My arms drop to my sides, the voices disappearing from my head. Seth’s eyes are wide and wild, panicked. His gaze darts between me and Owen—Fox has dropped back to the ground in a heap. Every cell in my body vibrates, like I’m in tune with every bit of energy in the world. I feel a cool, rough pressure in my left palm and look down. There’s nothing there, but the phantom feeling remains. The crystal. I’m not sure how I know it, but it’s nearby. Crystal Jamison is clutching it. I turn to Owen, who is looking at his left hand in confusion. “Go get it!”
His eyes lock on mine for an instant before he takes off toward the river’s edge, heading upstream along its bank. Seth raises his arm—he’s going to pull him back like he did when I tried to escape. Instinctively, I raise my hand, wanting to knock Seth over, to distract him from the spell he’s casting. Owen stumbles once before Seth falls flat on his back, grunting as the air rushes from his lungs. He pushes against the ground with his elbows but I reach my hand out, pressing him against the earth with an invisible force.
“What did you do?” Seth thrashes futilely against the ground. “Your magic isn’t this strong!”
He’s right, the abilities I’m displaying are beyond me. It feels similar to when I channeled the psychics’ energy earlier during the spell in Seth’s apartment, but it’s more than that. I’m not exactly sure what happened, but I accept the power now. I need it to fight him.
He struggles again, attempting to curl his body upward to sitting. The pressure of his movements reverberates through the air into my palm, like the movements of a fly transmitted through a spider’s web.
“You’re still too late.” He grunts, pressing his forearms into the ground beneath him and forcing his torso into the air. The movement echoes through my hand and through my body. “Each moment, I grow stronger. Do you hope to use the crystal’s magic against me? You can’t.” He plants his palms on the ground and manages to sit. The force of his motion knocks me back a step.
“I’ll stop you. I’ll find away.”
He grunts with exertion. “Your ancestors thought the same thing, but, as you can see, they were unsuccessful. What makes you think you’ll be able to accomplish what they could not?” Slowly, laboriously, he drags his legs toward him. My hold on him is weakening—either that, or he’s growing stronger with each passing second. “Unless you plan to kill me.” His upper lip curls and he narrows his eyes. “After all, you’ve killed once already.”
His words are like a physical blow, knocking the breath from my lungs. My tenuous control over him slips and he stands in one swift movement. You’ve killed once already. The truth of the statement stabs my heart. Zane is gone, his fate sealed the moment I started the spell to break the circle’s connection to the crystal.
But it was never my intent to hurt him—to hurt anyone. It was all Seth, all his desire to regain his power. Rage bubbles through my veins. He’s the one who’s ultimately responsible. How dare he accuse me of murder? If there’s one person who deserves to die as a result of all this, it’s him.
The fire in my body connects to the flames of the bonfire. I focus all the heat, the hate, on Seth, and the fire shoots up like a pillar before twisting down like a snake. Seth’s eyes lock on mine, wide with surprise, as the serpentine figure strikes out toward his body, encircling him.
“Krissa!” Owen’s heavy footfalls draw my attention. He holds the crystal toward me limply, his eyes full of reflected firelight.
I open my mouth to explain, but when I turn back, the fiery snake disappears in the blink of an eye, leaving emptiness where Seth stood. I scan the vicinity, but there’s no trace of him—his body—anywhere.
“He just disappeared,” Owen murmurs, bumping my arm with the crystal.
The only other time I’ve heard of someone winking out of existence before was at West’s house with the psychics. Felix mentioned it my first day there. “Bilocation.” I shake my head. Of course. Seth wouldn’t chance someone being able to capture him. By bilocating, he could keep his physical self safe from harm while conducting the spell here.
The spell.
I turn, grabbing the crystal from Owen’s hand. Although physically it feels the same as it always has, the energy of it is off—less intense. Still, I can sense a tremendous amount of magic still trapped within it. And I know what I need to do—what I should have done the first time I thought about it. “We have to discharge the energy from the crystal.”
“Wait—what?” Owen closes his hands over mine, covering the crystal. He looks down at Fox who remains in a motionless heap. “What about…? Will what happened to…?”
