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Of course, I still need to find another Handmaiden witch—and the only ones I know of are beyond the veil.There were some dark magic spells that did allow a witch to communicate with the dead, but…
The thought of my last experience with dark magic made me shudder. Not only had it been terrifying, but I’d been energeticallydrained. It had taken me days to recover from it, and I didn’t have days right now. I hadhours…and that was assuming I cast the spell correctly the first time. That was assuming nothing backfired.
But what other options do I even have? I want tolive.
“What?” Fenris burst out.
I cleared my throat. I could tell he wanted to be patient with me, but his aggravation was spreading through our bond. “It’s an extremely complicated spell. I think I’d like to practice it before the eclipse, but…in private. Just in case.”
Fenris sighed heavily, stepping closer to wrap his arms around me and pull me into an embrace. “You need to rest,” he argued, resting his chin on top of my head. “We’re only hours away from the eclipse, and we will have to fight for our lives. We will all need to be at the top of our game for this.”
He wasn’t wrong, but… “I really think this will help with that,” I said, squirming out of his arms. “I can’t…look, I can’t really explain it. But I have a good feeling about this.”
Fenris paused, but he didn’t struggle to hold me in place. He pressed his lips together, but when I glanced up at him, he looked more puzzled than anything else. “Celeste…”
“Fenris, please.” I bit the inside of my mouth. “I need to do this.”
He studied me for a moment before he nodded. “Okay. Okay.” He took another step back. “I trust you. But be careful,Celeste. I…I need you to be safe.” He took a deep breath. “I am going to go patrol the wards, but if you need anything at all…”
“You’re only a shout away,” I finished for him, offering him an earnest smile. “I know, Fenris. I do. I’ll be as safe as I can.”
Fenris nodded, lingering long enough to press a kiss to my cheek before he shifted, disappearing into the darkness as he headed back down the slope.
I waited in silence for several minutes, and once I was sure he was long gone, I held the book out in front of me. I knew this wasn’t going to be particularly easy, mentally or physically. Calling upon the dead was a difficult spell to find, and more than that, it had elements of dark magic. Just the thought of using it sent a shiver through my spine, but it seemed no matter how many times I swore I’d stop using it, even to myself, dark magic kept cropping back up.
I can see why Fenris was freaked out by it.
After this, it might not even matter anymore. If I was dead…
I can’t afford to think like that right now. I must focus rightnow.
I took another breath and glanced back to where Fenris had gone. I wanted to apologize, but…he was gone. This was all on me.
Smoothing my hand over the page, I thought of all the names I’d read in the book, the witches who’d come before me. What I needed to do relied on the strength of several Handmaidens, but I couldn’t imagine any of them would’ve thought it’d come to this.
I hope this works. I hope they want to help.
Despite my fear as I recited the words in a whisper, another part of me knew that theywouldwant to help. I didn’t know how I knew, but it helped steady the shake in my voice even as I felt the telltale chill of dark magic creeping up my fingertips. Myheart hammered in my chest, but I couldn’t stop. I needed their help.
“Please, lend me your voices,” I said as I pried my eyes open. I blinked a few times, feeling like I was looking through a smoky lens. Everything seemed darker, more difficult to see, but—
“We are here,” a voice said.
“We are with you,” another added.
“My Celeste,” Enora said, stepping in front of the ghostly figures.
I gasped, fighting back the tears threatening to spill. My mother didn’t look the same as in my dream. She’d seemed so whole, I could physically see her. Now, she was a shade, just the shape of a woman. It was like looking at a movement out of the corner of your eye, but when you looked at it head-on, you couldn’t make it out.
My heart clenched, and I justknewthat was the effect of the dark influences of this spell.Am I hurting them?I resolved to hold the spirits of my ancestors for as little time as possible, which meant I had to work quickly.
I turned my head, looking back down at my grimoire—ourgrimoire—and cleared my throat.
“Sisters. Mothers,” I addressed them, blinking rapidly as tears stung my eyes. “The Lunar Lord is in danger.”And it’s all my fault.“I will protect him by whatever means necessary, no matter the cost to me, but I need your help. I cannot do this alone.” I looked back up at the ghastly blue glow, the faceless forms that gently bobbed and wavered in the air. “I need your help,” I repeated. “Please. Help me.”
The spirits murmured amongst themselves before my mother’s voice rang out again. “Tell us what to do.”
Chapter 26
