“And then today, it was gone. The way he acted toward me…like last night never happened. Like he didn’t even know me. Like he didn’t even like me anymore.”
“What are you talking about?” Sophie sounded flabbergasted. “He was at Ana’s first thing in the morning! I’m pretty sure he wasn’t trying to sell her Girl Scout Cookies. And what is he doing now? Off on some crazy mission to save your friend from killing you...and probably risking his life!”
“Did something happen that we are not aware of?” Lily asked gently.
I looked at her and Sophie sheepishly. Sophie was right. I was completely overreacting. Just because he didn’t throw his arms around me in front of everyone, and instead was offering to save my friend’s life…
“I guess… I guess I’m just being stupid,” I said, suddenly feeling foolish. “It’s just that when we were all sitting in the sunroom, the way he looked at me was so—hard. When I gave him that hug because he was going to help us, he just seemed so…put off by it. Like he didn’t want to touch me. Then upstairs before he shimmered to get Justin, he didn’t say anything to me. Nothing to indicate when he would be back, or when I’d see him again. He didn’t even say goodbye.” I wiped at the tear that was trickling down my cheek.
“I just got the horrible feeling that I’d done something wrong,” I continued as Sophie lovingly patted my back. “Something that made him think twice about wanting to be with me. Maybe it’s because of the way I was acting about Justin, I don’t know. He doesn’t like Justin anyways; maybe he’s mad at me for making him do this?”
Sophie and Lily exchanged sympathetic looks.
“I’m sure you’re reading too much into it,” Sophie said. “Nicholas doesn’t strike me as the type of guy who does something he doesn’t want to do. And those were some crazy, tense happenings here this morning. Not exactly a time for romance. Maybe he was just trying to play it cool in front of all of us.”
“And I’m sure he didn’t give some dramatic farewell because he’ll see you very soon,” Lily offered. “He can shimmer. You’re both Spirit Walkers. No matter where he is in the world, he’s only a blink of an eye away.”
The sickening panic of earlier slowly faded away. I hugged them both, eternally grateful to be blessed with such wonderful, logical friends.
Chapter 30. Wait
“What do you make of that anyways?” I asked later, when we were in my room. Lily and Sophie were both spending the night again, and Lily was busy making up the daybed. It’d been Sophie’s idea for us to use a levitan charm to move it into my room from the spare room, and although the bed had made it safely, all the bedding had fallen to the floor when we accidently flipped it upside down.
“Make of what?” Sophie was lounging on the chaise and staring up at the ceiling. Stargazing, no doubt.
“Doesn’t it seem sort of strange that a guy who has magical powers like I have, like we do—a warlock who is also a Spirit Walker like I am—would just happen to live a few houses away from me? I mean what are the chances?” I brushed my long, crimson hair. I still couldn’t get over the shock of seeing my reflection in the mirror.
Lily and Sophie exchanged a look.
“Well, actually, it’s not really that bizarre,” Sophie began, propping herself up on her elbow to watch us. “That he’d be nearby you, that is.”
“Have you read much of your family’s Book of Shadows?” Lily asked, tucking in the sheets.
I shook my head. Ana had shown me the ancient book not long ago, and told me it held the secrets and stories of our family for the past thousand years. It was a beautiful book, covered in plush, purple velvet with intricate markings. It was also ridiculously huge.
“I flipped through it a few times, but I just looked at some of the pictures and glanced at the writing. A lot of it looked kind of hard to understand.”
“Yeah, the older stuff especially can be tricky,” Sophie agreed.
“You really should read it sometime,” Lily said. “It has more than just spells and counter-curses and events. It also has the legends and mysteries.”
“Like what?” I was hoping her tangent about the Book of Shadows had something to do with my earlier question. It was something I’d been wondering about ever since I realized what Nicholas was.
“There are passages that explain how nothing that happens is accidental…it’s all sort of prearranged, even if we don’t know it at the time.” Lily finished smoothing the covers and started fluffing some pillows.