“Zane…” My throat constricts. “He was using magic when I tried to separate the circle from the crystal. Seth said separation was best because it would cut them off from the magic in it. But of course he wouldn’t want to discharge all the magic—he wanted it back for himself. If we push the magic out of here, it’ll just go back out into nature, where anyone can use it. He won’t be able to absorb it into himself because it won’t be his.”
Owen’s face is tight. “And the circle?”
I squeeze my eyes closed. In truth, I don’t know what will happen to them. I have to believe they’ll be okay—after all, they won’t be cut off from the energy, it’ll just be stored somewhere else. Seth can’t be allowed to absorb all this power—who knows how many more lives he’ll take in the name of “cleansing” the town. I open my eyes, covering Owen’s hands with my free one. “It’s our only shot.”
After a beat, he nods. “What do we do?”
I take in a breath. “I’m not sure if you can help—you’re not a witch. But… can you feel the energy inside the crystal?”
He nods. “I—I think so.”
“Okay. Connect yourself to the energy and push it out—into the world around us.”
“What—that’s it?”
The energy inside the crystal shifts. Seth is still drawing on it. “It’s the best explanation I can give. Just—follow my lead.” I don’t wait for him to respond. Closing my eyes, I focus on the power stored in the stone resting in my hand. I just have to force the energy out.
Jolts of energy shoot through my palm and up my arm. My instinct is to drop the stone, but I resist, squeezing it tighter. Heat radiates off the crystal, searing my skin. I bite my lower lip to keep from crying out. It’s as if the quartz has a mind of its own and is fighting against my efforts to rid it of its energy. Pain spreads through my arm, cresting over my shoulder and filling my chest. My body shakes violently in protest, my grip loosening.
“No!” I squeeze my fist, crying out in pain when Owen crushes his hands over mine. The power of the crystal is trying to overwhelm me, but I can’t let it—I have to push it back. I have to succeed for the circle.
For Fox.
An icy chill builds in my center, flowing outward, combating the heat invading my body. The cold pushes it back, out of my chest, over my shoulder, past my elbow, into my hand. I take a deep breath, calling up all the energy within me, all the power of the raging bonfire, of the rushing river, of the night breeze, of the earth beneath my feet. “Get out!”
A flash like lightning shoots out of the crystal, connecting with the ground beneath it. I scream as the pain of a thousand knives rips through my hand. I lose my grip on the crystal and fly backward; Owen’s hands slips from mine as he is launched in the opposite direction. I land on my back several feet away, the air knocked from my lungs by the impact. I struggle to draw breath, unable even to take in a shallow gulp for what feels like minutes. Finally the dam breaks and cool night air rushes in. I inhale and exhale deeply several times before sitting up. Owen is still flat on his back and I struggle to his side, crawling with the help of only my left hand, my right in too much pain to place weight on. Panic rises with every inch nearer I move.
He groans when I shake his shoulder, opening his eyes and squinting against the firelight. “Did we do it?”
The crystal rests in the center of a scorched patch of earth
several feet away. We crawl to it and I pick it up in my left hand. “It’s… it’s just a stone. There’s nothing left in it.”
A smile breaks across Owen’s face, but my elation is trampled by another thought. “Fox.” I scramble to his side and pull him so he’s flat on his back. My fingers tremble as I reach for his neck, afraid of what I’ll find. What if there’s no pulse? What if he’s—
Owen places a hand on my shoulder. The gesture gives me the strength I need to touch my fingers to Fox’s skin. Nothing. A sob rises in my chest as I move my fingers to the hollow spot just below his jaw, pressing my fingers more firmly to his flesh. Oh, god, what have I done…
A slow, rhythmic thud pulses beneath my fingertips and another sob claws its way out of my mouth—this one of relief. I bury my face in Fox’s chest, tears overfilling my eyes and dripping onto his shirt.
