by Grace White
The rumble of thunder echoes through the abandoned building, shaking the foundations.
“Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea,” she says as we reach the auditorium.
“Just make sure you lock this place down the second they get here, okay?”
She nods, and we make our way down to the pentagram. Violet whispers an incantation and the quarter candles flicker to life, casting an amber glow around the room while the storm beats on outside.
“Can you feel them yet?”
“Not yet.” Nervous energy courses through me. They’ll come. They have to. Otherwise this was all for nothing.
I get into position in the middle of the five-pointed star. Violet is busy unpacking the contents of my bag. An item belonging to each of the guys. A monopoly piece for Endo. One of Ross’ sketches. Cael’s favorite coffee mug. Finally, one of Sol’s t-shirts I’d managed to sneak out of the laundry. She places the items at the point directly in front of me and then comes to me with a pair of scissors. “These will represent your bond to one another.” She cuts a small piece of my hair and sprinkles it over the pile. “I’ll need one of them to stand at each of the four remaining points. Any ideas on how you’re going to make that happen?”
“I have a plan, yeah.”
“Good, because things are really getting hairy out there.”
She isn’t wrong. It sounds like we’re in the middle of a hurricane.
“I’m not sure I’ll be able to—wait, they’re here.” Relief floods me but the second Sol steps into the room, all hope dies. He looks murderous, pure rage etched into his rugged face.
“What the fuck, Terra?”
“Sol, man, I thought we agreed—” Cael is right on his tail as they jog down the steps to us.
“What the hell are you thinking?”
I stand tall, refusing to let his blind fury intimidate me. As soon as Ross and Endo come into view, I give Violet the signal, “Now,” I shout, and she raises her hands in the air, chanting in Latin.
“Whoa, Kitten, what is she—”
A burst of energy flies out from her knocking the five of us back.
“What the fuck, Violet?”
“She only did what I told her to.” I address Cael.
“And what exactly did you tell her to do, Kitten?” He doesn’t look impressed.
“I told her to put a holding spell on you. On all of us.”
“You did what?” Sol seethes, but Cael lays a hand on his shoulder, leaning in and whispering something. I don’t hear the words, but they seem to pacify Sol enough that some of the fury leaves his eyes.
“Kitten, you have some explaining to do. It isn’t safe to be here, you know that.”
“I know, but it’s the only way.”
“The only way to do what?”
“To unlock Gaia’s memories.”
All hell breaks loose. Sol starts grumbling about ‘how fucking stupid I am’, and Endo and Ross launch into the risks and how it is ‘not an option right now’. I ignore them, focusing on Cael who stands silently, no doubt trying to access my thoughts. Letting down my mental barriers, I reveal everything. My conversations with Violet before the hex took hold. My theory that Gaia holds all the answers. My belief that their feelings toward me clouds their abilities to make the hard decisions.
“Guys, stop,” Cael says. “Stop!” His voice is louder this time. “We should hear her out.”
“What the hell, Cael? She escaped the house and ran straight into harm’s way. You’ve seen the shit outside. That’s no natural storm, it’s—”
“The darkness,” I say.
“Yeah, Terra. It’s the darkness. The thing we’re desperately trying to protect you from.”
I give him a weak smile. “That’s just it, Endo. Don’t you see? You can’t protect me from it forever. It’s my destiny.”
“Like hell it is. We’re still trying to figure it out,” Sol says, running a hand over his head. “You should have come to us, you should have—”
“I tried. More than once. But then everything happened, and I realized this is my decision. I hold the answers. Me. But I need you. I need all of you.”
“It’s too dangerous, Terra.” Endo steps forward, careful not to cross the circle. “We explained it to you. Opening your mind to Gaia’s memories could fry your brain. I am not cool with that.”
“That’s why I want to try it this way. When Violet channeled the four quarters into me, I started dreaming of Gaia and Elysia. If she uses your power to channel the quarters it might be enough to let me access Gaia’s memories without overloading me.”
