Between Shadow & Ruin (Fangs & Fae Saga Book 2)

eighty-nine.

I heard noises coming from the other end of the room. Val was already awake rummaging through her herbs and books trying to put together the final remnants of the spell to protect Jacques and Sebastian now that we had moved them to Massachusetts. I reached for my phone to check the time. I quietly got out of bed and walked over to her.

"It's hardly four AM. Did you need help?"

"I know but the kids are usually up at six-thirty, and I don't want to wait to do this. I just need to bring all this downstairs... Everything is almost ready. They have to want to leave all their ties to everyone in France behind..." I helped her off the ground and handed her her robe. She brushed her hair back with her fingers and wrapped her hair up in a bun and tied her robe around her. I reached for mine as well and helped her grab her things to bring them downstairs. Chris saw us walking out of our bedroom and rushed over to me.

"You shouldn't be carrying that stuff, Liz!" he said, grabbing everything from me.

"Chris. I can carry a baby, but not this stuff? Seriously..."

"We're almost there and I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself!" I rolled my eyes as he adjusted his grasp on everything. "Where do you need this stuff, Val?" She shook her head.

"On the table is fine." She laughed at me as he rushed down to the table. I heard Zane grabbing cups for our coffee. "We don't have much time 'til the kids are up and we all have to be at work. Can you see if Jacques and Sebastian are ready?"

"Sure." I headed back upstairs with my cup in hand and knocked on Chris' door. "Jacques? Sebastian?" I could hear they were talking quietly with one another and didn't want to interrupt anything.

"We're up..." I heard Sebastian say. "You can come in." I opened the door seeing they were both still in bed.

"I don't know if either of you drink coffee, but Zane made some. You can come to the kitchen when you're ready... I'm sorry it's so early, but Val's ready to do the protection spell as well, and she'd really like to do it before the kids wake up."

"Yeah, I wouldn't mind having a cup of coffee," Sebastian said. "It's one of the things I miss from France for sure."

"I appreciate the offer, but I am not very big on coffee. We will be down in a few minutes," Jacques said.

"I don't know anything much about coffee in France, but I can assure you Zane's coffee is really good. See you in a bit." I closed the door and headed back downstairs. Val had all her herbs laid out in a specific order and measured out with her bowl in the center of everything. They stood across from her when they got downstairs.

"Good morning," she said. "Are you two ready? Part of this spell requires you to want to cut ties to everyone you know in France..."

"Even with Alessia?" Sebastian asked looking towards Jacques.

"I do not like the idea of having to do that... but if that is what it takes to keep you safe and have the protection we need, I am sure they will understand. I have not spoken to her since we left... If it wasn't because I turned her, I am sure she would think I was dead."

"Everyone," Val said. "Even if you think they're your friends. It won't be forever. I'm making a balm for you. You'll have to apply it every three days and if you don't apply it, the spell stops working and we have to start over. Can you two handle that?"

"Yes, we can do that," they both said together.

"Good. Take off your shirts please." They both removed their shirts and placed them aside. I watched Val's hand light up and she vibrated gently back and forth. She took a deep breath and grabbed a couple of different herbs, adding them together in the bowl. She crushed everything together and asked Zane if he could get her some water. He handed her a glass as she poured some of it into the bowl. After a few minutes, she stopped vibrating and looked up at Jacques. "Jacques... I need some of your blood... the spell has to know what bloodline to hide."