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“Will the Induction Ceremony even work before Halloween?” Talia asked. “It’s traditionally done on Halloween because our spells are stronger then.”
“Stronger, yes,” Verla stated. “But the Induction Ceremony can still be performed. The Imperium Council will soon have five members again. We can safely assume that their priority will lie in finding the Oaken Wands. We all know how catastrophic it will be if the Imperium Council possesses them all. We must find the remaining Wands before the priestesses do.”
“How are we going to get back inside Octavia Falls to go looking for them?” Grant wondered.
“We don’t have to,” Nadine replied. “I've done everything I can to figure out where my grandfather hid them, and I’m not sure the others are in Octavia Falls. It’s time we start looking elsewhere.”
“We already know where to find one of the Wands,” I said. “The Mentalist Wand fell into the demon’s pit, which was a portal to the Abyss. The Oaken Wands can’t be destroyed. That means the Wand is still out there.”
Miles frowned. “All right. Let’s just waltz into hell.”
“Why not?” I asked. “If I can open a portal to Alora, I should be able to open one to hell.”
“You can’t be serious,” Helena protested.
“I am serious,” I stated. “The coven’s magic is everything. It’s what makes us the Miriamic Coven. We need to unite the Wands to end the Waning, and we know where one is.”
Grant stood. “How about before we go jumping into the Abyss, we think of some better options? You’re still learning your reaper powers. You’ve never opened a portal to hell.”
“The least I can do is try.” I lifted my palm. I knew how to cast portals now, so maybe I could do it. Sparks flew through the air… but the portal never opened. A mere moment passed, and my head was already spinning.
Grant grabbed my arm to stop me. “I know you want to get the Mentalist Wand, but we don’t know what the Abyss is really like! This isn’t the same as opening a portal somewhere on Earth. You’re trying to access an entirely new realm, and you’re either going to hurt yourself trying, or you could unleash something dangerous.”
Chloe was quick to take charge. “We all need time to recover. We’re not diving head-first into hell without a plan. I say we take the summer to rest and figure this out.”
“The whole summer?” I balked.
Helena gestured to Nadine and me leaning on our crutches. “If you think you’re going to fight monsters with those injuries, you’re sorely mistaken. You’re going to need all summer to get your strength back! I can’t believe you’re even suggesting going to the Abyss.”
“I agree,” Verla stated. “We know the Mentalist Wand is in hell, but the priestesses don’t. They’re not going to go after it, so we should put all our effort into finding the Mortana Wand and the Curse Breaker Wand before the council gets to them first.”
“We’re going to have to go to hell at some point, though,” Nadine said. “It’s risky, but we need to unite the Wands. We said when we started that we’d walk through hell and back to restore the coven’s magic. Well, the time’s come to do just that. But Chloe’s right. We need to be prepared.”
“What are you suggesting?” Talia asked.
“For one, we need a way to get into the Abyss,” Nadine pointed out. “As of right now, Lucas’s powers aren’t strong enough to portal us there—though they might be strong enough to get us out. We also need a safeguard against the Waning, in case we get stuck there. We’re not going without backup plans.”
“That’s a tall order to fill,” Miles said skeptically.
“So we split up,” Nadine suggested.
“We can go in groups,” I added. I set my crutch aside and leaned over the map. “I can portal us to different magical locations. We can gather information about the Wands from other races.”
“You’re staying here,” Helena demanded, pointing a finger at Nadine and me.
Nadine’s jaw dropped. “If we’re going to research the Wands and how to get through hell alive, Lucas and I—”
“Are staying here,” Helena repeated firmly. “Neither of you are in any condition to leave. Besides, if you are all going to go off on your adventures, you need a central point of contact. This is your one safe house. If the priestesses get word that you’re roaming other magical cities, there will be nowhere left for you to hide. You know as well as I do the priestesses have contacts and spies all over the supernatural world. The rest of you might be able to blend in, but spies will recognize Nadine in an instant. Besides, she needs to be here to maintain the wards and protection spells. The spells we’re using are too strong for any one Cast to maintain them alone, but a Curse Breaker can stabilize the magic so we aren’t caught. And Lucas needs to remain behind, so he can portal everyone in and out.”
I didn’t know if Helena was saying it because it made logical sense, or because she didn’t want to see her granddaughter dive head-first into danger. I was almost certain it was the latter.
“If we want to learn anything about hell, our best bet is Malovia,” Talia said. “Monsters are flooding into Malovia all the time. The fae are literally sitting on gateways to hell. If anyone knows anything about getting there and back, it’s them.”
“I guess that means Grant and Talia are going to Malovia for summer break,” Miles said.
Grant scowled. “Yeah, what a vacation. If you think this is going to be easy, I suggest you back out now. I, however, am up for the challenge.”
Miles drew himself upright. He wasn’t scared of shit. “Chloe and I will go to Hok’evale. It’s neutral territory, full of supernaturals outcast from their societies. If you want rumors, you start there. There have to be whispers of the Oaken Wands. If we don’t find anything there, we’ll see what we can learn from the Elementai. Their tribe isn’t far from Hok’evale.”
