But despite how unreliable and difficult the spell was, I still performed it every new moon, to renew it and keep the spell fresh. Over time, the spell would weaken, which was why I had to cast it monthly.
I took a deep breath and tilted my head back, praying to the gods.
Tomir, Father Stag of the Hunt
Leave not your child behind
Listen to my sacred prayer
This is who I bind.
Protect those I love from Queen Antonia,
Safeguard them from her snare
Encircle them in your white light
And leave them defended there.
Whenever I cast the binding spell, I could sense Antonia’s rage. I was more powerful than she was, so I could successfully bind her. She couldn’t use her magic to hurt my family or friends.
She could still use her words and influence, however, which I vastly worried about.
I couldn’t bind Gabby, though I’d tried. Droga’s power was shielding her, like Milonna’s magic shielded me.
The candle abruptly flickered and went out. A bad sign. The incense stopped burning, and the salt around my feet scattered. I gave a cry of pain as I slumped forward, grabbing onto the edges of the table to keep myself upright. I felt even more drained than I had been before.
As the candle smoldered, I gritted my teeth. Gabby must’ve put a protective spell around Antonia, to prevent me from binding her again. Godsdammit.
I would hex her if I could. Unfortunately, curses had a way of backfiring if you didn’t get them right, and if I didn’t have enough materials that would render the curse accurate, such as a piece of her hair, or access to her things. If I got it wrong, the hex would only reverse and end up killing me instead. I had to wait for my opportunity to find Antonia face to face if I wanted to gain my revenge.
My knees wobbled. I took the time to cast a cleansing spell, over myself and the room, to rid it of Gabby’s influence. By this point, I was exhausted. I crawled— literally crawled, on my hands and knees— from the study to my bed, and pulled myself into it, falling into a deep sleep.
I woke up a short time later. I heard the door open, and a light click on. Ethan was carrying a tray— he placed it on the nightstand beside me, and sat down on the bed. He brushed my hair away from my eyes as I turned on my back.
“We missed you at dinner. I brought you something.” He gestured to the tray.
I sat up with a groan. The sight of food, and the smell, churned my stomach, but I reached out and started nibbling on what he’d brought anyway. “Thank you. I need it— spell backfired.”
Ethan’s lips downturned. “Are you sure you’re all right?”
“I feel a little better now,” I lied.More like death warmed over.
“Well enough to see Magdalina? She’s requesting your presence.”
“Maybe.” I slung my legs off the bed— I had no more interest in eating. “I hope we don’t train too hard.”
“She said she wouldn’t keep you long.” Ethan escorted me to the Hall of Wonders. Lady Magdalina was already waiting inside, and turned toward me briskly.
“I heard you were sleeping,” she stated. “I hope you rested up. I'm sorry for the interruption, but I thought it would be best if we could have one more lesson of sorts. Just a refresher on what you've learned.”
There was a lump in my throat, but I nodded. I wanted to have a bit more peace; a short time alone that I could enjoy without having to worry about the fate of the world.
But a queen always had duties, even on her time off, so I said, “Sure. We can practice.”
Ethan's look was somber. He wanted me all to himself. Unfortunately, he knew the sacrifices we had to make. He shifted into a wolf and sat on the edge of the arena as Lady Magdalina faced me.
Lady Magdalina took my face in her hands. Her eyes were kind and generous as she swept a lock of hair away from my eyes. “I think my sessions have grown on you. You’ve become a woman who is ready to lead her pack."
