“Just hang on, Saffie!” Emersyn cried.
“Buried deep within their tricks, Lies a soul between the Styx. On a bed of Rosen thorns, An oath to mark her time forewarns.”
Tegan’s eyes were locked on Saffie in fierce determination. I glanced over her shoulder, there were only two more lines. My pulse was racing out of control. I clenched my teeth and rubbed my palms together. I didn’t want to watch, but for Saffie I made myself look. It was all happening so fast yet so slow at the same time.
“Invoke the strike upon this hour, To wash and burn away Fae power.”
Saffie shrieked. Bright white light coiled around her ankles then it exploded around her in a cloud of golden, glistening glitter.
“Almost done, Saffie,” I heard myself say.
“Twisted vines that stole her fate, Revoke her curse this very date.”
Saffie’s red hair flew up around her shoulders and flickered like flames. Her eyes went wide. Streaks of lavender shot out from her eyes like Cyclops from X-Men. Her back arched even farther until it looked like she was sinking beneath the sea. Her little pink wings exploded into vibrant pink light. Explosions of every color erupted from inside of her. It was a fireworks display on the Fourth of July and Saffie was the barge they shot from. Her jaw hung open but no sound came out. Her hands and feet curled.
A ball of bright white light formed over her heart. It grew bigger and bigger until it covered every inch of her body. I felt its warm, wild energy slam into my face like a tsunami. I gasped and grabbed onto Tegan to stop myself from reaching for Saffie. The light grew bright and brighter. I cringed and tried to shield my eyes. But it just got more intense.
“Turn away NOW!” Keltie shouted.
I spun around just as a blinding light exploded behind me. I squeezed my eyes shut and it still stung through my eyelids.
And then it was over.
I turned back around — my breath left me in a rush.
Saffie was gone. Vanished into thin air. We all gasped and glanced around the trees but she was nowhere in sight.
“Where is she?” Emersyn screamed, her golden eyes wild.
“The curse is what put her here,” Keltie said softly. “With it broken, she’s been put back to where she belongs.”
My heart sank so fast I wobbled and had to catch myself on a tree.
Deacon’s eyes were wide but he stood still like a statue. “You mean…in 1692?”
Keltie smiled and shook her head. “No, she’s still in present day. But she is in Salem. I expected this, I assure you.”
“Tegan, portal us to Salem.” Cooper tugged on her arm. “Portal us, Tegan.”
Tegan opened her mouth then shut it. She frowned and looked to Keltie.
Keltie’s smile turned sad and it sent shivers down my spine. She looked to the ground. “I will go there now and locate her. But you all, you must return to Eden and heal those souls.”
My stomach turned. “You mean Joseph.”
She nodded. “You must destroy the evil that lies beneath, or you will never survive what lay ahead. Go now, do what you do. I promise I will look after our Saraphina until you can return for her.”
Tegan tugged on the golden cuffs on her ears. “I’ll call you when it’s over.”
“Oh my Goddess, she dropped her wand!” Royce dove for it.
“Don’t touch it!” Henley grabbed the back of his shirt and yanked him back. “Don’t.”
I frowned and walked over then crouched down. Saffie’s glittery wand was sitting in the dirt. Everywhere it touched the ground golden glitter fell out. I wanted to grab it, but there was something about the magic radiating out of it that made me pause. Henley must’ve felt it, too.
Keltie chuckled softly. “You all are impressively aware. That’s good.”
Cooper frowned. “Why can’t we touch it, though?”
“It is not a tool of the arcana, but a wand of the Seelie Fae.” Keltie wiggled her fingers and it lifted into the air, golden glitter raining down to the ground. “It has an ancient magic that you mustn’t touch. Tegan, and only Tegan, may touch a wand of the Fae. Go ahead, Tegan.”
Tegan’s eyes widened. She walked forward and plucked it from the sky. It glistened in her palm and sent her rainbow magic slithering up her arm. “Do we not need to get this to her?”