“What, like fate and destiny stuff?”
“Sort of. It was written to address the phenomena of witches, wizards, warlocks, sorcerers—whatever you want to call us—how we tend to gather in the same areas, even when we don’t mean to or realize we’re doing it. For some reason, we’re all drawn to other magic. Even if someone is separated or alone, they always manage to find a magical haven somehow,” Lily said.
“My mom thinks that’s why there was a Hunter here, too,” Sophie interjected.
I ignored her. I didn’t want to think about Justin now. I opened a dresser drawer and grabbed some pajamas. I wasn’t very tired, seeing as how I’d slept most the day, but I was anxious to see if Nicholas would appear to me in my dreams.
“So, Nicholas was just drawn here? But his mother isn’t a witch, and it’s her house—” I started.
“Let me finish,” Lily continued. “It gets sorta deep. It just explains how the soul is energy that never dies, even when our bodies do. Just because you turn off a light in the house it doesn’t mean the power is shut off.”
“What does that have to do with what I—”
“I’m getting to it. Basically, your soul has been around a lot longer than your body has. And you’ve lived before as a witch. And so has Nicholas. One of the legends is that our powers from past lives carry over into the next. But that’s not all that carries over,” She paused and perched herself on the end of the bed.
“Well, what else does?” I asked
Lily gave me a coy smile. “Love.”
I laughed. “Are you saying Nicholas and I were in love…in a past life?”
She shrugged, and headed to my dresser, rummaging around for some pajamas of her own. “It’s possible. Like I said, this stuff is in the legends and mysteries section.”
“Soo romantic,” Sophie swooned. “I wonder who I was in love with in a past life.”
I rolled my eyes at them. “I think you guys have done too much shimmering. You’re missing some brain cells somewhere,” I said, crawling into bed.
“I dunno, Cal. Some of the things you said…how you guys are when you’re together. What we saw. That was some pretty intense stuff there,” Sophie drawled, and repositioned her body to stare back up at the sky.
“Isn’t it too foggy to see anything tonight?” I nodded my head toward the ceiling.
“Nah, just gotta push it out of the way. Takes more effort though, and I’m getting tired.” She blinked rapidly a few times, and then turned over on her side to face me.
“I’m serious about what I said about Nicholas,” Sophie continued. “It makes perfect sense that he’d be here. Your souls would recognize one another, even if his face didn’t look familiar to you…and may I just say what an utterly divine face it is. I mean Brady is a total hottie and all, but Nicholas…my God… I just never knew someone could be that beautiful. He’s on a whole other level of hot.” She sighed and giggled salaciously.
“I know, right?” I muttered. “That has me pretty freaked out, too. I mean, he is sooo out of my league! I think that’s what has me so worried about him being cold to me this morning.” I pulled the comforter up over me. “It just seems completely unreal to me that a guy like him would want a girl like me. I keep thinking someone is just playing a nasty joke on me or something—”
“Oh, shut up!” Sophie said at the same time Lily exclaimed, “Calista, stop!”
“First of all, you’re gorgeous—with or without your glasses. Red, light brown, green, blu
e, or purple hair—it doesn’t matter. You’re funny, smart, sweet…definitely a catch,” Lily admonished.
“And really, don’t be so hard on yourself. Let’s be honest…the entire world is out of his league.” Sophie giggled. “But if there was someone who’s close it’d be you.”
“Gee, thanks.” I gently whapped her with a pillow and laughed.
*****
I float through the air, weightless and free. Over the churning waters, straight to the lights. The Isle waits for me...calls to me. I swoop down and settle on the grass. Standing, searching, calling...
“Nicholas?”
Silence.
I’m all alone. I can’t feel him anywhere.
The twisted, silver trees are quiet; the twinkling lights in the glowing grove slowly dim. It grows darker and darker as I wander through the meadow, calling...hoping...
