Cursed Magic: Harper Shadow Academy (Book Two)

by Luna Pierce

  Immediately activating, the red core lights up, a hissing magic taking hold. It wiggles through my body, the power attaching to me.

  Fear hits for a split second, but then I remember Sydney urging me to stay calm, to stay focused.

  I close my eyes, thinking only of my mom, to the last time I saw her, so happy, dancing around the house with a renewed vigor. To the temporarily sad mother of the past, to the woman who had once spent hours upon hours tending to her garden and then baking the most outrageous zucchini and chocolate pies. I dig for any memory that might bring me one step closer to her.

  Minutes pass, with nothing magical happening, other than the illuminating connection and flowing energy of those around me.

  I go deeper, remembering my childhood, my earliest memory. I was young, maybe three or four, and at that point in our lives we spent a lot of time in the yard, running and playing together. But for some reason, it sticks with me to this day, her grabbing my hands, swinging me around in a circle. We were barefoot and laughing, and it was such a perfectly simple moment. The summer sun had begun to set, and the breeze from being spun around was cool and crisp. Her eyes had lit up, and I don’t recall ever seeing her smile brighter than that moment.

  Tears roll down my cheeks, and disappointment floods through me.

  The stone isn’t working, or maybe there’s nothing to find, because something terrible could have very well happened to her. What if I’m too late? What if I’ll never find her?

  “What’s wrong?” Silas demands from his spot near the door.

  “She should have connected to her by now. Get back, don’t break the circle,” Sydney says.

  “Why isn’t it doing what it’s supposed to do?” I fight through the heavy sadness.

  Abigail speaks up. “She could be hidden to the reperio, Willow. This doesn’t mean what you think it does. We can keep searching for her.”

  How can I convince myself that my mom is still out there if all signs point to anything but that? She left a note that she was leaving with Jenny, but Jenny’s been long gone for years. Is it possible that she went to find my dad? Why wouldn’t she have told me? Kept in contact so I didn’t worry? How does any of this make sense?

  “Why don’t you take a break and try again here in a little while?” Sydney suggests.

  I shake my head, gripping the stone in my hand, not allowing a break in the hold.

  “Willow, he’s right. Give yourself a minute,” Silas pleads.

  I shut myself off to those around me, whispering the words, “Blood of my blood.” Closing my eyes again, I concentrate every fucking brain wave to the man who abandoned us all those years ago, whatever the reasoning may be. If he’s alive, maybe finding him will help me find my mother.

  But how can I find a man who is nothing but a mystery to me? Whether it be his name or his face, I have no knowledge of who he is.

  Without me taking a peek, a circular wind rushes around me, starting at the floor, weaving its way up, and above my head, whipping violently, almost throwing the rock out of my hand. I clutch it firmly, not giving it the chance to break the connection.

  That’s when the sign pops into my head, the blue background with a… ripe peach. Georgia’s state welcome sign. I focus further and I’m thrown across an interstate, through the winding of back roads, over a bridge. Another marker coming into sight… for… I can barely make it out, but the words fizzle into clarity—Driftwood Beach.

  Everything slows down, and a silhouette of a man wanders in the distance, the setting sun casting hues of purple and orange bouncing onto the clouds and water. Large fallen trees clutter the sandy area. I urge my mind to go farther… only a little more.

  Two people emerge from the corner of my vision, more delicate figures—women.

  I try with all my might, all my magic, everything in me to travel the distance to them, but all too soon, everything comes to an abrupt halt, my eyes flashing open to the altar in front of me.

  “What did you see?” Sydney urges.

  “I think.” I hesitate for a second. “I think I found my father.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  “And you’re absolutely sure that’s what you saw?” Walker folds his arms over his chest like he’s known to do, studying my face heavily with his blueish eyes. His pressed tan shirt wrinkles, and his sleeves ride up.

  “It was clear as day.” Well, not until it finally came into sight.