Keltie shook her head. “You will see, soon. For now, you must take it back to Eden. The leylines there will keep it safe. You may use the magic that comes from it, but do so with care. With that, I leave you now. Good luck, my friends.”
And then she was gone.
Deacon shuddered. “That was all kinds of creepy.”
I narrowed my eyes on the wand as Keltie’s last words replayed in my mind. “She said ‘you may use the magic that comes from it’.”
Tegan was already nodding. “She thinks Saffie’s wand can help us against Joseph.”
Cooper scratched his head. “But how?”
“Leylines.” My eyes widened as an idea came to me. It was a wild, Tegan kind of plan but I liked it. I touched the golden lines on my arm and Michael’s sword appeared in my hand, glowing bright and radiating unyielding power. “The border of Eden always sits on leylines. We use the magic from Saffie’s wand there to put up a new barrier that Joseph shouldn’t be able to get through—”
“Fae magic, Heavenly magic, and my magic.” Tegan nodded and I saw my plan reflecting in her eyes. She was with me. “Yes. Yes, that’s perfect. A trifecta of power that Joseph can’t touch. That should keep him out.”
“Forever?” Emersyn asked.
I turned to Tegan, because of that I wasn’t sure.
She shook her head. “No. But hopefully long enough for us to figure out what the hell they are and how to destroy them for good.”
Chapter Thirty-One
Jackson
It was an unreal sense of relief to be lower on the totem pole of power for a change.
My entire life I was the one at the top. When I was a kid living in London, my whole family looked up to me. Because I was the only one with magic. Then when I moved to Eden and started at Edenburg, no one treated me like a normal witch. I was the Lancaster. Everyone knew what that meant and so everyone held me up on a pedestal. I didn’t have a choice but to be the best. For the last ten years, I was the best of the best at Edenburg. Everyone looked to me.
But now, I had a very specific set of skills. I was the best fighter next to Tennessee, which I was proud of. I was also their lie detector, a gift I was honored to have. Both of these were highly valued within The Coven, I didn’t doubt that one bit. I knew I was appreciated and needed. But when it came down to raw, magical power – I wasn’t needed.
And I was more than okay with that.
Warner and I were sitting on the steps outside of the Great Hall watching for any sign of trouble. We’d been out here since the other Coven members went down to break Saffie’s curse. A few moments ago, Tegan’s portal had dropped them right in front of us. Except, instead of filling us in on what happened, they took off for the border.
“You’re not in the slightest bit curious what the hell is going on?”
I chuckled and glanced over to Warner, who was watching the border. “Oh, I’m bloody curious all right. But I’ve learned now that Tegan knows what she’s doing. Really, everyone just trusts her point blank, no questions asked. Even Tenn. So, whereas I want to know, I am confident that they will tell the rest of us when they’re done. And if they don’t, then it’s one less thing I need to worry about.”
Warner narrowed his eyes on me. “You’re enjoying being the Beta, aren’t you?”
“Beta?” I laughed. “I am a few notches below Beta, I promise you. And yeah, I am completely happy with it. I never wanted to be top dog.”
The door to Great Hall flew open and Bettina came rushing out. Her long blonde hair flew behind her as she raced forward. She paused beside us but didn’t look at me. “Tegan called for me. Where are they?”
We both pointe
d to the border then she took off. Again, without looking at me. We were apparently trying to ignore each other.
“Though it is funny how Bettina’s and my roles have reversed.” I grinned. “Still happy with it, but it’s funny.”
Warner chuckled. “Those ice powers aren’t funny, let me tell you that right now.”
“You guys hungry?”
We jumped and spun around only to find Bentley standing right behind us holding two plates of food.
I cursed and gripped my chest. “How do you move so quietly?”
He shrugged. “I’m not very heavy yet?”
Warner threw his head back and laughed. He clapped his hands. “Man, I love it. Yeah, I’m starving. Are those for us or do we need to go inside?”