Please, Nicholas, come to me. Find me.
I wait.
Nothing.
I’m all alone.
I fall back on the silky grass and gaze upon the midnight sky. I cannot cry, though my heart is breaking. Staring at the pulsating stars, I think of Nicholas…wondering where he is, if he’s safe, and if he’ll ever come back for me.
But I will be okay, no matter what. This is the life I’m destined to live, for better or for worse. I am blessed with so many gifts… My father is happy, I have wonderful friends, and Ana has brought me closer to the mother I never knew.
I am a Morningstar witch, like my mother before me. My powers have only just begun to bloom. Where once there was a shell of a girl…scared, alone, and confused… now lives a young woman, strong, confident, and proud.
One day Nicholas will return to me, and we’ll be together again. As we are supposed to be. He has to. He must. I know he is my match… my love… my destiny. He is the one I want. He is all I need, now and forever.
And so I will wait. For as long as it takes.
*****
End of Book 1
Excerpt from KISS THE CRYSTAL SUN
Book #2 of the Spellbound Trilogy
My heart fluttered as we drifter higher, but I felt no fear. Sophie maneuvered us expertly, levitating us off the ground for several long minutes. Feelings of peace and love and tranquility washed over me like a spring shower. The warm power of my magical blood flowed through me with a renewed intensity, until every ounce of my being was flooded with a new spiritual awakening and strength.
We floated higher, still holding one another’s hands and forming a perfect circle. Then, on Sophie’s instruction, Lily and I released our grasp on each other so the three of us formed a single line, with Sophie in the middle.
“Are you ready? Hang on…here we go!” Sophie shouted, and like a shot we sped off the cliffs and over the churning waters of the ocean. I gasped and held on tighter to Sophie’s hand, as the fog parted for us to move through it like apparitions in the night. Lily’s spell seemed to follow us everywhere we went, making a clear visual passage as we flew down the coastline and high above the pier.
Further over land we flew, soaring higher and higher, moving faster and faster. My heart pumped furiously but I felt no fear—only sublime freedom. We could see down to the lights of the city far below as Lily’s beautiful medley played serenely in our minds. I knew no one on the ground could see us…we were protected by the enchanted bubble as we coasted far over the mountains, back over the ocean, and eventually landed in the exact same spot from which we’d taken off. The small fire Sophie had lit earlier still burned strongly on the grass as we resumed our places around it.
“Well, I guess your secret is out now,” Lily laughed as we settled to the ground.
Sophie smiled gleefully and turned to me. “I got my Rings, Callie. Yesterday, in fact. I wanted to keep it a secret so that I could surprise you with a ride. I knew if I really blew it Lily would be able to shimmer us to safety. But it worked.”
“That was incredible. You guys are so amazing…both of you. What you did…it was…” I almost choked on my words, overcome with emotion.
“What all of us did. Together,” Sophie said softly and put her arms around me. I hugged her tight and then turned and hugged Lily. I noticed a few flowers left on the ground and reached for them.
“Happy New Year,” I said and threw the flowers up over the cliff, igniting one last enchanted fireworks display for the evening. They exploded bigger and brighter than ever, the sparkling lights leaving a blazing trail and lighting up the sky and sand below.
The flash was bright…and it was brief. But it was enough.
I saw him standing there on the beach as plain as day, illuminated by the glow of my magical sparkler.
Nicholas had returned.
~~~
I stood frozen on the cliffs, unable to move, or even blink. After the dying embers of neon light vanished, thick fog once again blanketed the air, cutting off my vision of him.
Was he really there? Or had I finally gone mad—my insane desire to see him again creating hallucinations in my mind? Was it just a shimmer, and now he’s gone away again?
“Cal, what is it?” Sophie asked as I stood paralyzed.
If I told them that I saw him and he wasn’t really there, would they think I had finally snapped?
“Are you all right?” Lily stood next to me.