  He looks around, lost in thought. “The team did get a small lead in the Carolinas, so it’s not too far-fetched that she could be in Georgia by now. My concern is whether or not they’re on the move.” Walker glances at Sydney. “Now, if I’m not mistaken, the reperio can be used only so often?”

  Or if they’re even together. What if that wasn’t my dad or my mom? And who was the third person?

  Sydney nods. “That’s correct. The stone has to recharge, so to do another location, we’ll have to wait about seven to ten days. It won’t be until we do one more reading that we can see if their whereabouts change.”

  A week? Possibly more? I can’t wait that long, not with the unknown weighing so heavily.

  “Willow, I can imagine you’re chomping at the bit to make a move right now.” Walker’s voice is calm but firm and authoritative. “But I advise you to stay the course. My group is still doing a sweep on the coast, so bear with us while they make their way to that beach. Give them a chance first. You don’t know what kind of dangers lie in store for you with your curse. You may think you have a hold on it now, but who’s to say the next one won’t be more brutal and difficult to handle, especially out on the road.” He comes across as a total dad figure, and its equal parts appreciated and frustrating.

  “Okay,” is all I say, knowing damn well that the period between now and the next reading is going to drag on. But that’s all the time I’ll allow. I will give them the chance to locate my mother, given what I was able to uncover, but as soon as I’m able to track my father again, I’m going after him myself.

  I’ve waited almost nineteen years, what’s another week? Once the clock has ticked down, I refuse to continue to sit back and do nothing. For now, I’ll stomach my pride, give them their last effort, and hope for the best, while preparing for the worst.

  “You all right?” Sydney asks from beside me.

  I blink, realizing we’re in the foyer, walking past the lush garden. I nod. “Mmhm.”

  “I’ll tell you the moment the stone is charged. I promise. I might be able to skim a few days off with the full moon that’s coming.”

  I bob my head again.

  He gently but firmly grabs on to my arm, stopping me from moving forward. “Hey.”

  I take in a breath. “What’s up?”

  Sydney bites at his lip, his voice low. “Are we okay?”

  His question catches me off guard. “Yeah, why?”

  He rubs his neck and gazes at the ground. “I… I don’t want to lose what we had.”

  “Some things are more important than that,” I repeat the words he spoke to me not that long ago. I’m well aware of the sever between us, but losing him isn’t something I’m ready to do either. Our time together has been precious and rare, forging a bond that could never be replicated. “Give it some time, we’ll find our way back to each other.”

  Inching his arm up, he reaches for what I can only imagine is my face.

  An instant too soon, Deghan barrels past him. “Shit, another moment I interrupted. I really do have the worst timing.”

  I smile up at him, his chocolatey golden eyes shining. “We were heading your way.” I clutch Sydney’s arm, a silent reassurance. “Where’s Cam?”

  “Showering. He got back from his run a little bit ago.” Deghan throws his arm around my shoulder.

  Silas’s presence calls to me, and I recognize his proximity without any signal other than my body being pulled toward his.

  We follow each other into the dining hall, getting some snacks and finding the rest of our friends.r />
  Kyra waves us over and starts talking once we’ve arrived. “Girl, you will not believe what Ian did.”

  Sitting, I peel the first layer of my orange. “What did he do?”

  “He went streaking… through the school.” She busts out laughing, and it’s hard not to notice the way Remi glows at her. If only she would just make her move already.

  I shift my focus to Lillian, her shy smile warming my heart.

  We make eye contact, and for once, she doesn’t frown. It’s like a new page has been turned, ending the chapter of the bad times between us.

  Cameron jogs over, taking the seat next to Deghan.

  Silas finally joins us, him coming up behind me, his hands on my shoulders, rubbing circles with his thumbs over the sore muscles. I look up at him, the warmth of his company soaking into me.

