Her words struck deep within me. She knew we were special. She just didn't understand how deep it went. But she was willing to learn and had always wanted to tap into it, even if she didn't fully understand what it was.
She lifted her bag off the floor and dropped it on the table. The canvas sack had a light purple graphic on it that said Totes Books. I smirked at it and glanced at the planner and other binders that poked out of it.
"Well, as an icebreaker, I brought a few items for show-and-tell," she said.
My intrigue shot through the roof. The other UMAs leaned in with equal curiosity.
"So, to be honest," she began. "Ms. Kelly and I have been friends for years. I know a little about your interests of the natural world and the mystical nature of the elements."
My breath stopped short as I wondered how much she might truly know. My faith in Ms. Kelly's protection was unwavering, though, so I knew it would be limited.
I glanced at the others to see how they were reacting to her mention of our unique interest, and they all stared with equal curiosity.
Ms. Harrison smiled. "Good. Good. Now I've got your attention." She reached into her bag and pulled out a leather pouch. Then she went in again and revealed a wooden board. She placed her bag over the board as if to hide it for the moment.
She took the pouch and pulled at the cord that secured it shut. Once the satchel was open, she dumped the contents onto the table, and an array of crystals rattled out. She brushed her hand over them, spreading them out, and gestured for us to examine each one.
I reached for the one that looked like a pyramid. It was purple with the darkest hue at the tip.
"That one is amethyst quartz," she said, as I rolled it around in my palm. "It's protective qualities are good for healing and purifying. It helps bring spiritual wisdom."
Shane reached for the long, clear one.
"That's clear quartz," she said. "It's the master healer. It amplifies energy, and helps with concentration and memory."
I glanced across the table at my friends. Our advisory period was already proving to be interesting.
Poorva poked at the pink one, moving it around on the table.
"And that one is all about love," Ms. Harrison said. "Rose quartz, it helps restore trust and brings calm during times of grief."
My eyes widened as I stared at the stones in front of us. Their energy radiated off the table, and I stifled a gasp that threatened to launch out of my mouth.
It was like everything we conjured in our minds was sitting here in physical form right in front of us. I reeled from the possibilities.
"These are cool, Ms. Harrison," I stated, attempting to tamper my genuine enthusiasm. "How do you use them?"
She sat back in satisfaction, likely pleased that she had won our attention so easily.
"I'll be happy to teach you," she said with a smile. "Ms. Kelly thought it would be a good idea. She knows I love to collect these types of things. I actually have an altar in my house where I arrange them."
Okay, now it was verging on the edge of crazy trains.
I always knew she was a bit batty, but now it was getting interesting.
For some reason, the mention of an altar caused my judgmental self to jump all over it. But then I looked more deeply at Ms. Harrison. She believed in the power of these items. Maybe she wasn't wrong.
"An altar?" I asked.
"Yes," she said. "It's a small table I keep in my bedroom where I place all my special items. I arrange them in different ways, depending on the seasons. It's just a way to honor the elements and to feel connected, you know?"
Hmm. I guess it wasn't so weird after all. It was just her way of trying to make sense of her limited knowledge of the higher powers. It was like a form of respect—an understanding that there was something bigger than her, something powerful.
Blake reached for a striped orange stone on the table and rubbed it between his fingers. With a flinch, he dropped it, and the crystal bounced back to its spot by the other stones.
"That's tiger's eye," Ms. Harrison said. "It's a powerful one." She chuckled at Blake's reaction to it.
I glanced at her with more questions than I could contain, but one, in particular, took front and center.
"Why does their arrangement on the altar depend on the seasons?" I thought about her comments on how she used the crystals.
"Ah," she said. "That brings us to this." She reached under her bag and pulled out the wooden board.
I stared at the symbols that covered it and tried to interpret the words that went around in a circle. It was another language I'd never seen before.
At first, I thought the plaque was a Ouija board of some kind. My eyes traveled around the circular formations and landed on the sun and moon overlapping in the center.
Ms. Harrison pushed it to the center of the table. "It's the Wheel of the Year," she said. "It's used to measure the most magical times of the year." She pointed to some of its features. "The solstice and the equinox being two of the most powerful. But it’s the mid-seasons that hold the hidden, most mystical characteristics." She tapped her finger on the word Samhain. "Saw-ween," she pronounced it slowly. "It's nearly upon us."
The four of us leaned in for a closer look.
She continued, "Hallow's Eve. October 31. And we're expecting a full moon that night. It's said to be one of the most energy-filled nights of the year. Anything could be possible."
My eyes bounced to Shane's, and he stared back at me in equal wonder.
With all anger removed from his furrowed brow, he returned to me with a hopeful expression, and our minds churned together in a whir of planning.
By the end of X-block, we'd nearly forgotten about my confrontation with Laney all together. Instead, we'd been distracted by a new curiosity—Ms. Harrison and her witchy trinkets.
But even more important, we'd been given a date.
Halloween night.
According to the Wheel of the Year, it was the most potent night, as far as the mystic elements went.
Samhain, it was called. Hallow's Eve.
