Jacques looks at me curiously for a moment. “You’re feeling the magic in the air.”
“It’s a lot of magic,” I say back. “And it’s coming from behind the barn.” Swallowing hard, I make a move to jump off the porch, but Jac scoops me up and takes flight. I lock my arms around his neck, holding on tight, though I trust him with my life and know he’d die before letting me fall and splat on the ground.
We fly above the barn, and a faint yellow glow comes into view. The rift looks like a tiny lightning bolt hanging in the air, crackling with electricity. It can’t be more than a foot in length, and only a few inches wide. Gilbert is on the ground, standing only feet from it, with his arms held out slightly at his sides as if he’s expecting something to jump out and fight him.
“Has it gotten any smaller?” Thomas asks, landing next to his identical twin. Gilbert doesn’t look away from the rift, and the pale golden glow lights up his handsome face.
“No,” he says. “But I heard something from inside.”
Hasan lands on his other side, eyes narrowed and fists clenched. He’s probably hoping something will pop out so hecanfight it. That man was made for battle. Jacques lands a yard away, purposely keeping me at a distance. His protectiveness is endearing and annoying, though he can say the same about me.
“What did you hear?”
Gilbert shakes his head, brows pinching together. “I’m not sure, but it sounded like a woman crying.”
Shivering, I pull the canisters of salt from my jacket pockets and step forward. Jac catches my arm, worry in his eyes.
“Ace,” he starts, then lets out a breath. He was going to tell me to be careful, I’m sure of it.
Slowly, I move in front of the rift. It’s floating a few inches above my direct line of sight and I reach out apprehensively, feeling the air around it. The sounds of the night fade away, and I close my eyes, listening.
“I don’t hear anything,” I tell the guys. Tipping my head, I look at the rift again, extending my fingers. The closest thing I’ve felt to the energy coming from the rift is that feeling you get right before a static shock. But the shock isn’t coming, and a sick part of me wants to keep inching my finger forward until I feel the painful zap of energy.
“I wouldn’t do that,” Hasan says, shifting his weight. “You could get sucked in.”
“Really?” I bring my hand back, though his words make me even more tempted. I’m as curious as I am scared. And then it hits me that getting sucked in would be easy, but getting out most certainly wouldn’t.
“Maybe.”
“It’s unlikely from one this size,” Jacques tells us. “But I still advise against touching it.”
Nodding, I step back and open one of the canisters of salt. I pour it out on the ground in a circle around the rift and then arrange the candles at the north, east, south, and west spots on the circle. I hold out my hand, trying to summon the fire, but feel depleted.
Jacques’s hand lands on my shoulder, and his confidence in me sends enough of a spark that the smallest flame ignites at the tip of my index finger.
Holding onto the magic that keeps the fire burning, I quickly light the candles and straighten up.
“Now what?”
“Cast a protection spell or something,” Thomas suggests.
“Yeah, I’ll get right on that.” I force a smile and turn back to the circle. I know protection spells…I just can’t remember one right now.
“The moon is almost full,” Gilbert adds, flicking his eyes from the rift to the sky. “You can draw from that, can’t you?”
“I can.” Inhaling and feeling a bit hokey, I raise my hands toward the moon, looking up at it until my vision blurs. I close my eyes and feel the power of the moon in my fingertips. Going on instinct, I bend down and touch the salt circle. A ripple of blue energy flows from my fingers into the circle.
“That was badass,” I mumble, and step back.
“Hell yeah, that was.” Thomas wraps an arm around my waist and I wince. “Shit, sorry, Ace. I forgot you were injured. You don’t act like it.”
“I’m good at internalizing pain,” I joke. I lean back, resting my head against his firm chest. “Is this enough for the night? I can go inside and get a few more things and my book.”
“A rift this size shouldn’t pose much of a threat.” Jacques holds up his hand and feels the barrier. “If anything wanted to get out, it would have already.”
And took on the form of my mother. I swallow hard. But she knew things only my mother would know.
“What kinds of things can get out of a rift?” I ask carefully.
