Page 66 of Midnight Witch

“I don’t know.” Nikolai blew out a vexed sigh and ran a hand through his hair. “But we can’t just sit around here doing nothing.”

“Wherever that church is, there’s red clay close by,” Mae reminded him.

The sorcerer stilled. “You’re right.”

Vlad’s brow furrowed. “What red clay?”

Mae told them about the footprints they’d found inside the building.

Cortes’s expression grew pinched. “That still doesn’t help narrow things down.”

Mae grimaced. “I know.” She looked over at Sable. “We need to do something about her first.” She chewed her lip before looking over at Nikolai. “I have an idea. I don’t know if it will work, but it’s worth a try.”

“What?” Nikolai said warily.

“I want to use our magic to erase the spell Vedran and Oscar put inside her.”

CHAPTER27

Shocked gasps rose around them.

“You want to do what?!” Mendes said hoarsely.

Nikolai held Mae’s gaze, his pulse racing. “You mean, how you channeled your magic through my core and Roman’s in Prague?”

She nodded. “Kinda. But I’m going to try and fuse our powers this time, rather than just use you as a conduit. I need your white magic.”

Vlad narrowed his eyes, evidently not liking the sound of that one bit.

Nikolai hesitated. Though he understood her perspective on the current situation, he shared Vlad’s feelings on the subject to a certain extent. Mae’s actions had become increasingly reckless as of late whenever Barquiel was involved. Guilt stabbed through him.

Is it because of Rose?

He hesitated before clenching his jaw. “Okay. If it can help save her.”

“She can channel other people’s magic through their cores?” Mendes asked Cortes numbly.

Cortes made a face. “She can see other people’s cores without even trying.”

Mendes’s aide blanched.

“We should probably do this outside,” Mae said.

Nikolai followed her out onto the terrace behind the mansion, the others trailing in their wake. His breath misted in the cool pre-dawn air. Vivid orange and pink streaks had started to lighten the sky to the east.

Sable’s magic containment floated beside Mae as they stopped some fifty feet from the residence, the familiar oblivious to everything around her.

Mae moved the bird in front of him.

“Put your hands on the sphere,” she instructed.

Alastair shifted closer as Nikolai did as he was told. The heat of Mae’s magic danced against his palms, as familiar as his own breath.

“I’m going to show you the spell inside Sable.” Mae walked behind him and placed her hands on his back. “Negatewill kill her. So, we’ll have to work together to create a conjuration that can undo Vedran and Oscar’s magic without harming her core.”

Nikolai swallowed, his pulse quickening. “How?”

“I’ll give you access to what’s inside my head. If something resonates with you, reach for it.”

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