Page 256 of Castings & Curses

“What?” she asked, her eyes were wide, and she gulped.

I knew this had been a huge worry on her mind, and I wanted her to know it was okay. In fact, after I told her, I would let everyone know what I’d discovered today.

“You know, of all the elemental witches and wizards, earth magic gets the most readily dismissed. Sure, we have some control over rock and soil, but not enough in ways that would make us feared. The fact is earth witches are the forgotten ones. The whole magical world needs us to grow the herbs needed for magic potions and salves, ointments and casts, but still, we’re always treated like the easygoing mothers, the silly maiden aunts, or the cheerful grandmas.”

“OMG, you’re not pregnant, are you?”

“What? No! You dope.” I laughed at her lame joke. “Anyway, what everyone forgets is that everything starts with sacrifice. The first witches and wizards needed food. They hunted, sure, but their craft could not be forged without the same ingredients we use today. Plants, herbs, spices, and more.”

“I don’t understand what you mean, Jade—”

“I mean, those first witches and wizards offered blood sacrifices to the Goddess, tomy Goddess, Mother Earth.”

Mabe’s eyes rounded as realization dawned, and I squeezed her hand.

“You weren’t trying to hurt me. Your magic just reached out for mine because all earth magic started with a blood sacrifice. Those rituals gave the earth, the soil, I mean, what it needed to sow the seeds our ancestors reaped. In turn, we ate those fruits and vegetables, taking them back into our bodies. The earth hasn’t forgotten the blood sacrifice, Mabe,” I whispered into her glistening dark eyes.

“But I don’t want to suck you dry. I won’t bleed you of all your power,” she whispered like a frightened thing.

“You couldn’t if you tried. Earth magic comes from the Goddess, and where witch and wizard magic are finite, hers is not. My power comes from her. I share in her well,” I confessed.

Tears spilled over her eyes, running down her cheeks and mine too as we wept together. Happiness and relief coursed through us. Mabe was going to be okay. I was going to see to it. Together, we were going to help the others find out what was wrong with the magical world.

I left her to rest and went in search of Arlo. He was standing by the terrace in my bedroom, gazing up at a streak of silver moonbeams filtering through the clouds.

A more handsome man had never been born, at least not to me. His chiseled jaw was even more pronounced as I stared at his profile, backlit by the pale light streaming in through the curtains. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

“You always smell like apples and cinnamon to me, sweet Jade, with your luscious, perfect body, your genuine, fearless heart, and your honest, wholesome soul,” he whispered reverently before turning to face me.

“I love you.”

Those three words had never had such an impact in history, I was sure of it. I covered my mouth, trying to muffle the sound of my gasp as I broke down into hysterical sobs.

Arlo ran for me, pulling me into his arms, cradling my head and kissing me everywhere he could. His mint and lemon flavors flooded my senses as he repeated those words over and over again, forcing me to take them in.

“I love you. Do you hear me? I. Love. You.” Arlo reiterated with a desperation I’d never felt from him.

It was poignant and deep. Honest and so damn powerful, it rocked me down to my toes. My magic burst from me, mingling with his, as we rejoiced in our connection.

“I love you too,” I replied between gasps.

“Love you so much, my sweet, badass Jade,” he said, finally lifting my face and kissing me so hard our teeth clacked before he gentled his lusty exploration of my mouth.

Arlo was like a man obsessed. He undressed me quickly, lifting me in his arms before I had his pants halfway off and walking me backward to the bathroom. Turning on the shower, he stepped inside, kissing me as he rubbed me with soap until I was all full of slippery suds.

I moaned and groaned aloud under his delicious healer’s hands as he kneaded my flesh. It was like he knew instinctively where I needed him. He found every single inch that ached, every muscle that burned, and he took care of me, spreading his attention everywhere.

Not once did he stop kissing me—

Well, that wasn’t entirely true.

He stopped when he washed my hair, and hot damn, the man knew how to give a head massage. I was so not complaining.

My sex was throbbing, the empty ache growing until I could not stand it anymore. Taking matters into my own hands—literally, I dropped to my knees and palmed his balls while taking him deep into my mouth.

Arlo grunted, fisting his hands in my hair as he rocked his hips, taking my mouth the way I wanted him to.

Some girls did not like this kind of thing, but I was all about earthly pleasures, and giving my man ecstasy was as good as getting it, and then some.

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