“So you knew then? That’s why you started talking to me about earthquakes and all that? Why not just come out and say something?”
“I still wasn’t sure. The earthquake thing threw me, for real. I was waiting for you to admit it.” She shrugs. “I guess I can’t blame you for not confiding in me, though.”
I release a breathy laugh. “How did you figure it out for sure?”
She clasps the crystal pendant around her neck. “The day you found this. This pendant—this shard of crystal comes from a much larger crystal, a very old piece. This bit has power in it, but it’s nothing compared to the power in the whole crystal. When you touched this, it could sense who you are—what you are. Didn’t you feel it?”
“I did feel something when I touched it.” An image of the green eyes flashes through my mind again. I wonder if Crystal knows about them. I open my mouth to ask, but she’s talking again.
“When I got the necklace back, I could feel what it sensed in you.”
“So, that’s how you can tell if someone’s a witch? Make them touch your necklace?”
Crystal smiles. “That’s one way. When I first started learning about all of this, I started checking into descendants of founding family members. I found out that some of them have magic. But some of them don’t.”
“Like Lexie?”
She shifts uncomfortably. “I’ve never seen any evidence that Lexie’s special.”
I snort. It’s clear she doesn’t know her cousin at all if that’s her impression of Lexie.
A spasm crosses her face, but it’s gone in an instant. “I have found others, though. At first it was just me and Bridget. Now every time we add someone to the circle, we all get stronger.”
“Who else is in your circle?”
“Take a guess.”
I shrug. “No idea.”
She smiles and motions to my ankle. My fingers touch the anklet Jodi gave me and I take in a breath. “Fox?”
“Yeah. Why else would girls fall all over him wherever he goes? Haven’t you noticed he’s not nearly so alluring since you’ve been wearing that?”
I think back to the dance, how I felt like myself around him for the first time since we met. “Wait—are you saying—?”
“That it’s a spell that makes all the ladies go crazy for him? Absolutely. So, yeah, Fox and his older brother Griffin are both witches, too. Do you know Zane Ross?”
“Barely. Owen thinks he’s trouble, just like Tucker Ingram.”
The corner of Crystal’s mouth quirks upward. “Oh, he is.”
A jolt of energy courses through my mind and I can sense some of the meaning behind Crystal’s smile. I shake my head to clear it of the image of Crystal and Zane together.
“But that’s all I’ve found—just the five of us. We’re a small circle, and we’re pretty close. I mean, Zane’s a bit of a bad boy and Griffin’s kind of a dick, but when push comes to shove, I trust them both.”
“Do they know about me?”
“They know I suspect. But I haven’t told any of them that I know for sure. Not even Bridget.”
I’m struck by the kindness of this simple gesture. There’s nothing to stop her from telling these friends of hers—this circle. But she’s done me a courtesy by keeping the information to herself. “Thank you.”
“I told you, I want to make up for the way I treated you before. I want to prove to you that we can be friends. That I can help you.” She closes her eyes and takes in a breath. For a second, I wonder what she’s doing. Then, the lamp on the end table beside her begins to hover. It raises several inches in the air before settling itself back in its original spot. She opens her eyes and smiles at me. “I can teach you how to use your magic.”
An ache builds in my chest. I want that, more than I can express. I’m ready to embrace who I am—all of it. “Let’s do it.”
“Okay. Give me a sec.” She stands and leaves the room. Her footsteps move down the hall. In less than a minute she returns, holding a white pillar candle. She sets it on the table as she sits on the couch beside me. “We’ll start small. We’re going to light that candle.”
She holds her hands out to me, palms up, and I place my hands in them. “That’s small? Lighting a fire?” My mind returns to the other day when Jodi did that same thing. It seemed impossible when she did it. “Shouldn’t we start with something… easier?”
Crystal smiles. “It’s a really basic spell, don’t worry.” She closes her eyes and takes in a deep breath. “Just relax.”
Taking a breath, I close my eyes, focusing on her hands against mine.
“Okay, now, just breathe in slowly and then breathe out slowly—just a few times to quiet your mind.”
I do what she suggests, but my mind is far from quiet. Anticipation courses through my body, causing my heartbeat to speed up. A grandfather clock is ticking, wind is whining against her house. A warmth spreads through my hands and up my arms, taking me by surprise. I open my eyes, but Crystal’s face is just as it was last time I looked. I close my eyes again.
“Everything has energy. The herbs your aunt grows—they’re all full of potential. Some can be used for good, some for bad. They have energy in them that can be unleashed by someone who knows what they’re doing. It’s the same for everything else in the world. Everything’s got energy, power, that can be used. Feel the energy. It’s all around us—in the wind outside, the air in this room, in the ground under this house and the water in the river at the center of town. Breathe in and take in some of that energy.”
I take a breath, managing to calm myself. I try to remember the sense of peace that overtook me by the river. It was easier to feel the energy there, in nature, but when I focus, I’m able to connect with the things around me here too.
“Now,” Crystal says, her voice quiet. “Think about a flame. Think about the way it bursts to life when you strike a match. Then think about that candle, and match the idea of a flame to the wick of that candle. Got it?”
