Second Time's A Curse Page 8

  "Then we'll each take one of the compass points. If you feel like one of them is calling to you, then you should heed that," he tells the others.

  They all nod, none of them seeming very worried about this. Which has the opposite effect on me. No wonder I feel jittery, I have the anxiety of five people at once inside me.

  "There are words to this spell."

  Ah, this point I knew. They all have to chant and raise their wands. It's all very cult like. Maybe that's what they are. A cult of Mona. Blessed be the kittens.

  I feel the laughter about to explode before it does. It's almost like insanity rushes through me, and I collapse to the floor, laughing like a maniac.

  "Mona, are you alright?" Daphne asks.

  "I'm fine," I get out after a moment or two. "Just overwhelmed."

  "We don't have to do this if you don't want to," Caspian says.

  Each of their faces show the same emotions, though there's a little more reluctance in Thomas' features than in the rest of theirs. He doesn't want to stop because of his academic curiosity, but I believe he would because of how he feels about me. Not exactly the most reassuring place for me to be, but I'll take it.

  "It's fine, I think." I'm still nervous, but no one's going to get hurt. We've all been over the spell and there's nothing that should cause injury.

  "Alright. Daphne, will you pass the mead?" Thomas asks.

  She nods and moves away from my side.

  The laughter fades, but it leaves me with an impending sense of dread. Are we really to be okay if we do this?

  She sets the tray of goblets on the floor in front of me. Each one contains a tiny bit of mead at the bottom. Enough for us to have a drink and forge a bond, as Thomas put it, but not enough for us to feel the effects and make bad decisions.

  I pick up the first goblet, and then go on to my knees, holding it out to Daphne. "Thank you for the service you'll perform for me." I press it into her hands.

  Her eyebrows knit together, but she still takes the goblet. No doubt she has the same urge to do that as I'm feeling to do this.

  I repeat the words to each of the guys, giving them their mead in the process.

  "To Mona," Thomas says, holding his goblet up.

  "To Mona," the others echo.

  I drink mine down in one swift go. I don't want to put this off any longer. I clamber to my feet and head towards the cross that marks my spot.

  Each of them seems to get what I'm feeling and they take their positions too. Daphne and Ryan take east and west, with Daphne to my right. Thomas stands right in front of me in the north position, with Caspian at my back.

  No one asks if I'm ready. I think they all know that if they say the words, then I'll call the whole thing off. Something doesn't feel right to me. Maybe it's the atmosphere. Or maybe it's something more than that.

  They raise their wands, and I know what I have to do. The knife slides out of the sheath at my waist easily, and I hold it to my left hand. As quickly as I can, I slash across my palm, wincing in pain. Why is it always the palm? Why can't it be cutting myself in a part of my body that doesn't hurt quite so much?

  My blood drips to the floor. I don't know what it's going to do, but that's what the spell needs, so that's what I do.

  The four of them begin to chant. Words written in the book. I can hear all of their voices and none at the same time.

  Wind whistles through my hair, pulling at the robes I'm wearing as the magic begins to take a visual form. It's the colour blue, creating a circle of power around us that spins faster and faster, rising in power every time they say another word.

  My whole body begins to tingle. This is wrong. Something isn't right. I have to stop this.

  I turn around, facing Ryan first, then Caspian, then...

  Blood starts to pour out of Daphne's nose.

  That's it. "STOP!" I scream. "I don't want this."

  Caspian and Ryan instantly lower their wands, breaking the circle of magic around us. Unfortunately, that seems to be all that's holding Daphne upright and she falls to the floor, knocking over one of the stools with a candle on it.

  For a few brief moments, everything goes in slow motion. The candle falls with the stool, hitting one of the old curtains. Seconds later, it's engulfed in flames.

  Without thinking about it, I draw out my wand and focus all my intent on smothering the flames. Magic shoots down my arm along with the familiar tingling sensation it brings with it.

  The flames disappear almost instantly. At least my magic hasn't gotten any weaker from what we've done here.