“You have lost your fucking mind,” Sol spits out.
“Have I?” Lifting my chin, I narrow my eyes at him. “Or are you just too scared to do whatever it takes to get the answers? Answers we need.”
A huge crack of lightning reverberates around the ceiling and silence falls over the six of us. Sol looks ready to snatch me out of the circle and haul me out of here; not that he could get past Violet’s holding spell even if he tried. There’s a flicker of pride in Cael’s eyes and I’m almost certain he’s onside. But I haven’t quite figured out where Ross and Endo fall. Endo seems angry, and Ross just looks wounded.
“I need to do this,” I declare, slowly running my eyes over each of them.
“And if we say no?” Sol says.
“She’s going to do it anyway, aren’t you, Kitten?” Cael meets my eyes. “Even though you know the risks, even though we told you it could cause untold damage, you’re going to let Violet do the unlocking spell with or without us.” He looks crushed and I hate it. I hate that I’ve caused this huge rift between the five of us. But it’s now or never.
“Terra, I never signed up for that.”
“I’m sorry, Violet. I didn’t want to lie to you, but this is the only way. Don’t you see, without Gaia’s memories we are going to lose. Earth will fall to the darkness. It will win.”
“I—” she starts, but I glare at her, trying to silently tell her now is not the time.
“Okay, I’ll do it,” Cael announces. “I don’t like it and make no mistake, Kitten, I’m furious it came to this. But if this is the only shot at keeping you in one piece, I’ll do it.”
“Me too,” Ross says, refusing to meet my eyes.
“Endo?”
“It hurts, Glow. You betrayed us. Tricked us into following you here. I’m not going to lie, it cuts deep. But I’ll do it. You’ve left us no other choice.”
I nod over the lump in my throat and slide my gaze to the last Chosen. Sol’s still glowering at me. His disappointment and anger like a visible wall between us.
“I need you,” I reiterate, hoping to reach the Sol I was with earlier. The Sol who kissed me as if I was his air, his reason. Recognition flares in his eyes and I continue, “I know you hate me right now, but I can’t do this without you.” I hold out my hand in hopes that he’ll come to me.
A second passes, and another. Until the kernel of hope that began to blossom when Cael, Endo, and Ross, all agreed begins to wither.
“Sol, man, come on,” Cael says quietly, but I don’t take my eyes off the conflicted guy in front of me.
I need you, I think over and over. Until he takes one step closer. And another. Sol steps into the circle and right up to me. “If you die, I will kill you myself.” His hand slips around my neck, brushing the skin there and I shudder.
“You’ll ground me,” I whisper, and he leans in, his lips brushing my forehead.
“Okay, then. The sooner we do this, the sooner we can get the hell out of here,” Violet says breaking our moment. Sol’s gaze lingers on me for a second longer and then he allows her to position him at one of the points. She does the same with the others until they’re positioned around me.
“Kitten, is that my coffee mug?” Cael asks out of nowhere, and I fight the urge to laugh. This is so surreal, laughing seems like a good way to deal with it. But Violet shushes him, and we wait for her to begin.
&nb
sp; And I say a silent prayer to Gaia to go easy on me.
15.
Violet stands before the pile of personal items belonging to the guys. The quarter candles flicker furiously as the storm beats against the high windows lining the auditorium. The wind howls like a pack of wolves. And the four guys I’ve come to care deeply about all stand watching me, the weight of their intense gazes almost too much to bear. I know they see this as a betrayal, as a lack of trust in them to figure out another way, but in the end, this was my decision to make.
Mine alone.
Violet’s voice rings clear, echoing off the walls, filling the vast space. Her arms are outstretched before her, her hooded head tipped back as she calls the quarters.
Guardians of the East, of Air and Wind,
We call on you to protect this circle, to bind its magic and keep us safe.
