Coveted [New/Revised Version]

FATES UNSEALED

     "Damn it!" Penelope swore.

The ring hovered in the air between the five witches and little bolts of purple ran across its surface. Other than that, nothing happened. There was no big explosion or confetti announcing they finally broke the Lock Spell because they hadn't. Iris let her forehead drop on to her arms as she sat on one of the kitchen stools with a tired sigh. This was getting old pretty fast.

They'd been at this since after breakfast yet the Lock Spell was still intact. Even with the five of them using raw magick, they couldn't break it. After that failed, each took turns at it individually. Mae tried first, then Iris, Sue, Lisa, and lastly Penelope. Their only accomplishments were fatigue.

It took a physical toll to tap into the forces of Nature like that. Penelope and Lisa assured them over time, the more they Practiced, the better they'd get at honing the sacred form of witchcraft. The side effects would be less afterward because their minds and bodies would be used to it. However, they weren't at that point yet.

Iris groaned, feeling like her brain was being run through with a branding iron. She slowly lifted her head and propped her chin up on one of her forearms. Her eyes surveyed the other occupants of the room. Sue was nursing her forehead with a glass of ice water, Penelope was in meditation mode, Mae was twirling a few strands of her hair while looking ahead blankly, and Lisa continued staring at the ring.

It was curious really. This whole time she didn't touch it once. Instead, she levitated it from point A to point B. Iris wondered if she could someway feel the enchantment she placed on it earlier. If she did, she didn't show it.

"On the bright side, the stake's blessed." Sue tried to lighten up the mood.

"True." Iris spun said silver stake between them with her free hand. "Three bloodlines down, five to go."

"At least it's not thirteen anymore. Thank God for marriages, right?"

"Oh God," Mae cut in, letting her head loll back. "This is going to take for-fucking-ever!

"Cheer up, Blondie." Lisa opened her eyes. She almost sounded like her old self. Except, it sounded forced to Iris. "It'll be easier when we break this spell."

"You mean if."

"No, I mean when."

"Ha!" Mae snorted. "If you, a bazillion year old witch, can't do it with our help what makes you think it's even possible anymore?"

"First of all I am not a bazillion years old." Lisa gave her a playful shove. "I'm only... well, a woman never tells her age."

"Bull,"

"Whatever." Lisa flipped her hair over her shoulder. "I look damn good for my age."

The room erupted in giggles. Well, partially. Penelope remained in her meditative trance and Iris didn't crack a smile. She passed it off as low energy but in truth, she didn't feel like laughing and giggling like everything was okay when really Lisa was probably planning on stabbing her in the back.

Not just in the metaphorical sense either.

"I see we're all chummy today."

The velvety timbre announced Sky's arrival and Iris turned her head to find him leaning lazily with his hip against the kitchen counter. Leo was with him too but that wasn't what Iris was focusing on. It was Sky. This—dressed in a dark gray tee, black jeans, and combat boots with those Aviators on—was the most casual she'd seen him yet. His hair was even a little messier than usual.