  "Is she okay?" I ask Ryan.

  He nods and takes his fingers away from the pulse point in her neck. "I think she'll be awake any minute."

  I flash him a grateful smile, then turn to face the man I'm blaming for all of this. "What happened?"

  "I don't know," he admits.

  "How can you not know? I thought you've been studying this for years?" There's a harsh edge to my voice that may not be justified, but right now, my best friend is injured, and I need some answers.

  "I have, but I've never seen black magic done before. I didn't know, Mona, I swear."

  "But a little part of you wanted to carry on regardless, didn't it?"

  I swear, if he lies to me...

  "Yes." The word comes out as barely a whisper. "I wanted to carry on still. It fascinates me. And I really do want to help you."

  "I don't think this is the way to do that," I respond, a little of the venom dropping from my voice. I believe him. Mostly because it'd have been easier for him to lie and say no.

  A little mewl comes from where the flames were, distracting me from our conversation. Oh right. I probably made a kitten. I creep over towards it, and peer around the fallen stool to find the cutest black and white kitten ever. Oops. I probably shouldn't say anything like that out loud in front of Felix. No wonder Daphne's his favourite. I'm a terrible kitten-mother.

  "Hello," I say. "Aren't you the cutest."

  She meows at me and lifts her front paws. At least, I think it's a her. I'm still not good at telling them apart. I scoop her up and hold her against my chest, though she doesn't seem to like the silk I'm wearing, and pushes away with her front paws.

  "What are you going to call her?" Thomas asks.

  Oh, if he thinks she's a girl, then she probably is.

  "Asia," I respond, trying not to let too much emotion seep into my voice. I'm not best pleased with him, and he knows it.

  "Why?"

  "She looks like a panda." I point to the one eye circled with black fur, and the other one completely white.

  "That's an odd name for a kitten."

  I shrug. "When you have eight, you have to find easy ways to remember their names." Especially when it looks like I'll be conjuring them for a while yet.

  "I suppose that's true."

  Daphne groans, pulling my attention away from a conversation about kittens, and guilt consumes me. How could I think about something so trivial when my best friend is in pain?

  I turn my attention back to the woman on the floor.

  "Mona?" she croaks. "Did it work?"

  "I stopped it," I admit, crouching down beside her. "You were in pain."

  "You should have carried on," she insists.

  "Not at the risk of your health. That was never going to happen."

  A tear falls down her face. "It would have been fine."

  "We don't know that. We never should have risked it." Guilt wells up within me, but if she's going to be okay, then we won't have done anything wrong.

  At least, that's the theory.

  "Why don't you take her back to her room?" Ryan asks. "I can stay here and help Thomas clean up."

  I nod. "We need to make sure the books aren't here. If Feathertop comes back..." I don't need to finish the rest of that. They know, Daphne filled them in when she was telling them about tonight.

  "I'll hide them in my room," Caspian says. "We can take Daphne back and then I'll go do i
t?"

  "Alright." I'm not sure if that's the best thing, but I feel as if me taking the books again is too risky. If someone decides to investigate the kittens, then they might also find the books, and that may lead to questions I'm not ready to answer.

  Caspian leans down and takes Daphne in his arms. It's hard not to notice he's doing it as easily as I'm holding Asia.

  A hand lands on my back, and I turn to face Ryan. "Be safe," he whispers.

  "We will."

  He leans in to kiss my cheek. "I'll come get you tomorrow for our date?" he asks.

  "You still want to?" I glance at Daphne.

  "If she's well enough for you to leave her, then yes. I know you won't if she isn't."

  I smile, glad to see he understands my friendship with his sister. "Alright, I'll see you tomorrow."

  I'm just glad I can get out of here, it's already filled with bad memories. But I know I'll be back. It's the only safe place we have to research, and now that the Unleashing ceremony isn't an option, we're back to square one.

  Chapter Fourteen

  "Are you sure you're okay with me going?" I ask Daphne for the hundredth time.

