Fire Spell: Ivy Grace Spell Series 3

by T. A. Foster

  November 22, 1948

  I attended my first meeting and I am apprehensive about my task. It will take strong magic to rid the world of this evil. I worry I don’t have the strength in my spells to do what is expected.

  November 27, 1948

  I practiced all night until my eyes were red and my neck was sore. I don’t think it’s coming to me any easier. Something is missing from my energy.

  December 10, 1948

  The council has decided I should continue with my practice. There is no one else who can summon the spell, and I am the only hope. I try not to let the weight burden my sleep or my thoughts, but it is all I can think about.

  December 25, 1948

  It is Christmas and I have never been alone on the holiday. I spoke to Mother and Father briefly. They said Sullen’s Grove is festive and alive with good cheer. They have trusted me to represent the family in our crusade, and I must keep my chin up and not dwell on the loneliness that fills me tonight. Perhaps by next holiday we will all have reason to smile.

  December 31, 1948

  I’ve never danced so much in my life. It was wonderful, dare I say magical. I feel like a regular girl, giggling and silly, but oh, I let him kiss me. Kiss me and we met at the Charleston New Year’s Eve Ball tonight! Oh, but he did have the most delicious lips. He’s handsome and beautiful, and I could dance like that every night. He said he would call on me tomorrow. Until then, I’m going to dream of him and fall asleep with his name on my lips.

  I blinked. Was she talking about Leo? I felt like I had read something extremely personal of my grandmother’s, but reminded myself she wanted me to have these journals. After all, our ring could open the box. Surely, she would have had the journals destroyed if she didn’t want me to see them. Through all of the conversations we had, I never knew she lived in Charleston or had met a man named Leo. I encountered mysteries every day, but my heart hurt with the realization that maybe one of the biggest ones had been in the person I had always felt so close to.

  We were the same. I had always thought she understood me, and we had shared everything. Suddenly, I felt like I didn’t know anything about her.

  I flipped the page for the next entry.

  January 15, 1949

  Leo told me he loves me. I think we’ve felt it since the night we met. I know without him I will stop breathing and no magic could bring me back.

  January 31, 1949

  My spells are growing stronger. It’s what I have been waiting for. I can do things I never thought possible. I think it’s Leo. When he’s around, I feel like the other half of me has been found. He said there is something important he wants to discuss with me. I’ve turned into one of the silly Charleston girls for sure, because all I can think of is that he is going to ask me to marry him.

  February 1, 1949

  It wasn’t a proposal as I had dreamed, and it wasn’t the engagement ring I was wishing for, but it’s something much bigger.

  I didn’t know Leo, but parts of this story were eerily familiar. I had been the girl waiting for my future to be more certain with a man I had fallen head over heels in love with. I knew things must not have ended well with them, because Leo was not my grandfather, but I felt propelled to keep reading. I wanted to know what happened between him and my grandmother. I had a hundred questions.

  February 5, 1949

  The winter in Charleston isn’t cold. My heart is warmed every day by Leo. His laughter alone is enough to make me blush. My ring is exquisite and precious. Sapphires are rare, but one that allows me to harness the time element in my spells is matchless. It doesn’t bother me that he needs me to perform this spell for him. I would do anything for him. I am his and he is mine.

  February 14, 1949

  It is a day for lovers. Mine is taking me on a getaway. Of course, we have to pretend to be married, or no respectable hotel will let us stay together. I don’t mind. I already feel like we are bound together. We have shared our magic and our hearts. Now if only he will share his name with me.

  March 2, 1949

  There was a splendid concert tonight, and I was the luckiest girl in Charleston to be on Leo’s arm. I saw Karen and Hattie eyeing him like he was a piece of licorice. Luckily, I’m so in love I didn’t bother with a Pepper Curse. My heart is too full for that. Although, someone should advise them to stop calling me a spinster. I’m only 23.

