A smirk twisted my brother’s lips. “I do.”
“I could have been brought back as a zombie! I could have been me but not me! And the price, Jasper, you don’t know what the price for altering the balance like that will be!”
“I know. Trust me. Piper reminded me of all the consequences.” Jasper nodded toward me. “I didn’t listen. You know me well enough by now to know I wasn’t about to listen to her, and that I’d pay any cost to have you back.”
A witty comeback rested on the tip of my tongue, but it died out the second Anna tipped her head to the side and whispered to my brother, “Thank you,” before kissing him.
I looked away, giving them privacy. Tristan did the same. Our eyes locked, and I knew there was something wrong with him. A slight sheen of sweat beaded across his face and his skin had gone pale.
“Are you okay?” I asked, wondering if he was feeling sick.
His hand moved to smooth along his forehead. “No, I’m not feeling well.”
“It’s the magic. I already told you it was spilled from him, child,” Kalisa said as though I should know.
In all the craziness that had happened while Anna was being resurrected, I’d forgotten about the magic fading from him since being stabbed. At this point, I didn’t think we would ever be able to catch a damn break.
Tristan swayed, and I reached out to steady him. “I think I need to lie down,” he said.
“I wouldn’t advise it.” Kalisa made a clucking noise with her tongue. “You best be on your way if you intend to put the spell that turned that boy into a map to good use before it fades.”
“We should go,” Anna insisted.
“I think you’re right.” Jasper stepped to Tristan’s side and slipped his arm over his shoulder to help hold him up.
I did the same on Tristan’s other side, offering as much support as I could. His head lulled back, and he let out a low moan.
“I feel like I’m dying,” he grumbled.
“Nope. Not today,” Jasper said. “We’ve dealt with enough death for one day.”
“Yeah,” I agreed. “No more dying today. I’m afraid that quota has already been met,” I added without thinking my words through.
Yes, Anna had died today, and we’d been able to bring her back. I knew that was what Jasper was referencing, but everyone seemed to forget one of Meili’s men had lost his life to the birds too. Joking about having met our death quota for the day seemed morbid, even for me, and I felt guilt press into me from having said the words.
“Speaking of,” Anna started. I caught sight of her turning to face Kalisa as she spoke. “How did you bring me back? I know you used dark magic, but I need to know how I was able to come back as me.”
Jasper and I paused in our slow trek with Tristan toward the exit. I wasn’t sure what his reasons for stopping were, but mine were because I was having a hard time imagining what Anna was feeling. I couldn’t fathom what it must feel like to know you’d died and had been brought back to life through the use of dark magic. It couldn’t be a good feeling.
My gaze shifted to Kalisa. She’d been sweeping up the ashes the birds had left behind. Her dark eyes focused on Anna as a warm smile formed on her face. “The ravens were tethered to the Vodun witches. They shared their sight, their hearing, and their ability to siphon magic, or in this case—a witch’s soul, which means life.”
I’d been right about all the colored smoke. My stomach churned at the thought of birds being able to suck the life right out of a person. Worry about vampires was enough for me.
“All I had to do was return what they stole,” the woman insisted.
“Thank you,” Anna said. Sincerity echoed through her words. She truly was grateful for what the old woman had done.
“Don’t thank me yet,” Kalisa insisted. “Not when time is ticking for so many.”
Tristan coughed, bringing everyone’s attention back to him. He sounded horrible. If I hadn’t known about the magic in play within his veins and understood how crazy witchcraft could be, I would have thought he’d come down with a bad case of the flu.
“We need to go, Jasper. Now,” I demanded.
“Yeah.” He hefted more of Tristan’s weight onto himself before starting toward the exit again. “Let’s get moving.”
“Piper,” Kalisa called after we’d made it a few steps from the door. I forced us to a pause and turned to face her. Her dark eyes brightened with a sense of mystery as a knowing smile crept across her face. “Keep the orange stone with you when go against the Vodun witches. Ms. Beverly knew it might be the difference between life and death for you, but it’s even more powerful than that. Trust me.”
