Twenty-Seven
The one thing Isabelle confirmed in all her rantings was that her family was not related to Agitha, the witch who cast the original curse. Whether I believed her or not, it unfortunately put me back at square one.
I needed to talk to Roarke about all this, but I wasn’t ready. There was so much to consider and process. Staying awake and studying through the night would have been my choice, but I couldn’t let him down again. I swore I’d return every night to help him protect the gate, but now… knowing where the threat was coming from, perhaps I could do more from out here.
If I cast a binding spell on Isabelle in the real world, maybe she wouldn’t continue to attack the gate in the dreamscape, offering Roarke a break. And maybe I could buy myself some more time before I had to see him again.
I went to the kitchen to make more tea, but this tea wasn’t for a spell. It was the kind of tea you barely sipped at until it went cold while you cried your eyes out. I hadn’t made many pots like it in the past but had a feeling with everything going on, it wouldn’t be my last.
I was heartbroken by all I’d learned and what I might be forced to do. Because Isabelle was right. I wasn’t built to bring harm to anyone, and if being the Weaver’s Queen of Nightmares truly was how my magic was being used, I simply didn’t have a choice. I would have to walk away.
Another sob forced its way up, catching in my throat. I looked to the fire, allowing myself this release. But once my tears were shed, it was time to go to work.
Bind her magic, tied to thee. Keep her on this plane, so mote it be.
The spell I cast on Isabelle was simple, but I knew it would work. The locking energy I’d used on her at her shop snapped back into place, and it was as if I could hear her screaming from afar. It wasn’t a permanent solution and wouldn’t last long, but it gave me the time I needed to dig into the book and Agitha’s history once more.
I remixed my “stay awake” herbs, then added them to my last few cups of tea, double-checking the protections around my home. Roarke would be upset I ditched him again, but it was for his own good. Hopefully, he’d understand.
Flipping to the middle of the book, I reread the passages that discussed Agitha and her original curse. There wasn’t much information to go on besides her first name and that she was disgruntled because the Weaver of the time hadn’t selected her to be his queen. I thought of Isabelle and how upset she was due to the exact same thing and kept circling back to that connection.
“Dammit,” I cursed out loud.
The library was closed for the night, but when I could use the computer again, I’d trace the Pike family tree to set my mind at ease, confirming if Isabelle was lying or not. And if she was, she was more important to me than she knew. I would use her bloodline to break the curse. Then it wouldn’t matter what happened in the dreamscape because Roarke and I would be together for real.
I no longer doubted that was what I wanted, but now I’d have to fight to get it. And I would fight tooth and nail to make this right for us both. Weaver magic was beyond powerful, and I couldn’t deny I was thrilled to have it as part of me. But in reality, it wasn’t the magic that pulled at my soul. It was him.
I knew when I walked away that it would feel like a betrayal to him. But I hoped once I explained the curse and what I was trying to do, he would give me the time needed without his feelings toward me changing or fading altogether.
It was a risk I’d have to take.
I had no idea how long we’d be apart or where my research would lead me, but if I had to, I would spend the rest of my life looking for a way to break the curse. But first I needed to utilize my own magic to bring me back to my center. Mama’s energy still flowed throughout the house, and whenever I felt off balance, all I had to do was connect with my hereditary magic to feel whole once again.
Stoking the fire, I poured another cup of my “stay awake” tea and settled on the floor. Cross-legged, I stared into the flames, imagining my mom and what she might have to say.
A warmth that went beyond the flames enveloped me, comforting me like one of her hugs.
“Mama, I need your help. For the first time in my life, I’ve fallen in love. But the relationship is not without hurdles. It will force me out into the world alone, farther than I’ve ever been before. And to be honest, I think that’s what scares me the most.” A lump formed in my throat. “I wish you were here.”
I spent the rest of the night communing with Mama’s memory before the flames, settling on my plans by the time the sun rose in the sky.
Keelyn’s bright smile was a welcome sight when I stepped inside the library minutes after it opened.
“Good morning, Milly. Back so soon? I’ve been so worried about you. Are you sure you’re okay?” She stepped out from behind the desk.
I held up my hands. “Yes, and don’t worry, I don’t need to borrow your car again today,” I joked awkwardly, trying to make light of her concern.
She huffed and shook her head. “Don’t fret a bit. I didn’t mind at all.”
“Well, thank you. I truly do appreciate it.”
“What brings you in, then?”
“Just some genealogy research I want to do.”
Keelyn stiffened. “Genealogy?”
“Yes. I recently met someone and told her I’d help look into her ancestry.” I lied again.