My body tenses. I know that’s the truth. Darkness is always difficult to remove. When the circle was anchored to the crystal containing Seth’s magic, the hatred and fear that had festered for generations infected each one of them. Under its influence, each circle member said and did things that were tremendously out of character. And that was just an effect of magic soured by a dark soul. How much different would power pulled from a dark source be? And how much harder would it be to overcome?
Anya paces in front of me. “Is there somewhere outside of town they might go?”
“I can’t think of anywhere.” It’s not as if the group would simply drive outside the town line in search of a likely spot to cast a spell. They’d have to know the place already, know it’s safe and they won’t be disturbed. Also, it’s not as if they had a lot of time to plan this. They won’t want to be far because they won’t want to draw suspicion from their parents. Everyone was at school today, so it’s not like they’ve been setting up a secret lair somewhere. They haven’t had time. No, they’ll have to be somewhere they’ve been before.
Elliot stands. “Well, we’re not doing anyone any good just sitting here. I’m going to go back out there—retrace my steps. There has to be something we missed. I’ll go check in with Sasha—maybe she’s got a clue.”
Anya rolls her shoulders at the sound of her sister’s name. “I still can’t believe she did this,” she murmurs.
The three of us exit the apartment and part ways in the parking lot. As I climb into my car, I can’t help snorting at Anya’s remark. She can’t believe Sasha would do something like this? I can’t believe she’s so naïve as to think her sister wouldn’t do this. We both know Sasha is capable of much more—much worse. Yes, this Influence spell sounds bad, but she’s not actively doing it. In fact, it doesn’t sound like simply enacting the spell will hurt anyone—it’s just the aftereffects of being filled with the Influence that are dangerous. On the other hand, Sasha has hurt people before. She tortured me. She tortured Anya. Sometimes I wonder if she doesn’t forget that—if she doesn’t forget how Griffin, Fox, Tucker, Lexie, and I located her in the middle of the woods in an old, derelict cabin…
The cabin. It’s out of the way, so there’s no worry of being disturbed. There was a clearing around it that would afford enough space for spell work. Could they have gone there? I put my car in gear and do my best to remember exactly where the place was. There’s only one way to find out if my hunch is correct.
As I drive, the moon keeps drawing my eye. The dark red shadow is slowly devouring the entire face of the moon. I did my research and I know the total eclipse won’t occur for half an hour. All I can do is hope the circle will wait that long to cast the spell. It’s complex and takes a lot of energy, so it would be in their best interest to do so. I know Crystal is eager, but I have to believe common sense will win out and the witches won’t attempt to do the spell before they can draw maximum energy from the event.
I remember the general vicinity of the woods we found the cabin in, but I drive past a few places before finding the right spot to enter the forest. All this driving is eating into my time, so when I’m finally on foot I move through the trees and underbrush as quickly as my legs will carry me. When this tactic causes me to trip every few steps, I decide to change strategies and work smarter instead of harder. As the moon falls deeper and deeper into shadow, it becomes more and more difficult to see where I’m going. I pull out my phone and turn on the flashlight app to light my way as I trundle over the underbrush. My pace isn’t as fast as before, but I’m covering more ground because I’m not constantly falling and having to pick myself back up.
I hope I’m going the right way. Last time, I had a vision, an image plucked from Elliot’s mind, to guide me. Now I’m working from memory alone. I try to call up the certainty with which I walked this path before, but it eludes me. If I’m going the wrong way, there is no chance of me stopping the spell. If I’m going the right way, I still might be too late.
I check the time on my phone at intervals. The full eclipse has begun. There are only fifteen minutes until the start of the total eclipse. Unfortunately, I have no way of telling if I’m in the right area. The last time I was here, it was fall. The trees were a tangle of dead branches and the ground was strewn with crunchy leaves. Now, new life is budding all around. The limbs are supple, and what leaves survived the winter are softer and less frequent. There are no distinguishing marks in the woods at all. I could be anywhere.
