Chapter 31

31

CAROLINA

S tanding frozen in front of the painting, my heart races as my magic thrums beneath my skin, pushing against me, urging me to act. Silas and Luna are trapped, their forms motionless, eyes wide and pleading from within the canvas. My hands hover over the painting, hesitant for a second.

Familiars are guides for witches and warlocks. Sometimes, they come into their post as a punishment, like Silas, but most others choose this path, like Luna. Without their familiars, witches become vulnerable—familiars are a source of magic for us and an invaluable wealth of knowledge. For those reasons, trapping familiars in such a way—it’s not just dark magic. It’s personal. Whoever did this wanted to send a message.

"I can fix this," I whisper to myself, though my voice trembles. I don’t know if I’m trying to reassure Declan or myself.

Declan moves beside me, his gaze darting from the painting to me, his concern palpable. "What do you need me to do?"

"Just…stay close." My voice sounds stronger than I feel, but I don’t have time to doubt myself .

I take a deep breath, drawing on the energy in the room, focusing on the threads of magic that pulse through the shop. Whoever cast this spell wasn’t expecting me to unravel it. At least, I hope they weren’t.

Placing my hands flat against the surface of the painting, my fingers tingle as my magic meets the barrier trapping Silas and Luna. It’s a strong spell, but I can feel the cracks in it, the places where it’s weak. My connection to Luna thrums when it senses her inside the painting, guiding me to the points of pressure, the knots that hold the spell together.

I recall the reverse entrapment spell from one of abuela’s spell books and murmur the incantation under my breath, focusing on the bond between me and Luna.

By the stars and by the sea,

I call upon the power in me.

Break the chains, shatter the key,

What was trapped shall now be free.

As I will it, so mote it be.

My magic responds instantly, surging forward, searching for the source of familiar energy of my familiar. The painting shudders beneath my hands, the surface rippling like water, and for a moment, I think it might work. The barrier starts to give, the edges fraying under the force of my spell, and then, with a sharp crack, the magic shatters.

Declan pulls me back at the sound of my gasp, my back colliding with his front. Silas and Luna tumble out of the painting, landing in a heap on the floor, disoriented but free. I drop to my knees beside them, relief flooding my body as Luna slithers into my lap, her long, smooth form coiling around me protectively .

Silas, ever the troublemaker, shakes himself off with a haughty flick of his tail. "About time," he mutters, his voice rough from being trapped. But there’s an edge of fear in his tone that he can’t quite hide.

Declan crouches beside me, his hand resting lightly on my shoulder before running his fingers over Luna’s scales. "What happened?"

Silas glares up at me, then at Declan. "Esme," he says, his voice dripping with disdain. "She came here hours ago. Used some kind of charm to teleport herself straight into the shop."

My heart skips a beat. That can’t be right. "Esme? That’s impossible.”

Silas levels me again with his glare.

It’s true , Luna says softly through our regained bond. My magic welcomes her in my mind like a lost friend.

“She doesn’t have teleportation magic," I say, shaking my head. "She’s an inactive witch. She can’t even cast. She’s strong, but even that’s a lot of magic for a charm.”

"That’s what I thought," Silas snaps, pacing in front of us, tail lashing in agitation. "But there she was, plain as day, standing in the middle of the shop, talking about how she came to warn you both about something. Annabelle was involved in the disappearances, she said. But Camila?—"

Luna tightens her coils around me, her voice cool and steady. "Camila didn’t trust her. She didn’t believe Esme, not after what you told her last night and earlier today.”

I nod slowly, the pieces clicking together in my mind. I had told Camila about my concerns, about how something felt off with Esme, especially after the sulfur smell in her shop. We both knew sulfur wasn’t usually used for grounding crystals. It was tied to darker things, things witches didn’t mess with unless they were desperate—or hiding something. But it was Esme. We wanted to trust her .

"What happened?" I ask quietly, dread curling in my stomach as I glance between the familiars.

Luna hisses softly, her head resting on my arm. "Esme panicked. She realized she’d made a mistake—Camila’s suspicion caught her off guard. She tried to backpedal, but before Camila could act, Esme used something—dark magic."

I stiffen, my hands balling into fists. Dark magic? Esme has always been cautious. Dark magic requires more than just a charm or a potion; it needs a caster. As an inactive, Esme couldn’t…

God, what has she done?

Silas growls, pacing again. "She used it to trap us in the painting. I tried to warn Camila, but I couldn’t break free. By the time she realized what was happening, it was too late. Esme used some kind of binding spell on her and took her…"

"Where?" My voice is barely a whisper, fear tightening in my chest.

"The Underworld," Silas says darkly, stopping in front of me, his green eyes blazing with frustration and anger. "She took her to the Underworld."

The words hit me like a blow, knocking the air from my lungs. My mind reels, trying to make sense of it.

The Underworld. Esme took Camila to the Underworld. Why? For what purpose? My thoughts race, but all I can think of is getting her back.

Declan places a hand on my shoulder again, his voice level. "We’ll get her back, Carolina. Whatever it takes."

I swallow hard, looking up at him. His face is set in determination, and something inside me steadies. He’s not running from this. He’s not turning away, despite everything he’s seen. He’s staying, and that means more than I can put into words.

But I can’t think about that right now. Camila needs me. She’s trapped in the Underworld, and I can’t just stand here and do nothing.

"I have to go after her," I say, my voice firmer than I feel. I push to my feet, Luna sliding off my lap and coiling at my feet. "I’ll need a portal, something strong enough to get me there and bring me back."

Declan’s grip tightens slightly. "Are you sure about this?”

"I don’t have a choice,” I say, my heart heavy but resolute. “I have to go. Alone ,” I tell him so he doesn’t get any ideas about coming with me. “It’s not safe for you to come. The Underworld—it’s not meant for humans. You wouldn’t survive it. Remember how it felt when you saw my vision? It will be so much worse down there. It even wore on Camila and I.”

Declan opens his mouth to protest, but he stops himself, his jaw clenching in frustration. I can see the battle waging in his eyes—the need to protect me, to fight alongside me, but he knows I’m right. If he comes with me, the Underworld will tear him apart.

"Then I’ll help from here," he says, his voice low but determined. "I’ll do whatever I can on this side. But you bring her back, Carolina. You both come back."

I nod, swallowing the lump in my throat. "I will."

I turn back to Silas and Luna, my mind already racing through everything I’ll need. Opening a portal to the Underworld requires power—more power than I usually tap into. It was easier to do it with Camila beside me because there were two power sources to conjure it.

Luna slithers onto the counter, her eyes gleaming with ancient wisdom. "You know what you need, Carolina. The portal spell is deep magic. You’ll need a tether to Camila, something that connects you both. Otherwise, you’ll never find her."

“Here,” Declan says, reaching into his pocket and producing Camila’s necklace. “I wanted to return it to her. I grabbed it from the station after you two went to the Underworld.”

“Thank you,” I say, taking it from him. “This will help.”

Silas, still pacing, flicks his tail impatiently. "You don’t have much time. The Underworld…it distorts things. Time moves differently down there. Every minute she’s trapped could be hours, days even."

"I know," I say, my voice grim. "But I’m going to find her."

I grab the necessary items, my mind laser-focused on the task ahead. I’m a Castillo witch. I’ve been to the Underworld before, and I survived. I’ll do it again.

Declan watches me, his face tight with worry. "I’ll be waiting for you. Don’t take too long down there, Carolina. Don’t get lost."

I give him a small nod, unable to speak past the knot in my throat. This is it. I’m going back to the Underworld, and I don’t know what I’ll find. But one thing is certain—I’m not leaving without my sister.