on my own.

  28

  Twenty-Eight

  “Galen!”

  I called for him first because I knew he wouldn’t simply leave the bedroom when I was traveling beyond his reach. He was the type to sit on the other side of the door, gnaw his fingernails and worry until I re-emerged. Then he would proceed to kiss me until my lips were raw and tired. He would most certainly not simply walk away from the door.

  “Galen!”

  My heart skipped a beat as I moved out of the bedroom. There, in the hallway, three of the paintings that had been displayed on the walls were missing from their regular spots. They’d been knocked to the floor.

  My stomach twisted when I saw a drop of blood on the hardwood floor. I stopped long enough to touch it, terror momentarily sweeping through me, and then I collected myself and descended the stairs.

  The living room was an absolute mess. The coffee table had been overturned. Some of the couch cushions were shredded. Several knickknacks May had on the shelves were broken. It looked as if a typhoon had swept through the room.

  “Hadley, what are you doing here?” May appeared in the open doorway, fear lighting her eyes. “Why aren’t you running away? You can’t stay here.”

  “I have the talisman,” I said dully. “You gave it to me. Or, the other you gave it to me.” I felt lost and didn’t have any idea what I was supposed to do. “Who took them?”

  “There was a big group.” May was matter-of-fact despite her fear. “They didn’t go down without a fight, but they were outnumbered.”

  “Are they ... ?” I couldn’t finish the question. I felt sick to my stomach.

  “They’re not dead,” May offered reassuringly. “They’ve been taken to the shack on the beach, the one next to the new hotel. I followed to make sure they were okay before coming to check on you.”

  I was in shock. I recognized that. Shaking the fog from my brain was easier said than done, though. “I just saw you when I touched the talisman. It was a different you. You were ... solid.”

  May furrowed her brow, confused. “I don’t understand. What talisman?”

  “The St. Valentine’s Seal. You had it in your special room. Now I have it.” I held it up by way of proof.

  “Oh.” Reali
zation dawned. “That’s what they want. They’ll want you to trade the seal for your friends. You can’t do that.”

  The look I shot her was withering. “I won’t let them die.”

  “That’s not what I’m saying.” May’s steady gaze never wavered. “They’re your friends, your family. Of course you can’t let them die. But you have to be smart about this.”

  “Who is it?” I looked around to make sure I hadn’t missed anything. “Is it Judy’s people?”

  “It’s Darlene’s people,” May corrected. “I’m pretty sure Judy isn’t a part of this. She seemed as confused as everyone else. That doesn’t mean she won’t turn and join her sister if she feels the wind is blowing in a certain direction. You can’t trust her.”

  “I don’t trust her.” I dragged a hand through my hair as I considered my options. “In the memory, you said I had to keep the seal hidden, to make sure they didn’t get it until I was ready to wield it. What happens if I use it?”

  May arched an eyebrow, confused. “What memory? I don’t understand.”

  I told her the story quickly.

  “That’s interesting,” she noted after digesting the information. “The talisman obviously directed the memory fragment how to respond.”

  Frustration bubbled up. “Meaning what?”

  “Meaning that the talisman understands things are not as they should be. It doesn’t want to be used to help one faction crawl on top of the heap. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be used as a weapon to stop that from happening.”

  “How does that help me?” I was running out of patience. “How am I supposed to deal with this? How am I supposed to save my friends?” Galen’s face ran through my mind. I knew him. He was strong. He would’ve put up one heckuva fight, which meant that he could be in serious pain right now ... or nearing death. The mere notion gave me a stomachache. “I have to get moving. I can’t leave them to their captors for too long. Galen will be desperate to get away, to keep me from coming. I have to get to them before he gets hurt a second time.” Or before they realize he’s more trouble than he’s worth, I silently added.