He studied my face and then stared deeply into my eyes.
With a step back, he said, "No, Brynn. Stop."
I stepped closer, determined to hold him, and never let go again.
"Brynn, stop," he said with more force. "You need to get out of there!"
I fought against his words, uncertain of what he meant, and with no intention of ever stopping.
"Shane, it's okay. I'm here now. We can..."
His voice cut mine short.
"Get out there, Brynn! She's using a spell against you." His wide eyes shot terror into mine. "Shut it down and run!"
Chapter 10
Every ounce of my soul fought against Shane’s words commanding me to leave. Staying with him was my only focus, and the thought of leaving him there in the eerie fog went against every bone in my body.
But danger lurked all around us.
And there was too much at stake.
Then Shane's image faded as the black mist crept back in from the sides.
"The lost pages, Brynn. Use them and nothing else." His voice grew faint. "I'll wait for you."
"Shane!" I cried out as he disappeared from my sight. "Shane!"
A faint call rang out to me from oblivion. It filled my ears with a powerful thrum that sent a surge of energy through me.
"Run!" His voice commanded me.
I turned in the wet grass and tore into the thickening mist. Swiping at its groping darkness, I sprinted in the direction I had come. Soon, my vision was completely blocked by the dark fog, and I became lost in its limbo.
Roaming in the void, I strained to latch onto anything familiar.
And then, in the deepest recess of my mind, I heard it.
"Eripe animam flere sanguine veire ad me." Laney's chant resonated through the darkness.
Wandering blindly, I pushed through the abyss, following the sound that surrounded me from all sides.
Remembering Shane's warning, I shot energy into my legs and ran.
Barreling through the darkness, I felt the mist lifting with every stride. My vision picked up on subtle shapes and streams of light as I ran faster.
Laney's voice grew louder as I moved closer, and then, with a blinding flash, I landed in my place at the makeshift altar, staring straight into a flickering candle.
Just as I pulled my thoughts together enough to be fully self-aware again, my eyes lifted to Laney's as she shot them open.
Her chanting stopped short, and she glared at me with snarling aggression.
The evil in her eyes shot terror through me, and I launched to my feet. Turning on my heels, I flew up the stairs, leaving Laney and the crude altar behind me.
"Get the fuck back here," Laney spat. "You can't leave an incantation before it's complete!"
"Watch me!" I shot back at her, leaping two steps at a time.
Pulling the metal latch of the door with all my strength, it groaned open enough for me to push through.
With one final glance back down the stairs, I saw Laney stumbling over the candles and the scarf, sending the rocks and crystals in every direction. One candle fell over, threatening to set the scarf aflame, but she didn't slow.
She launched straight toward me with hell's fire blazing from her pupils.
I turned and pushed myself out of the cellar and into the corridor of portraits. Pulling the door shut behind me, I prayed I'd outrun her.
Bombing down the hallway, I heard the hidden door creak open as she attempted to follow me.
"Stop!" she shrieked. "You don't know what you're doing!"
Without looking back, I raced through the kitchen and into the foyer. Keeping my eyes locked on the front door, I forced every bit of energy into my legs to keep me moving.
But somehow, my feet slowed beneath me, as if they stuck in thick goo. I struggled to pull each foot from the sucking floor as my thighs burned from the effort.
The door was only steps away, and I pushed all my will into my muscles to bring me to freedom.
"You can't beat me, Douglas!" Laney's voice taunted me from behind.
And just as her threatening words entered my skull, they shattered into a million pieces, and my legs became free again.
With a final burst of energy, I launched for the door and pulled it open. With one last look behind me, I watched Laney turn the corner into the foyer and lock eyes with mine.
"You bitch!" she screamed.
Without looking ahead of me, I ran out the door and slammed it behind me. In a panic, I flew down the sprawling lawn, keeping my eyes locked on the door for fear Laney would burst out at any moment.
Gasping for air, I turned my gaze forward, ready to run all the way home, and with a shock that shook my core, I smashed into a wall.
His arms grabbed onto my shoulders and held me firm.
"What the fuck are you doing?" Dom's voice boomed into my face.
I clawed at his arms, digging my nails deep into his muscle, holding on for dear life.
"Help me," I gasped.
With one glance at the opening door, he caught sight of Laney's wild glare and scooped me up into his arms. In one smooth motion, he tossed me into his Jeep, and within seconds gunned the engine, tearing us away from her ambush.
Twisting in my seat, I looked back at her front porch and watched as she stared me down with a steely look of death.
"What the hell, Brynn!" Dom seethed. "What were you doing with her?"
I shook my head, trying to generate clear thoughts, but the images of Shane filled every part of my mind.
I had made contact.
I had spoken to him.
He had been waiting for me.
The thoughts nearly burst my heart as I felt real hope for the very first time.
But then I remembered how I had reached Shane. It was through Laney's foul spell. Something was twisted and not right about her incantation. Sickness soured my stomach as I considered the possibility that my connection with him was only a mirage.
I dropped my face into my hands, fighting the notion that it was all a farce.
But it couldn't have been.
He had been so real.