Guardians of the West, of Water and Rain
We call on you to protect this circle, to bind its magic and keep us safe.
Guardians of the North, of Earth and Stone
We call on you to protect this circle, to bind its magic and keep us safe.
Guardians of the South, of Fire and Sun,
We call on you to protect this circle, to bind its magic and keep us safe.
I feel it, just as I did before. The ripple of energy. The hum of power all around us. A sharp tug in my stomach makes me double over and someone calls out but Violet shouts, “No.”
My head snaps up to Sol, whose jaw is clenched, his fists curled into his thighs. He’s at breaking point but I mouth, “I’m fine,” and I am. It hurts, yes, but I also feel their power surging through me, swirling with Gaia’s spirit. Soon the pain dulls into something euphoric. It starts out as a tingle at the base of my spine and builds into a warm current washing over me. I drop to my knees, hands planted on the cold floor beneath me.
“Is she—”
“Fine,” I yell over the thunder. “I’m fine. Keep going, Violet.”
Violet’s voice gets louder, growing into something almighty until there’s a moment of silence, a single second of pure silence, and then light implodes from the five points rushing at me with such ferocity there’s nothing I can do but brace myself. For a fleeting moment, I feel it. Gaia’s connection to her Chosen. Her power. Her knowledge of things to come.
Then my world goes black.
“WE NEED TO GET OUT of here now.”
“We can’t move her while she’s like this.”
“Do you have a better idea, Ross? There’s some bad shit brewing outside and we’re sitting ducks if we stay here.”
“What if we clear the path, and Violet takes her straight back to the house?”
“And if they’re followed?”
“I don’t think it’ll follow. It’s rooted here somehow. But I’ll go with them; the rest of you hold off whatever the hell that thing is out there. Then lay low until it’s safe to return to the house.”
“I don’t like this, Sol. It was waiting for her to come back here. You’ve got to know that, right? It’s like it’s two steps ahead of us.”
“The cloaking spell is airtight; the house is the safest place for her right now. Until she...”
“When she wakes up.”
“Fuck, we need to move. Now.”
Their voices rattle around my head but I can’t seem to latch onto them enough to reply, to open my eyes and let them know I’m okay. Arms slide underneath my body and I’m hauled into the air and then nestled against a hard chest. It’s Sol. I don’t know how I know but I do. His energy floods my senses. Earth and wood and dirt. It’s not a smell as much as a feeling. The connection between us is stronger now. I focus on my feelings for him; all the irritation, frustration, and lust and push it out into him.
“Shit,” he grinds to a halt.
“What’s wrong?” Endo asks.
“I just... she did something.”
“She’s out for the count.”
There’s a pause and I swear I hear Sol growl. “I’m telling you, I felt it.” His breath dances over my face as he leans down. “Terra, can you hear me?”
I push another burst of energy into him. “Holy shit. I can feel her.”
“You mean she’s not...” Cael trails off.
“She’s still in there.”
“Guys,” Violet interrupts. “We really need to—” A huge crack of thunder shakes the building.
“Whatever is on the other side of that door, you three focus on clearing us a path to Violet’s car.” Sol is moving again, my body a dead weight in his arms.
Be careful, please. I think it over and over focusing on Endo, Cael, and Ross.
“Holy—did you feel it?” Awe lingers in Endo’s voice.
“I felt it,” Ross adds. “Cael?”
“She’s communicating with us. But she’s...”
“It’s a good sign. It means your connection is stronger,” Violet says.
“But she’s in our heads.”
“Like you’re not in hers all the time?” My friend scoffs.
“Not the same.”
“Seriously, we have more important things to deal with right now.” Sol’s tone is final, and silence settles over the group again. But the air fills with a different sound.
“What the fuck is that?” someone says, their voice drowned out by the deafening groans of what I can only assume is the storm hitting the front doors to the building. I try to force my eyes open but it’s futile. My body is unresponsive even if my mind is fully alert.