“I will,” I promised, not only to Kalisa, but to Ms. Beverly as well.
My fingers found their way to the lump where the rock rested in the pocket of my jeans. It was warm to the touch. While I wasn’t sure how something so small could hold the potential to help me in such a big way, I didn’t doubt it for a second. After all, I was a Ward witch, and I knew all about little things doing the extraordinary. It’s what cloaks were.
Chapter 24
Meili, the guy she’d brought with her—I still didn’t know his name—and Liam were all waiting outside on the sidewalk when we exited The Midnight Cauldron. They each looked as rundown as the rest of us, but not nearly as bad as Tristan.
“What happened?” Meili darted toward Tristan, her sidekick right beside her. “What did you allow the witch to do to him?” Rage flashed in her dark eyes, and I knew if someone said the wrong thing, she’d murder Kalisa without a second thought.
“Simmer down,” Jasper scolded her. “The old woman didn’t do anything to him. It’s the magic draining from him. He’s going through some strange magical version of a detox since being cut so deep.”
“Are you sure the lad just doesn’t need something to eat?” Liam asked. “I could go for something. I’m famished.”
At the mention of food, my stomach growled. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d eaten. I’d been running off adrenaline for hours. Maybe even days.
“No,” Tristan muttered through clenched teeth. “We need to find the Vodun house now, before it’s too late and the magic connecting me to the mirror is gone.”
No one could argue with him. We all knew he was right.
Minutes later, we were speeding through the streets of New Orleans, allowing Tristan to guide us as best he could toward the witches.
“Close your eyes. Feel the magic inside you, pulsing with life. Allow it to pull you in the direction of the mirror,” Anna coaxed. The radio had been turned off, so the sound of her voice and the noise of the city filtering into the truck was all I could hear. “It wants you to connect with it. Your magic needs you to connect with it. Give into the sensation.”
I watched Tristan as Anna continued to coax him into giving up all resistance and letting go. He licked his lips and furrowed his brows, but didn’t speak. Sweat beaded across his forehead, and I wondered if we were too late.
“Let me see your hand, Piper,” Anna insisted. Her request surprised me, but I did as she asked without any hesitation. “I’m going to give the magic in him a jump start.”
“What? No,” Jasper growled from behind the wheel. “You just came back from the dead. You don’t need to give anyone any of your magic. Jesus, let yourself rest.”
“We aren’t in a situation to rest.” Anna unbuckled her seat belt and leaned between the front seats to reach Tristan and me better. “I’ll be fine. I’m only using myself as a bridge between them.”
I chewed my bottom lip, having never been used to jumpstart anyone’s magic before, I couldn’t help the anxiety that churned through my stomach at the thought. Tristan shifted beside me, releasing another sigh that turned into a low moan. He looked worse by the second.
Anna’s hand was cold in mine. Her eyes were closed as she whispered something I couldn’t make out. My gaze drifted back to Tristan. He looked like he was dying. There were dark
circles beneath his eyes, and his hair was damp with sweat. When Anna’s grip on my hand tightened, a dizzying sensation spun through me. I could feel my magic leaking from every cell in my body to pool in the palm of the hand she held. It was draining from me and into her. Tristan shifted again, and I knew it was because he could feel my magic entering him. His eyes grew alert as he sat straighter in his seat.
“We’re close,” he announced. “I can feel it. Take a right onto the next street.” There was excitement in his voice again. He sounded alive and well. It was amazing what a shot of someone else’s magic could do.
“We need to stay connected until we’ve located the house.” Anna’s voice was low, but controlled. “Just a little longer. You all right, Piper?”
“Yeah.” I wasn’t lying, only sidestepping the truth. Giving my magic to someone like this was weird. I hadn’t known it was possible or that Anna was capable. How was I even helping jumpstart Tristan’s magic? Maybe I was helping the magic in him focus on the magic sounding from the mirror.