"Brynn!" Dom barked at me.
I lifted my gaze to him, and guilt washed over me.
"I don't know," I murmured. "I don't know what I was doing. I thought she could help me."
He huffed with exasperation. "Seriously? Have you lost your mind?"
Maybe I had.
"She was able to help me see Shane," I whispered.
Dom dropped his head back.
"Jesus, Brynn. She uses black magic. Come on!" His knuckles turned white as he squeezed the wheel. "She can make you see whatever you want."
I resisted his words with all my might.
"No, it was different," I stated. "He warned me."
Then I remembered exactly what he said.
"He told me to find the lost pages of the spellbook. To use them."
Dom's foot lightened on the gas, and he looked at me for a moment. Then he turned his attention back to the road but remained silent.
"Will you help me?" I pressed.
He exhaled loudly and then pulled over along a vantage point at the lake. He twisted in his seat and looked directly at me.
"I thought something bad was going to happen to you," he whispered.
It was only then that I noticed the shake in his hands and the worry lines on his brow.
"I'm sorry," I murmured. "I didn't mean to..."
"You can't just go off like that," he interrupted. "It's not safe."
His voice broke, and he cleared his throat. Pressing his lips tighter, he turned front again and stared across the lake.
It was at that moment that I realized he had genuinely been scared. He knew better than me what Laney was capable of, but it was bigger than that. He was actually concerned for my safety, to a level that had him rattled.
I swallowed hard as my eyes moved along his tense jawline and then across his broad shoulders. His strength was undeniab
le, and I realized how safe I felt in his presence. It was beyond his muscles and his brawn though, it was deeper than that.
He protected me in every way.
On more than one occasion.
I just hadn't paid much attention before.
Until now.
He glanced at me again, as if the wind had been knocked out of him.
"I'm sorry," I whispered again.
And with a nod, he accepted my apology.
I couldn't pull my eyes off him after that. He accepted my apology with such natural ease, it made me feel guilty like it wasn't enough.
But he didn't want to fight.
He didn't want to be at odds.
And so I made a silent pact that I would protect him as well.
I watched him as he drove us toward our obvious destination. His messy hair and slight shadow of stubble made him more gorgeous than ever before, and I had been certain that wasn't possible.
Maybe it was the fact that he'd shown up at just the right time, or perhaps it was the power and strength that radiated from him now. There was no way for me to be sure. All I knew was that he was there for me when I needed him, and that loyalty meant more to me than anything.
Anything but Shane.
My heart continued to ache for him. Seeing him for such a brief moment was enough to bring all my raw feelings back to the surface. It was as if all my progress had been erased—not that there'd been much anyway. But every part of me bled with a combination of pain, burning, and hollow aching.
Wrapping my arms around myself, I bent over in my seat and rocked. Holding my chest together was my only focus, knowing if I let go, my heart and other organs would spill out.
Dom glanced at me every few minutes as he drove along Main. His drawn expression held concern that weighed more than he thought he could handle.
The tall spire of the old church poked at the sky, alerting me to its presence.
"I'm not so sure we should be doing this," Dom murmured as he pulled into the lot.
I lifted my gaze to his without blinking, without a word.
"Fine," he mumbled.
Parking around back in an attempt to remain hidden, he put the Jeep in park and turned to me.
"I think we should talk with Ms. Kelly," he said. "I just think..."
"No," I spat. "It's too risky. She thinks we should wait for the next full moon. Dom, I just can't wait that long. I can't chance it that whatever she's planning may not work. Then what? It's over." I fought the squeak in my voice as my throat tightened. "I can't."
He bit his thumbnail as he watched me.
"But what if your plan doesn't work?" he questioned. "What if it makes things worse?"
I shot a death glare at him.
"It will work. I know it will," I blurted. "And if it doesn't, then we can go with Ms. Kelly's plan."
He rubbed his jaw, attempting to hide the cynical shake of his head.
Before he could say another word, I whispered, "Please."
He shut off the engine and pulled the keys out with a jolt. Climbing out, he turned back to me. "Are you coming?"
My smile exposed my surprise and caused a grin to poke at his face too. He resisted it, but not for long. Turning from me, he tried to hide his smile, but it was too late. He wanted this chance too, and no matter how much he resisted, it was written all over his face.
Trying to act casual, we moved around the side of the church toward the entrance to the basement. At first, I assumed Ms. Kelly had likely locked it, taking precaution against our unsupervised visits. When the door cracked open, I looked to Dom in surprise, but then realized that shutting us off from the mystical chamber might disrupt its energy flow or something like that.
Or maybe she wanted us to come.
My breath held in my chest as the thought froze me to my spot.
I decided to hold that idea as my firm belief, and with that, entered the lower level of the church.
Without wasting a moment, Dom and I moved directly to the dark alcove that hid the ancient worship room. We shimmied past the stored boxes and chairs and hovered at the dark wood entryway. Crouching, we pushed through the small door and entered the sacred space of the altar.
As soon as our eyes adjusted to the low light, we froze in our spots like criminals caught in the beam of an officer’s flashlight. Three sets of judging eyes locked onto ours as we stared back into the annoyed faces of the UMAs.