  For a second I lose sight of everything wrong in my life, glancing around at all the people I’m surrounded by. I’ve been so wrapped up in the negative, the doubting myself for coming here, for thinking I didn’t deserve a chance at happiness, or starting fresh, when in reality, this was the best decision I’ve ever made.

  Sure, it’s challenging as hell, and life-changing to say the least, but it’s what I wanted, what I needed.

  To find myself.

  To find my people.

  To find my place in the world.

  Regardless of it all being a work in progress, at least I’m moving toward figuring it all out. One step at a time. One curse at a time.

  And I’d be lying if I thought it was going to be smooth sailing from here. Especially with more curses to come, locating my parents, and all the secrets I’ve still to uncover.

  But with a clear mind and a full heart, I’ll embark on this journey with open arms. The best part of all, I won’t have to do it alone.

  *BONUS* Wicked Magic

  Chapter One - Early Access

  I have no freaking clue how I’m going to get through the next week.

  Don’t get me wrong, having four hot guys around at pretty much all times, friends that genuinely care, and this whole slow learning magic thing I have going on, definitely helps keep my mind occupied, but it never seems to be enough. I’m always pulled right back to the endless thoughts of whether or not my mom is okay.

  I guess when you become someone’s caretaker, it sort of makes you feel pretty damn responsible for them, so when they go missing, it’s only a natural reaction to go into panic mode.

  Deghan rubs his thumbs into the tight knots in my neck. “Damn, Will, your back is a mess.”

  I sigh, blinking myself into this reality. I glance across the table to Remi.

  She frowns. “Have you listened to anything I’ve been saying?”

  “Not really, I’m sorry.” I really am. I don’t mean to be so scatterbrained but pretending I’m fine when I’m internally freaking out is proving to be rather difficult.

  “You done eating?” Deghan points to the food sitting in front of me. A half-eaten cheeseburger and some French fries growing cold by the minute.

  I shove the remains toward him and say, “It’s all yours.”

  “Do you have everything for classes tomorrow?” Cameron asks me while grabbing a fry from the pile.

  I shake my head. “I think I still need to get a math book.”

  “Me, too. Want to go get them?” His gaze meets mine, those blue eyes glistening.

  Somewhat forcing a smile, I stand. “Yeah.”

  “Cool,” Cam adds.

  “I’ll see you guys later.” I offer a weak wave to the rest of the group.

  Kyra nods and Remi scowls.

  “Don’t forget Wednesday.” Remi narrows her eyes at me.

  "Okay, I won't," I respond, despite having no clue what she's talking about. Not wanting to awkwardly admit that I'm clueless, I keep my mouth shut. I have a few days to figure it out anyway.

  A warm hand grazes my lower back and leads me from the dining hall.

  I sink into Cameron’s embrace and allow it to temporarily soothe me.

  “Do you want to talk about it?” He whispers behind my ear on our walk to the library.

  For some reason, Cam is always the easiest to open up to. His personality is calm and welcoming, totally non-judgmental. It’s one of the many qualities I love about him. He’s truly such a likable person with not a bad bone in his body.

  “I can’t stop thinking that I’m not doing enough, that I should be doing more, doing something, you know?” My words are quiet so only he can hear. I flick my gaze to him and then focus on the nearing hallway to the lower level of the building ahead of me.

  Maybe if I get downstairs, the lack of prying eyes will lift some of the pressure weighing so heavily on me.

  “I understand but acting irrationally won’t bring help you find your mom. You’re doing the right thing by waiting, even though it’s hard.”

  “How can you be so sure?”

  I take a few steps down the stairs, and the next thing I can comprehend is my feet tangling up under me and my entire body falling toward the concrete floor.

  Lightning fast, Cameron grabs onto my hand, snatching me up right as I'm about to hit face-first on the hard surface. He pulls me up and toward him, settling his grip on my shoulders. His baby blue eyes are frantic. "Are you okay?"