“I think…I think I just saw Nicholas,” I whispered.
“What!”
“Where?”
Slowly I lifted my arm and pointed to the hidden shores below. “Down there.”
With a rapid swish of her arm, Lily repeated the same spell she had just performed a few minutes ago. The thick air swirled and swayed, eventually parting down the middle to form a wide clear path.
At the other end of the opening stood Nicholas, looking up at us.
“Oh my God,” Sophie cried, and immediately flew off the cliff and down to him.
I still couldn’t move…or blink, terrified that if I shifted even the slightest bit he’d disappear from my sight.
“Come on, Callie, let’s go talk to him,” Lily whispered from my side. She pulled on my hand, but I refused to budge. Too many emotions flooded through me at once.
“I...can’t,” I whispered back. I was afraid. Afraid that he wouldn’t be there when I reached the bottom of the hill. Afraid that he’d tell me that Justin had died and he was the one who had killed him. Afraid that he would look at me with those same cold and uncaring eyes like he had that morning at Ana’s.
“You want to stay up here?” she asked incredulously.
I ignored her, transfixed on his image as Sophie approached him.
They spoke briefly and hugged. Then they turned and faced our direction.
“What are you doing up there—get down here!”Sophie thought to us.
“I think she needs a moment,” Lily thought back to her. Sophie turned and said something to Nicholas. He gave a tiny stiff nod, and she put her hand on his arm.
An instant later they were standing next to us.
I felt the impact of his presence hit me like a bag of bricks. I didn’t know why, but suddenly I felt angry and hurt…a bitter deep resentment at him being gone for so long, leaving me clueless and wondering what was happening.
Angry, because it would have been so easy for him to show up here, like he did right now, for even three seconds, just to let me know that he and Justin were both alive.
Hurt, that even while he slept, he no longer bothered to appear in my dreams and hold me and kiss me like he had done before that night. That horrible, beautiful, fateful night.
“Hello, Calista…Lily.” His voice was the same throaty velvet as before…but now it sounded different. Exhausted. Defeated.
“Nicholas.” Lily stepped forward and gave him a hug. She looked at me apprehensively – I remained silent and still. “It is so good to see you. We are glad that you are okay. You are okay, aren’t you?” she asked, trying to read his face in the gloomy air.
“Yes, I’ll be fine.
Just a little tired.”
“Where’s Justin?” I snapped harshly. Lily and Sophie turned to me with startled expressions, but Nicholas remained impassive.
“He’s fine. He’s resting comfortably,” he said with a strained voice.
I felt the air swoosh out of me and my legs grew wobbly. He was alive. They both were…
“It worked?” I whispered.
He nodded. “We think so. It was touch and go there for awhile.”
I stared at his magnificent profile in the darkness. He seemed changed somehow… older…almost weaker…
“But where is he?” Lily asked.
“He’s back at the safe house I first brought him to. He has everything he needs there for now, but what he needs most is sleep. He’s been through a very rough ordeal.”
“Why didn’t you bring him back with you?” My sharp voice cut through the cool air like a razor.
He turned to me with the same sweet and loving eyes I so often pictured in my mind. The eyes I’d missed so desperately, and for so long. I was torn in two—half of me wanted to dive into his arms and hold him…kiss him… feel his hot breath on my neck. The other half wanted to pound mercilessly on his chest and scream in his face.
Nicholas sighed. “He’s not ready to return yet. It’s one of the reasons I came back here. He’ll need some memory modification and that is not something that I am skilled at doing.”
So that’s why he was here? To enlist help in erasing Justin’s memory?
“Well, I’ll go see if Ana is free to help you,” I said and turned away.
He reached out and gently grabbed my arm. “I said it’s one of the reasons I came here…”
Sophie and Lily exchanged knowing glances. “Um, I think that’s our cue,” Sophie thought to me.
Witchy, Witchy (Spellbound Trilogy #1) Page 23