And Shane and I made an immediate, silent pact.
It would be the night we'd launch through the portal again to save our friends.
We had a week to prepare.
As the bell rang, signaling the end of the advisory period, we let out a collective groan. None of us wanted to leave.
Ms. Harrison held a broad smile as if she'd enjoyed the period as much as we had. We helped her gather the crystals, and none of us could deny the power they held. Our brittle emotions and twitching angst had settled over the half-hour, leaving us much more at ease than when we'd first arrived. It was exactly what we'd needed before heading back into the lion's den.
Fortunately, Shane and I had APUSH next. With Ms. Harrison.
Poorva and Blake headed in the opposite direction, both instructing me to keep out of trouble and to lay low. I assured them I would, and that we'd all come together again after school.
As soon as I suggested a hang out with them, Shane jabbed me in the ribs.
"Hey." I leaned over, grabbing my side in exaggerated pain.
He whispered, "We have plans after school." He pressed his lips together and glared at me.
Right. I had forgotten in all the distractions of X-block. Shane and I had planned to sneak to the church to search for the spellbook. The thought caused my heart rate to accelerate, and my nerves ignited again.
"Are we still going to do that?" I whispered back.
"Hell yeah," he said.
Ms. Harrison pulled up behind us. "You two scheming again?"
We slowed to allow her to join us. It was no secret she’d always kept a close eye on Shane and me. She constantly tried to read us to figure out what we were all about. And now, it made more sense. She was trying to tap into her empath abilities. She was barely scratching the surface, but it was enough that she was able to pick up on subtle waves.
No wonder Ms. Kelly connected with her. It
was as if Ms. Harrison was one of her students as well, in a way. Only, she was by far the most novice of us all. But even the infant stage of psychic ability was enough to separate Ms. Harrison from the rest of the school.
"That was really cool, Ms. Harrison," I said. "Thanks for showing us all that stuff."
"Oh, you're welcome, Brynn." She smiled. "I've been practicing the art of...." She paused for a moment. "The art of crystal use for some time now. It holds more power than you realize."
I wondered for a moment if I was wrong about her 'novice' position in all of this. Maybe she was more advanced than she let on.
I glanced at Shane. His intrigued brows lifted as he watched her.
"I have something for you," she added as we turned into her classroom.
Shane and I followed her to her desk while other students filed in behind us, chattering while finding their seats.
She opened the side drawer and pulled out a long, thin parcel wrapped in cheesecloth and tied with green twine.
"I made these," she said, passing the bundle to me.
I reached for it with curiosity.
She continued, "They're beeswax candles. To be used when you want to bring forth the element of fire. It adds a higher level of power to any ritual."
My breath fell out of me.
"Thank you," I said, hiding the package into my backpack before anyone could see it.
Shane positioned his body as a barrier to help shield the exchange. His natural instinct to do so made it clear that something profound was happening—something that should remain secret.
Ms. Harrison nodded, and then, in the blink of an eye, she took on her history teacher persona and addressed the class.
Shane and I found our seats at the back and kept our attention on her for the entire period.
Chapter 4
By the time the bell rang, Shane and I were practically panting from the effort of remaining silent for the hour. All we wanted to do was talk about Ms. Harrison and the crystals and the candles. It was mind-blowing how one X-block could shake things up so much—every time.
We left her classroom as her attention pulled to another student with a question about the practice test she'd given us for homework. But that assignment was the least of our concerns. Instead, Shane and I focused on one thing—our after school plan.
Heading toward the caf, we shot straight for our bench in the lobby area. Avoiding the chaos of the cafeteria was our primary goal as we settled into our private lunch spot.
In a matter of seconds, though, our comfort zone was disrupted.
"Shit. Here comes Laney," Shane seethed.
My eyes darted down the hallway and landed on her. Surrounded by her minions, she moved through the corridor like royalty. I imagined huge feathers fanning her as she waltzed in on a gold-gilded chariot. It was pathetic.
But in the same breath, it was beyond intimidating.
"Let's get out of here," I whispered. "I'm not ready for another confrontation."
"Where, though?" He looked around. "It's not like we can hide behind a pillar. I think we just have to face her."
"The theater," I said, pointing to the double doors leading to the stage.
His eyes brightened, and he moved with me toward the auditorium without hesitation.
"Won't it be locked?" he murmured.
"I hope not." I reached for the door and pulled.
To our surprise, it opened with a silent whoosh, and we snuck into the darkness. Moving through the central aisle, we shimmied into a row and sat in the cushioned seats. We glanced up at the stage as if expecting a show to begin, but the silence that filled the space reminded us we were alone.
"I like it in here." Shane's voice echoed through the open space.
"Shhhh." I hushed him, feeling like we needed to remain quiet and hidden.
He chuckled, then whispered, "Sorry. I didn't expect my voice to carry like that."
"I know. This is awesome." I reached into my backpack for my lunch. "Finally, a lunch period where we can relax."
He reached into his pack for his lunch as well.
But, instead of pulling out my own brown bag, I pulled out the cheesecloth parcel from Ms. Harrison.
