Chapter 76

Ann dropped back onto the cushions and put her arms over her eyes.

“Can’t we just stab them in the heart and call it a day?”

She grinned at Kat’s idea but didn’t have the energy to move. Who knew using magic was so exhausting?

“I’d love a holiday, but I don’t think jail would be very relaxing.”

Ann pushed up to lean on her elbows and looked at Teegan. Her hair was a mess, and she looked as tired as Ann felt. “I think it’s my fault this keeps failing.” She sat up and shoved her hair back over her shoulders. “I’m having trouble accessing it properly.” She shrugged. “I’m not used to using it and—” She glanced over to see Wes and Mitch both still going through books. She turned back to give Teegan and sighed. “—and I think removing our ancestors may have been premature.”

Kat shook her head. “No. It was the right thing to do. The others were almost possessed by theirs. We need to be in control, not some dead teenage ghost.”

Ann grinned briefly at her description. “Okay.” She leaned back on her hands and looked at Leland. “What now? That way isn’t working.” They’d been trying for almost an hour to sit in a circle and connection with each other's magic. Pinches, wallops and chills had been the only they’d managed to do.

Leland ran his hand over his forehead for a second. “Okay.” He nodded and walked over to the crates. “Maybe connecting is the wrong method.” He opened up a bag sitting there and took something out. Turning around, he headed back toward them, carrying a large white candle. “Instead of trying to connect with each other, what if you all work for the same purpose?”

Teegan gave him a blank look. “You want the three of us to light a candle together?” She had a lopsided grin on her face.

“No. Well, yes, light it and then lift it. Move it.” He nodded and walked to the center, and set the candle down.

“How do we do that? I mean, together?” Kat shoved her curls back from her face.

“That’s what you need to figure out.” He stepped back out of the circle and then stopped and crossed his arms over his chest.

Ann looked at the candle and then at Teegan. Her expression mirrored the same thought. How?

“Okay.” Kat shook her hands and then sat straighter. “It’s going to be a tug of war unless we agree on what we’re doing first.” She nodded, sending her curls dancing.

“Good point.” Ann sat straighter and crossed her legs. “Light. Lift and then—” She looked around the space. “We move it over to beside the door.”

“Good. That’s a good distance.” Leland nodded.

“What if one of us talks and the other two keep their thoughts internal?” Teegan twisted her hair back from her face and secured it on the top of her head.

“One of us leads.” Ann nodded. “That might work out better. The three of us thinking things without direction hasn’t worked.”

Kat snorted.

“Take turns,” Leland suggested. “You need to be prepared for any of you to do it.”

Ann blew out a breath. She knew he was right but didn’t want to think about that yet. When the six of them met, anything could happen, and they needed to be prepared. “Kat, you first.”

Kat sucked in a breath but nodded. “Okay. Light, lift, move.” She nodded again.

Ann closed her eyes and took a deep breath. As she exhaled, she focused on what was inside her. Bridget may be gone, but there were traces of everything she’d been to her for her entire life. Opening her eyes, she held her hands out toward the candle and waited for the others.

“Light it in three, two, one,” Kat said softly.

Ann focused on the wick and saw the flame pop up. She wasn’t sure if it had been the three of them or if someone had rushed it.

“Lift it up.”

She focused on it and thought the words inside her head. The candle wobbled a few times and then rose off the floor. Ann felt a warmth move through her and recognized it as one of the other's magic. It was true. The traces from their ancestors so long ago were still there.

When it was four feet in the air, Kat whispered. “Move it to the door. Slowly.”

Ann kept both hands held out toward it. She didn’t know if she could do it with just her mind, so her hands were magical tools now. It looked like the candle was moving along a bumpy trail, it jerked up and down and then back up again. When it was halfway to the door, it dropped and hit the floor.

“Crud.” Kat groaned. “I thought we had it.”

“I need the elements to do this.” Teegan hissed out a breath. “Everything is so much easier outside.”

“You still worked together.” Leland came over and squatted beside her. “That’s a good start.” He smiled at Kat. “Were you thinking the symbols?” She grinned and nodded. “It still worked.” When he looked at her, Ann gave him a hesitant look. “What strength did you use?”

Ann opened her mouth and then closed it. She scrunched up her face and shook her head. “Strengths? I don’t know what you mean.”

“The different types of magic.” Wes came over. “The elements,” he motioned to Teegan. “Kat uses symbols.”

“Oh.” Ann lifted her shoulders and held them that way for a second. “I don’t know what I use. Sometimes it words, or thoughts, and sometimes I use magical tools—as my aunt used to call them.” She shrugged. “Herbs, stones—” She grinned. “Whatever works at the time.”

“She should lead,” Mitch called over.

Wes glanced at him. “If it’s elemental, when outside, Teegan definitely should, but—” He nodded. “I believe Wes is right, and Ann should take the lead when it doesn’t involve just the elements.”

