“What’s up?” Aislin twirled her hair around her finger, her foot tapping against the floor as she tried to act normal.
“I found out how you got the shield spell and mark off Stephan,” she said, absentmindedly touching the Foreseer mark on the back of her neck.
“You went into another vision?” I asked. “Gemma, I —”
“There’s no point in arguing.” She cut me off. “Now let me tell her what she needs to do.” 221
I wondered if this was how people felt when they went into battle. If their hearts drummed, their insides shook, and their minds begged them not to go.
I’d spent so much time not really getting to know the good things in life. I’d carried my father’s negative energy, but I was finally shedding it.
“So we have to go to the Castle?” Aislin asked, eyes wide as she hugged the bag. “And all of them will be there.”
“You’ll be fine,” Gemma said as I sat down on the armrest behind her, feeling the static, but not caring anymore. “I’ve seen it with my own eyes.”
Aislin reached for her herb box on the table. “Well, let’s get going, I guess.”
“Don’t you still need more power?” Laylen leaned forward and picked up a baggy.
Aislin took it from his fingers and handed him the bag we d picked up. “Look inside.” Laylen gave her a warily look, untied the bag, and peered in. “Where did you get this?”
“Alex had it,” she said. “He used to steal all kinds of stuff from Stephan when he was a kid.”
“When we were kids.” I brushed Gemma’s hair with my fingers, letting her know I meant her.
She tipped her head back and I could tell in her violet eyes she still couldn’t remember.
Aislin opened her spell book and flipped through the pages until she landed on one titled: Potentia Aufero. “Everybody ready for this?” she asked and no one spoke a word. “Okay then.” She stretched her hands and dumped the bag onto the table. Gemma gasped as strange items piled out. “Pretty amazing, huh?” Then Aislin s face grew serious as she hovered her hand over the pile. “Ego hanc vim solummodo bonum. Hoc opus auxilium. Da me potestatem.” A red diamond, shaped like a bleeding heart, flickered first. Then all the others harmonized, 222
producing a collection of flaring colors so intense it was hard to look at it. But all four of us didn’t look away, watching as the colors looped for Aislin, slipping across her hands and making her skin blaze bright. She sucked in a breath and her head rolled back. “It’s wonderful,” she breathed, staring at her hands. “Like…”
“Electricity,” Gemma said quietly.
Aislin nodded. “Is this how you guys feel all the time?”
Gemma didn’t reply, staring out the window, the sun breaking against the horizon and lighting up the world. “Do you think it’s time?” she asked to no one in particular. “Or do you think we need to wait until later today.”
“It’s December 21st,” I said. “I’m sure that’s all that matters.” I paused. “Is that it? Do you have everything for your spell?”
“Yeah, I have more than enough.” She was still beaming over her new power.
“Then I guess we should all get going,” Gemma said, the electricity picking up with her anxiousness.
We all sat there, afraid to move. It was a moment of silence that could be felt around the world, as if time actually stopped for a brief second to take it all in.
Aislin stood first and Laylen followed her lead. “Do we go all at once?” Laylen asked.
“Alex and I were outside in the vision, so yeah, I think we go all at once.” Gemma trailed over to the corner armoire and took a cellphone out of the drawer.
“Where did you get that?” I asked.
“We found it in the house after you left. I think it was Sophia’s.” She opened it and held the power button down. “We kept it around in case of an emergency.” 223
“And this is an emergency?” I took the phone from her as it clicked on.
“It’s how we’re going to bring Stephan out of the house,” she replied, staring off into emptiness.
“With a phone?” I cocked an eyebrow and then shrugged, stuffing the phone into my pocket.
“You ready?”
She nodded, squeezing her eyes tight as if she were trying to crush this moment from her mind. She began to cry as Laylen stood up and hugged her tight.
“Bye,” she whispered, her hands unsteady as she clutched onto him for dear life. “And remember what I said.”
Laylen’s expression was raw pain. But when they broke away from each other, the look was gone. Gemma turned to Aislin, not sure what to do. But I knew what would happen, because Aislin was Aislin. She grabbed Gemma, crying like she always did, even though she knew the outcome.
Gemma looked awkward with the whole thing, but gave it her best. Aislin finally released her and Gemma took my hand, our fingers intertwining, sparks going crazy, begging us not to touch. But we didn’t care anymore. Our time together was up. The star would soon be dead.
And the world would move on.
“Ready for this?” she asked.
“I’ve been ready for this for forever.”
She didn’t catch my meaning, grasping onto my hand, and closing her eyes.
But I’d meant what I’d said. I had been waiting for this day forever.
Because today was the day I was finally going to save her.
224
Chapter 45
(Gemma)
Saying good-bye to Laylen was the second hardest thing I’d ever had to do. The first was just around the corner. And that was saying bye to Alex.
I Foreseed us to the edge of the lake, right on the shore, our backs to the grey-stoned Keeper’s Castle. I wondered if the Water Faeries were down there, watching us from beneath the water, wishing we’d fall in so they could torture us.
Everything seemed clear now; clearer than it had ever been for me. My head had always been so packed with thoughts and worries. But they were all gone now. The answers were right in front of me.
Well, almost.
I turned in a circle. “I don’t think we’re in the right spot.” He gazed around, scratching his head. “Where are we supposed to be then?” I pointed at the trees. “Well, all of them came from there, but right now they’re in the castle.” He kicked a rock into the lake and the water rippled. “We should have had you see the whole vision then.”