My mouth drops open.
“Well, that was rude,” I retort, although I can’t hide my smile because, as much as I hate to admit it, he’s probably right.
“Actually, I know you’re going to get mad at me for suggesting this, but maybe you should look on the outside of the circle Nene. Don’t step inside it,” Van suggests. “Just in case.”
I sigh, “Fine. If it makes you all feel better, I won’t step a single foot in the dormant, ancient, magical circle of rocks.”
Chapter Two
Neith
“Thank you,” River says, the relief clear in his tone.
Baz looks around at us all, “Do you really think that Neith could trigger it? She doesn’t seem strong enough,” he winces and glances over at me, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean anything by that, it’s just that your power level is low.”
I smile, “Don’t worry about it, I keep it locked down without really meaning to. Much like you’re doing, you’re extremely powerful.”
His eyes widen with surprise. Which is understandable, he’s got his magic locked down tight, and I shouldn’t be able to sense it at all, but I can. I think it’s because I could always sense power levels before I transitioned into being a supernatural. I’ve been toying with the idea that it could also have something to do with the fact that I can see through glamours that I shouldn’t be able to see through.
“Still, they’re suggesting that you could trigger a dormant magical circle,” he continues, bringing me back to the conversation andthankfully stopping my mind from wandering any more than it already is. The guys reactions are clearly confusing him.
I don’t shift, I’m not sure I’m ready to show him that yet, although the Voices seem to disagree, and I briefly go back and forth with them before realizing that everyone is still watching me.
I let my magic flood me.
Baz’s eyes widen, “I stand corrected. Stay outside of the circle.”
I salute him as I lock down my power and reply, “Yes, sir.”
My eyebrows rise as his purple eyes immediately darken with heat, and he clears his throat as he looks away.
That’s not a reaction that I expected, but it is definitely one that I’m going to file away for later examination.
“Told you, she is definitely safer outside of this circle, just in case,” Ransom grins.
“Agreed,” Baz replies as his eyes dart back to me, this time looking unsure.
“Fine, go on then, go and have all the fun,” I tell them grumpily. It doesn’t quite land because I’m also smiling. “I’ll poke around in the grass out here and see what I can find.”
They all pause and turn back to look at me, and I throw my hands up into the air again, “Oh come on, I can totally do that without getting in trouble.”
All of them, every single one of them, raises their eyebrows at me like they don’t quite believe me.
Fortunately, they seem to think better of arguing with me, because they all turn back around and start to head for the circle. I watch them for a moment as they start to poke around in the space. After a few minutes, I’m satisfied that they aren’t going to accidentally trigger iteither, because actually, I know my magic is different from all of theirs, but they are all stronger or equal to me in strength, so they could very well set it off too. Obviously, I am aware that it's more my propensity to get into trouble that has them worried and not my magic itself, but still.
I watch for a moment longer until I’m absolutely certain that their magic is not going to trigger the magic of the circle and cause some sort of ancient mean ass demon, or any other kind of deadly creature to appear.
Apparently, it’s only been in recent history that the demons have been, well, for lack of a better word, nice and unlike how the human storybooks describe them. I say recent, but I think it has been a few thousand years at least.
Anyway, once I’m sure that’s not going to happen, I sigh and start to look around, as I stay in the spot I’m in. Even though I’m reasonably certain that there isn’t going to be anything out here for me to find.
I have to admit I’m grateful for the enhanced sight that comes with being a supernatural because, despite the fact that it’s dark, stormy, and well, pretty much just miserable, I can still see reasonably well.
My attention turns back to the guys, but I can’t just stand here and watch them. I have never been particularly good at standing still, or sitting still, or being still generally, unless it’s because I want to kill something and it’s necessary for me to be still in order to do so, then I can be as still as a statue for an extended period of time with no trouble whatsoever.
There isn’t anything here that I want to kill though, so I’m bored and fidgety.
I promised the guys that I wouldn’t go into the circle, and that’s fair to be honest, with my track record, I completely understand where they’re coming from. There might be something at the base of one of the pillars though, on the outside of the circle, and technically, that’s not going in the circle, is it? So I’m still doing what the guys asked me to do. There may even be something carved into one of them that will either have what Winston said we needed to get in it, or tell us where said thing is.