Courtney.
Poorva.
Blake.
I glanced at Dom, baring my teeth with an expression of guilt.
He shook his head in annoyance.
"We figured as much," Courtney said, stepping around the altar.
As I watched her move closer to us, I couldn't avoid Poorva's glare any longer. I lifted my gaze to hers and had to squeeze my eyes shut to avoid the daggers that shot from her stare.
"I, umm...," I stammered, struggling to find words.
"Went rogue?" Poorva finished my sentence. “What are you doing, Brynn? The UMAs are a team."
The air fell out of my chest as I gazed back at their disappointed faces. Rubbing my eyes, I tried to clear my vision and my thoughts.
"I don't know," I murmured. "I'm lost."
And I was.
More lost than I'd ever been.
And even in this most powerful moment, in the judgment of my peers, I knew I'd continue on my quest. It had already burned itself onto my soul, leaving me no choice.
I took a deep breath and added, "But I intend to find my way."
Chapter 11
Three UMAs stood at one side of the chamber, while two of us, Dom and myself, stood at the other. A clear line of division ran between us, and it sent a sick feeling through me—one I wanted to fix.
"I'm sorry," I said. "I never meant to leave you out. I just... I just needed to act. Time is running out."
"Well, that's just great," Blake interjected. "You find your own way through this mess while the rest of us hope you don't wipe us from existence."
His words punched me in the face, and the three of them watched me as I recovered from it.
"I won't let that happen," I said.
"You have no idea how to control what happens," Blake pressed. "You're putting us all at risk."
I shot my eyes to Poorva's, hoping for a rescue, but her narrowed glare made it clear she was waiting for a better explanation.
"Please," I begged. "If we wait too long, we may lose the chance to save Shane. And to set the events of the past on the right course."
"We need to wait for Ms. Kelly," Blake squeaked like an obedient pup. "She knows what to do."
I shook my head. "No one knows exactly what's right. Don't you see? She's hoping for a chance at the full moon, but there's no guarantee." I looked at each of them. "Our skills have developed to an incredible level. We have the power to do this." My voice took on a new tone of confidence.
Courtney studied me with new curiosity, while Poorva and Blake continued their judging glares.
I continued. "If I can just try the spell in the lost pages, to see if the incantation will work. I just know it's our best chance."
"Ms. Kelly will do that," Blake shot. "At the full moon."
"And why not try sooner. We need as many chances as possible," I pushed.
"Because you have no idea what you're doing," Blake added.
His forceful tone annoyed me like he felt he was above me. It took everything to control my temper.
"I know exactly what I'm doing," I blasted.
He shook his head almost in pity. "Then how do you explain your traipse through the dark mist?"
The sound of my gasp filled the chamber.
"See," he mocked. "You think you have it all under control, but then you get sucked into one of Laney's tricks in two seconds flat."
I was still stuck on the fact that they knew about my episode with Laney.
"Wait," I murmured. "How did you know?"
Blake just shook his head, too annoyed to
even speak.
Courtney stepped closer. "It was a soul separation spell, Brynn. She put you in a trance and separated your soul from your body. Stolen souls strengthen the caster's magic. Black mist is the result, making it very easy to identify the spell." She huffed and looked to Blake. "He saw the mist, and then saw you in it."
I closed my eyes, absorbing what she had said.
Laney had tried to steal my soul to strengthen her power.
How could I have been so naive?
But she didn't succeed.
Instead of stealing my soul, she had placed me in a realm where I could find Shane.
She'd helped me.
"She said it was an incantation to help me connect to Shane," I murmured. "I was foolish to believe her. I know that now."
Tears threatened to spill from my eyes, and I fought them, not wanting to expose my weakness to the other UMAs. But it was too late. They fell down my cheeks in heavy streams.
Poorva came over to me.
"We know how much you grieve for him, Brynn. It's written all over your every move." She reached for me and put her hand on my shoulder. "You've become irrational though, getting off on the adrenaline of tempting darkness. You can't do that. It's too dangerous."
I took a deep breath and nodded.
I'd never intended to put the UMAs at risk, and I would continue to do everything necessary to protect them.
But my mission remained the same.
Only now, with the UMAs all together, I hoped to recruit some assistance.
I stepped closer to the altar and studied the item strewn across it. The spell was meant to make us stronger, but I struggled to find any hint of that strength.
"Well, you guys are here now," I started. "There must be a reason we've all pulled together at this time."
"Yeah, to stop you from becoming a full-time defector," Blake spat.
I struggled to not roll my eyes at his dramatic outburst. He was a wuss afraid of his own shadow. I mean, I knew Blake was powerful, maybe even the most of us all, but his reluctance at using our gifts was bordering on annoying.
"It's not like that, Blake," I said. "I don't mean to defy the coven. I feel the strength within me, and I know I can use it to correct our situation. I can't just wait around to be told what to do anymore. Don't you guys feel it?"
Urban Mystic Academy: Fourth Project (A Supernatural Academy Series Book 4) Page 9