Bentley grinned. “Nah, I’m not that mean. Hey look at all this food but it’s mine. This is for you.”
Warner grabbed both plates from him. “Thank you, man. This looks good. Everything all right inside?”
“All things considered, yes.” He looked to the border. “When they come back make them come inside and eat. Those seven like to skip meals, for some ungodly reason.”
“Will do, Benny. Will do.”
“Cool. Now, what did you want to ask me Jackson?”
My eyes widened. “So you saw that I wanted to ask you a question but not what I wanted to ask you?”
He shrugged then sat down on the step beside me. “It’s weird sometimes. What’s up?”
I took a deep breath then went for it. “Myrtle said she searched all of Crone Island for my soulmate but she isn’t there…I was wondering if there was a way to track down one of those boats of humans that passed us in the Gulf? My soulmate must’ve been one of those girls because they’re the only other people I saw.”
Bentley pursed his lips and thought about it. He clutched his Hierophant’s locket and light flashed between his fingers. “Yes, yes I can do that. There’s a tracking spell I can do, plus a little more creative magic mixed in. I promise I’ll do my best to find her for you.”
I sighed. “Thanks, Bentley. I appreciate it.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
Bettina
“I’m just saying James Bond cannot be played by any actor out there.” Harlan popped a carrot into his mouth. “The dude has to have that…that…special something.”
“It’s called swag, my friend.” Warner reached over and stole a chicken tender off my plate then took a bite. After he swallowed, he said, “And that can’t be taught.”
“Dude, did you just eat her food?” Trey frowned and pointed to my plate. He glanced back and forth between us. “Are you two dating and we didn’t get the memo?”
My stomach tightened. Dating. Jackson’s face flashed in my mind because my brain was a complete jerk.
Warner rolled his eyes. “You mean the chicken tender that’s been sitting there untouched for twenty minutes? There are starving children in the world and Warner is one of them. In my house growing up, if you didn’t touch it for twenty minutes it was free game. So, I did my waiting.” He shoved half the tender in his mouth.
Harlan leaned forward and pointed his carrot at me. “That wasn’t a denial that you’re dating.”
“He just compared her to his sisters, so yeah, that was all the answer you needed.” Lennox flicked her indigo hair over her shoulder.
I took a sip of my soda then sat my can down. We needed to stop talking about dating, my heart wasn’t ready for this. “I think Pierce Brosnan should still be Bond.”
“What?” Warner choked on his bite. “Brosnan? The dude is like eighty years old.”
“He’s sixty-five.” Lennox fanned herself. “And the guy could still get it. Any time. Any where.”
I spit my drink and laughed. The guys groaned and tossed food at her while she continued to explain just how good looking the actor was. It was Friday, two days since our school was attacked. The Coven had gotten the dorms back up and running, but a bunch of the classes were still rubble. As a result, all non-Suit classes were temporarily cancelled.
Things were quiet today. They had been since Joseph sent his troops to rain on our ice-skating party. We were all trying to pretend like we weren’t nervous. Tennessee asked me to join my friends for lunch to calm the students. I hadn’t fought him on it, either. I needed to try and relax. My body was tense. My stomach was in knots. The anxiety was unreal. It was the same as when I had a huge exam I hadn’t studied for. I couldn’t eat or sleep.
And I wanted to get away from Jackson, if only for an hour.
Trey tossed a grape at my face. “What ya thinking about over there Blair?”
I shrugged. “How they went from Pierce Brosnan…to Daniel Craig.”
Harlan frowned. “You didn’t like Daniel Craig? I thought all the girls liked him?”
I pulled my hair to the side and started to braid it. “Bond has to have the suave classy thing about him, he can’t be obviously a tough guy. Ruins the fun. Brosnan was perfect. Craig was obvious. Not Bond quality.”
Warner scoffed. “And who is? Please, tell us your casting and if you say Pierce Brosnan again we will fight.”
Lennox giggled. “I’m all about these rumors of Idris Elba playing the new 007.”