Kat got up on her knees. “She will have better words than I do.” She nodded.

Ann smiled. “She doesn’t know what she’s doing.”

Teegan chuckled. “None of us do. We’re doing this on the fly.”

“You just have to be ready for anything,” Mitch said loudly from the crates.

Wes sent him a hard look. “Not helpful, Mitch.”

Mitch shrugged. “But true.”

“I felt the other magic.” Ann blurted out, not wanting to give the men time to nit-pick each other.

“I did, too.” Teegan smiled. “I think.”

“A warm buzzing feeling.” Kat nodded.

“Okay.” Leland heaved a loud sigh. “That’s good.” He clapped his hands together. “Let’s try again with Ann in the lead.” He got up and went over and picked up the candle.

When he set it in the center again, he backed out of the way and stood there.

Ann looked at the candle and then to the two men staring at them. She flicked her hand toward them. “Go look at books. We’ll figure this out.”

Wes smiled and turned around.

“I’m just here in case anything goes awry,” Leland stated quietly.

“It’s a candle, Lee, not dynamite.” Teegan held his look until he bowed his head and then turned and walked away. Nodding, Teegan looked at her. “I think we should get on our knees so we can shift or move if we need to.”

Ann nodded. “Yes.” Getting up, she knelt on the cushion. “If you need to vocalize something, do it.” She glanced at Kat. “As long as we know what each other is doing, it should work.”

Kat bobbed her head a few times. “Okay.” She opened her hands and looked at her palms. “I need my hands to be doing something, even if I’m only thinking the symbols.”

“Then use them.” Ann shrugged. “I plan to.”

“Ready,” Teegan whispered.

“Me too.” Kat lifted her hands.

Ann nodded and wondered what she should say. Exhaling, she focused on the candle. “With fire, we light the wick.” A second later, it burst into a flame, sputtering slightly. Ann smiled. Words helped. “Without touch, we rise in the air.” The candle didn’t wobble as much this time but moved smoothly up in the air. When it was five feet from the floor, she nodded. “This is high enough. With steady grace, we guide you toward the door.” She could feel both of the other’s magic mingling with her own as the candle moved slowly toward the door. “Once there, we turn to return.” Rising on her knees, she narrowed her eyes and kept her focus on it. As the candle reached the door, she twisted her hand in the air, and it began coming back toward them. “Steady now and take it to the other wall.”

As the candle moved over where they were, she couldn’t help but smile. It felt wonderful to finally use what she’d been hiding her entire life.

“Amazing.”

Wes’ voice sent a shiver down her spine. She had to focus harder to concentrate. Just before the candle reached the other wall, a burst of flame popped, and a melted blob of wax hit the floor.

“Shoot.” Teegan hissed out a breath. “Was that me?”

“I think it was me.” Kat dropped back onto the cushions.

Ann knew it had been her fault.

“Doesn’t matter what happened, that was pretty damn good for a first feat.” Leland came back over and smiled at Ann. “You should definitely lead any group attempts.”

She gave Wes a brief look and then nodded. “We need more practice.” She looked at the melted candle on the floor. “Outside, I think.”

“We could go to the park tomorrow night and shield off an area and do some things.” Mitch set the book down, came over, and sat beside Kat.

“I would feel better outside,” Teegan admitted.

“Chances of this big conclusion being inside is slim, right?” Ann looked to see the men nodding. “So we need to practice outside.”

“I’m game.” Wes wiggled the book he had in his hand. “There are a few in here that may help with any interference.”

“What about our connections to you?” Kat smiled at Mitch. “If we do something to stop the help for the others, can you still help us if we need it?”

Teegan nodded. “I would feel better knowing Lee could send me a boost if I need it.”

Ann looked from one to the other. “You can do that?”

Leland sat down beside Teegan. “With our magic bonded, yes.”

“It’s a rush.” Kat grinned.

Ann avoided looking at Wes as she wondered what that would be like. To share something like that with someone. She cleared her throat. “I’ll take that home and look through it.” She held her hand out for the book.

Wes searched her face for a second before coming over and handing it to her.

“I think we should call it a night.” Leland helped Teegan get up.

“I agree.” Mitch motioned to the books they’d been going through. “I have a few more tomes to add to those.” He smiled. “Family ones that may have what we need.”

Wes rolled his eyes. “Did your family perform the contents or buy it?”

Mitch sighed. “I don’t think you can buy magic, Wes.”

“Just checking.” Wes smiled, making Ann realize he’d only been joking.

Going over and getting her bag, she picked up her jacket. “I suppose I need to take you back to your car.”

“Home is closer. You can drop me off, and I’ll take a cab back to my car in the morning.”

She put her jacket on. “If you like.” She wouldn’t mind seeing where he lived.