My eyes still closed, I try to follow Crystal’s directions. “I think so.”
“Okay. When you’re ready, imagine the wick of that candle igniting into flame and say fire.”
A thrill of dread courses through me. That can’t be it—it can’t be that easy. I can’t be ready to make fire appear, not yet. But Crystal’s hands continue to grip mine firmly and I know I need to try. How will I know whether or not I can do it if I don’t at least attempt it? I conjure the images in my mind and murmur, “Fire.”
Heat builds in my abdomen, making me gasp. My eyes fly open and I look at the candle, but nothing has happened to it. Still, the heat in my core increases and I panic. Standing, I release Crystal’s hands. Her blue eyes snap open and she stares at me, open-mouthed. “What’s wrong?”
Before I can respond, the pressure inside me erupts and the candle’s wick ignites. The flame shoots up at least a foot in the air and I scream, backing away.
“Fire out,” Crystal says, her voice high but firm, and the flame disappears, leaving the faintest trail of smoke behind.
I release a shaky breath. My fingers tremble as I bring them to my mouth. “Oh, my… That was…”
“Incredible,” Crystal whispers. “I’ve never felt power like that before. Do you know how many times I had to try before that spell worked? And don’t get me started on Bridget. Even now, she’s hit or miss with that one. But you… Krissa, you have no idea what kind of power you have.”
“I don’t want to know,” I say, shaking my head. “That felt… dangerous. Crystal, if I can shake a whole school building when I don’t know what I’m doing, what will I be capable of when I do know? It’s too much… Maybe Jodi was right. I need to learn to control it, not how to use it.”
“Are you crazy?” Crystal stands, crossing the room to me. “How can you say that? If there’s that much magic inside you, do you really think you can just ignore it? You owe it to yourself to explore your potential. The circle—”
“That’s reall
y what this is about, isn’t it?” I ask, realization dawning on me. How could I have been so foolish as to believe she wants to help me for my sake? “Your circle. You don’t want to help me manage my magic, you want to increase the magic of your circle.”
She shakes her head. “No. No, I want to help you.”
“And you’re telling me my magic has no bearing on you or Bridget or Fox or any of them?”
Her eyes flicker off my face. It’s all the answer I need. I push past her and head for the front door. “I can’t believe I thought I could trust you.”
Crystal calls my name but I ignore her. Before I know what’s happening, I’m on the street, running. I don’t even know where I’m going. I just want to put as much space between me and Crystal as possible. The magic that surged in me was powerful and frightening. She said she’d never felt anything like it, which means no one in her circle has as much magic in them. What would happen if the rest of them could tap into the same power as me? How much stronger could Fox make an attraction spell if he had more magic? What other kinds of spells might he or the others attempt?
No, Jodi had the right idea all along. Magic is dangerous. It needs to be controlled.
Chapter Twenty-Five
At school the next day, Crystal has the sense to give me my space and not approach me about what happened at her house. During lunch, I try to lose myself in conversation at the table, but it’s hard to engage in my friends’ light-hearted banter when I feel so burdened by the knowledge of my magic. It’s like now that I’ve used it once, it wants me to use it again and again. I feel the incessant tug of it on my consciousness.
Halfway through lunch, Owen moves to the spot next to me, opposite Lexie. “Hey, you okay today?”
I force a smile. “Yeah. I’m fine.”
The look on his face tells me he’s not convinced. Under the table, he taps my leg with his hand. When I don’t respond, he taps it again, more insistently. Biting my lower lip, I slip my arm under the table and slide my hand into his.
Electricity jolts through me as our palms touch. I feel it flow through my arm and into the center of my body. To all the world, we could just look like a couple holding hands. Except we’re not a couple. And we’re not just holding hands.
The best way to describe it is an echo. In my mind I sense the reverberations of Owen’s thoughts, but nothing is distinct enough for me to understand. I focus on the sensation until an idea thrusts itself into my awareness. Is this because of Mrs. Cole? Is it because of your mom?
It’s not Owen’s voice in my head, it’s my own. I’m reminded of when Mrs. Ortiz gives sentences in Spanish for us to translate: I can hear what she’s saying in Spanish, but I translate the concepts in my head. Only now, my mind is translating Owen’s feelings.
I’m not sure how to respond to his question. The answer, of course, is no—I’m not thinking about death today; I’m thinking about magic. I could tell him; he already knows my secret. But how will he react if he knows I went to Crystal? Will he tell Jodi I tried to use my magic instead of following her directions to control it? And if he doesn’t tell Jodi, do I want to saddle him with another secret, force him to lie to my aunt?
Guilt swells in me as I release his hand. “Yes,” I lie.
Concern creases his eyes and he slides his arm around my waist, pulling me against him. Across the table, West raises an eyebrow at us, but I don’t care. I allow Owen to hold me close, wishing my biggest problem was grief.
When the bell rings, Owen walks me to fourth hour, keeping his arm around me as we navigate the halls. When he pulls me in for a hug outside my math class, he holds me longer than usual, like the acceptable time frame for a platonic hug means nothing after he held me for so long while I cried. “If you need to get out of here, say the word. We can cut class and I’ll take you home.”