  It seemed Leo was also a witch. I looked at his picture again. His suit was sharp and fitted. My grandmother’s dress was cute and flirty. I skipped ahead, knowing I could come back to the spring and summer entries. I wanted to know if Leo finally proposed. Reading her words, I could tell my grandmother was beyond love. I didn’t know the name for it, but I completely understood it.

  August 22, 1949

  Leo told me the only way we can be together is if he fulfills his quest. I have cried a hundred tears into my pillow. I begged him not to leave. I love him with every ounce of magic and spirit I have. I’m afraid if he goes I will perish and all of the dreams we had will wilt like flowers in the fall.

  September 3, 1949

  He promised me he would come back to Charleston. He swore he would be back to marry me and finish our crusade, but after I watched him soar into the sky, my heart broke into a million pieces and I know in my soul I will never see him again. This Shadow Quest has no ending. And even though I’m a Laurel and he’s a Guardian, I will have to bury our love deep in my heart for he will not come back and we will never be together. They have made sure of it.

  I stopped breathing. Oh my God. I tried to steady my hands, but my pulse raced and my palms were sweaty. Laurel? Guardian? The room might be spinning; I wasn’t sure. I couldn’t make sense of what I had just read. Nothing made sense right now. I absorbed the picture of my grandmother, Lily, and of the mysterious Leo, and finally realized why those long eyelashes looked so damned familiar.

  I LOOKED at the clock on my desk. It was almost ten. There was no question where I was going on my next trip—Charleston. I grabbed the elixir, tucked it inside its box, and collected the journals. If I started packing now, I could be on the road in the morning.

  I jogged down the stairs when the alarms blared and beeped. I raced to the monitor by the front door. There was someone on my porch. I placed my grandmother’s things on my entry table. I was ready to Stun Spell someone if I needed to. I was rusty, but I could do it.

  “Sorry. It’s me, Ivy. It’s Jack.” I heard his gruff voice through the door.

  Jack? I relaxed my palms. I punched in the code to silence the incessant siren and swung open the door.

  “What are you doing here? How’d you get through the front gate?” So much for the touted neighborhood security.

  “Hey.” He smiled. “I showed them my ID.”

  “Oh.” I watched a moth circle overhead. I wasn’t sure why Jack was on my porch at ten o’clock at night, but I felt too distracted and confused right now to try to figure it out. The journal entries were seared into my thoughts.

  He nodded toward the door. “Can I come in?”

  I glanced down at my tank top and short running shorts. It was possibly the least amount of clothing I could wear without it being considered lingerie. “Um, sure.” I bit my lip.

  He took the steps down into the living room. “This house is great. Nice fireplace.”

  I remembered how much he liked to have fires in his house. Jack was definitely a woodsy and fire type of guy.

  “Thanks. I lucked out at the last minute. The couple needed to sell for a job relocation.” I folded my arms across my chest as if that would cover me up. I still didn’t know why he had stopped by unannounced so late at night.

  “Here.” He pulled a bottle of wine from behind his back. I red bow was tied near the cork. “It’s a housewarming present.”

  I tilted my head. “Um. You’re here to drop off a gift?” It looked like a nice bottle of pinot noir.

  “Yeah and to see the house. See if you needed any help.” He shifted
on his feet, and I could tell he was nervous. It was actually adorable.

  I giggled. “Well, as you can see, I’m all unpacked. I roped my brother into hanging everything for me.” No need to tell him I used a few object spells. “Would you like a tour?”

  “Yeah. I’d love that.” His nervous grin transformed into a full smile. Those sexy chestnut eyes beamed.

  I sighed. This would have to be quick. Jack could not hang out here.

  “Let’s start in the kitchen.” He followed me to the sixties kitchen that I had grown to love. I placed the bottle of wine on the counter.

  Ten minutes later, we had circled back to the living room. “So, there you have it. Casa del Ivy.” I smiled. “Thanks for stopping by and for the gift.” I moved toward the front door. I hoped he didn’t interpret the gesture as rude, but the longer I was in the same room with him, the longer I worried he wanted to stay, and that wasn’t good for his mortality.

