Page 76 of Desire

“A direct cast is a spell that directly influences a person or object outside of its natural order. The barrier protecting this glade, for example. It was a direct cast and is embedded in the land.

“Focus on the perimeter of the glade and see if you can feel where it’s buried.”

Since I’d already felt the barrier, it was easy to detect its roots deep within the earth, along with the corruption of the Dark Forest. Curious, I sank deeper, searching. The wrongness of the corruption seemed endless until I finally reached pure earth.

“How deeply they must have cast,” I said mostly to myself.

“They?”

“The casters who corrupted the forest. It’s a hundred times deeper than the barrier Henry placed on the glade.”

Garron nodded. “Henry said the same. When my parents still lived, Henry dedicated his life to researching a way to lift the curse. I think that’s why he brought us here. He knew so much about this place. What other people feared, protected us.

“Now, let’s try some direct casting, shall we?”

He opened his palm and showed me a pea seed.

“We already know that you can make this grow. Instead of using your energy to nudge it to do what’s natural to it, I want you to nudge it to do something against its nature, like grow thorns.”

“I don’t know how to do that.”

“Energy and intent, Snow. Focus your energy, and encourage it to grow but according toyourintent, not its intent.”

He set the seed on the ground.

“Begin.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

I collapsedinto the chair and rubbed my head.

“Does it ache? Do you feel dizzy?”

The glare I sent Garron’s way quieted him.

“Yes, my head aches. From frustration.”

“I know you can do this, Kellen. You just need to focus your intent.”

“I have been, Garron. It’s not working. I’ve grown a field of useless peas with not a single thorn on them. I can’t do it.”

“Youcan.”

His insistence crawled under my skin.

“Why are you being so stubborn?” I demanded.

“Why are you? I’ve seen what you can do and know you can do this too.”

“Go away.”

“No.”

Fisting my hands, I shot to my feet. Garron flew backward toward the open door. On his way out, his head hit the threshold with a hollow thunk.

Stunned, I stared at the empty space for a moment before I ran outside and fell to my knees beside him. His eyes were closed, and he wasn’t moving, but he was breathing.

“Kitten?” Brandle asked, slowly standing from his place at the table.

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