Page 49 of Overwhelmed By Magic

Then the groans come and I know that it’s time to drag Jade from this room before several dead bodies are discovered among the newer Magila. As much as I’d like to mute Liz and whoever has been filling her head, keeping her means that we can find out whose agenda is being pushed.

I grab Jade’s arm, hoping to pull him back but he doesn’t stop until Liz weakly drops the amulet in his outstretched hand. There’s a Cheshire grin on his face as he looms over her, Liz’s head lolling back against the cushions, her body limp from the essence he’s stolen. “Hurt them again. I dare you.”

I tug again, Jade coming willingly this time. Stellan quickly grabs his free hand, eyes flitting between the two of us.

“I thought we were going to be doing a lot more damage than that,” the fire elemental whispers. “She hurt Skye.”

I agree with that sentiment wholeheartedly. “Soon, Stellan.” We walk back to the room in silence and I’m expecting to hand Ambrose his amulet while Harlow and Skye return to their room. Instead, I’m greeted with a lovely view of the three cuddled up together. Well, Harlow and Ambrose seem to be at a standoff, each one’s arm thrown possessively over Skye’s chest and stomach while the human rests peacefully between them.

It's an odd sight but not one I’m breaking up. Jade hangs the necklace on the back of the doorknob before we retreat to Stellan’s room. There isn’t much to say as Stellan climbs into his bed and Jade and I take the other. I lay there for several moments before leaning up over Jade to meet the fire elemental’s wandering eyes. “There’s room enough for you here too, Stellan.”

He hesitates and then scurries over to cuddle up against Incubus’ back. It’s a perfect little sandwich despite the circumstances. Hopefully, come Monday we’ll have some answers.

I doubt it but one can dream.

33

SKYE

Monday rolls around but I don’t put any effort into getting out of bed. I’ve spent a lot of time in Ambrose’s room trying to make head or tails of the journal I brought back but the rest of the pages aren’t in any symbols that the mage recognizes. Harlow has been hanging on my every word, silently warring with Ambrose. Their spat is going to end in a good hard fuck and I can’t wait to watch that.

The other three have been hanging around just as much, all of us more comfortable in each other’s presence than with the rest of the school. I’ve asked about the other failed Magila but only Ambrose was able to mutter a few facts about them. Before I stepped into the academy, apparently they really all did keep to themselves.

Only the hopeful ones in the other wing were those that continually hung together. There’s probably chatter about my existence and what I represent but no one has tried to search me out. Not even Tamara. I suspect she wants answers but my connection with essence that resembles that of a reject is keeping her at bay.

It’s just as well.

I need the time to catalog everything.

Currently, I’m flipping through the journal again, feverishly drawing symbols in the air in hopes that Ambrose will be able to recognize them. He’s laying on his stomach, halfway off the bed as his chin rests on my shoulder. “Little human, you can keep drawing them but I don’t know what they are. We need to find a dictionary or some shit.”

Harlow thumps my arm and I look over at him to see his worried expression. “You’ve been at this all weekend and I know that big brain of yours wants to figure everything out but it’s taken this long to find anything, a few more days isn’t going to be an issue.” He wants me nowhere near this, more than anything and he’s trying to protect my sanity.

The problem is that if I sit around and do nothing, I feel like I’m keeping us from figuring everything out. I know that it doesn’t rest all on my shoulders but I need to understand it. I need to connect the dots and I need more books. Mother Nature hasn’t shown herself to me in a week and I’m getting antsy.

Was it just a fluke?

Who knows?

Harlow sighs as he presses his forehead against my shoulder. “Babe, just take a break. You haven’t even eaten in 24 hours.” He points behind him and I lean just enough to see a full tray of food. It looks cold which just proves his point. However, I remember eating. It was… oh. “Just a few bites. Ambrose doesn’t know the words and until we find something else that can lead us anywhere, we need to refocus elsewhere.”

I don’t like that option. Musing over this book makes me feel like I’m doing something. Ambrose ruffles my hair and kisses my ear before pulling it between his teeth. “We’ve been trying to get you to eat something for a while. Just a little something, alright?”

If I must… Ambrose snaps a few of the small plates in front of me, a water bottle rolling toward my feet a second later. None of what is staring back at me looks appetizing but I think it has more to do with my unwavering curiosity than the food itself. I grab one of the little sandwiches and the water, hurriedly chowing down before draining the bottle dry. I guess I was thirsty.

Then I return to my book, a familiar hum pulling at the edge of my mind. I try to tell the other two what is happening but I don’t get the chance before I’m sucked into the room I’ve been dreaming about for days. Unlike the last time, however, I’m sprawled out on the floor, roots from the majestic tree situated in the middle rippling beneath me and drawing me closer to her until I’m at the base.

Mother Nature is in this room. I can feel her but I can’t see her. Her presence and her power fill the space as the essence from the tree and the book resting against the trunk call out to me. My own essence spills from my wrists, dancing along the room in a flurry of butterflies. Knowledge surrounds me as I try to sit up, wondering what Mother Nature needs and at the same time hoping that it points out a new book.

“Skye Bardot,” a sweet voice calls my name and it rings in my ears and through my chest as I breathe out a sigh as my response. “My sweet boy. You are so precious and so loved.”

I swallow carefully, wanting to find the voice but it almost feels like it’s coming from the tree itself. “Why—what—” I’ve never been one to stumble over my words but goddess, in Mother Nature’s presence, I’m having the hardest time collecting my thoughts.

“You are the one I’ve been waiting so long for.”

“Me?” I snort, not believing that in the slightest. This has to be a mistake. I’m a human and even if everyone has magic—only some are able to pull the essence forward.

“Yes. Someone who believes in knowledge without fail, without limits.”

---