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“Could it be coming up from the ground?” Jonas wants to know. “Through the floor?”
“Groundwater,” I murmur thoughtfully. “I need to tap into my element to look.”
“You’ll be damn careful,” Xander says. I can tell his nerves are stretched thin.
I know he wants me—and the rest of us—out of here.
“Of course, I will.”
I back up even farther and lift my hands, then take a deep breath and call on water. My voice is loud and strong in my head as I pull in the strength of my element to amplify my power.
When I dip down under the surface of the earth, searching, I’m knocked back on my ass, pulling me out of my trance.
“Ouch.”
The others are around me immediately, helping me to my feet.
“What did you see?” Breena asks.
My gaze turns to Xander, and I nod. “It’s coming from the ground.”
Chapter Nine
Xander
“Why the groundwater?” Giles asks, leaning back in his chair across from me as he takes his dark-rimmed glasses off and rubs at his eyes. “And why Breena’s house?”
“He’s used the house in the past,” Jonas points out. “It’s like he’s drawing energy from it or something.”
“True, and I can tell you that when we had to go there to get her loom last spring, it was full of activity.”
“It has been all year,” I add. “And each time we’ve gone, it’s only been more active each time.”
“It’s why Breena avoids it,” Giles murmurs and stands to pace behind the table in my library. The three of us came straight here to do some reading and brainstorming while the girls went to Lucy’s to cook up some witchy stuff, as Lorelei put it.
As long as she’s not alone, I’m okay.
“Don’t get me wrong,” Giles continues, rubbing his neck. He’s hurting physically, so I narrow my eyes and scan him to see if I can tell what’s wrong.
Aside from the stress we currently have going on, that is.
“She avoids the house primarily because of the memory of what happened to her there last year, and I don’t think anyone can blame her for that.”
“Absolutely not,” Jonas agrees, also narrowing his eyes on the other man. He glances over at me, and I give him a slight nod.
I see it, too.
“But also, the activity happening in the house keeps her away,” Giles continues, still rubbing at his neck. “And now it’s all flooded, and I could see from the look on her face that she’s devastated. She still had things in there she thought she could save later, although I don’t know that she’d ever want to bring any of it home. But the hope was there.”
He twitches as if he has an itch in his back.
“Are you feeling all right, Giles?” I ask calmly.
“Huh?” He glances at me and then nods. “Oh, yeah, I’m fine. Just antsy, I guess.”
“Can I look you over?” Jonas asks, his voice just as calm and steady as mine. “I can heal you, you know.”
“No. No, I’m just fine. Anyway, the water is so weird. Breena had the main water line shut off.” He kicks out a leg as if it’s fallen asleep and has gone numb.
“Lorelei figured out it’s coming through the ground,” I remind him, watching as he scowls.
“Who? Oh, Lorelei. Right. That’s right. But if it’s the groundwater that’s rising, how can it get into the house?”
“There’s likely a crawlspace under the floor or something. It’s probably coming up that way,” Jonas says, watching Giles just as closely as I am. “Are you sure I can’t help?”
“I said no. Now, fuck off,” Giles growls, wiping the back of his hand over his mouth.
Immediately, Jonas and I look at each other and begin the spell.
“Elements of sun, Fire and Earth of day, lend us your strength to cast evil away. Elements of night, Water and Air of moon, lend us your might and make it soon. Magick of one, power of all, protect this witch, heed our call.”
Giles bends forward at the waist, and then the wind picks up, swirling around us. I wave my hand to the window, opening it, and the energy flies out of the house. With another flick of the wrist, the window closes, and I know it’s gone.
“What in the actual fuck?” Giles asks, breathing hard, his face breaking out in a sweat.
“Something attached itself to you at the house and took a little ride,” I reply, still looking closely. “How do you feel?”
“Pissed the hell off.”
“Can I have a look now?” Jonas asks, standing to cross the room to him.
“Please. Have all the looks you need.”
Jonas lays his hand on Giles’s forehead, closes his eyes, and takes a long, deep breath.
“It’s gone,” he says after a few moments. “Only Giles. And I happen to prefer that.”
“I think we all do.” Still watching Giles, I stand to pour some water into a glass and pass it to my friend. “Here, drink this.”
