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I awake at dusk, grinning when I see the truffles untouched on the side of my desk. Hurriedly, I get ready for the night, then grab the treats and go in search of Raúl.
It doesn’t take long to find him. He isn’t in his rooms, but he is in his office. I lightly knock on the ajar door. He looks up and smiles at me, gesturing for me to come in. I place the truffles on his desk. “Here, I made these for you. Helena showed me how.”
Immediately, he eats three, and I burst out laughing. “Do vampires ever gain weight?”
“No,” he says. “Not that I know of.”
I shake my head and sit down across from him. “Have you found Carmen yet?”
Anger flashes across his face. “We’ve been looking, but haven’t found a trace. I believe Julian has her in his clutches. That man is a menace. I expect a ransom note any day now.”
I shoot him a look of sympathy. “I’m so sorry, Raúl, that you have to go through this.”
He looks up at me with sad eyes. “Have I told you yet how my father died?”
I shake my head, wondering if I’d finally get to hear the story.
“Julian, my own grandfather, sent rebel vampires into the castle. His own men stabbed my father, his son-in-law. My father’s soul won’t rest until I take care of Nelson, who led the attacks. I will not rest.”
Immediately, I stand and move to kneel next to him, putting my hand in his. He smiles at me gratefully. “It still pains me to think of it, speak of it.”
“I’m always here for you.”
“I know.”
“So now he’s kidnapped his own daughter? What a horrible person,” I say with disgust.
“Exactly.” He stares into my eyes and places a hand on my cheek. “You were so brave. You fought off vampires entirely on your own. You didn’t give up, you didn’t let fear eat you alive. I am so proud of you.”
I lean forward until my forehead touches his, bringing my hand up to wrap around his arm. “Thank you.”
“No need to thank me. You did it on your own.” Raúl slips his hand behind my neck, tilting my head up slightly. His lips graze mine. “You are amazing, Penny.”
He kisses me lightly, hand running circles on the back of my neck. My skin tingles and I refrain from moving, not wanting him to stop. His lips press against me one last time before he stands up. I protest, but he nods to the door.
In the next second, Henry opens it and walks in, carrying a stack of papers. “I’ll meet you in the library in a few hours?” Raúl asks. I agree, and walk out the door, leaving him to his work, glad I know the way by now.
The room is well lit, with several sconces spread throughout the room. I head to the back shelves, where the older and dustier books are kept. Careful not to touch the delicate spines, I examine each one before an idea floats to my mind. I grasp a bit of power, using it to see the life in all things. “What do you think a witch’s book looks like, Nava?” I ask as I scan the books. Most of them are overlaid with a dull brown glitter, an aged dust. With all the magic I’ve been doing, though, I hoped to find some information.
It is hard to say. Witches deal in life and death.
“Hmm,” I say in response. If it’s life and death, I should see some signs of silver or shadow. I walk along the shelves, keeping my eyes peeled for any sign of the specific dusting. With this sight, I’ve learned living things are silver, dead things have shadows, and all objects have the faintest silver dusting.
At long last, I spot the faintest glimmer of silver dusting swirling with shadows around a dark brown book made of old leather. It sits on the bottom shelf, shoved in the back. I bend down and grasp it with both hands, twitching when a slight shock runs up my arms.
I carry the book back to the sofa and sit down with it, careful not to disturb the pages too much. As I hold the grimoire, the dusting grows brighter while the shadows swirl faster. I open the pages and my eyes widen at the words written inside.
“We are witches and power runs through our line, untouched by man,” I read aloud to Nava. “May your soul find peace or power, but never both.”
I flip the pages and find a list of all spells contained inside. Running my eyes down it, I stop when I see a spell for truth. Curious, I turn to that page. It is a simple chant and guarantees the target will tell only the truth. However, the magic could stop at any time and you would not know.
As with the other spells I’ve come across, I take the time to memorize it. “Words seal and bind, tell me your mind.” I snort. “Nava, could you please help me remember this?”
I doubt I would forget it, but it is best to have backup.
Yes.
I settle comfortably into the plush sofa, turning the pages and reading other spells. I wonder if Raúl would let me set up a place to practice these in the castle.
