Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 68040 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68040 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
He lifts his hand, and the grimoire shoots out of the wall and lands in Xander’s hand.
Show-off.
He glances over at me and gives me that killer smile.
If a man has a gift, he should use it.
Yeah, yeah.
Chuckling, he pages through the book.
“Stop,” Breena says, holding out a hand. “Did you see those empty pages? There are a couple of blank ones toward the back.”
Xander finds what Breena’s talking about and shrugs. “They’re just empty. Maybe they were stuck together or something, so she simply skipped them.”
“Would she do that, Jonas?” I ask. “She was your sister, you should know.”
“She may have. Or she knew she wanted to come back to add something there later and never got around to it.”
“Hmm.” I tap my lip with my finger and then decide to stand and grab a slice of pizza that we ordered earlier.
But in doing that, I knock over my water, and it splashes on the grimoire.
“Shit, I’m sorry.”
Before I can reach over to wipe the water away, Xander holds up a hand.
“Wait.”
“I don’t want the water to soak through—”
“Just wait,” Xander says again. “Something’s happening.”
I blink, shocked to see words appearing on the page where the water hit the paper.
“More water,” Lucy says, reaching for the glass.
“Hold on, we don’t want to ruin the rest of the book,” Breena adds and quickly works to protect the other pages from getting wet. “Okay. But paint the water on slowly. Just enough to dampen but not soak it.”
“Thank the gods you’re here to keep a level head because I would have just poured,” I say with a chuckle. I dip my finger into the water and gently begin moistening the page.
As I do, more words magically appear.
“She used the magical ink,” Jonas whispers with excitement. “We made it when we were teenagers. And it worked.”
“There’s a letter,” Giles says.
“It’s addressed to you, Jonas.” Breena points at the page and then pats Jonas’s arm. “Read it.”
Dearest Brother,
I do not know how much time I have. You plan to cast the curse soon, and I suspect it will be this night, during the full moon of Samhain.
I wish I could have convinced you to forget the notion of the curse. I understand that you are afraid for your people, as we have only begun in this ridiculous hysteria, but you do not understand the consequences of your actions.
I know that as soon as you cast the curse, I will forget you. It will be as though you never were, and that rips at my heart, for I love you, precious brother. I do not know what my life will be without you.
All I can do is hope and pray to all the gods and goddesses that this ink works, and that I can write the lifting spell in this book before you finish your ritual. I pray I am in time.
Please know, I have loved you all your life. From the moment you were born until I take my last breath, I will love you. You have been a treasure in my life.
Your sister,
Katrina
“Well, damn.” I wipe tears from my cheeks and see that there isn’t a dry eye in the place.
“The next page,” Giles says. “Was she able to write the lifting spell?”
Jonas turns the page, and I see that it’s blank, so I again carefully paint a very light layer of water onto the paper, and more words appear.
“It’s here,” Xander says. “It’s all here.”
Lucy begins reading the words, but suddenly, Breena joins her.
And she’s not looking at the book.
With my eyes narrowed on her, I cock my head to the side. “Breen? How do you know this spell?”
“I think I wrote it,” she says slowly. “I know every word of it.”
Xander’s eyes narrow as he watches her. “Breena, you and Jonas have had a special bond since we met him.”
“Yes,” Jonas adds, also watching Breena carefully. “Could it be?”
“Are you thinking that Breena is Katrina reincarnated?” Giles asks.
“That’s exactly what I think,” Xander says. “I can do a past-life regression session with you right now if you’re up for it.”
Breena blinks, obviously overwhelmed. “Well, you’re the one I trust the most with that sort of thing. So, yes. We need to know. I need to know. Because I’ve felt close to Jonas, and I know that spell. As soon as Lucy started saying the words, I just knew it.”
“Would you be more comfortable lying down?” Xander asks her.
“Probably. Can we go to the living room?”
“We can do whatever you want,” I assure her with a smile. “Let’s get you comfortable and relaxed. We’re not in a hurry, understand?”
“Sure. This is exciting. Jonas, what if I am your sister?”
“Not only would it explain a lot,” he says, cupping Breena’s cheek in his hand, “but it would be the best gift.”
“Aww, that’s sweet,” Lucy says.