by T. A. Foster
Ian screamed, “We can’t do this much longer!”
I pressed harder against Finn’s palms, and repeated the chant. It was all I could hold on to.
My eyes opened as a flash streaked through the island, tearing at the hold the Sognare Ladri had on the tide’s and moon’s energy. The sky rippled with blues and yellows until an orange hue descended on the center of the island. Then there was silence.
I looked at Finn. The smoke had cleared and the glow from the swirling flames had vanished.
He brushed the hair that clung to my forehead from sweat and the dampness of the air. “You did it, babe.”
I shook my head. “No, we did it.”
Using my good foot, I reached on my toes to kiss him. His arms circled my waist. This was a kiss worth walking through fire for.
I don’t know how long Finn and I stood, arms encircling each other, hearts pounding out of our chests, but eventually my pulse slowed and I felt safe enough to let go.
He squeezed my hand, and I turned to congratulate Holly and Ian on our victory. I searched the sky over the marsh, but they weren’t there. I looked along the shoreline, but it was empty.
Raindrops began to pelt my face. The clouds had opened up.
“Finn, where are they?” I wanted to run, to fly, to shout, do anything to find them and know they were ok.
Why hadn’t I noticed before now they weren’t with us to celebrate?
“Stay here. I’ll scan the island. Don’t move.”
I nodded, frozen in place with fear. What if something had happened to them? What if my Extinguish part of the spell had hurt them? I had overdone it. I forced too much energy on the island. With all of the chaos at the end, I didn’t see which direction Ian turned after his last warning to us. I should have protected him.
I started to shake. It could have been the cold rain or the adrenaline leaving my body in rapid succession, but every nerve ending I possessed vibrated. I pulled my arms against my chest, wincing at the pain in my palms. The throbbing sensation had moved up my wrists and was searing all the way to my elbows.
I could no longer make out Finn’s silhouette in the rain. I felt utterly alone on the end of the island.
“Ivy!”
“Holly?” I thought it was her voice calling through the storm, but it sounded weak and tired. She floated across the marsh and landed next to me. “What’s wrong? Where’s Ian?” My brother was visibly absent.
“He’s going to be ok, but he was struck.”
“Oh my God.” My hand flew to my mouth.
Holly reached for my arm. “It wasn’t even as bad as your ankle. He’s going to be fine.”
“Where did he get cut? Where is he now?”
“Finn’s taking him back to the hotel. Luckily, I had a complete batch of herbs ready for you if you needed them, so we’ll just use that on his shoulder. He turned around to stun one of the Ladri next to me and he caught a talon blade on the top of his shoulder.”
I closed my eyes. He had to fine. Ian was bigger and stronger than me, and with a smaller injury, he’d probably bounce back faster than I did.
“Do you think you can fly?” Holly asked.
“Yes, if you can help me with the lift off.”
“Finn said he’d come back for you, but he thought you’d want him to take are of Ian first.”
I smiled for the first time. It was exactly what I wanted. Ian came first. I could hang out on this cold rainy island all night if it meant my brother would heal faster.
I shuffled forward in the sand, to line up with Holly, when my boot hit something. I reached toward my toe and picked up the dagger. The saltwater had washed it clean of all our blood. I slipped it into the side of my boot. You never know when you might need a mystical enchanted dagger again. In my case, I hoped the answer was never.
“Ready?” Holly stood next to my strong leg as I kicked back my injured ankle.
“Yes. Let’s get back to the hotel.” We locked hands around each other’s waists.
“On the count of three. One, two, three.”
We shoved off the sand and headed back to the city. I always considered myself a beach girl, but this was one island I never wanted to set foot on again.
One month later
HOLLY CLOSED another box. “I can’t believe you’re actually leaving Sullen’s Grove. You just moved into this house.”
I looked at the stack of boxes she had assembled. “You know Savannah is not that far by air. We’ll see each other a ton, and plus, we still have the wedding coming up.” I squeezed her shoulder.
“But, it’s not the same. You know it won’t be the same.” She slumped into a chair. Cooper dropped a tennis ball in her lap. “Look, even Coop is sad about the move.”
I giggled. She wasn’t going to use Coop against me. “It’s not forever, forever. We could move back at any time.”
“It might as well be. Remind me again why I was on Finn’s side all this time?” She sulked.
“Because I’m irresistibly charming and I’ve always been your favorite.” Finn winked as he jogged down the stairs. I had put him in charge of packing my office.
“Ugh! You and your charm are taking my best friend away.”
