26. Sammie

CHAPTER 26

SAMMIE

" T here has to be something here, Serena. We cannot let her win."

"We will find it; keep going. We have six hours before the full moon is at its apex."

"Six hours doesn't feel like enough to find everything and prepare for the spell."

I hunt through each tome Grandma left behind. If she had the spell the other witch used fifteen years ago, it has to be here. Rena tosses another book onto the not-helpful pile and plucks another from the oversized packing box. My back aches, my neck is sore, and my stomach twists with hunger, but I am not stopping.

Pushing down the feelings, I flip open another leather tome. More spells—at least I'm on the right track. I run my finger down what seems like the millionth page. The top of my index finger is numb from repeated use, but I don't stop. I won't stop.

"Anything in that one?" Serena asks.

"Spells, maybe," I mumble and turn the page.

More spells for healing.

I turn the page.

Another banishment, this time for unwanted spirits.

Next page.

My breath stops.

The word ‘Cursebreaker' heads the yellowed leaf in elegant handwriting.

Grandma's handwriting.

My breath stops. I grab Serena's arm and shake her, not trusting my eyes to wander in case the spell disappears from my sight.

"Rena, I found it."

"Shit, good on you!" She shuffles closer on her bottom, leaning into my side. We read it in tandem. The words feel oddly intoxicating as we chant each line together.

I call on the power of earth.

I call on the power of wind.

I call on the power of water.

I call on the power of fire.

I beseech you to this bidding,

Unbind what was bound.

Free this soul from curse.

Bring forth pure light.

May the cursed be free, be found.

The ingredients call for an item belonging to the pure soul connected to the curse, the blood of the wielder of the curse, a bunch of common herbs, and a silver dagger.

"It says you need to dip the dagger into the blood of the curse wielder or sink it into their flesh." Serena stills and rests her hand on the book. "Sammie, if we kill her, she can't undo the spell on Theo. We can't kill her."

Her voice is almost panicked. I shut the book with a crack and turn to face her, taking her face in my hands. "We will stab the bitch where it hurts but doesn't kill, then free Lewis, and force her to remove the enchantment on Theo. Then, do you think we could bind her? Would the both of us be strong enough to do it?"

"I—" She shakes her head, as if combing through the steps I suggested. "Maybe we would be. But, after we save Lewis, we have to leave her bound, like until we have the chance to get to Theo, and then put her down."

"Oh, we will be."

A small, sad smile blooms on her face.

"How are we going to get her blood?" I ask.

"Leave it to me. I can use the time spinner to do that. You grab the rest and meet me in the forest behind Lewis and Denver's in five and a half hours."

"Why there?"

"That's where she will be; I can guarantee it."

"How do you know where they live?" I ask. The second the words leave my mouth, I feel stupid for asking. Of course she knows where they live; she has been tracking Lewis for centuries. A fact I will never be able to wrap my head around—my best friend is hundreds of years old.

I tidy the stacks of books back into the packing boxes and jump into Serena's car. She throws me a wry smile before accelerating down the street, heading off the highway. It's good to go back to Castleton, even with everything that may or may not happen tonight. I promised Lewis I would stay away from Anjelica. This is one promise I am happy to break. He can be angry with me later, when he's still alive.

I'll take his fury over his absence any day.

"When I first moved in with Mrs. Stewart, I never intended to be your friend." Serena catches my gaze, hands tight around the steering wheel.

"What changed?"

She stares at the blacktop for an age before replying. "The day you burnt Jackson, I realized how innocent you were in all this. You barely had a handle on your powers, let alone the ability to interfere with my mother's sick revenge plans." Her eyes are dark, fire lacing her dark brown irises.

"Oh. Why did you bind me, then?"

"Insurance. If you were completely useless, you weren't a threat, and she would leave you alone."

"Thank you, I think."

"You're welcome, bestie."

The fact she is literally ancient makes the use of bestie sound ridiculous. I try to contain my amusement, but a snort slips past the hand I slap over my mouth. Serena's laugh is hearty and warm.

I am glad she is here.

I am honored to call her my friend.

S erena stands beside me on the porch. I knock.

Nothing.

She steps forward, fist rattling the door with impatient hammering. "Denver?"

Interesting.

Footsteps move toward the front door, and we step back. It opens quickly. Denver's dour face greets us. God, please don't let us be too late.

"Sammie, you shouldn't have come."

I step inside, brushing his shoulder with mine. He hangs his head. Serena doesn't follow me. I scan the living room for Lewis. No one else is here.

"So, there was no one who would help you, I take it?" Serena says. Her words are firm, but not unkind.

"Nobody will go against Anjelica, no."

Serena scoffs. Her footsteps travel over the threshold and the door closes. "We may be able to help you, Denver. But I need you to promise me something."

I turn back to face them both.

"How can you two help?" He scans both our faces.

"Sammie"—she gestures to me—"can help, actually."

"No, Lewis has already ruled that option out. She isn't strong enough. Besides, he won't risk her life for his. That decision has already been made."

"Fortunately for my mate, he doesn't get to decide for me. Now or ever," I growl. Angry at Lewis for pushing me away. Angry at this whole situation.

"He won't let you, Sammie. He just won't. He has always done the right thing by others; he isn't about to change now, especially with you. You are his oxygen. His words, not mine." Denver's face is pained, as if he is reliving the last moments of his time with Zahli.

My heart squeezes in my chest. I am his oxygen.

And he is mine.

I step into Denver's space and grip his upper arms with my hands. They look small around his lumberjack frame, but the sadness in his eyes drives me forward.