  "Of course. I don't want to listen to Ryan whinging that he missed out on a date with his dream girl because I'm ill."

  "I don't think he'll blame you. He knows what happened." something that hasn't left my mind since. I know it's my fault she's in bed like this.

  "Mona, go on your date. Realise that I'm fine, and there's nothing bad come of us trying a little bit of magic." She gives me a stern look. She does that a lot, actually. I think the worst bit about it is that it works. "Did you bring what I asked for?"

  I roll my eyes, but pull a kitten out of my bag and plop it down on her chest. "I brought Ginger, she's the most peaceful." And also the easiest to catch. I hadn't been in the mood to play chase the kitten when I left my room.

  "And Romeo just let her go?"

  "Romeo was distracted by a new treat," I admit. "You need restful kittens around you, not boisterous lovesick ones."

  As if to prove my point, Ginger sticks her paws out in front of her and opens her mouth in a yawn almost as big as she is.

  Daphne scratches the kitten behind the ears. "Thank you. I know you don't like them being out of your room."

  "This is for a good reason," I point out. "And it's the least I can do, considering it's my fault you're like this."

  "Stop it. I knew what I was doing. Now go find Ryan before he starts texting me and asking where you are."

  I groan. "Please don't tell me he's going to be a needy boyfriend?"

  "I doubt it. He'll be too focused on making sure you're happy."

  I smile, keeping to myself that I find the idea of that a little intimidating. I don't want to be the only thing in Ryan's life. It's not how I think relationships should work.

  "You promise you'll call me if you need anything?" I ask.

  "Absolutely. But I'm just going to lie back, watch some TV and cuddle your kitten. My evening is going to be boring and delightful."

  "I hope you're right."

  "We've had enough excitement for one week, I think. Now go." She points to the door and even goes as far as to turn away from me to make a point.

  "I'll see you later."

  I catch her wave just as I'm leaving the room.

  The corridors are filled with students making their way to their evening's entertainment. I suspect a lot of them are going to the same funfair as Ryan and I are.

  "You look beautiful," he says the moment I step out of the front door of the academy.

  I blush, feeling like someone being courted by their first crush.

  "Thank you." I step in close, and he presses his lips against mine.

  "Are you alright with this?" he asks.

  "With what?"

  As we start walking, he catches my hand in his own and gives it a gentle squeeze.

  "With being on a date with me."

  "Why would I be here if it's not okay?" I'm a little confused by that one. He may have jokingly asked me out as a little bit of a bribe, but that doesn't mean I'm not serious when I say I want to be here.

  "Because I know you like Caspian, and he likes you, and I don't want to come between you."

  He's rambling a little bit, so I put a gentle hand on his arm, hoping it'll help calm his nerves.

  "Caspian and I have an agreement. One that won't interfere with me dating you. So long as you don't try and stop me dating him." The words fly out faster than I'm ready for. But it's better for both of us if I'm upfront about any potential relationship now.

  Ryan stops in his tracks and a brief moment of panic slips through me. Does he not like that idea? I'm still not completely sure how I feel about it myself yet.

  "You're saying that he's okay if you date me too?"

  "Yes." I shuffle my feet, unsure how he's going to take this.

  "And the only thing that changes for me is that I have to be okay letting him date you too?"

  "Theoretically other people too," I whisper.

  "Aren't you full of surprises." He chuckles, which I hope is a good sign. I want him to be okay with this. It'll make things a lot simpler in my mind.

  Though I'm not naive enough to think that the way ahead will be completely easy.

  "That's not a no..."

  "It's a let's-see-how-this-goes. I haven't ever really thought about it before."

  "Me neither," I admit. "It was Daphne that brought it up."

  He groans, but still holds the car door open for me. "Please don't tell me you're planning on dating my sister too?"

  "Absolutely not. We're friends, nothing more." Why would he even think that? Dating a brother and sister is a little weird, even from where I'm standing, and I produce magical kittens on an almost weekly basis.