"The candles," I whispered.
"Let's look," he said, waving his fingers for me to unwrap them.
I pulled on the cordage and peeled away the cloth. My eyes widened, and a huff escaped my lips as I stared at the deep black color of the long candles.
Shane reached for one and took it out of the wrapping. I lifted the other one, and we held them up for a better look.
"I didn't expect them to be black," he said as he turned it between his fingers.
"Me neither," I agreed. "But I like it. It's more mysterious."
"Let's use them when we go to the church." He placed the candle back into the cloth.
"Are you serious?" I stared at him like he was inviting trouble into our lives.
"Yeah. If we find the book, imagine combining the element of fire with whatever spells we discover."
I wrapped the candles protectively and set them back into my backpack. "Shane. Are you crazy? We have no idea what kind of power these might have. I'm still in complete shock that Ms. Harrison is involved in any of this too."
I shook my head like he was getting too far ahead of everything. We had to use caution, particularly if we were about to sneak around with the spellbook.
He shrugged. "Whatever. I just think if we have the power in our grasp, we might as well use it."
His hasty attitude surprised me. He was usually the cautious one. But now, he was more eager than ever to tap into the next level.
"I don't know what it is," he said. "I just feel like we don't have a lot of time. Like something's slipping away, and we don't even realize it." He reached for my hair and pushed it behind my ear so he could see my face. "I don't want to miss any of it," he whispered.
My breath quickened in response to his touch. I didn't know what it was, but the sensation caused my heart to beat faster, and suddenly, the only thing I could focus on was him.
I lifted my eyes to his and froze in his steady gaze.
"Brynn," he whispered. "I don't understand it fully, but I have an overwhelming urge to keep you safe. When you're in danger, it tears me up inside. Even this morning, with Laney—when I heard what happened, I could barely control myself. I need you to be more cautious. Can you do that?"
I nodded, hoping he would keep speaking. His words warmed me from the inside, leaving me breathless. I didn't want him to suffer, and worrying about me was the last thing he should be doing. But I didn't hate it.
My eyes washed over his handsome face, studying his gentle eyes and the glisten on his lower lip. I moved my gaze through the waves of hair at the top of his head, and then the tightly cropped sides. I just wanted to drag my fingers into it and clamp on for dear life.
"What if I don't want to be cautious?" I replied to his request for me to be safe.
He swallowed hard, and the muscles in his jaw clenched.
His eyes moved to my mouth as his hand trailed around the back of my neck.
I reached for him at the same time and moved my hand across his face and into his hair.
"Shane," I whispered.
Hearing his name cross my lips sent him into motion, and he pulled me closer. His breath tickled across my lips as he looked into my eyes with a hunger that made me ravenous for him.
My lips parted as a small gasp escaped me, and he couldn't hold back any longer.
In a blur of ecstasy, his lips found mine, sending a magical current of excitement through me. His mouth explored mine with a passion that awakened all my senses.
Lost in his depths, I kissed him without holding back. I'd never felt such desire for another person, and the connection nearly blew my mind. I wanted to remain there with him forever.
As he poured himself into me, my heart swelled to near bursting, and I pulled him even closer. I wanted every part of him and he
ld on like I had everything to lose.
With a bang, the doors to the auditorium flew open, causing us to jump apart. It was funny how our first response was to create distance between us as if the six-inch-rule was in place even at this age.
"Are you in here, Douglas!" Laney squinted her eyes to adjust to the darkness.
Shane pressed on my shoulder, and I hunkered down low with him in our seats.
"You can't avoid me forever, you know," she called through the auditorium.
Giggles shook my body, and Shane pressed his finger to his lips to keep me quiet. My nerves fired in every direction from the remaining euphoria of our first kiss, and nothing else in the world mattered—except doing it again.
I pulled his hand away from his mouth and touched my lips to his again. He chuckled from my brazen neglect of Laney's shouts.
The truth was, she was the furthest thing from my mind as I lowered my guard and allowed Shane into the most sheltered part of myself.
I had never done it before—allowed someone into the most sacred part of me.
My soul.
But it had just happened.
Through a kiss.
I'd kissed plenty of guys before, but it never felt like this. Shane had traveled straight into my heart through the touch of his lips to mine. The thought of his strong arms around me, inhaling his scents of sandalwood, linen, and sweat, made me shudder.
I didn't know for sure what it was. I mean, it was clear whenever we touched there was a powerful connection, an energy that tingled through my entire being. But lowering my guard and kissing him had opened an entirely new channel that left me breathless. It was like we'd found forever in each other, like the way it should have always been.
The theater doors slammed shut just as the bell rang. Shane's hand took hold of my face, and he pulled away slightly. "Oh my God," he panted. "What have you done to me." He smiled into my eyes.
Breathless, I smiled back, wishing the moment could last forever.
"We better go," he whispered, helping me stand.
I tripped over my backpack, clumsy with euphoria, and I reluctantly maneuvered myself into the aisle.
Urban Mystic Academy: Third Project (A Supernatural Academy Series Book 3) Page 3