I’ve been walking for too long. I should be there already. Maybe I’m in the wrong place altogether. I curse myself. I should’ve told Anya and Elliot of my suspicion. Maybe one of them would have a better idea where the cabin is. I don’t have Elliot’s number. I’ve opened up the text app, preparing to send a message to Anya, when something in the air changes. A faint crackle of something like electricity thrums through the still night. Someone is doing magic nearby.
I must be close. That’s the only way I’d be able to sense them through whatever spell was cast to keep their actions private. I pick up my pace, careful to keep my eyes trained just a few steps ahead, allowing the beam of the flashlight to guide me. After a few more yards, the faint chanting of voices reaches my ears. A few steps more and I can pick out the individuals speaking—Lexie, Bridget, Fox.
Through tree trunks up ahead, I catch the first glimpses of firelight flickering low on the ground. It’s not enough to guide my way, but at least I know now the exact direction I need to travel. The spell has begun. I know enough about magic to understand that every spell has a tipping point. Magic often has a buildup component when the elements all need to charge and the energy begins to crescendo. Up until a certain moment, it can be stopped and the energy can be dispersed. As I finally make my way into the clearing, I hope this spell hasn’t crested that point yet.
Crystal and Dana stand in the center of the circle on either side of the small bonfire. Lexie, Fox, and Bridget stand like three points of a triangle around them, their eyes closed and their hands uplifted. Even though I read through this spell, I can’t tell from the words they’re chanting what part they’re at.
“Stop!” I yell, running toward the group.
Crystal and Dana, who had been facing each other across the flames, turn to look at me, their eyes wide.
“How’d you find us?” Dana asks.
“It doesn’t matter,” I say, edging nearer. “What matters is you have to stop. You don’t know what this spell will really do.”
Fox, Lexie, and Bridget continued to chant as if I’m not there. They’re so caught up in the spell they don’t notice anything is amiss. Overhead, the moon is almost entirely blood red.
Crystal’s face pinches. “I know exactly what the spell will do. It’ll give me abilities—it’ll give me my magic back. That’s what it does—it gives power to those who don’t have it.”
“Maybe—but the danger is where the Influence comes from. It’s not natural, Crystal. The power you’re about to fill yourself with comes from darkness. It’ll consume you.”
Dana’s face blanches and she glares at Crystal. “Is that true? That’s not what you told me.”
Crystal’s eyes are wild as they flit from Dana’s face to mine. “How do I know you’re not lying?”
“When have I ever lied to you?”
Crystal’s lower lip trembles, and her eyes go glassy in the firelight. “I just… I just wanted…”
I don’t bother waiting for her to finish. She doesn’t need to. I know exactly what she wanted and why. “The only thing that’s important now is stopping the spell.” She and Dana both nod. I take a few steps toward Fox, who’s closest to me and still oblivious to my presence. This is strange. I’ve never seen people so completely taken over when working a spell. Crystal and Dana follow my lead, each of them crossing to one of the other witches. I stretch out my hand to shake Fox’s shoulder, but before I can make contact, a blast of energy sends me flailing backward. I do my best to keep m
y balance, but it’s no use and I land flat on my back.
“The hell?” Dana yells, her voice shrill with alarm.
“Don’t touch them!” I yell.
“Obviously,” Crystal returns. “What’s happening?”
I shake my head. “It’s like the spell is protecting them from being disturbed.” I didn’t even know such a thing was possible, but the evidence is right in front of me. I struggle to my feet and return to Fox’s side, being careful to not get too close. I yell his name at the top of my lungs, but there’s no reaction. I can’t touch him, and he can’t hear me.
“How are we supposed to stop them?” Dana asks.
“I don’t know.” But a plan is forming in the back of my mind. There was a time, when the circle was still anchored to the crystal, that the psychics and I practiced ways to disrupt spells in progress. Maybe I can use my psychic abilities to separate them from the magic they’re drawing on. My fingers brush my wrist instinctively, preparing to remove my charm, only to find it’s still not there. The only piece of jewelry I wear is the smoky quartz ring that’s been passed down through the Barnette line for generations. Jodi once told me the stone can provide protection, and I have a feeling I’ll need that now.