  “What about the wine? Don’t you want to have a glass?” He pressured me for an answer.

  I hesitated. Was Jack trying to stop by for a drink, conversation, or something else? If I could get my head out of my grandmother’s journals and focus for a minute, maybe I could decipher what Jack was doing.

  “It’s late.” I stretched my arms. It was my best you-need-to-leave hint I could throw at him.

  “I think it’s bad luck or something if you don’t drink the housewarming wine.” He looked serious.

  I giggled. I couldn’t help it. “I’ve never heard that.”

  “Yep, I’m pretty sure that’s the story. One glass and I’ll head out.” He smiled and melted the last bit of resistance I had.

  “Ok. One glass,” I acquiesced.

  I walked to the kitchen to find the corkscrew. “Here, let me get that.” He took the opener from my hands and placed it on top of the wine. I fetched two glasses from the cabinet.

  We walked back to the living room with full glasses of wine. Jack had poured more than half the bottle into our glasses. He was going to be here for a while. I tried to shake the apprehension it gave me. The worst thing that would probably happen would be another nightmare. I should be getting used to them by now. I sipped the pinot.

  He had never dropped by before, and he was famous for keeping things professional between us at the office. He sat next to me on the couch. His frame filling up most of the couch. Sometimes I forgot how tall he was. He made me feel petite in the best girly kind of way.

  “I know it’s a little strange me showing up so late, but I need to talk to you about something. It’s important.” He paused. “I’ve been trying to explain for the past few weeks, but you keep postponing the trip and—”

  I interrupted him. “Oh, about that. I’m leaving in the morning. I have a story.”

  “What? You’re headed to Nashville?” He looked confused.

  I shook my head. “No, no. I’m going to Charleston. I got an amazing tip and I’m driving first thing in the morning. I’ll only be gone a few days, but I think I might have the story of a lifetime. You’ll be happy with it. I know it.” I smiled over my glass.

  “You have to do the western. It’s nonnegotiable.” He placed his wine on the coffee table.

  I groaned. “I thought you were in my corner with my writing. You are the one person who is supposed to understand you can’t force it to happen.” I had always trusted Jack with my work.

  “I do understand you.” His eyes softened and followed my mouth. Suddenly, my lips felt heavy and full like they were dying to be kissed. I inhaled. His gaze darted back and forth, and for a second, I wasn’t sure I could keep talking. It had been so long since I had been kissed. All I could think about were the kisses he gave me in Vegas.

  I shifted so I wasn’t so close to him. It helped. “Then why are you pushing this book?”

  He reached his arm across the back of the couch. I tried to act as if it was a completely normal thing for him to do, as if this is how we held all of our work conversations. I stared into my wine glass. It kept me from looking at his chiseled features and his scruffy jawline.

  “Because you are under contract, and if you want to keep from having a legal war with a board that has suddenly awakened to your profitability, it’s worth writing a book you’re not excited about. I’m trying to help you. Don’t you know I only do things to help you?”

  He reached toward my cheek and brushed the hair from my face. The gesture felt familiar and warm. I resisted the urge to close my eyes and linger in the sensation. I didn’t know what in the hell was going on with him all of a sudden, but I couldn’t let him touch me, no matter how much it might replace some of the loneliness I had been feeling lately. It wasn’t good for either of us.

  “I-I don’t know what to say about that.”

  The alarm at the door sounded. “Miss Grace? Miss Grace?” I shot from the couch and rushed to the panel.

  “Yes?”

  “You have a visitor.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Thank you. He’s already here.” I smiled at Jack.

  “Ok. Have a good night. Let us know if you need anything.”

  I hit the mute button on the alarm. When I got back from Charleston, I would have to speak to someone at the guard gate. This was ridiculous.

  I turned to my late night guest. “You know, I was getting ready for bed before you stopped by, and I have packing to do. I’m going to hit the road bright and early.” Bright and early wasn’t my thing, but tomorrow it had to be.

