by Valia Lind
"Soulmates!" She yells, turning to Bri. "Soulmate magic is the most powerful one in the world."
Without a moment's hesitation, Connor is beside Harper. He shifts, pressing himself to her side and I can feel her grow stronger. Mark and Nolan race over, taking their place by their girls. Nolan is once again a fox, and Mark places a hand around Bri's waist. I glance over at Maddie, but she's holding her own. Such young magic, but she's going to be powerful. Maybe the most powerful of the sisters. Then, I feel a presence beside me.
"Mason?"
"We didn't say it, Sky," He yells over the wind, coming to stand beside me. "But I love you and I know, with everything that I am, that we are soulmates. Tell me I'm wrong."
I look at him, and I don't have to search inside myself. I felt the magic the first time we kissed, and again last night. There's no denying it, no matter how terrifying it is.
"I can't," I say, and he grins at me, right before he shifts. The moment his wolf stands beside me, my whole being unlocks.
Brianna stands ablaze in her witch's fire. Harper is surrounded by every living thing, reaching out around her, as a protective shield. Krista is glowing from the inside out. And I?
I bring the storm.
17
The sky splits open, sending the rain. The wind picks up momentum, but this time, it's not attacking us. It's protecting. The violent storm rages all around us, but we are safely in the eye.
At first, I don't realize that I'm doing it, but when the first shadow creature tries to break through he barrier, I feel the impact in my magic.
"Skylar?" Bri calls to me, and I smile.
"I got this. Finish it.“
She grins in return, as I continue to extend the storm as a protection around us. The water at my back is going insane, but it's my kind of insane. I feel the rain and the wind and the rumble of the skies above us. My skin tingles with magic, shifter magic blossoming along side my witch magic. There's not denying the rush.
"The moon, the stars,
The sun, the sky,
Send the Ancients back,
To their slumber beneath and beyond."
Bri starts again, continuing the part of the ritual we didn't get to last night. The assault on my storm continues, and I see and feel the birds come. Badb can't be far behind. The whole clearing as aglow, like a beacon in the sky. And that's exactly where we send the magic next.
"The battle will be fought,
The war will be won,
But here and now,
Make the Ancients unknown."
The magic burst into the sky, before it flies in all four directions, like a blanket falling over the whole town. But we don't stop or let up. The combined power of our magic pulses through the area, pushing the evil away, cleansing the air.
"Protect," we all say in unison,
"Protect. Protect. Protect. Protect."
It seems like it lasts forever, and then it is done. The town is cleansed and the bond is in place.
The magic slams back into each of us like a rubber band snapping back into place. I gasp from the impact, dropping to all fours as I try to catch my breath. I'm exhausted and the storm reacts to my emotions, coming down on our group.
"Skylar, you have to make it stop," Mason is suddenly beside me in his human form, pulling me to my knees. "This is all you."
I realize he's right. The storm continued even when I stopped controlling it. I look straight into Mason's eyes, and find my center. Somehow, I know what to do. When I call out to the storm with my magic, it answers. And just as fast as it appeared, it's gone.
"You're amazing," Mason whispers, before he pulls me into his arms, holding me rightly against his body. I bury my face in his neck, breathing him in. Then, there's laughter and I glance up to find the rest of the group celebrating. The only one not jumping around is Meredith, who watches everyone with a big grin on her face.
Mason and I get to our feet, hands intwined and I turn to walk over to the coven witch.
"Do you think it worked?" I ask, because I need reassurance. Even after what I've done and witnessed.
"It did. Jefferson sent me a message, saying the creatures are gone from the town's limits."
That makes me breathe ten times easier. The Alpha and his pack were face to face with these creatures, trying to keep them away from the town. Knowing they're gone, it's all I need to truly feel like we did something right.
Suddenly, I'm grabbed from all sides, the girls hugging me and each other.
"You were amazing! That was amazing! We did it!"
I'm not sure who's saying what, but I feel their happiness as my own.
"Also, Sky," Bri says, tugging on my arm a little. "I think we've finally discovered your power, sort of speak."
"What do you mean?"
"You're a Tempest. A Tempest Witch." She grins at me and I can't help but smile back.
"I like the sound of that."
"Me too," Mason whispers into my ear. I twist around, winding my arms around his neck and he does something even better. He picks me right up, so we're face to face, and I criss cross my legs behind his back.
"Thank you for having my back," I say, staring him right tin the eye.
"Always, Tempest Witch," he replies, grinning. I don't hesitate to kiss that smile away. Or add the fuel to the fire. We made it and that's all that matters.
TWO WEEKS LATER
We spend a lot of time making sure the protective shield works. That's what I've been calling it. The ritual purified the town and put a hedge of protection around it at the same time. That's what's been missing from the beginning. They couldn't find a way to get all the evil out of town, or a way to suppress it. From what we've been able to gleam, the Ancients have retreated and the protective barrier holds. For now.
No one is delusional enough to think that this is the end of it. We're not the only town full of supernaturals, and we're not the only ones with Ancients at their doorstep.
That's how I've started thinking of myself. As part of the "we". This town has become more of a home than anything I've ever known. Maybe I should send the Ancients a thank you card.
"What are you thinking about?" Mason asks, dropping a quick kiss to my lips as he grabs the plate in front of me. The Hawthorne's are having a celebration at their house and I've been helping with dinner, while Mason helps set the table.
