Secrets From My Mate

Chapter Fifteen

Nightmare

When I came back in Gran and Lane had already gone into the basement to retrieve the Grimoire along with some supplies.

"Is the boy gone?" Gran asked as she flipped through the book at the dining room table.

"Yes," I answered going to sit with Colt who'd been banished to the living room. I studied the contents of the table. Four candles of different colors, orgonite crystals, a compass and Gran's holly wand. "Are you casting a barrier?" I asked.

Gran nodded, stopping on a page. "Yes. I would like you and Colt to assist."

Colt and I shared a look of surprise. "Really?"

Gran straightened up, gathering the Grimoire and her wand into her arms. "For a barrier this large it was be best to have the four basic elemental affinities present. Earth, Air, Water and Fire. You won't be performing the actual spell, though."

There was a point note to her voice that cause Colt and I to wince. Lance, Colt and I followed Gran outside. Judging from the amount of supplies this would be a pretty powerful spell. When Colt had cast the barrier to hide the magic for my Soul Bond spell, he hadn't needed any ingredients.

Gran used the orgonite crystals to mark out the barrier. The compass was used to place a candle as each of the four points. Green for North. Yellow for East. Red for South. Blue for West. Each point represented an element. Earth, Air, Fire and Water respectively.

Once that was done Lane, Colt and I were stationed by our affinities and instructed not to move. Gran went to the North, her affinity lying with Earth. I could here or see her on the other side of the house but I felt when she started the spell.

Goosebumps formed along my arms as that otherness settled around me. After a minute I was Gran come around the house, a look of intense concentration on her face. I silently watched as she approached and knelt down in front of the candle.

She flicked on her lighter, the flame sputtering and going out. She tried again, this time the flame holding steady. She held it to the candle and recited. "Guardians of the South. Element of Fire. I call upon thee to be present during this ritual. Please join me and bless this circle."

She stood and continued around the circle. When she finished lighting the candles the barrier started to form, a faint humming filling the air.

I understood why she need my brothers and I present. I could feel the Gift being tugged at. I closed my eyes and tuned into the spell, releasing the Gift into it. I opened my eyes and saw that the flame of the candle had grown, fueled by my magic.

The next time Gran came around she was pointing her wand at the circle, directing her energy into it. With each lap the humming got louder and the barrier grew stronger. The demand on the Gift also grew stronger.

I thought of what could happen if the barrier were to be too weak and failed. That was all the motivation I needed to push every bit of my energy into the spell, essentially flood the Gift into it.

Gran walked the circle with her wand two more times. A few minutes after the last lap a wall of translucent white energy shot up from the circle on the ground. It curved in, forming a large dome over the house. After a few seconds the light faded away but I could feel the spell.

The tug on the Gift released and my shoulders sagged in relief. I bent down and blew out the candle, carrying it inside to meet my brothers and Gran.

"How long with this last?" I asked, handing her the candle.

"I'll have to go out and strengthen it about once a month," Gran answered. "Otherwise it'll begin to fade. You did well for this, Nikita."

I frowned. "Considering I'm the reason we have to do this at all..."