  Jack looked unsettled. “But, I wanted to talk—”

  “How about when I get back?” I unlocked the deadbolt and pulled the door open. “I’ll only be gone a few days. If you don’t like the story I come back with, then we can talk about Nashville. Ok?” I was worried his definition of talking involved him playing with my hair some more or tracing my lips, and that would only lead to bad things.

  He walked to the foyer. He towered over me and was close enough I could smell his cologne. The one that usually made my knees go a little weak.

  “Not really, but I guess it’s late.” He handed me his wine glass. “I like the house. We’ll talk.”

  He walked out of the house and down the front steps. I watched as he climbed into his Jeep and pulled out of the driveway. This night was like a roller coaster of mysteries that kept hitting me around every corner. As his taillights faded around the corner street, I closed the door and walked to the kitchen. I dumped the glasses into the sink and watched the last sips of wine circle the drain. If I was going to make my road trip in the morning, I needed to pack. I had cute outfits to assemble.

  The floor felt wet and cold. I reached forward and touched something rough and slick. I opened my eyes. I was lying on cobblestones, and the rain poured from the night sky. I looked over my shoulder and saw the cloaked figure rushing toward me.

  I scrambled from the sidewalk and lunged forward. If I could align my body upright, I could move. My feet were bare and I slipped on the stones the faster I ran. I turned the nearest corner between two houses. There was no way to quiet my breathing, so I tried to hold the breath in.

  I hunched behind a fence gate and watched as the hooded creature passed me. I let go of the air burning in my lungs. I didn’t know where he was headed, but for now, I was out of his view and his reach.

  “Ivy! Ivy!” My name was followed by a scream.

  Oh my God. I peered from the side of my hiding spot. I knew that voice.

  “Ivy!” He screamed my name again. “Run! Get out of here. Go!”

  My heart sank and my stomach churned. Finn? The hooded man had Finn? I pushed off the gate and ran toward the screams, toward the darkness. It felt like my heart ripped in pieces, and my chest was being split with every breath. I couldn’t run fast enough to save him.

  “Finn!” I yelled as I saw the cloaked man place a hood over Finn’s piercing blue eyes.

  I sat up in bed. It was a dream. It was a dream. I tried to calm myself. “Illuminate,” I whispered between ragged breaths
.

  My chest was covered in perspiration. I peeled the sheet away, searching for cool air. Everything suddenly felt hot and suffocating.

  The glowing orb bobbed in my hand. I looked down at Cooper, snoring in his bed. My dream had clearly not bothered him. I tried to laugh, but there wasn’t anything light about all of the darkness I had just experienced. I tried to sort through it. Was Finn in danger? Did he need me? Maybe I just replaced the usual Jack nightmares with Finn this time because of my grandmother’s journals. I wasn’t alert enough to psychoanalyze how the guys matched up in my head.

  It was almost the same dream every time with subtle variations. None of it made sense, except that whatever was causing the dreams wasn’t finished with me. I was tired of the nightmares and the fear. I had done my best to listen to the cloaked man. I had Jack’s memory erased, I never shared my magic, but I hadn’t stopped the Foresight completely. It was time I faced it. Only, I didn’t know how.

  I threw my legs over the side of the bed, knowing I wouldn’t be able to shake the dark feeling that the images of Finn in danger conjured if I didn’t do something about it. It was five, and earlier than I ever woke up, but I needed to start my trip sooner than planned. There had to be answers in Charleston. My grandmother was a Laurel. The man she was in love with had been a Guardian, and they were working on something together there that had to do with evil. If I ever needed answers, it was now. It was probably a long shot that any of it had to do with my nightmares, but deep down, I hoped they were connected. I needed good dreams again.

  Sullen’s Grove, 2002

  I AWOKE to the sounds of birds chirping and Ian playing music from his room. I stretched my arms toward the ceiling and smiled. Today was the day. It was my birthday, but not just any birthday. I was sixteen. Most sixteen-year-old girls were clamoring to get their driver’s license, have their curfews lifted, or have their dating privileges extended, but none of those things was on my mind. All I could think about was that, today, I would learn my gift spell.