“Another right once we get to the end of this street,” Tristan said, pulling me from my thoughts.
My heart pounded and saliva pooled in my mouth, but I swallowed it. The dizzying sensation I’d been feeling intensified. I worried I might vomit.
“There! On the left,” Tristan shouted. “The white house with the columns.”
Anna let go of my hand, and I sank into the seat. I rolled down my window, allowing the sticky hot air to touch my clammy skin. Water. I needed a sip of water.
“Are you okay? I took more than I thought I would.” Anna smoothed her hand over my knee.
“I’ll be fine. Just give me a second.” I forced a weak smile to twist my lips.
When Anna moved to sit in the passenger seat, I was able to have a better view at the house Tristan claimed was the Vodun’s. It was three stories with a brick driveway. Thick, white columns gave it a grand feeling, as did the pendant lights stringing from the porch ceiling. The landscaping was stunning—a solid mass of colorful flowers and bright green shrubs. The place was picture perfect, and not at all what I’d been expecting for evil witches to call home.
“Are you sure this is it?” Jasper didn’t seem convinced.
“Oh, this is it,” Tristan insisted.
“Yeah, he’s right,” Anna chimed in. She pointed to something through the passenger side window I couldn’t see. “Look.”
“Okay. I think it’s time we get going.” Jasper sped away from the curb, causing me to jerk back against my seat. “We are in no shape to go head-to-head with those witches right now.”
I glanced at the house through the back windshield as we pulled away. It took me only half a second to spot what they had—the birds.
A crap ton of ravens had perched in the trees out front and were watching us with their beady eyes.
The shrill sound of Tristan’s cell ringing echoed through the silence of the truck. He didn’t have to say who it was calling; we all knew it would be Meili. I propped my head up with my hand as I listened to his one-sided conversation with her. He explained the white house had been the Vodun’s, and then proceeded to tell her why we weren’t attacking them right now.
“Give me the phone,” Jasper insisted.
“Hold on. Meili, hold on a second. Jasper wants to talk to you.” Tristan lifted his voice to talk over her. I could heard her say something about not wanting to discuss this with my brother, but Tristan didn’t hesitate in handing his cell over to Jasper.
“We’re waiting until dawn. End of story.” Jasper’s voice was sharp and commanding, leaving little to no room for negotiations. “Tell me where I’m supposed to head to for the night. Where’s the house your tribe booked? Fine. Lead the way, then.” He hung up and handed the cell back to Tristan while he pulled over to the side of the road.
I watched as Meili maneuvered her minivan around us. Liam was in the backseat. Even through the tinted glass I could make out his face. He was staring at me with a dark expression tarnishing his cheery demeanor. I chalked it up to being starved. Maybe he was a mean person when his stomach was about to eat itself. He was also just as sleep deprived as the rest of us. We all could use a little time to recharge; Jasper had been right about that.
As my brother pulled his truck behind Meili, he turned the radio on. Music filled the truck and I eased back into my seat, allowing my head to rest against the headrest. I closed my eyes and inhaled a deep breath. My thoughts spiraled as I focused on the fact that we’d found the Vodun with ease. While our presence might not have gone unnoticed, we’d still found them nonetheless. I wondered if they’d be expecting us to strike tonight. If so, they might be exhausted come morning when we did. This could play in our favor. It might give us the upper hand and allow us to surprise them.
“You okay?” Tristan asked me.
I lulled my head to the side and opened my eyes to look at him. “Yeah. I guess. You?”
“Same.” He looked like shit, but then again, I was sure I did too. “I’m ready to eat and get some sleep. Maybe even a shower.”
“Yes to all the above.” I smiled. “How are you feeling? Still sick?”
“No. My magic is gone.” There was a level of sadness embedded within his words. It had me wondering how I should respond.
“I’m sorry.” I was. It had to be hard to have sensations with your magic come and go like that.
“Don’t be.” He laced his fingers through mine.
