Page 80 of Faerie Hunted

“Well…”Now or never. “I actually have an idea.”

21

My idea was probably theliteralworstidea ever.

Especially since I couldn’t actually do it alone.

I needed Laina’s help, as a witch. Yet the pieces percolated in my mind throughout our conversation, only solidifying with Laina’s offer.

She didn’t shut me down once I explained, either, which meant there had to be at least a little merit to what I proposed. Even if it was crazy.

But it sure beat going around the city and trying to meet every single citizen in an attempt to find one who looked like her. It wouldn’t be so easy as scrolling through social media.

I settled myself on the floor in front of Laina once everyone else fell asleep. Exhaustion rode me hard, the ache in my arm now spreading along my spine and down the back of my legs.

I definitely didn’t want an audience for this kind of thing. Not only would we be doing some woo-woo stuff that no one expected, but we were talking blood magic.

We shouldn't be working spells in the room, but with all the wards and protection we each layered together, I wasn’t comfortable going anywhere else to attempt this kind of thing.

Big magic, Laina assured me.

Yeah. Much bigger than Ishouldbe working. It was way beyond my paygrade.

Yet she sat in front of me with the folds of her trousers hiding her legs and rested her palms on her knees, her eyes closed. Drawing energy into herself until her breath evened out.

“This ritual is going to use your blood to search out anyone in the city who shares the same genetics you do,” Laina reiterated. “It sounds like a simple concept but it’s not going to be as easy as you hope. This sort of magic takes a lot of power behind it to generate, as we’re covering a large territory.”

“I’m ready,” I assured her. Trembling on the inside where she couldn’t see me. Sick to my stomach and pale and weak.

Noren was there for me regardless. He’d scooted closer until his body heat pressed through my back and into me, lending me strength.

No way would he let me out of his sight when I needed protection. He was the only one I trusted to be able to have my back no matter what. Okay, that wasn’t exactly true, but I couldn’t do this without him.

Laina and I sat close enough to touch and our knees form a circle between us. She’d found a map of the city in the lobby of the boarding house, a thoroughly modern thing that kinda left me reeling when she brought it out. She placed it between us.

“Do we need anything else?” I asked, worrying my lower lip. “Like a crystal to guide us where we need to go?”

Laina chuckled softly and tucked a piece of blonde hair behind her pointed ear. “There’s no need for a crystal. Our magic is going to do the work for us. Trust me to guide you. Although I may have to borrow a little bit of your power to sustain it if it takes too long.”

“You have whatever you need.” I hid my tremor from her. I barely had any magic left to donate.

“A little pinprick of your blood will do, to start,” she replied.

This was it. I held out my hand for her and Laina drew a decorative pin from her braid, tapping it against my index finger. A quick flash of pain lighter than a bee sting and it disappeared in an instant.

This was the moment I’d actually find my mom.

I’d thought about it too many times to count, dreamed about a reunion, but face to face with reality left me reeling. Nerves gathered in my gut and nibbled on my insides.

Would Mom even want to see me once we found her?

What would happen to me, mentally and emotionally, if she decided not to talk? Or worse, if she outright denied it and made me leave?

Those possibilities were suddenly too real as Laina went through the steps of her ritual.

She held my finger over the map and squeezed until a drop of blood came free. With her eyes closed, Laina chanted under her breath, and the fine hairs on my neck, temples, and forearms lifted to attention.

Magic buzzed and crackled from her in a powerful wave. Much stronger than anything I’d seen her do before but not outward, not showy. It was all on the inside.

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