I laugh. “Thanks for the offer. I’ll be okay.”
Bria waggles her eyebrows at me when I walk into the classroom. My cheeks burn as I take my seat beside her. “If you have something to say, say it.”
She shakes her head. “I’m not saying anything.”
Fox and Zane walk in just before the late bell and Mrs. Hill looks at them disapprovingly. The two are generally the last to arrive to class, and for the first time, I wonder why. Are they practicing magic between classes? Or, more likely, reaping the benefits of the attraction spell Fox uses to make the girls all fawn over him. Every time I think about that, it makes me angrier.
I try to pay attention as Mrs. Hill goes over the problems from last night’s homework, but even in the most ideal circumstances, my attention has a tendency to wane during math. Therefore, when the class breaks into motion about halfway through the hour, I’m taken by surprise.
Fox scoots a desk up beside mine. “Be my partner?”
I turn to Bria, who would be my first choice for a partner, but Zane has already turned the desk in front of hers so they face each other. When I hold my hands out to her, she shrugs, motioning with her eyes to Zane. I sigh when I interpret her look: He’s cute and she doesn’t want to pass up an opportunity to work with him.
Reluctantly, I turn back to Fox. “Cast a spell on her too?”
“No. Crystal felt bad that things went sideways with you yesterday. She thought it might help for me to talk to you.”
I bristle. “She told me she didn’t tell anyone about me.”
“She didn’t. At least, she didn’t tell me about you until after you left her house. She’s worried about you and she figured you wouldn’t want to talk to her again.”
I cross my arms over my chest. “That doesn’t make it okay. She doesn’t have the right to go around telling people.”
“Oh, come on. Clearly she told you about my little secret. Now I know yours. Tit for tat.” His eyes flicker downward and he flashes a grin. “So to speak.”
I roll my eyes. “No wonder you need magic to get girls to talk to you.”
“Hey now, be nice.” All humor leaves his face and his eyes soften. “Seriously, I just want to help you.”
“Yeah, right. You want to help yourself. Crystal admitted as much yesterday. She said every time you guys add someone to the circle, all of you get more magic. That’s really all you want from me, isn’t it?”
“No,” he says, his voice firm. “I mean, not that more magic doesn’t sound good to me. But it’s not what you’re thinking—not really. Adding more people to the circle just adds more power to the spells we cast together.” He leans forward, lowering his voice. “I want to help you because I already have magic, and I know how awesome it can be. I want you to experience that too.”
I shake my head. “That’s where you’re wrong. It’s not just some cool trick. It can be dangerous.”
Fox waves away my concern. “You tried your first spell and you got scared. So what? Do you give up on everything that makes you a little uncomfortable?”
“I’m talking to you, aren’t I?”
He grins, leaning closer to me. “I make you uncomfortable?”
My instinct is to shrink backwards, away from him, but I fight it. It’s what he wants me to do. Instead, I press my fingers against the lump under his shirt. “It might have something to do with that rose quartz you wear around your neck.”
His eyes narrow at me in confusion. “That’s not the first time you’ve mentioned rose quartz. How do you know that?”
The simple answer is that I saw it, but I can’t tell him that—can’t tell him I once visualized his bare chest. I attempt to arrange my face into a nonchalant expression. “It’s an attraction charm, isn’t it?” The words bubble to my lips like they’ve been on my mind all along. I inhale his scent—the spice along with the slightest sweet floral note. I smile. “And a sprig of lavender in your right front pocket. Also used for attracting romantic attention.”
He studies my face. “How are you doing that? Is it a spell?”
It’s not a spell—at least I don’t think it is. I’m pretty sure this knowledge
comes from my psychic side—but I’m not going to tell him that.
Fox leans in closer. “Magic comes naturally to you, whether you want to admit it or not. It’s part of who you are. Why deny it?”
I consider his words. What happened yesterday was scary, to be sure, but he has a point. “I want to be able to control it.”
The corner of his mouth tugs upward. “Well, as with anything, it takes practice. You can’t learn to control it without learning how to use it. It’s as simple as that.”
The bell sounds and the classroom erupts as students start grabbing their backpacks and heading out of the room. I stand but Fox blocks my way. “Look, just give us a try. The circle—we’ve all been where you are now. You can learn from us. And I bet there are a few things we could learn from you.”
I try to edge my way around him, but he anticipates each move. I sigh. “Okay,” I say, looking up into his stormy eyes. “Okay. I’ll try.”
He smiles. “Good. We’re meeting tonight at my house. Give me your phone—I’ll text you the address.”
I hesitate. I don’t want to give him my phone, but I do. He taps the touch screen a few times before pulling his own phone from his pocket. He hands mine back to me and allows me by. I don’t waste any time heading out of the room. Before I make it to the hall, I hear his voice behind me.
“Seven o’clock.”
I turn and nod. “Seven o’clock.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Crystal Magic (Clearwater Witches Book 1) Page 16