“He’s alive.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
I stay with Fox while Owen checks on the other members of the circle. I should go with him, I know I should, but I can’t bring myself to leave Fox’s side. Owen’s hurt—his jealousy—flares through me as he leaves us, but I can’t allow myself to dwell on it. My feelings for Fox are real, and although they hurt Owen, they’re not something I can just turn off. Sorting out my feelings toward Owen versus my feelings toward Fox is a problem for another day.
I remain pressed against Fox’s chest until after my tears stop flowing. I come back to myself by degrees—first aware of the night air nipping against my exposed skin, then the fatigue of my muscles, and finally of the searing pain in my right hand. When I investigate my palm, I immediately wish I hadn’t—the skin is shiny with angry red blisters. A small price to pay for Fox’s life.
Fox moans and I pull away, giving him space to move from side to side. After a few seconds, he opens his eyes a slit, curling his body toward a sitting position but stopping before he’s even halfway upright. “Krissa? What happened?”
I can’t suppress a smile as I reach for his face with my left hand. “Later,” I choke, my throat constricting as fresh tears spring to my eyes. I wipe at them with the back of my right hand, wincing. “Can you stand?”
With much effort and assistance, Fox manages to get to his feet. I pull his arm over my shoulders and help him shuffle in the direction he and Owen first arrived from. He’s brimming with questions, but he keeps them to himself, giving me the space to tell him what happened in my own time. I’m struck by the clarity with which I know the things going on in his mind. I’m not even trying to use my psychic side. Maybe I’m still amped up from everything with Seth?
Murmured voices float through the darkness as we follow the bend in the river. My heart swells: Voices mean people. Voices mean the other members of the circle are okay, too.
Slowly, Fox and I make our way to where the others are gathered, in a small clearing just beyond the river’s bend. A wave of irritation washes over me when Owen catches a glimpse of the two of us and my cheeks burn.
Fox stiffens and our shuffling progress halts. “Are you… embarrassed?”
I press my hand to my cheek automatically, even though there’s no way Fox can see my blush. In addition to the fact that the light of the waning moon is unlikely to reveal the color in my cheeks, Fox is much taller than I am and completely unable to see my face from his angle. “How do you know that?”
He shakes his head. “I don’t know. I just… feel it.”
It’s my turn to freeze. If this comment came from Owen, I wouldn’t give it a second thought, but Fox isn’t s psychic. He shouldn’t be able to sense my emotions.
“Krissa!” Crystal’s voice cuts into my thoughts and I turn to her, glad for the distraction. She hobbles unsteadily toward me, launching herself into my arms when she’s close enough. I return her hug as best I can, trying not to throw off Fox’s balance. She squeezes me tightly before holding me at arm’s length, her eyes burning into mine. A dozen emotions play out over her face and her mouth twitches like she’s trying to come up with the right thing to say. Finally, she settles on, “I should’ve listened to you.”
Anger, irritation, and regret all swirl through me. The urge to punch her face is strong, tempered only by the equally strong urge to pull her in for another hug. Moonlight catches the tears filling her eyes and I sigh. “Let’s go home.”
I end up supporting both Fox and Crystal on the trek back to the riverside park. Owen assists Lexie and Bridget. Griffin trudges slowly behind the rest of us, stubbornly refusing any help.
My teeth are chattering by the time the playground is in sight and I wonder what time it is. My mom and Jodi are probably worried that I’m not home. I have no idea how I’ll explain where I’ve been and what I’ve been doing. Jodi might understand, but what am I going to tell my mom? She seems to be adjusting well to the fact that I have abilities, but how will she react if I tell her the truth? “Sorry I’m late, I was defeating a centuries-old super-magical psychic dude who’s been posing as a harmless employee at Jodi’s shop.” Yeah, that’ll go over well.
The silhouette of Fox’s monster truck stands out in the parking lot beyond the playground, but that’s not what draws my attention. There are people milling about the lot, leaning against other parked cars. Did my mom send out a search party when I didn’t come home? It can’t be that late, can it? But as soon as this thought enters my mind, it’s dispelled by another thought—no, a certainty. Before I can make out their figures, I know who the three figures are: the psychics.