I take in a breath, focusing my senses on my psychic abilities. Although I never entirely lost touch with them while wearing the charm, reaching out to interact with another person’s energy is still a bit of a struggle. And right now, I want to connect with three separate people. I’m not sure that I’m up to the task, but I’m ready to try.
As I brush Fox’s conscious mind, I allow the panic and dread I’m trying to keep at bay to flood me. If I can overwhelm him with my emotions, I might be able to shake him enough to break his connection to the spell. I reach further and link with Lexie and Bridget before forcing my way deeper into each mind, taking my swirling fears with me.
But they’re still chanting. Whatever I’m doing, it’s not enough. I can’t stop them. They’ve hit the spell’s tipping point. They’re calling forth the Influence, and it will find someone to fill. That darkness will go into Crystal and Dana. What will it make them do? How will it change them? What will it do to Dana, who didn’t even know abilities like these existed six months ago? She experienced the power of psychic abilities for only a short amount of time, but it was enough for her to be willing to do anything to have them back. And Crystal. Being a witch is part of her DNA. She’s been cut off from her natural ability for months now, and its absence has put her and her loved ones in danger. The only reason she wants to do this spell is to keep her family and friends safe.
“You’re too late,” calls a voice from just beyond the reach of the firelight. Terror floods from Crystal and I recognize who’s arrived before he comes fully into view. Somehow Brody found us. I wonder if he was following me or if he found this location another way.
Crystal’s alarm ratchets up another level as Brody strides closer. Beside him is a man with scraggly hair, ill-fitting clothes, and a manic gleam in his eye. I pluck his identity from Crystal’s mind: Kai, the assassin.
“What are you doing here?” Crystal asks, her tight voice an octave higher than usual.
Brody cocks his head as he studies her. The curl of his lips makes it clear he finds her wanting. “Sasha seems convinced the only way I’ll get my information is if you go through with this spell. I came to make sure that happened. But it seems I’ve wasted a trip. It’s too far along. No matter what you do now, the Influence will come fill any empty vessel it finds.” His teeth flash in the firelight.
Crystal and Dana exchange wide-eyed looks. “Oh, no,” Crystal breathes. “What have I done?”
Once the Influence is unleashed, nothing will stop it from entering Crystal and Dana, the only two in the clearing without abilities. I can’t let it happen. I can’t let the darkness overtake them. But I know Brody is right—there’s no way I can stop this spell now. Even if I could get through to Fox, Lexie, and Bridget, they’ve hit the tipping point. They could stop chanting now and the spell would still continue. It’s like touching a flame to a newspaper—once you get close enough, there’s no stopping it from catching fire.
But there is one thing I can do. I don’t have the right elements with me, but, just like my friends, I have the power of the eclipse on my side. I drop to one knee, afraid if I don’t the effect of this spell will make me fall over. I touch my fingers to the damp, cool ground, centering myself and calling upon the energy of the earth below. If the Influence is looking for an empty vessel to fill, I’ll give it one. I’ll give it me.
The air in the clearing thickens, making it harder and harder to breathe. The night cools by ten degrees in a matter of moments. I don’t know how, but I’m sure this is a sign that the Influence spell is almost complete. I murmur the words of the transference spell as quickly as I can, fervently hoping I can outrun the tsunami that is about to hit us. My breathing grows ragged as it becomes more and more difficult to gulp down an entire lungful of air.
My insides ripple like boiling water and my vision blurs. As phantom slices assail my skin, I think I hear someone calling my name, but I don’t stop chanting. With each syllable, my powers flow out of me.
Crystal and Dana double over as if they’ve been hit in the stomach. Crystal stares at me, her eyes wide. “No,” she mouths.