He snaked a hand around my waist and kissed my neck. “I’m not about to live in a different city than my wife.”
I shook my head. “We can’t have that.” I loved it every time he said wife. The wedding wasn’t until the summer, but just the thought of being married to Finn made my normally girly side turn to complete sugary mush, like melted candy.
“I picked the worst time to be single.” She picked the tennis ball up from Cooper. “Ok, boy, let’s go outside for a minute.” He wagged his tail. “I’ll give you ten minutes.” She eyed us. “And then I’m finishing up the kitchen. It’s the last room in the house.”
I giggled as Finn hitched my legs around his waist and walked me to the couch, planting me in the center. “Don’t you think it’s time she goes home?” He pulled the button on my shirt with his teeth.
“No, you and I will have plenty of alone time in a few days. I need to hang out with her. She’s feeling lonely since she broke up with Mike. I think she regrets it.”
“Hmm, ok but once we get to Savannah, don’t think I’m letting you have any friends or visitors.”
I shoved against his shirt. “I didn’t peg you for the Neanderthal type.”
“Oh, baby, there is so much you don’t know about me.” He growled against my neck before pulling me from the couch.
I still couldn’t believe I was moving. Sullen’s Grove had been my home my entire life. I was born here, took my first steps here, did my first spell here, kissed my first boy here—it was home.
After Finn and I completed the Fire Spell and rid the world of a debilitating evil, it didn’t seem to matter to me anymore where I plugged in my laptop and coffeepot. Home was where Finn was. Leo had left him the house, and he needed that connection to his past more than I needed to be in Sullen’s Grove. I had a lifetime of family memories with the people who I called my family. He was still trying to link to his heritage. Living in Leo’s house helped him feel grounded. Since he told me about the Shadow Quest, I had a new appreciation for what he had been through. He needed this.
My contract with Raven Publishing was about to expire, and rather than renegotiate the terms, I agreed to write the western, but requested a new editor. I couldn’t write with Jack anymore. He didn’t argue when I made the suggestion. Jack would always remain a professional in the office, but I couldn’t spend hours poring over my words, and late night editing sessions with him. The same ones I used to live for, I knew we both would dread. That was no way to write a book. Some things aren’t worth fighting for. It felt like Jack finally agreed to let me go when he let me change editors.
He left Charleston the night we returned from the island. Sure, he was grateful to be alive, but he had spent days with people who had erased his memory, sealed him in a hotel suite, and ripped his heart from
his chest. He wasn’t a fan of our witch clan. I couldn’t say I blamed him. All I want is for him to be happy. No matter how much I loved Finn, Jack would always be my human. Maybe one day he would get that.
Mama and Daddy were annoyed with Ian, Holly, and me for keeping such an enormous secret about the magical curtain falling to pieces, but Mama forgave me when she saw the ring. She has been planning my wedding since the day I was born. I think Daddy’s still holding a grudge against Finn for whisking me off to Savannah, but I promised we would visit often. They had to know I was sincere. I would miss Sullen’s Grove more than they would miss me. My mother was comforted by the upcoming cake tastings and dress fittings. She would be at the forefront of all the last little wedding details.
Ian didn’t react as badly to the talon injury as I had. We all assumed that maybe the Ladri’s poison lost its potency once they had been wiped off the island. In any case, Ian’s shoulder healed within a few days, and we never had to report that part of the story to our parents. It would only have upset them more.
“Babe, you ok?” Finn pulled a bottle of water from the refrigerator and closed the door.
I grinned. How could I not be ok? “Yep. Everything is actually perfect.”
He pulled something from his back pocket. “I found this in your office when I packed up your stuff.” It was the picture of Leo and Lily. I loved how he looked at her, like she was the reason for the light in the stars and the pull in the tides. It was exactly how Finn looked at me.
I took the picture from him. “It’s pretty amazing, isn’t it?” I wondered if my grandmother knew what we had done. She would be proud that this Laurel and Guardian had taken down the evil she fought so hard to pursue.
He placed the bottle of water on the counter. “The only amazing thing I see is you.” He nipped at my bottom lip before kissing me. He dipped me in his arms.
I closed my eyes and squealed. “You’re going to drop me.”
“Open your eyes, babe.”
I let my lids lift to the ceiling. I looked down. We hovered over the kitchen as Finn twirled me in midair.
I held on to his neck. “Is this how life with you is always going to be?”
“What kind of life is that?” His devilish smile flashed as we spun above the kitchen.
“Unexpected.”
I had seen that look before. He pulled me against him.
“Oh, absolutely. Just wait, Ivy Grace. We’re going to set the world on fire.”
