Mine to Spell (Mine #2) (24 page)

As we reach the sitting room, the closest place for her to rest, I help her onto a sofa while exchanging a worried glance with Bethany. “Well, I’m glad you made it here safely.”

Mother is already dozing. The journey must have been even worse than she said. I gently pull her feet onto the couch while Bethany grabs a pillow and blanket for her. Once she’s settled, we leave the room with many backward glances.

“
Is it going to be worse or better having us all in one place? There may be more guards to protect us, but we’re now all in one convenient spot to attack.”

Bethany bites her lower lip before saying, “At least they made it here safely.”

Yes, at least there’s that.

We spend the next few hours getting all the girls settled in their rooms and setting up mother’s room for when she wakes. She continues to sleep on, though, and knowing the stress of the day, I can’t help but ask Serena, “Should we send for a doctor?”

The line of her mouth is grim. “I don’t know if there are any left we can trust. I’ll check on her, though.”

There’s a shriek somewhere close followed by the high-pitched sound of girls fighting. I sigh. “And I’ll see about entertaining the girls so they don’t bother her.”

She nudges me. “Don’t look so grim about it. We all know you’ve been dying to spend time with them ever since you left.”

I grin at her before hurrying off. It’s all too true. I’ve missed my girls so much. And by the way they quickly respond to my herding them into the ballroom, they’ve missed me too.

“Now, this is where you can come to be as noisy as you’d like, but there’s no fighting in here.” I look them each in the eye, and they all look eager enough to comply for now but much to quiet in a way that will likely last much too long. The time with father has scarred them all, especially the older ones. “Go on now.”

The girls run around the ballroom, filling the air with their echoing squeals of delight. Nothing like this ever happened when father owned us. I want to take it one step further. I should probably talk to Serena first, and maybe mother, but this is something I want to give the girls. Something I want them to see and know without any chance of outside interference.

I gather my magic, pulling it close together while picturing small, transparent balls. The color doesn’t matter really, so rather than worrying over what my emotions are like, I just release small waves of my magic.

The first spelled bubble is about the size of an orange and colored like one as well. None of the girls have noticed yet, so I release several more, the size growing bigger and the orange brighter each time. When I’ve released about a dozen, the room slowly goes quiet.

The girls are eying the spelled bubbles with caution. Sally glances at me, and I give her a smile. She takes the hand of the girl closest to her, Molly, and together they inch closer. Mindful of their approach, I work on cooling my emotions, finding peace and serenity in the moment. The next bubble I cast, I release slower but bigger than the others, about the size of a carriage wheel.

The girls gasp, but with a magical, happy sound mixed in and not with the fear I worried about. Working on remembering different things to bring about different emotions, I let the bubbles fly as quickly as the emotions are coming, letting out all sizes and colors. One of the girls giggles.

Sally and Molly have reached a bubble, a pink one with hints of purple. Molly reaches up to touch it, but Sally pulls her hand away.

“
She’s fine,” I say, eyes riveted on the scene before me.

Without questioning me further, as I’m certain Serena would do, Sally picks up Molly and holds her closer to the glowing pink bubble. I lean forward as her finger draws closer. Without hesitation, she pokes the bubble. It pops just like a real bubble would, except it releases sparks of pink and purple that dissipate in the air. Molly’s shriek of delight sings through the air as she wiggles down from Sally’s arms and runs for another one to pop.

Soon all the girls have joined in on the fun, and I hurry to make as many bubbles as I can. Even though the girls make quick work of popping them, the bubbles soon crowd the air, filling the ballroom with their rainbow of happiness. The littlest girls run from bubble to bubble or dance in circles with their arms in the air, while bubbles sway across them all, bursting in an array of lights and colors. Even the older girls aren’t holding back their enthusiasm.

“
Wow.”

I turn around to see Lukas behind me. “You like it?”

“I do, but more than that, they seem happier.”

“
Mostly, anyway.” Presha is hanging back from the others, Grace and Ada wavering between joining her and exploring the bubbles.

“
It’s nice. Do you mind if I watch?”

Warmth blooms through me. “Please.”

At some point Bethany joins us, though I don’t know how long she’s been here. Her eyes are as bright as the youngest as she plays with the girls among the bubbles and pops her own. The spell is easy enough to keep producing, though to my surprise, Lukas never joins in.

I continue for over an hour, making as many different types as I can and taking many requests from the girls. It’s so good to see them laugh, knowing I’m the one making that come about, only it’s also hard remembering I never had anything like this and that they only gained this recently. And while their joy has been gained, they’ve lost even more safety. It shouldn’t have to be this way.

The back of my neck gets a prickling sensation of being watched. I glance around to find Serena leaning against the doorway, a faint smile gracing her lips but worry lines creasing the corners of her eyes. Next to her, mother enters. A faint smile graces her face as she watches the children. Suddenly she hunches over.

I hurry toward her. “Mother?”

“Just over tired from the day, I think. It’s early yet. The baby won’t be joining us.” She rubs her belly.

“
I’ll be excited to meet my newest sister when the time comes.”

“
You sound different. Your speech sounds more like that drawling Chryon than what I’m accustomed to.”

Her words make me blush and glance at Lukas, who’s now chasing the girls with both himself and his own spelled bubbles.

“He’s different than your father.” Mother’s words are sad, tainted with a longing I don’t understand. “This is a good thing you’ve done for the girls.”

Did she truly just say that? How I talk may be changing, but changing how she thinks is an even bigger accomplishment. Maybe there’s more hope than I thought—if someone doesn’t manage to kill us before that hope can become a reality.

