Page 262 of Castings & Curses

Holy. Crap.

Gasping, I reached up with my hand and touched my sun-kissed cheeks. I looked different. It was like I was glowing.

“What’s up?” Tana asked, coming back to stand beside me.

The others quickly followed her, and they all waited while I touched my glossy thick locks and gaped at my positively glowing amber eyes.

“Well, I always thought earth witches didn’t get that cool hair and eye thing the rest of you do,” I murmured.

“Are you kidding? I noticed days ago,” Tana said. “You look great, Jade. Really.”

“Uh, thanks. I mean, I don’t mean to be shallow,” I said quickly, cheeks heating as I continued to check myself out.

“What’s shallow about liking how you look?” Maia scoffed. “Besides, love will do that to you.”

“So will magic.” Rio winked.

I received pats on my shoulders from my pretty spectacular sister witches. Even got a half-hug from Enid, whose graceful beauty was just dazzling. They were right, love, power, just having confidence was enough to bolster anyone’s looks, and it was nothing to be ashamed of. I liked how I looked.

Loved it, in fact.

Even more so, I loved how Ifelt.

Closing my eyes, I searched for the source of my newfound confidence and esteem. It was no surprise Arlo’s love was the first and strongest thing I felt inside me. Our bond was a combination of our auras, all blues and oranges, greens and browns. The colors of our palette, healer and earth witch, meshed beautifully together. Just like we did.

Next, I saw the strong, silver bonds of my coven bolstering me. Six strands woven into one powerful rope, fortifying our connection to each other. Some parts were shadowed, hidden, but it was only going to get better. I not only believed it, but I knew it for a fact.

Just beyond that, I saw the leafy, dark brown vine that linked me to the magic of my Goddess, Mother Earth herself. She really was the OG deity and her love for me, one of her many daughters, was unconditional. I felt it filling my veins, strengthening my stores, and guiding me how to use her plentiful earth magic for the benefit of her most precious gift to us—the earth itself.

Finally, I saw the soft yellow of my familial bonds there, pulsing steadily as ever. I’d been pampered from birth, loved by my magical family, and taught to be the best I could be with their acceptance and support. I had it better than many people, and I was ever grateful for their example and the multitude of their love for me.

We sat down in the caf, joined almost immediately by Magnus, Enok, Brandon, and my sexy hot boy healer. Arlo’s smile lit up the room. Hell, it lit up the entire world for me. Others stared, as they usually did when he walked by, how could they help it? But that glittering green gaze was on me alone.

My heart thudded heavily in my chest, anticipation dancing along every nerve ending. The second he was within reach, he wrapped me up in his arms, embracing me tightly and mashing his mouth to mine.

“Damn, I missed you, sweet Jade.”

“Me too.”

“You hungry?”

“Always.”

I smiled up at him, sipping from his lips once more before the catcalls started from our friends. He was always calling me his sweet Jade, and I had to admit, I liked being his.

“Strawberry watermelon salad with feta?”

“Yes, please,” I replied, loving how well he knew me. Loving him, really.

Lunch was loud and full of laughter despite the seriousness of our mission. It was important to do these things right, and I appreciated everyone’s efforts to take mealtimes together.

Looking around the table at old friends, and new, my heart warmed, and I felt Arlo wrap his arm around me. He kissed my head, and I leaned on his shoulder. It was all right to do that. Didn’t make me less or weak. In fact, I had never felt stronger.

No, I was not plain Jade anymore. Arlo had been right when he said there was more to me than I knew. But I’d been right all along too.

I am not like my friends, but I am a great friend.

I am capable of giving and receiving love—curvy butt and all.

I am stronger than I look—a motherfucking badass if Arlo is to be believed.

I flove tomatoes.

I am an earth witch, daughter of the Goddess.

My part in this is bigger than I thought, and I am ready for the challenge to help my friends and save magic for all witch and wizard kind.

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