I squeeze him back, then force a smile. “Now? We head underground and search. Rather, you two search, and I stand off to the side offering helpful suggestions and looking cute.”
“Can you be naked?” he asks hopefully. “Everyone knows helpful suggestions go down better with nudity. Clinically proven. Pretty sure they’ve done studies.”
“Pretty sure you’re making that up,” Kirin says. Then, turning to me with the same juvenile hope in his eyes, “But the man has a point. So… can you?”
* * *
Much to their dismay, I don’t strip out of my sacrificial gown before leading them to the opening at the other side of the circle, but I do wiggle my ass a bit as consolation.
“Thank you,” Baz calls from behind.
I turn to grin at him over my shoulder. “Just doing my part to help you through the hard times.”
“I think you’recausingthe hard times,” Kirin says, but they’re both laughing, the mood about a thousand pounds lighter since we finally arrived at our destination.
It’s only a matter of time before we get that sword. Before we’re back home with our friends. Before we can put this nightmare realm behind us.
For a little while, at least.
The entrance to the underground is just like it was that day Kirin and I found it back on the material realm—a dark hole at the base of one of the standing stones, hidden behind a large boulder. A narrow stone staircase leads to the chamber below.
“Going down.” I call up my witchfire, casting silver light into the darkness. Slowly, the three of us descend into the vast space, giving ourselves a moment to let our eyes adjust.
“Holy shit,” Baz says, holding up his hands. Familiar silver-blue magick sparks and crackles in the air, like tiny fireflies dancing around his fingers. “This place is fucking incredible.”
“It’s exactly like it was back home,” I say. “Every detail.”
“That’s a good thing, right?” Baz asks.
“So far, yes. Now we just have to follow the magick and hope for the best.” I close my eyes, casting for a hint of the sword’s energy.
“Anything?” Kirin asks.
“I can definitely feel it. The signature is even stronger than before.” My palm tingles, my arm tensing with the weight of the sword as if I’m already holding it.
Excitement fizzes in my chest.
We’re so close.
“Do we need to do the Tarot spell again?” he asks.
Last time, we used a Seven of Swords spell to coax the sword out of its magickal hiding place.
“I’ve got it.” Keeping my eyes closed, I visualize the sword, feeling its weight, its power, hearing the blade sing as it cuts through the air. I picture the Seven of Swords card in my mind, then repeat Kirin’s spell three times, just as he did at the real stone cathedral back home.
Magick of air, magick of mind
You know what we seek, so help us to find
Protection we offer, guidance we ask
Let that which is hidden now be unmasked
Within seconds, the ground begins to rumble, and I let out a happy giggle.
“Stevie,” Kirin whispers. “You did it.”
“Look,” Baz says.
