Page 34 of Rebel Spell
When I was ready to continue, I said, “I woke up in the hospital and didn’t speak for almost a week. My parents fretted over me and forbade me from ever doing magic again. They told me how dangerous it was. I believed them. Not only had I burned down part of our house, but I almost died in the process. So I didn’t try it for years, not until I was in high school and feeling a bit rebellious. I knew other witches. If they could practice magic, why couldn’t I? But I tried a few spells with them and poof—nothing.” Fixing my gaze on Diego’s blue eyes, I explained, “Whatever I did that day when I was five had to have been a fluke. Maybe it wasn’t even magic at all, but something I did accidentally. Now you see why I can’t do magic.” Waving my hands to the sides, I added, “At all.”
Diego gave me a sympathetic look. “It’s possible. But there could be another explanation.”
“Like what?”
“Not sure. But you said Colleen sensed magic in you. You’re an adult now. Why not give it a try?”
I shook my dead. “I don’t know, Diego. I’m scared.”
“I’ll stay with you. I won’t let anything bad happen.”
The sincerity in his tone made me believe him.
“Do you want to try?”
Skiing naked during a blizzard sounded more appealing. “Not at all, but I have to give it a shot.” With a half-smile, I added, “Besides, it’s my responsibility as a landlord to keep my tenants safe.” Gazing into his eyes, I asked, “Will you really stand by me?”
Diego nodded, his gaze boring into mine. “Of course.”
A tingle of heat danced through me. “Okay, let’s do it.”
Chapter 7
Nova
The booklet that Colleen gave me wasn’t much more than a no frills list of ingredients and steps to clear negative energy from a location. She’d included a bundle of sage in the bag.
Having Diego there gave me the courage to face returning to the apartment. After all, he was a vampire. Who better to have with me when facing darkness?
After bracing myself, I reentered her apartment. Shadow, the gray cat, followed us, but stopped outside of the bedroom door and hissed. He ran back down the stairs.
I sensed dark energy as clearly as if it had been spelled out with scratch marks into my skin. The oppressive negativity appeared to grasp for me like shadowy tentacles, but I continued up to the workspace on the third floor with Diego right behind me.
On the altar, I found a small gold bell, one of the items I was looking for. “I’m going to start with this.” I took a few deep breaths as directed to center myself and focus on my energy. After the anxiety from rushing up here dissipated, I envisioned casting my circle within this room.
I lifted the bells and rang them, walking in an ever-widening circle. “I banish all negative energy from this space. The darkness will be driven away by light. I will fill this home with positive energy and cast my intention to do so.”
Although I felt foolish for doing this, Diego didn’t regard me as such. His expression held encouragement, not judgment. After I set down the bells on the altar, I lit the end of the dried sage. I found an amber stone and held it in one hand while I spread the smoke of the burning sage throughout the room as I continued the circle and repeated the words. As I did, I pictured the negativity being pushed out by the smoke. On the third go round, I felt the power in the words. It was no longer just me repeating words. I felt the magic in them.
I lit a match and held it toward the wick of a candle, but then paused. A moment of hesitation grabbed me. After all, I’d literally be playing with magic and fire, an almost fatal mix when I was five.
When I glanced at Diego, he said, “It’s going to be fine, Nova. You can do this.”
His belief in me helped chase away my doubts. I exhaled and then lit the candle. On the third circle of the room, I repeated the chant, envisioning the light of the candle forcing away the final vestige of darkness. When that was complete, I faced Diego. “I think we’re done up here.”
“How do you feel?” Diego asked.
My body didn’t feel so weighed down by anxiety, and my muscles weren’t clenched so tight. I gauged the room. The energy seemed lighter as well. “Better. I think it did something.”
“That’s my girl,” Diego said with a proud smile.
I glanced away as my cheeks turned pink. Why did his praise affect me so?
“Diego, I need to open the shades to let the light in. Can you move somewhere safe?”
“I’ll wait in the stairwell.”
After I ensured he was out of range of a sun death ray, I opened the shades. Light streamed into the room, illuminating the space. I stepped closer to the window and let the brightness warm my face. It felt exhilarating. I thanked the elements and then gathered the items I’d used in a bag. I’d need them to face the bigger challenge of the darkness in my aunt’s room.