Bria, West, and Felix take off at a run toward us and my heart swells at the sight of them. They’re okay. I’ve been so focused on keeping the circle alive and keeping Seth from reabsorbing all his magic that I haven’t spared a thought for them in too long. They slow as they near us, Bria giving Lexie major side-eye as she passes her to get to me. I smile as she approaches, but Bria doesn’t smile back. Instead, she extends her greeting by punching me hard in the shoulder.
“Hey! Ow!” I take a step back in case she intends to hit me again.
“Bria, what the hell?” Fox asks, shifting so he’s in front of me.
Bria stares at him incredulously. “That’s what you should be asking her.” She peers around Fox, locking her eyes on mine. “What did you do?”
“Whoa, calm down, psycho,” Crystal snaps. “What? Are you pissed we’re all still alive?”
Bria holds a hand up to silence her, eyes still fixed on mine. “Someone tell bitch-face I’m not talking to her. I want to know what you did. Something’s different—I can feel it. So can West and Felix.”
I shake my head. “I didn’t do anything—”
“The chanting,” Owen murmurs. Leaving Lexie and Bridget with Felix and West, he approaches. “After you got your ring back—there was chanting in my head. You heard it too, didn’t you?”
The sense memory of being unable to control the movements of my body makes me roll my shoulders. “Yeah. I heard it. But I didn’t do it. I put my ring on and it just happened.”
Griffin edges up beside his brother. “I think she-psychic’s on to something. I haven’t felt right since I woke up.”
“Maybe because you almost died, genius,” Owen says dryly.
Griffin arches an eyebrow in his direction but doesn’t respond. Instead, he looks past Owen to West, who sighs.
“He’s got a point,” West calls. “I didn’t really understand till everyone got here. I mean, it’s been a pretty crazy day, what, with being sneak-attacked with knockout gas at Seth’s house and all. But since we woke up in his room, I’ve been feeling… more. Emotions I was pretty sure weren’t mine. At first, I figured they were coming from Bria and Felix—or you, Krissa, or Owen.”
The look on Owen’s face tells me he has no clearer idea what West is getting at than I do.
“And then there’s the fact we’re here,” Felix adds.
Owen takes in a sharp breath and I know I’m missing something. “What?”
“After I dropped you at Seth’s place, I w
ent to Fox’s house to check on him.” His mouth twitches. “You wouldn’t let me help you, and I knew you wanted to make sure he was okay.”
Fox runs a hand through his hair. “He convinced me not to slam the door in his face and then started telling me about the spell you guys were trying. But before he got too far, he started freaking out about how something bad was happening to you—how he could feel it.” He presses his lips together in a tight line.
“We went to Seth’s place, but you weren’t there. I couldn’t figure out where you were. I could sense you, but I couldn’t pinpoint your location.”
“So I called the circle and we did a locater spell,” Fox says quietly. “That’s how we figured out where you were.”
I look back and forth between them. Besides the fact that they worked together to find me, I’m not seeing the significance. “So?”
“Don’t you see?” Owen asks. “I’m psychic, and I couldn’t find you. I needed a witch to help. If all the witches were here, how did the rest of the psychics find us?”
I shake my head. “I don’t… I don’t know.” I survey Felix and West before my gaze lands on Bria.
“It’s like we were drawn here,” Bria says. “We woke up and we just knew we had to come here—to come to you. But not just you, Krissa. It’s like we were drawn to all of you. Or each of you.” She bites her lower lip, shifting from foot to foot as her gaze flicks to Lexie.
“Oh, my…” Lexie presses her hand to her mouth. She blinks rapidly, pressing her lips together. “Bria, stop it—please.”
Bria squeezes her eyes closed. “I’m sorry,” she murmurs. “I just had to see if I was right.”
“Right about what? What’s happening?” I take a few steps toward Lexie but Bria catches me by the elbow.
“I just shared a memory with Lexie. I shouldn’t be able to do that because she’s not psychic.” Bria rubs her hand over her face. “Don’t you feel it? It’s like… It’s like my abilities are on hyperdrive, but mostly with Lexie. Like I’m—I don’t know. Like I’m linked to her or something.”
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