Page 37 of Ashes

“She has power. We’ve seen it. With her, we can mask the cabin, the woods, the lake, all of it.” Kole looks at Luther.

Luther nods in agreement.

For a moment, I feel like I’ve stepped back in time. Like I’m witnessing what these two must have been like as students of Mack’s; pushing the boundaries, ganging up on him when they felt they knew better.

“Mack—” Nova is sitting on the arm of the couch near Mack’s feet. She rubs his ankle. “If I can help, let me. It shouldn’t be up to you three to keep me safe. I’m part of this too, and not just as some precious thing you need to protect… if the prophecy’s right, I’ve got more power inside me than the four of you combined. Even with Kole in Hulk mode.” Her eyes flicker and a smile dances on her lips. Glancing at Kole, she adds, “Green? Trees? Nature? Hulk?” She laughs at herself. “Okay, bad joke.” Then she returns to Mack and in a more serious tone says, “Seriously. Let me help.”

“Why don’t we put it to a vote?” I ask, winding a bandage around Mack’s leg. “All those in favor of trying to mask this place, with Nova’s help, raise your hands.”

Kole, Luther, Nova, and I all raise our arms into the air.

Mack raises two, but I pull one back down. “Snow doesn’t get a separate vote.”

“That’s decided then.” Nova stands up and puts her hands on her hips. “What next?”

* * *

At the kitchen table, Luther spreads out a map of the cabin and the surrounding area. He draws a big red cross to indicate the cabin’s position. “We’ll need to separate. Head out to the furthest edge of the boundary, then cast the incantation.” He looks at each of us in turn. “We’ll have to be exact. To the second. Each of us casts at exactly the right time. Thirty-second intervals to form the mask.”

“How do we…?” Nova rubs her forearms. “I’ve only ever created flames. I’ve nevercastany spells or incantations.”

Moving closer to her, Luther puts his hand flat on her stomach. Nova flinches, but he doesn’t take it away. “You feel it here,” he says, applying a little pressure. “The same as with the flames. Pull the magic down inside your body. Then you speak the incantation. At the same time, you let it flow through you. Picture it flooding your veins, your muscles, your bones, your soul. Let it take over.”

Nova’s breath hitches in her chest. She lets out a small, “Oh.” Her cheeks are flushed.

Luther is staring at her. We’ve all noticed. When he breaks his gaze, he clears his throat and says, “That’s how. That’s how you cast.”

“Should I practice?” she asks.

“Sure.” Luther puts the pen firmly on the map. “Make it fly.”

“Fly?” she laughs, then realizes he’s not joking.

Putting his hand on her arm, Mack tells her, “Eventually, you’ll be able to move things without spells. The elements tie together. Influence one another. Fire mages can create currents of hot air and manipulate objects that way. But, for now, trykoda srek vam krae.”

A little stilted, Nova repeats, “Koda srek vam krae.”

Mack nods. “Close your eyes. Do what Luther told you. Then speak the spell.”

Smoothing her hands over her top, Nova shakes her arms at her sides. She inhales deeply, flexes her fingers, closes her eyes. For a moment, she doesn’t move. She’s completely still. The rhythm of her breath, moving up and down in her chest, is hypnotic. Her skin becomes flushed. A spark flies from her palm. I’m about to tell her to pull the magick back down inside herself when Luther shakes his head at me.

He presses a finger to his lips.

We are all silent.

Finally, she says it: “Koda srek vam krae.” She opens her eyes slowly. A grin spreads her lips wide. “I did it,” she whispers.

In front of her, Luther’s pen is floating.

* * *

We don’t wait until nightfall. Nova practices a few more incantations, then Luther tells us it’s time. Following his directions, we separate and spread to our positions. North, South, East, and West, with Nova in the center.

Allowing Nova to walk off into the woods alone feels all kinds of wrong, but she simply flicks a flame into her palm and says firmly, “I’ll be fine. I’ve got this.”

When we’re in position, we text. Usually, our group chat is for gross gifs, stupid jokes, and the occasional perfunctory message about needing toilet paper or milk. Today, Nova is added to the chat and our messages say simply:

Kole:Here

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