A wind kicks up in the clearing, circling around our small group. It’s icy and bites at every bit of my flesh, cutting through the fabric of my clothes and whipping my hair around my face. With it comes a darkness so complete I can no longer see anything in front of me. A rushing fills my ears, but through it I’m sure I hear high shrieks of terror. It’s possible they’re coming from me—I can’t tell. My being is oddly disconnected from my body. Everything is sound and pressure and darkness—and then it stops. As quickly as it began, the wind dies. The air thins and warms, making it easy to breathe again.
The only thing that’s different is me. My body crackles as if there’s lightning trapped in my veins. My fingers itch with the desire to release some of the electricity building inside me. It builds and intensifies with each passing moment, a swirling storm intent on taking me over completely.
Blackness clouds my vision. Before I’m thrust into unconsciousness, Crystal’s small voice reaches my ears: “What did you do?”
Chapter Forty-Four
Crystal
“Well, that was unexpected,” Brody says from the edge of the clearing. His gaze lingers on Krissa for a moment before he turns to face me. “You’re a witch again.”
I open my mouth, ready to disagree, but I stop short. I lift my hands and stare at my palms. My skin seems foreign in the flickering firelight. Brody’s right—I can feel the magic coursing through my veins. I would be relieved, except it doesn’t feel like I remember. It feels more like it did when Krissa worked the transference spell. “This… I feel different. It’s almost like…”
A smile plays about the corners of Brody’s lips. “I imagine it’s an odd sensation, having someone else’s magic take up residence in you.”
My eyes dart to Krissa’s still form. Fox is at her side, and since he’s not completely freaking out I assume she’s alive, just unconscious. My brain spins, trying to make sense of the last few minutes. The Influence spell fills people without abilities with magic. Krissa’s magic is swirling inside me. That must mean… “She didn’t…”
Brody grins and his teeth flash again. “It appears she did. And now that you have some magic of your own, I assume casting the spell to get the information I want will be no problem.” His eyes flick to Kai, who cracks his knuckles.
I gulp. I always intended to contact Bess for Brody—it’s the only way to keep my family safe. But now that I can actually do it, I’m hesitant. I can almost guarantee the world will be better off if Brody and his group don’t know whatever it is Bess took to the grave. “I don’t have the elements I need.”
All mirth disappears from Brody’s face. His eyes darken and Kai st
ands at attention, a malicious sneer curling his lips. “I’ve been more than patient with you,” Brody says, his voice low. “But you’re out of time and out of excuses. The eclipse will provide whatever power you need. And if it’s incentive you require, I can guarantee Kai will have no trouble providing it.”
There’s movement behind me and a hand closes gently around my upper arm. “We’ve got your back,” Lexie murmurs.
How I wish that were true, but Brody holds all the cards here. If I don’t comply, I’m positive Kai will start dropping bodies, probably starting with Lexie. “I’ll do it.”
“I knew you’d make the right choice,” Brody says. He makes a sweeping motion with his hand. “Please, proceed.”
Dana, who is hovering awkwardly behind Fox, catches my eye and gives the tiniest shake of her head. I understand her misgivings, but we don’t have a choice.
“I assume you’ve got Krissa’s psychic mojo now,” I say.
Her eyes dart to Fox for an instant. “Yeah. But I’m not sure I’ll be able—”
“You have to,” I say.
Without having to ask them, Lexie and Bridget position themselves around the fire. Fox doesn’t leave Krissa’s side, a fact that doesn’t escape Dana’s notice. I snap to get her attention. “Focus.”
She flips her middle finger but steps toward the fire. Once I join our ring, excitement thrills through me, followed by a pang of guilt. I shouldn’t be happy right now, but I can’t help that part of me is. Krissa’s magic inside me fills up all the empty spaces that have made me feel incomplete these last four months. Although I fought hard not to accept it, there were times I was convinced I’d never feel this again—the swell of power begging to be directed.
I begin chanting. I’ve been over the spell so many times I have the incantation committed to memory. Dana joins me quickly, but it takes a few times through before Lexie and Bridget catch on. Brody was right, of course. I don’t need the elements typically necessary for this bit of magic—the energy provided by the eclipse is more than enough.
Moon Magic Page 27