“Oh.” I nodded. “Yeah. Tegan and I were talking about that this summer. We’re in.”
Warner cursed. “Yeah, that dude is…yeah. Totally. I can get behind that.”
Harlan frowned. “Literally or—”
“That’s like the third guy this week you’ve macked on.” Trey arched one eyebrow. “Something you need to tell us?”
Lennox groaned. “First you accuse him of secretly dating Bettina, now you’re calling him gay? Girl, bye.”
“Yeah, get that toxic masculinity outta here.” Warner flicked invisible dirt off his shoulder. “I am a confident heterosexual man, I have no problem admitting when a guy is hella fine.”
“Preach, girl.” Lennox high-fived Warner over the table.
“OH MY GOD!”
I froze. Did I hear that? My friends were still talking and laughing. I glanced around the Great Hall while finishing my braid.
“Oh my God!” A young boy jumped up from the table halfway down the hall but then he just stood in the walkway staring at his phone in horror. “Oh my God.”
A bunch of students turned and called out for him but he wasn’t listening. He tugged at his hair. His face paled. His eyes just kept growing wider. And then he was running down the aisle. I frowned and watched him, expecting him to run up to a teacher but instead he turned and sprinted right for me.
“BETTINA!” He screamed as he came running up to me.
I blinked and sat up straight. I was fairly certain I’d never seen this boy before, but because of two black letters on my arm he knew me. “What’s wrong?”
He cried. He couldn’t have been more than nine years old. “Bettina. Bettina you have to help. Please you have to help!” He clutched his phone in his hands.
Oh shit. How do I handle this? Does The Coven do this kind of thing? They haven’t trained me for this.
I cleared my throat then said the only logical thing I could think of. “Tell me what happened.”
He turned his phone around and held the video up to me. “My hometown is under attack!”
“Oh my God,” I whispered and took the phone from him.
The video showed a wildfire destroying a quaint little mountain town. Wooden buildings crumbled to ash in seconds.
The boy whimpered. He pointed to the building burning on the screen. “My house is five houses down! My parents are there! And my dogs! You have to help them. You can help them, right? RIGHT?”
I wanted to say yes of course, except I wasn’t sure if we did. Human affairs were just that. Human affairs. Although I couldn’t fathom letting a town be destroyed by a wildfire when we could stop it – wait a second.
Those flames looked familiar.
And not like normal fire.
I turned the volume up
just as the news broadcaster said, “As you can see, Hank, this small town of Hamden, North Carolina, is melting by the minute. I’ve never seen fire move like this, or burn like this. These buildings are going down in seconds. The fire department has no chance against flames like this. We’re in an emergency evacuation situation for all residents of Hamden—”
I jumped up and handed the kid is phone back. “Stay here. We will go check on your family.”
His eyes welled up with tears but he nodded.
Without another word, I spun and sprinted out of the Hall. I had my phone, I probably could’ve called them, but my mind was racing. That fire. It looked like Joseph’s fire. It was witch’s fire. Neither human nor Mother Nature could conjure something that ferocious and lethal. My heart was racing as I flew across campus.
When I finally got to Coven Headquarters, I charged through the front door and raced inside. Everyone spun to face me with wide eyes as I barreled by them toward the dining room table where Tennessee and Tegan sat.
They both jumped up at the sight of me.
“What happened?” Tenn bit out.
“Hamden, North Carolina,” I said between breaths. “Boy just showed me online. It’s on fire—”
“Hamden? That’s a human town, isn’t it?” Cooper asked with a frown.
“BUT IT’S NOT HUMAN FIRE!” I shouted over everyone as they started talking.
Tegan cursed then held her phone out to Tenn. “She’s right. We’ve seen that fire before.”
“Joseph.” Tenn’s face paled as he watched the screen. “Tegan get us there now.”
Chapter Thirty-Three
Bettina
The Coven - Academy Magic Complete Series Page 94