"Listen to me, Sullivan. This ridiculous tirade of hers ends now. It's my choice. Not yours, or Lewis's. Nor Serena's. Mine. If I die trying, Lewis will follow me into the next life or whatever it is that happens to us supernaturals. I am absolutely sure. But I will not let him do this alone. Or at all, if I can prevent it. This isn't anyone else's choice. It is mine . The last gift I can give him. Don't you dare try to take this away from us."

Denver's eyes burn and his Adam's apple bobs. "I'll stay out of your way," he finally says.

"Good boy." Serena slaps him on the back and waltzes back to the window. Pulling the curtain back, she peers out before disappearing down the hall to the right.

"Where is he, Den?" I ask.

He closes his eyes, arms hanging by his side as his chest heaves. "Out by the lake."

"Thank you," I whisper.

He pulls me into a fierce hug.

"Thank you for loving him, Sammie," he chokes into my hair.

"The privilege is all mine," I say, trying not to let the words get stuck around the stone lodged in my throat.

Serena clears her throat. "Sammie, the moon is almost at its peak."

"Right. I'll see you in a while, Den."

He stares at me, mouth moving but no sounds coming out.

I force a smile and walk through the house to the back door. Serena pops out from the hallway a heartbeat later. She obviously knows where she is going. She has either done excellent surveillance on this house or has been here before. Maybe when the brothers were not home?

We head to the double glass doors leading to the backyard. I push through, and Serena follows a step behind. The moon's piercing rays bounce off the mostly calm water of the lake. I walk across the grass and snow. The chill in the air curls around me. Our footsteps crunch on the snow. Lewis stands with his back to me at the water's edge. Waiting.

A gloved hand grabs my arm. Serena holds me in place for a moment before pulling me behind the shrubs to our left. She gestures with her other hand to the other side of the lake. A figure stands, dark robe billowing around them. The contrast on the white snow makes them an easy target.

"Let's see what she does first," Serena whispers, almost inaudibly.

I return my gaze to the two figures. Lewis doesn't move. A heartbeat later, the robed figure stands a few feet from where he is rooted in the snow. He turns to face them. My heart thunders blood through my veins, drowning out any other sounds.

Heat laces every inch of me. I pull from deep in my core, readying myself if the robed figure makes a move. With a smooth motion, the robe is pushed back and thick, wavy dark hair flies from its confines, tousled by the frigid winds.

Anjelica.

Now that I know the connection to Serena, it is so obvious they are mother and daughter. How did I not see this before? The moon inches closer to its peak. Lewis's time is fast running out. From what he told me, unless the curse is broken before the moon peaks, he shatters into millions of pieces of stone. He would be obliterated.

Irretrievable.

I shove my hand into my pocket and pull out the paper with the spell and the herbs I found. Serena makes a start on drawing a pentagram in the snow. Its lines illuminate silver under the moon's sharp light. It's breathtaking. But I don't have time to awe over a basic shape in the snow right now. The clock is ticking. The wind changes, and Anjelica's voice drifts toward us.

"Did you actually think the baby witch could help you, Lewis?"

"Leave Samantha out of this. She has nothing to do with any of it," he snarls.

"Touchy subject. One you will be free of in a matter of minutes."

"Go ahead, Anjelica. Do your worst. I am not afraid of you or of dying."

"Shame. Oh well, at least you can leave your mate behind for your brother. After all, it's your fault he lost his in the first place." She waggles a finger like she is chastising a small child.

A low growl hums from Lewis.

A cackling laugh cracks through the frozen air. God, I hate this bitch with every fiber of my being. She is the epitome of evil. She is actually getting off on torturing him in the last moments of his life.

I unfold the paper and step into the center of the star. Serena does the same. We join hands, and she pulls a silver dagger from the depths of her fleecy coat, before fishing a small vial of blood from her jeans pocket.

"How did you get that?"

"Time travel has its uses." She winks at me.

"We need to start."

I start the incantation and Serena matches my reverence with her own.

I call on the power of earth.

Sprinkling salt over the silver-lined pentagram, we chant the line again.

I call on the power of air.

I light a match under a bundle of sage, praying the wind stays in our favor, blowing toward us.

I call on the power of water.

I pull a small bottle from my back pocket and toss water around us. Snow melts under its weight where it lands.

I call on the power of fire.

I hold out a palm and focus on the flames I want to birth. Embers turn to a spinning ball of fire in my hand.

I beseech you to this bidding,

Serena pours the blood over the dagger, the crimson liquid dripping onto the snow.

Unbind what was bound.

I train every thought onto Lewis.

Free this soul from curse.

Plucking the last item Serena procured as she traveled through the house, I take the leather band he wears every day from her palm. He had most likely taken it off to leave for Denver. I drop it at our feet.

Bring forth pure light.

Serena plunges the dagger into the snow, piercing the leather band, pinning it to the frozen earth.

May the cursed be free, be found.

We stand tall, reciting the enchantment line for line six times. On the last line, the sixth time round, I hold both hands in the air, pulling all four elements into me. It burns like nothing else, and I whimper.

Serena gasps.

My body trembles, and I force myself to stay upright with every searing breath.

"Sammie," she chokes.

A white light, like looking into the hottest flame, bursts from my hands. Blistering heat ravishes my skin. A horrendous crack splits the air, thunder and lightning flooding the area surrounding the lake.

I drop to my knees.

Serena's terrified face stares back at me.

I slump to the ground, smudging the pentagram.

Darkness swallows me whole.