Night Witch (Weatherstone College, #2)(67)

“Where would you choose to reside?” I asked Logan.

“With you, of course,” he said as he opened the crypt door, the heavy stone taking effort to shift. Strong magic slammed against us as we stepped into the darkness, lanterns lighting along the walls and down the set of stairs. “We’re joined in life and death, Precious. When we return for our next journey, we’ll find each other again. Again and again, until there’s no more existence.” I was still in the entrance, my heart racing.

“Paisley,” he said, turning back. “You okay?”

He must have felt the surge of my emotions as he tracked back toward me. “One day,” he whispered, pressing his lips to the sensitive spot behind my ear, “you won’t question the depths of my devotion to you. One day, you’ll expect me to choose you, because you’ll understand that I don’t exist without you. One day—” another kiss “—the depth of my love will feel as natural to you as magic and breathing. Until then, though, you can trust my word. We’re eternal.”

I threw myself into his arms, desperate to breathe him in and bathe in his love. “I love you,” I managed to say. “So fucking much. I don’t care where we reside in life or death, as long as we’re together.”

“Come on,” he said, tucking me against his side. “I’m not ready for the death part yet, so let’s ask your gran if she can help save our lives.”

My heart told me that we’d be fine, but the truth was, if Gran refused our call, we’d have to find another reaper. And hope they would be more giving.





Chapter 31




“Hello, Gran,” I said, staring at the plaque on the wall hiding her body which lay at rest. Her soul would be in the Eternal Lands, with most of her magic, but the bones would always hold echoes of her affinity. My affinity. “I know it’s been a long time, and I have a lot to tell you.”

Even though we were in a freezing underground tomb with at least three of my ancestors’ bodies, a warm breeze washed around us.

“That’s a new touch of magic,” Logan said, sounding unsurprised. He stood close but was careful that we didn’t touch. Gran was my ancestor, and I had to be the one to take from her. “Her presence is strong.”

It was strong. More than I’d ever felt before in this crypt, and I wondered if it was to do with my magical bloom. “I need your help, Gran.” I reached out to press my hand against the stone hiding her from view. There were no words written on it, but there was an image of a scythe. I’d never understood why until now. We were reapers.

Able to move souls between the realms.

“I need your magic, Gran,” I continued. More of that heated air swirled against me, sending my magic into a frenzy. “I’ve been cursed, and it’s going to destroy our entire family line. And my mate. I would never ask unless it was life and death, but would you share your magic with a finger bone?” The air turned downright sweltering, and with it, I felt a single sliver of icy reaper energy.

The stone sealing her tomb popped open, and I barely managed to stifle my gasp as Gran’s body came into view. She’d been perfectly preserved with magic, and if it wasn’t for the waxy gray skin, she might look like she was sleeping.

“Hi, Gran.” My voice swelled with reverence. Exhaustion was my constant companion these days, but with Gran’s magic washing over me, I felt rejuvenated. “I’m sorry that we have to ask this of you, but thank you for your gift. We miss you.”

I might never have met her, but in my essence, I mourned her loss. A witch who should have been here to nurture our magic. There was enough space in her tomb for me to lean forward and grasp one of her hands which were rested against her chest. The heated air eased until it was a mere trickle against my cheek, and I closed my eyes at the loving sensation.

It told me that Gran knew me, even if I didn’t know her. She’d been watching over me from the Eternal Lands, and it broke my heart that it was the one plane off-limits to me. I’d have loved to truly feel her soul, or even talk to her, if for only a few minutes.

“I love you,” I whispered, trembling as I wrapped my hand around her right pointer finger, my magic swirling inside me. “How do I sever it cleanly?” I asked Logan, who remained close to my back.

“Use fire,” he said quickly. “If you burn hot enough and keep it closely contained, it can act as a laser, severing the bone cleanly.”

I wasn’t sure if my control was good enough, but we were running out of time.

“Or you can just snap her bone,” Logan added.

My head was shaking before I even considered it. Gran deserved better than that. She deserved me to control my elemental magic and respect her gift.

“Can you call a flame without assistance?” Logan asked, moving close enough that our magic mingled happily.

“Yes, but only recently.” As in the last few elemental classes recently.

Heat built in my center as I tapped into my connection with fire. A flame popped into my hands, and I fought to keep it low and controlled. My newly freed magic felt natural, reminding me that I’d been living with half of myself locked down for most of my bloomed life.

“Send that fire internally, until your finger is filled with heat.” Logan was still my most frustrating and successful professor. “That’s how you’ll contain the flame.”