  It only takes ten minutes for us to get to the fair, but the place is buzzing with academy students, as well as other people from around and about.

  "Want to watch me beat you at the ring toss?" I ask. "No magic allowed."

  "Sure thing. But only because I know you won't win."

  A genuine smile comes to my face. Daphne is right, I do need this. More than I thought I did, that's for certain.

  "Oh, I know what I'm winning you," he says with a wicked grin.

  One look at the prizes beyond the stall and I know what he's going to try and win. The cat emoji cushion is easily one of the biggest prizes in there.

  "You'll need to be really good to get it," I joke.

  "Just watch me. I'll manage it."

  I know he will. And then I'll have to find an obvious but not in my face place to put it in my room. If I'm lucky, one of the kittens will claim it. Or I'll make them and then use it as an excuse when he visits.

  Uh-oh, now I'm thinking about him visiting my room. Something Ryan doesn't normally do. He sticks to the kitchen of our flat, or just his sister's room.

  I'm going to have to watch my feelings.

  To my surprise, Ryan's aim is true and not one, but all five of his hoops make it over the little spike.

  I guess the emoji pillow is coming home with me then.

  Chapter Fifteen

  "You shouldn't be up and about," I chide Daphne. It's only been a week, but she's looking terrible and I don't want her exerting herself any more than she should.

  "I can sit and write. You need me here," she counters, pulling another of the secret library books towards her and flipping through the pages. "Besides, you need my ability to research."

  "You were bored, weren't you?" Caspian jokes, dropping a kiss on the top of my head before sitting down with his own stack.

  "Like you wouldn't believe. Do you know Ryan threatened to tell our parents to get me to rest more?"

  I chuffed, more amused than I should be. "I see it didn't work?"

  "He's on a field trip. What he doesn't know, won't hurt him." She gives each of us a stern look.

  "I promise I won't." He'll find out anyway, he doesn't need me to te
ll him.

  "I'm glad of your research skills," Thomas says, taking the final seat. "Without the source spell, we're going to struggle with finding out anything that might work."

  Daphne and I exchange knowing glances, but stay quiet. We have no proof that the animal spell, or the book it's written in, has anything to do with my curse. I suppose we can ask Ivy, but I doubt she's going to give us any useful information.

  "Especially now we've exhausted the black magic route," he finishes

  "I don't think we've exhausted it."

  Three heads all turn to me in unison. I guess I see why. I'm the one who stopped the black magic in the first place.

  "We're just looking at it wrong. Instead of looking for magic we can do, we should be looking for magic that we can meld into our own," I explain. "I know we can't use the exact countercurse that was invented along with mine, but that doesn't mean we can't make one."

  "No one's ever done that before." Thomas taps his finger against his chin.

  "I'm sure they have," I counter. "They might just not have made it known for some reason. Or maybe we're not looking in the right place."

  "No, he is right. It's in the Basic Guide for Witches and Warlocks," Daphne interrupts. "Countercurses must be made with their corresponding curse. But I don't think that means it's the only way. I think we can do what Mona says."

  "If you manage it, you'll make names for yourselves," Caspian points out.

  "Believe me, that's not my main motivation," I mutter. I just want to be able to stop conjuring things by accident.

  "It's worth a try," Daphne says. "We've nothing to lose."

  "Alright. We'll try it your way. But I suggest we keep looking for the actual countercurse too," Thomas says.

  "Yes." I nod. "But we also need to talk about Feathertop." She's been playing on my mind a lot.

  "Agreed. She comes to the library and knows the books we have are missing," Thomas adds.

  "So what do we do?" I ask.

  Loud banging comes from the door, interrupting the conversation.

  I exchange a worried glance with Daphne. No one knows the four of us are here, so why is there a sound coming from the door. Have I summoned Feathertop by talking about her? It seems unlikely, but why else is someone suddenly outside? I know there are spells that can activate when someone says your name.