Chapter Twenty-Six

After failing to manage a sword-like stabbing spell too many times to count, Lukas says, “You’re not focusing tonight. What’s going on?”

I drop my hands and forget about the failed spell. “My sisters are more distracting than I thought they would be. Having them here is fabulous, but it reminds me of how things always were before Zade killed Thomas. And knowing they’re in even more danger, I wish there was something that could be done. Some of the girls are eager. They loved the bubble spells I did for them, but they also take cues from Serena. If I can’t get her to understand, how will I ever get anyone else to? Her fears seem to have eased some, but she’s scared and I don’t know how to work past that.”

“
You want to teach her magic?”

“
If I can. Bethany too, though she actually wants to learn, and Waverly’s already taught her a few things. If I’m alive after all of this, I want to teach all of my sisters. If they’ll let me.” Wonder what mother will think of that.

“
I might be able help.”

My gaze locks onto his. “How?”

“Come here.” He takes a hold of my hand, helping me stand.

As he guides me to the center of the ballroom, I think on how our palms fit and press together. Then he lets go. Disappointment fills me but stays buried where it can’t be seen. I shouldn’t be disappointed; he’s going to show me a way to help Serena, which is what I wanted. Yet, the feeling tugs at me anyway.

He stands across from me, close enough that if I stretched out my arm I could touch him but not close enough to feel the heat of his presence.

“
Usually children are taught from when they’re kids, just like we teach them to read and write. But occasionally there’s a child who is having a hard time grasping casting spells for whatever reason. It could be a number of things.”

“
How do you help them?”

“
We let our magic touch theirs.”

A person’s magic can touch another’s? “Sounds dangerous.”

“Not at all. It increases the magic a person feels, which makes it easier to recognize. Nothing harmful.”

The idea is perfect for showing Serena what she carries within her. I rock forward, bouncing the balls of my feet. “How is it done?”

“I’d like to show you, if you’ll let me.” He watches me from the corner of his eyes. “Like I said, it’s not dangerous, but it’s something that requires closeness and trust. Like holding hands or sharing a hug.”

Air whooshes from me. I’ve daydreamed about what it’d be like to have his arms around me but didn’t think it would happen. And it’s not. This is silly. He’s just helping me learn how to teach Serena. But my reply still comes out like I’m having a hard time getting enough air to breathe. “That’d be fine.”

“Ready?”

I’m not sure. “Yes.”

He gives me one of his smiles and stands with his hands at his sides. Instead of a spell moving out his hands, something strange happens. A white light, bright and pure, swirls from his chest. It continues to build and moves toward me in a smooth, flowing line.

As it nears me, Lukas says, “Are you okay?”

It’s not often a spell comes at me and even rarer that it’s not a hex. It’s too difficult to speak, so I nod instead.

“
Here it comes then. It won’t hurt.”

That’s easy to believe. There’s nothing but raw magic contained in the spell. Lukas’s raw magic. The palms of my hands grow sweaty. The light slows as it nears, but doesn’t stop. My breathing increases even though I try to slow it. The moment the light enters my chest, the warmth of my core, the part of me that’s magic, heats. Flares my magic with his magic.

The spell glows between us, brightening his chocolaty eyes. The warmth that fills me expands, feeling just like my own, but stronger and more powerful. Red blazes within the light. I want to step closer. To move toward him, but I don’t know if it will affect the spell.

Maybe my expression says what I want because he steps closer, the light between us shrinking with the lessening distance, but the power and warmth inside me continues growing. I mimic his movements, and both of us quickly close the space between us. The light is only a tiny flash between us. Tiny, but a blazing, powerful red.

Even so, I wish we were closer.

“
Feel that?” Lukas whispers.

How can I not? That flame between us, warm and bright, is like nothing I’ve ever felt before. Though the magic feels big and shiny and new, it’s nothing compared to how I feel around him. How he makes me feel. How I want it to last.

Instead of answering, I lean the last few inches that separate us and press my lips to his. His response is immediate, warm and responsive. I’ve never felt more at home than I do at this moment. He tastes spicy and good, welcoming. He wraps his arms around me, pulling us closer together. Even through my closed eyes, the light of his spell is brilliant, smashed between us. Inside, my magic intertwines with his, curling around his with smoldering intensity, as if thrilled to meet a friend the same as it.

I don’t know if it’s been a minute or an hour before our lips finally part, but we’re both breathless. Yet he doesn’t let me, or the spell, go. We stare at each other, the glow of his face like he’s just won a prize. Like he’s won not just some prize, but the entire tournament. And I feel as if my face is glowing the same way. This feels better than gaining a whole new wardrobe with matching jewelry. Better than casting a spell eager to be released. Somehow, even better than when Serena took father's place as our owner.

Finally, the spell between us wanes. Its presence softens within me, and the light recedes until it’s gone.

“
Wow,” I say.

His smile comes soft but intense. He opens his mouth, but before he can speak, Zade, with a sharp edge to his voice, says, “Yeah. Wow.”

The mocking words make me take a step away from Lukas, but he takes a hold of my hand, and pulls me back as Zade storms in the room.

“
So this is what you two have been doing. I thought you were training for the tournament, but instead you’re standing around smacking lips together like a couple of guppy youth.”

The heat is still inside me, but now it’s burning with anger. “It’s not like that.”

“We’ve been working,” Lukas adds.

“
I saw that,” Zade retorts. “Cynthia, can I talk to Lukas alone please?”