“I don’t…why…who…”
“Calm down. Thinking that hard might hurt your little brain.”
“Fuck you.”
I smile. “That’s better.” I make sure the others are still in the library. “Look, kid. You’ve been a pain in the ass, but you remind me of me in a way. Pushy and stubborn, unable to ignore a bad feeling. Like you said, something weird is going on, and I don’t have time to waste dealing with you nosing around.”
Jared gives me a blank stare.
“So stay out of my shit, okay?”
He blinks and his head bobs up and down, but I don’t think he’s comprehending anything.
“Jared?” his father calls, sticking his head out of the library. Frowning, Robert rushes into the kitchen. “What are you doing?” he asks his son, disappointment already apparent on his face. He doesn’t approve of Jared believing in the supernatural and thinks the kid was trying to get naked photos of me when he was really trying to capture the moment my gargoyles came to life.
“We’re talking,” I say with a smile. “Jared offered to help me with yard work.”
Jared’s nostrils flare. “Yeah, Dad. I did.”
“That’s great! Looks like you could really use the help,” Robert says to me, and then color rushes to his cheeks. “I mean, you’ve been busy saving the world and all. Of course you don’t have much time to devote to such a large piece of property.”
“It is a lot.” I look back at Jared. “It’ll be nice to have some help.”
Robert beams and puts his arm around Jared’s shoulders. “I’m proud of you, son.”
Putting on another fake smile, I turn, waving for the guys to follow. I show everyone around the first floor, make up an excuse as to why the second floor isn’t ready to be shown, and send everyone on their way.
“I hope to see you tonight,” Keri tells me, pulling her phone from her purse. She has a slight Southern accent, making me think she was born down south and moved here with Robert or something. “But if you’re too worn out to make it, we understand. Take care now.”
“Thanks again,” I tell everyone, resisting the urge to shove them right out the door. I shut the door as soon as I’m able to and lock the deadbolt. Then I make a beeline for the back door and run outside barefoot to check on the rift.
If it was still there when the guys turned to stone, I’m sure one of them would have woken me up to let me know. By not hearing anything, I’m assuming it healed itself and is gone.
“Dammit,” I mutter as I step on a rock. I hop over it and make my way around the barn. The circle of salt is still on the ground, as are the candles, but there’s no glowing rift.
“Thank God.”
I grab the candles, use my foot to kick the salt into a less obvious circle, and go back into the house. I got up earlier than I planned and I’m feeling it already. Plus my sore muscles are stiff from sleep and an Epsom salt bath sounds so good right now…if only I wasn’t so tired.
Gathering up the ingredients for the banishing spell, I go upstairs and get my grimoire, sitting in my bed to leaf through the pages. I trade the book for Jac’s translated notes, and as I’m shifting through for the “banishing evil spirits” page, I come across a newly translated spell about healing hurts.
I hurt. A lot. Physically as well as emotionally, but I know it’s going to take years of the therapy I refused in order to get through this mental mess. But physically…well, maybe there’s something I can do.
Slowly, I read through the spell. I have everything I need. It’s worth a shot. At least I won’t be opening a hole in between dimensions with this spell. I trudge back downstairs to get what I need, and then mix the herbs together in a small bowl, grinding them pinch by pinch with a mortar and pestle. I have to boil them in water for seven minutes and thirty-seven seconds. I get the water bubbling and add the herbs, setting a timer on my phone so I can be exact.
The next step is to pour the potion—or “tea,” as the book calls it—into a cup and let it cool. Then I’m to drink it. Adding ice to help with the cooling process, I pace around the kitchen as I wait for the liquid to cool enough that I won’t burn the back of my throat. Finally, I choke it down. Almost immediately, I’m exhausted, and it takes every ounce of strength I have left in me to march my ass up to bed. I pass out as soon as I hit the mattress, not waking for four solid hours.
And I wake up refreshed.
Nothing hurts.
My bruises have faded. My cuts have almost healed.
“Holy shit.” I look myself over, scrambling to the bathroom mirror. Cosmetically, I look a hell of a lot better than I did four hours ago. And more importantly, I feel a hell of a lot better. I strip out of my clothes and take a shower, still trying to wrap my head around this spell.
It’s fucking amazing.
My mind goes to Gemma as I’m drying off after the shower. I’m still pissed at her. She used me, lied to me, and made me feel really fucking stupid for trusting her. I overlooked some pretty obvious things because I wanted a friend.