“Now,” Sol yells and I know the second they’ve opened the doors because we’re knocked back by the force of the wind. His arms tighten around me as he forges forward. “Stay close, witch,” he orders Violet who snorts at his unwillingness to use her name. Rain lashes down on us, stinging my skin and drenching my hair, but Sol doesn’t waver against the elements and within seconds, he’s sliding me into the back seats of Violet’s car.
“This is crazy,” she says as the door slams shut around us.
“It’s nothing good, that’s for sure. See how the clouds are only focused above the college?”
“It’s definitely an attack.”
“They know Terra’s here.”
“They?”
“It. They. It doesn’t matter, what matters is we need to get out of here. Now.”
The engine roars to life and Violet throws it into reverse, the tires screeching, rubber burning.
“Okay, there; they cleared a path.” I’m not entirely sure what Sol means since I can’t move but after a few shaky seconds, the car sails smoothly.
“Do you think it’ll follow?” There’s an edge of panic in Violet’s voice.
“I don’t think it can but let’s not hang around to see.”
“I’ve heard the legends. Heard the stories passed down generation to generation but I have to say, seeing you guys in action is... well, it doesn’t even come close to the stories my grandmother used to tell me.”
Sol doesn’t answer and the rest of the ride back to the safe house is quiet except for the directions he gives Violet. By the time the car rolls to a stop, we’ve been travelling almost three times longer than it should have taken us.
“I wanted to make sure I wasn’t wrong,” Sol answers my silent question.
You can hear my thoughts, I throw out through our connection, and laugh.
“Some things will never change.” The back door opens, and he slides me out of the car and into his arms. “Stay with me, Terra,” he whispers, and I think, always, hoping he hears me.
“What now?”
“She’ll need to sleep to replenish. And then we wait.”
“Wait?” Sol barks. “For how long?”
“I don’t know. There’s no science to this. It was Terra’s idea; it didn’t come with a handbook.”
His body goes rigid.
“I know you’re scared. I am too. Believe it or not, I’ve come to think of Terra as a friend. I know what’s at stake, Sol. Terra is strong and
if the fact she’s communicating with the four of you in this state is anything to go by, that can only be a good thing.”
“Okay,” he breaths out and I feel some of the tension evaporate. “Let’s get her up to her room.”
“I’ll double check the cloaking spell.”
“Good idea.”
Sol moves through the house and then lowers me onto the bed. “I’ll take off your shoes and make you comfy, okay.”
Okay, I think pushing it outwards.
“Let’s hope this is just a side effect of calling the quarters.” There’s a hint of amusement in his voice and I can picture him smirking at me.
Once I’m all tucked in, he presses a soft kiss to my head. “You need to get some rest. They’re going to be fine. I trained them well.” Another smirk, no doubt. “I’ll check on you later.”
I want to ask him to stay, but I’m already drifting. Being lulled into slumber by some invisible force. But with their energy coursing through my veins, burning brighter than it ever has before, I’m not scared to let myself fall. Because I know they’ll catch me.
MY EYES FLICKER OPEN as I stretch my toes. I feel strong. My muscles ready to run a marathon. I draw a long, deep breath into my lungs, relishing how invigorating it feels.
“Good morning, Kitten.”
Startled, I almost jumped out of my skin. “Cael?” I bolt upright to find him smiling at me. He’s not alone. They’re all here. Watching me.
Waiting.
“You’re okay?” I ask them, ignoring the fact that the room is heavy with their anger.
“You have some explaining to do, Kitten.”
“Cael, I—”
“What you did was reckless and stupid, and it could have gotten you killed.” Sol is standing now, glaring at me. But I don’t cower. Instead, I sit taller and roll my shoulders back, letting my eyes run over the four of them.
“I know you’re angry at me. I know you think I betrayed you. But it wasn’t your decision to make.”
“Terra, come on,” Endo starts, fire simmering in his eyes, but I cut him off.