  Without giving it another thought, I wrap my arms around his torso and press myself against him. The hug is something I wasn’t aware I desperately needed until now. My hair mashes into my face and I don’t bother moving it. Instead, I just breathe him in, his calming scent reminding me of a sunny day at the beach.

  Cameron holds me close and minutes pass with us just standing there, glued together at the entrance to the library.

  I’m so damn thankful that this area isn’t traveled often.

  All too soon, he breaks the perfect silence. “Come on.” He plants a soft kiss on the top of my head and takes my hand, leading me to our destination.

  We find the math section and I scan the shelf.

  “You’re taking stats, right?” He runs his finger along the spines in search of the right textbook.

  “Mmhm. What about you?”

  “Yep, second period.”

  A wave of relief floods over me. “Same.”

  He nudges my arm with his elbow and smirks.

  "Shit, there's only one left," I mutter, pulling it free. Dust bunnies scatter all around.

  Cam shrugs, “We can share. No biggie.”

  I hand it to him. "Here, you should have it. I'll ask Abigail if there are any more."

  He crosses his arms and huffs. “You don’t want to share with me?”

  “Fine.” I brace the book to my chest and shake my head.

  "But this means late-night study sessions." He grins.

  “I see what you’re up to.” I pathetically attempt to wink at him, but it comes out like I have no control over half my face.

  Cameron laughs. “That was cute.”

  His near proximity and gorgeous smile steals all of my attention and I find myself staring like an idiot at his lips.

  Time slows down. I look from his lips to his eyes, noting when his attention mimics mine.

  Cam’s face turns serious and his hand reaches up to graze my cheek. He tucks an unruly strand of hair behind my ear.

  Sucking in a breath, I inch myself forward, testing the waters.

  He hesitates, but then moves, closing the gap between us. His hand tangles in my hair and his lips firmly crush into mine.

  If I thought that his hug was what I needed, I was wrong, this is something on a completely different level. It’s passion and desperation and longing and it is everything.

  Cam wastes no time, his tongue twirling into my mouth, dancing with mine. He backs me into the shelf, and I fumble to rid myself of the book still clinging in my hands.

  Once it’s tucked away, I run my fingers through his silky blondish hair, not daring to break our kiss.

  Pressing his body along mine, his grow
ing hardness becomes apparent.

  I allow him to lift me onto a table we’ve somehow bumped into, and I position myself to wrap my legs around him, consuming the pleasure from his mere touch.

  A loud throat-clearing nearly makes me fall off the table, bumping Cam's face in the process.

  “Shit,” I stutter.

  “Umm, so I’m not denying what’s going down in here, but you two know there are cameras, don’t you?” Deghan points to the ceiling where lo and behold, a blinking red-light flashes.

  I smooth out my shirt, taking a deep breath and hopping from the table. I rush over to the shelf, grabbing the randomly stuffed away book and bolt from the library. Embarrassment licking up and down my neck.

  “Willow, wait,” Cameron calls out.

  I run up the stairs, taking them two at a time, jogging through the foyer, along the garden, and up the west wing stairs. I reach the top, my breath growing ragged with each step.

  Just when I’m almost to my room, a person speaks.

  “Hey, are you okay?”

  I turn to the sound, my sights finding Ruby standing near her door.

  I nod quickly, only too late realizing how stupid I must appear. “Yeah, I’m good.”

  She tilts her head and squints. “You sure?”

  “Yep.”

  “Good, well. I was going to ask you, what are you wearing Saturday?”

  "I have no idea, that's forever away. Probably some jeans and a t-shirt, why?" I do my best to calm my rampant lungs.

  “No, I mean, to the formal. You’re going, aren’t you? You practically already have four dates.”

  What the hell is a formal?

  “You have no idea what I’m talking about do you?” She shifts her weight to her left leg.

  I rack my brain in an attempt to piece together whatever puzzle this is but end up failing each time. “No?”

  “The annual Harper Academy Formal. There’s like this fancy dinner and everyone dresses up. It’s this coming weekend.”