Page 15 of Boundless Magic

The necessary action would be taken to retrieve her children.

10

Autumn led the way downstairs. She was closely followed by Keaton, the two Alastairs, her father, Spring, and Knox.

Spring notified them that Summer was on her way to examine Lazy Jay and add her healing touch to Keaton’s. Autumn’s in-laws had volunteered to stay with the horses to make sure there were no further developments or illness popping up.

Founder was rare in their barn, but it could happen, like in the case of Lazy Jay. He was one of three thoroughbreds Keaton had recently rescued from neglect, and Lazy Jay was doing everything in his power to make up for not having enough food in the past. Now, he preferred to overeat and under exercise, putting a strain on his feet.

As cold as it seemed, Autumn couldn’t spare any more worry for the horse because her primary concern required all her attention. Once they were all gathered around the altar, Spring opened the book to the page they believed the children had used.

“There’s no magical signature,” LJ said almost absently as he studied the book over Autumn’s shoulder.

As one, her family turned to stare at him.

He lifted his brows in response. “Trace elements of your kids’ raw magic are in the room, but I don’t see any attached tothatparticular page.”

Autumn shared a look with Alastair before she addressed LJ’s comment. “Are you saying you canseemagic?”

With a confused frown, his gaze systematically touched on each of them as if he were studying the group for truthfulness. Finally, he turned to Alastair.

“Witches have a natural empathic ability to see auras. Why can’t y’all see the magic in the air?”

“Another magical being’s power is discernible in their aura, yes. We can allfeelthe magic in the air. Other than the occasional object, however, I don’t believe I’ve ever witnessed the glow of previously used magic. Was it something you were taught?” Alastair asked curiously.

“No. It comes natural to us.”

“Us being Thornes?” Autumn asked LJ.

“Yes. Anyone as gifted as we are should have that ability.”

“Interesting.” Her father stepped forward and slowly thumbed through the book. “What about any other page or spell?”

About five turns later, LJ touched Preston’s wrist. “There.”

When Autumn read what was on the page, she nearly fainted. “They were trying to call up a Cerberus? What the actual fuck?” With a glare for LJ, she asked, “Are you kidding me right now? Is this a joke to you?”

“Afraid not. They actually exist in our world.” When she gave a disbelieving scoff, he said, “How do you think you know about them, Tums? Because somewhere, sometime in history, one crossed through the portal. You’ve no idea how difficult that bastard was to get back.”

“But legend reported it was to guard Hades,” Spring said. “No one believes they’rereal.”

“Yet they are, and your clone has one,” he replied grimly. “Your niece and nephew are likely with your counterpart if they tried that spell, and I can promise you, girl, that woman isn’t as nice as you appear to be.”

“Why? What went wrong in her life that she turned evil?”

He shot Preston a sour look for asking the question. “She had absentee parents and fell in with the wrong crowd.”

“There’s a bad witch crowd?” Autumn shared an amused glance with her sister. “You’d think my twin would’ve been the one to turn to the dark side.”

“There’s still time,” Alastair said dryly. “Now, enough of this. Cast the same spell, and let’s get going.”

“We need to find the other person or thing that crossed through the portal first,” LJ told him.

“Wait, what?” Autumn pressed her fingers to her closed lids as her head began to pound. The last thing she needed was a damned migraine to top off the day.

Nash had joined them during LJ’s last comment. “For every one thing that passes through, another is transported here,” he told her, then gestured to her uncle and Keaton. “Didn’t they tell you that?”

“We didn’t detail that part of the conversation,” her husband confessed.

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