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He gently pulled me closer and tilted my chin up with his free hand. I hadn’t realized it had fallen.
“You’re still here,” he argued.
“With no familiar, no coven, no wolves, and nothing but my own magic.”
My heart ached from the weight of it all, but especially for Arion. The little demon had run away before, but he’d never stayed gone for long. He’d never abandoned me in a time of need.
I prayed to the goddess that he was okay, then I vowed to ring his neck for leaving me to face this alone.
“Josephine will be here soon,” I said. “Your father was right. Cadence’s magic is a beacon. Any witch can track her bloodline with ease.”
It was how I’d known my mother was dead. My tracking spell hadn’t worked. Walker stood in silence beside me and mulled over my words. Like a flame sparking to life, his eyes brightened with a dangerous thing.
Hope.
“Then use your magic,” he said. “Call for help. Surely, there’s a way to do that, right? Astral whatever?”
I considered his words. Astral projecting required focus, lots of power, and time. Plus, I didn’t have anything in my possession that could link me to my allies, other than some passed-down wolf’s clothes. I doubted that would be strong enough to establish a link. I didn’t pack any personal objects of my coven either. If she were still alive, my mother would’ve chastised me for not thinking ahead.
She’s not alive though, I thought, this is on you.
“Astral projection won’t work,” I said. “Even if I had the right objects for a spell, the receiving end must answer. It’s like a phone call—someone has to pick up. I doubt my coven is dying to hear from me.”
“We need a PSA,” Walker amended.
That’s it.
I grinned. “Walker, you’re a genius.”
A flush crept up his neck. “Those are words I never thought I’d hear you say.”
“Don’t get used to it.” I tugged on his hand. “Let’s get moving, cowboy. We’ve got work to do.”
I hid my discomfort with spirit and forced my mouth to shift into an encouraging smile. One that Walker so clearly saw through. He quirked an eyebrow at me. Clouds moved over the sun and dimmed the light that filtered through the trees. I shook off the bad omen and headed for the dark magic that loomed ahead.
“Freya.” Walker rubbed his thumb over my hand. “You sure about this?”
“You sense it too?” I asked.
The farther into the forest we ventured, the stiller nature grew around us. The air grew colder, and our breaths clouded before us. The chords in my ears reached a crescendo.
“This is where it happened,” he whispered.
We stood before a small clearing of blackened earth. Trees had fallen to piles of ash. Tufts of grass fought to grow again and recover what my mother’s magic had destroyed, but the very soil was poisoned by the magic that had killed her. Nothing would grow here for a long time.
Not unless it was removed.
A tear trickled down my face, but I didn’t wipe it away. For once, I let my emotions pour out of me freely. Walker stood silently at my side. Instead of frivolous words, he comforted me with his presence. His steadiness.
I crouched to the earth and touched the charred grass. It was so cold it burned. These past days, this place had been trapped in this terrible magic, waiting for me to find it. To heal it.
I whispered a simple drawing spell, intended to pull poison out of wounds. Yet again, it was proven why the most basic spells were the most powerful. They were flexible.
As it poured into my veins, the dark magic screeched. It was thick like oil but colder than frostbite. The magic chilled me so greatly, it burned, but I didn’t relent, not until the last drop of it flowed through my body.
Barely able to control my chattering teeth, I whispered the words of the amplification spell. My voice shook, but I managed to enunciate the throaty vowels. Instead of relying on my coven for more power, I used the dark magic I'd just contained. As it left my body, it transformed.
As if I were my own Sun, light shone from my limbs. The coldness was replaced by gentle balminess. It was like stepping into a warm bath or hugging my mother. Walker squinted at me in wonder.