I smiled and wrapped my arms around his neck. “I’m counting on it.”
A Page from Ivy Grace’s Spell Journal
BARRIER * Sometimes you just don’t want your conversations overheard. This spell puts up a soundproof wall.
CHARM * Finn’s convincing way of persuasion.
CLOSE * Seals up boxes, suitcases, almost anything you need to keep from breaking a nail while you struggle with tape or a zipper.
COVER * This one doesn’t happen every day. It’s when two witches unite to give one of them the other’s appearance. It’s not easy!
ECLIPSE * Seals the seam.
ERASE * A girl’s best way to clean a room and make sure there’s no trace she was ever there.
ERASER * Holly’s answer to erasing memories, which need to be forgotten.
EXTINGUISH * Quickest and easiest way to turn out the lights, anything electrical really.
FADE * The only way I know how to make myself invisible. Also, involves lots of shimmering, a plus I think.
(DOUBLE FADE keeps me invisible from other witches.)
GLAMOUR * By far, the best spell ever! Makeup, hair, clothes all in perfect order.
GUARDIAN * Performed as a protection spell only by those who can protect, like Finn.
ILLUMINATE * Comes in handy when a girl needs a floating flashlight.
LOCALITY * This one I borrow from my brother. With a little help of a personal object, we can usually find someone’s location on a map.
OPEN * There are those times when you need to get in a locked door or drawer.
RADIANCE * When it’s time to get back in the real world, this sheds the awesome shimmer from the FADE SPELL.
REMEDY * Cool way to repair things I’ve broken (accidentally, of course).
REVEAL * Definitely, the only security system I really trust. The orangey glow particles let me know when someone has stopped by.
STUN * I like having a little defense in my back pocket. Still working out my stunning speed.
TWINKLE * Love this one! Throws the night sky on my ceiling wherever I am.
UNFOLD * Opens the seam.
VOILA * I borrow this from Mama every once in a while. It’s great in a hostess pinch! Sets the table, lights candles, might even pour a glass of wine.
Reader Discussion Questions
Ivy and Finn struggle with not repeating the patterns of the past. Do you think they have the ability to break the pattern on their own, or do they need each other?
Would Ivy and Finn be attracted to each other even if they weren’t a Laurel and a Guardian?
Do you think Ivy and Ian were right to keep their parents out of the situation in Charleston?
Would you make the same decision as Ivy where Jack and Finn are concerned?
What were you thoughts of Lily? Did she help Ivy, or make things harder for her?
How is the Fire Spell different for Ivy and Finn than the Cover Spell?
Should Holly break up with Mike because he’s human?
What do you think Jack will do next?
What is your favorite Ivy Grace spell?
When I originally created Ivy, I didn’t foresee this part of the writing journey—book three. I felt lucky and blessed to write just one book. I wouldn’t have arrived at this point without my amazing husband, Shane. He supports my crazy writing habits day after day. Thank you to the rest of my family who cheers me on wherever they are.
Jennifer and Mary-Kathryn, who help me analyze and send Ivy in so many different directions, thank you. Alyssa, thank you for all your support.
To the bloggers who share Ivy and the Spell Series, I appreciate every post and tweet.
Thank you to Once Upon a Time Covers for the beautiful cover work, and to E.M. Tippetts Book Designs for the interior and formatting. The book is just a little more magical with your touches.
T.A. Foster is a Southern girl whose heart and spirit are connected to the beach. She grew up catching rays and chasing waves along the North Carolina Outer Banks, and now resides in the state with her adventurous pilot husband, two children, and two canine kiddos.
You can follow the latest on T.A. Foster’s upcoming news and events:
www.tafosterauthor.com
This ebook was designed and formatted by
www.emtippettsbookdesigns.com
Artisan ebooks for discerning authors and publishers.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Books by T.A. Foster
Dedication
ONE
TWO
THREE
FOUR
FIVE
SIX
SEVEN
EIGHT
NINE
TEN
ELEVEN
TWELVE
THIRTEEN
FOURTEEN
FIFTEEN
SIXTEEN
SEVENTEEN
EIGHTEEN
NINETEEN
TWENTY
TWENTY-ONE
TWENTY-TWO
TWENTY-THREE
TWENTY-FOUR
TWENTY-FIVE
TWENTY-SIX
TWENTY-SEVEN
*Handy Dandy Guide to All Things Witchy*
Reader Discussion Questions
Acknowledgments
About the Author
About the Book Designer
Copyright Notice
&nb
sp;