I wanted to add something about how it was only temporary, but I didn’t because I didn’t want to think about what I’d have to do to get his magic back.
Tristan reached out with his other hand and pulled my head to rest on his shoulder. I molded into his side and felt his chin rest against the crown of my head. Closing my eyes, I allowed myself to drift off while we continued toward our house.
Chapter 25
The first thing I noticed about the house the tribe had acquired for us was that it wasn’t far from the Vodun. This meant it wouldn’t be hard for us to sneak over first thing in the morning the way Jasper planned. However, what no one was saying was how easy it would be for the Vodun to do the same.
I turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. The room was steamed up, and the air was warm against my skin. I’d taken the longest shower of my life, but no one seemed to complain. Maybe it was because they were all lost in their thoughts or thinking the same thing I was—that it might be my last.
After I dried off and slipped on the sleep shorts and tank top I’d packed, I wrapped my hair in the towel and exited the bathroom. Tristan was where I’d left him, sitting on one of the bar stools in the kitchen. There was a plateful of chicken in front of him.
“Still at it?” I asked as I walked up behind him.
“Feel like I haven’t eaten in days.” He grinned.
I moved to sit on the stool beside him. “I know.” I picked up a roll from the plate of them in front of me. Bread was my weakness. The greasy chicken, however, I could do without. “Where is everyone?”
“Meili and Chi are outside sparring. Liam is in the living room watching bad TV, and your brother was helping Anna draw a bath, last I heard.”
My lips quirked into a smile as I thought about Jasper and Anna. “I think they’re going to get back together.” I popped a small piece of roll into my mouth.
“I think they already have.” Tristan set his drumstick down and wiped his fingers with a napkin. “My guess is they’ll get married before the end of the year.”
I arched a brow. “Married? My brother? I don’t know about that.”
“Scary moments make people think.”
He had a point. Jasper had thought he’d lost Anna forever. While she didn’t seem to have processed the fact that she’d died a few hours ago, I was betting she would soon. People walked away from a moment like that with a whole new mindset. One similar to what Tristan was suggesting—the whole “life is short” mentality.
“Wanna bet on it?” Tr
istan asked.
“You’re serious?”
“Yup.”
I placed my roll on the counter and wiped the crumbs on my shorts. “Fine, let’s bet.” I extended my hand, ready to shake on it without even knowing the wager, because I was that set that my brother wouldn’t marry Anna anytime this year.
“Hold up.” Tristan licked some sauce off his finger. “What’s the wager?”
I thought for a second, deciding on what I’d like to win from him. “The chance to be the first person you fly with when you finally get your magic.”
His gray eyes shimmered with excitement. “Okay. And if I win, I get the chance to travel with you across Europe.”
My heart skipped a beat. “How did you know I wanted to do that?” I couldn’t remember it coming up in any of our conversations. They’d all been about magic and life-threatening circumstances lately.
“There was a travel guide dog-eared, scribbled in, and highlighted with loads of places in your room. Looks like you’ve been planning the trip for a while.”
“Actually, that travel guide was a gift. It was already scribbled in when I got it.” I picked my roll back up. “But, okay. Sure.” I knew he wouldn’t win, because I knew my brother better than him. Which meant I’d be getting a ride with a dragon shifter sometime in my near future. Guess I could check that off my bucket list.
“I thought it was something like that. Doesn’t mean I couldn’t pick out your handwriting from the other woman’s. You still want to go. You’ve marked things you want to see as well.”
All I could do was grin, because I had no clue how or when he’d seen the book, and I didn’t care. He wouldn’t be winning. “You’re right. I do want to go. Always have. So, do we have a deal?”
“Deal.” He held his hand out for me to shake.
We lapsed into an easy flowing conversation afterward. I ate my roll, he ate his chicken, and we both pretended we didn’t have the weight of the world resting on our shoulders. Apparently, we were good at pretending, because, for a moment, even I forgot.
Of Breath And Soul Page 15