"That after all this food I'm going to need an extra run," I reply. Mason and I have added working out and sparring into our daily routine and it's been heavenly. I've never had a workout partner before and now I understand what all the buzz is about.
"Or we could find other ways to burn off the calories," he says, just as Maddie walks into the room.
"Hey, hey. This is a family place. Keep it PG." But she grins at us, as she takes the basket full of bread and leaves the room again.
"That kid is way too noisy." I say.
"I heard that!" Maddie shouts back. Mason and I glance at each other and burst out of laughing. We grab a few more items of food, and bring it to the table. Everyone is here now, and this is the coziest picturesque moment of my life. We take our places at the table, waiting for Meredith to take a seat at the head of the table. She glances across the table, a tinge of sadness on her face before she smiles.
"Let's eat."
We sit down, but my eyes are still trained on Meredith. That twinge of sadness, it was about her husband. Isaac still haven't reappeared and I know Hawthorne's hoped ridding the place of the Ancients would give them some kind of a clue. But he's still gone and I know that's the next on their agenda.
"Are you excited to go back to school?" Nolan asks Maddie, bringing my attention back to my surroundings.
"I am! Thunderbird Academy is a fascinating place," she smiles mischievously.
"As long as you don't keep sneaking into the forbidden library, we'll be good," Meredith says, without looking up from her plate and Maddie jerks like she's been poked. I chuckle, but my heart warms at the relationship th
is family has with each other. I'd like to think my mother would be this loving and understanding, if she was alive. Mason takes my hand under the table, as if he can see the path my thoughts are taking. I give him a squeeze before we dig in.
The whole evening is filled with laughter and comradeship. Even Jefferson is here, with his youngest son Evan, who's been kept pretty far away from all the action.
Mason and I are snuggling on the couch, when Meredith walks back into the room. Jefferson is on his feet in a flash, watching his friend with worry.
"Mama, what is it?" Harper asks, as Connor goes on full alert as well.
"There has been some developments," she says, looking up and studying the room. "We weren't wrong to assume the Ancients are all over the world. Some have begun waking up. The ritual hasn't been as affective in some places. There have been leaks. A patrol group has been wiped out."
"How many?" Jefferson asks.
"Thirteen."
We let that sink in, as sadness fills my heart at all those lives lost. We knew this was far from over. We protected our town, but others couldn't do as much for their own.
"What do we do?" Bri asks.
"We don't give up," Meredith replies, determination fueling her every word. "We had a small victory, but this is still a war. And it will not be won overnight. We continue to learn, and grow. And we use the magic and the knowledge at our disposal to help others."
I glance around the room, as the rest of the group nods. We survived. We did win this battle. But Meredith is right. There's so much we still don't know. Including how long our ritual will hold.
"But for now," Meredith says, drawing our attention back to her. "We remember that we have to not only exist, but to live. So that's what we're going to do. We're going to enjoy being here, we're going to love, and be loved. And in the end, we'll become who we need to be, to do what we'll need to do."
With that, she's finished. She walks over to Jefferson and they walk out of the room together, talking in hushed tones. Mason pulls me closer and I sink into him, enjoying the feel of him against me. He places a kiss to my temple and grins.
"Hey," he whispers, "I have something for you. Open your palm."
He reaches into his pocket, pulling something out, before he places it against my skin. When he moves his hand, I see that it's a silver necklace.
"Oh," I gasp a little, as I study the small silver starfish. "That's beautiful."
"I wanted you to have a reminder of all that you've accomplished. It all started with that starfish."
"Sea star, to be more exact," I correct him, as I move my hair to the side and let him fasten the clasp around my neck. "I've decided to call him George."
"But of course you did," Mason's chuckle ruffles the back of my hair. The cool metal fits just right, and I touch it lightly with my fingers. My eyes drift over to where George is happily living in his aquarium. I haven't experienced any more conversations, but I think I will once my powers grow even more. There's much to learn about who I am and who I can be, and I can't wait.
"Thank you," I say to Mason, turning just enough to place a quick kiss to his mouth.
Meredith is right. This is far from over. But right now, we have this time together and I am determined to enjoy every moment of it.
I have finally found myself and my home. I'm never giving it up.
<<<<>>>>
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About the Author
USA Today bestselling author. Photographer. Artist. Born and raised in St. Petersburg, Russia, Valia Lind has always had a love for the written word. She wrote her first published book on the bathroom floor of her dormitory, while procrastinating to study for her college classes. Upon graduation, she has moved her writing to more respectable places, and has found her voice in Young Adult fiction. Her YA thriller, Pieces of Revenge is the recipient of the 2015 Moonbeam Children's Book Award.
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Also by Valia Lind
Hawthorne Chronicles
Guardian Witch (Hawthorne Chronicles, #1)
Witch’s Fire (Hawthorne Chronicles, #2)
Witch’s Heart (Hawthorne Chronicles, #3)
Tempest Witch (Hawthorne Chronicles, #4)
The Skazka Chronicles
Remembering Majyk (The Skazka Chronicles, #1)
Majyk Reborn (The Skazka Chronicles, #2)
The Faithful Soldier (The Skazka Chronicles, #2.5)
Majyk Reclaimed (The Skazka Chronicles, #3)
Complete Box Set
The Titanium Trilogy
Pieces of Revenge (Titanium, #1)
Scarred by Vengeance (Titanium, #2)
Ruined in Retribution (Titanium, #3)
Complete Box Set
Falling Duology
Falling by Design
Edge of Falling
