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The top of my head buzzes, and halos of light circle the flames before a great gust of wind sweeps in. It lifts my hair, bringing with it the fresh air of the forest, the warmth of the sun, and the taste of salt on my tongue.
Then the candles snuff out, leaving me standing in the center of the circle, tingling from head to foot.
I turn to grin at Aspen, who smiles back, pride filling his eyes.
“A perfect summons.” Aspen clears his throat and turns to the rest of the coven. “Would anyone like to go next? Or do we need to go over the spell again first?”
Tris waves his arm in the air, wiggling with excitement. “I’ll go!”
My legs tremble as I walk back to Delilah’s side, and my BFF takes my place within the circle.
Having seen me perform the spell before, Tris doesn’t need to be reminded of the steps, and soon, a great gust of wind sweeps through his circle, lifting his sandy brown hair and pulling a delighted laugh from him.
Delilah goes next, her wind arriving the moment she lights her last candle, and she giggles through the rest of the spell.
After three demonstrations, no one needs to be reminded of the spell, and one by one, the rest of the coven step into the circle to summon the protections.
Once everyone performs the spell, a new energy fills the coven, and they stand straighter, holding themselves with new confidence.
Mel steps forward to wipe out the circle in the sand before rejoining our circle. “Wands away for this next one.”
I slip my wand into my pocket, while others set theirs on the ground at their feet.
“Join hands with the person on either side of you,” Aspen instructs, taking Mel’s hand and then reaching for Ginny’s.
I clasp hands with Delilah and Tris, who had come to my side of the circle after he completed his spell. Blue sparks dance around our clasped hands, displaying our mate bond. His eyes meet mine, and he gives me a tight squeeze, his love tugging at the strand of magic that binds us together.
“Now, close your eyes and focus inward on your magic,” Mel instructs, her voice carrying a soothing cadence. “Let it flow from the top of your head to your toes.”
My eyes close, and the rhythmic sounds of the ocean fill the silence. That subtle buzz returns to the top of my head, confirming that the buzz is my magic and not just what I associated with the barrier.
“Concentrate on bringing your magic to your palms,” Mel continues. “Then let it spread to the hands you hold, connecting with each other.”
I follow the instructions, focusing on that buzz until it flows down my arms and into my hands, where it meets with a quiet hum from Delilah’s palm and a bubbling sensation from Tris.
Then other sensations follow, as Harper’s magic flows through Delilah into me, and the same happens with Ambyrlynn on Tris’s other side, until a touch of magic from every member of our coven flows into and through each other.
My eyes open, and I see a glowing wheel of colored light weaving through us, growing stronger and brighter. Across the circle, I meet Aspen’s awe-filled gaze as he, too, witnesses the power of our coven.
“Now, let the magic fill your bodies once more, up to the top of your heads and down to your toes,” Mel instructs, her eyes still closed. “Then, let it go. Allow the magic that isn’t yours to return to its owner, and allow your magic to return to you.”
I feel the release of the others’ magic and my own returning, but even after the spell finishes, I can still sense each coven member inside of me, similar to the threads of magic that bind me to my mates, but on a different level.
Delilah squeezes my hand with new strength before she releases me, and when I look over at her, a healthy flush fills her cheeks, as if she just woke from a week-long nap.
Invigorated by the shared magic, Aspen announces, “There’s one more spell for us tonight—one to banish negativity.”
We follow his instructions and gather driftwood from the beach to build a pyre, the energy we had released swirling in the air around us.
As the structure takes shape, Aspen calls forward the witches with affinities for fire.
Their eyes sparkle with excitement as they step forward, eager to lend their magic to the upcoming spell.
Together, they conjure flames, and the wood ignites, sending sparks into the darkening sky.
The bonfire flickers, casting dancing shadows on the sand. The warmth of the flames against my skin brings with it comfort and power. Without being told, I clasp hands with Delilah and Tris once more, our shared energy contributing to the growing warmth.
Laughing, we dance around the growing flames, and magic rises with the smoke. It touches the barrier that surrounds our town and lights it up, fractal patterns blooming across the darkening sky, spreading our magic outward and sweeping away the negativity that’s hung over our town since before the battle began.
