Page 40 of Radiant Shadows

“Shea? Did you hear me?” Aunt Janette asked.

I blinked, feeling stupid for not paying attention. “Sorry. What was that?”

Gram let out a sigh that made me wince in embarrassment, but Aunt Janette repeated herself.

“You will light the sunflower petal as you say the incantation.” She held up the long yellow petal. “It will burn bright without charring, and you will eat the petal.”

I wrinkled my forehead. “Won’t that burn my mouth?”

She shook her head. “No. The fire represents the sun’s light and doesn’t hurt. I’ve done it myself, and if anything, it just feels warm all the way down your throat.”

I nodded, not fully convinced. “And…how long will this spell last?”

She smiled and shrugged. “It’s permanent. Once you swallow that petal, you will never have to worry about vampires ever again.”

My heart slammed against my chest like the bang of a gavel. If I did this, I could never be with Julian ever again. And even though I knew he was probably going to brush me aside anyway, this felt like closing a door I could never reopen.

Without this spell, even if he did reject me now, there was always the hope that he might change his mind. Going through with this would blow out that flame of hope forever.

But what was the alternative? Denying this gesture after years of begging to learn magic would probably ruin any chances offuture lessons. I’d come too far, fought too hard, to stop now. And I certainly didn’t want to ever be bitten and drained by a rogue vampire again. If that meant losing out on that experience with Julian, so be it. I had to do this.

“Okay,” I said with a firm nod. “What’s the incantation?”

She pulled a folded piece of paper from her purse that hung on the back of her chair and slid it over to me. “Say the words at the same time as you light the petal, and channel your will into the flame.”

I unfolded the paper and read over the spell several times until I felt I had it memorized. Then, with shaky hands, I picked up the petal and the lighter. I flicked the lighter a few times before it finally lit, then held the petal just above the flame.

Taking a shaky breath, I lowered the petal to the flame and spoke the words. “Hena hedj sedjet, berek af-i hena woser shamesh.”

The flame engulfed the petal with awhoosh, startling me so suddenly that I nearly dropped the petal. But before the fire could singe my fingertips, its color changed from orange to gold, emanating a warm glow. It felt like I was holding nothing more than warm air between my fingers.

“Very good, Shea,” Aunt Janette said. “Now put it in your mouth and swallow it.”

I stared at the flaming petal, marveling at how it really didn’t burn or char at all. Magic was pretty fucking awesome. Even if this particular spell was going to hurt as much as help.

Well, here goes nothing.

Closing my eyes tight, I opened my mouth wide and slowly lowered the petal onto my tongue.

Aunt Janette was right. It didn’t burn. It just felt like cozy summer heat bathing that spot on my tongue. I closed my mouth and swallowed, the silky petal going down easily without the need to chew. That same heat caressed my throat all the way down to my belly.

As the heat radiated from my belly and spread through me, my skin began to glow with the same golden light, but only for a fleeting second before dulling to its natural state.

When I looked up at the two women, they were both smiling, and I could almost swear I saw pride in Gram’s eyes.

“You did very well,” she said, reaching over to place a hand over mine on the table. “We can all rest assured that you will be safe from any foul vampires who might want to harm you.”

And even those that don’t…

My phone pinged in my pocket, and when I pulled it out to check who the message was from, my heart plummeted to my pelvic floor. Why now? Why at this very moment? Why not an hour ago before—before—Ugh!

Julian: “Can you meet Caesar and me at my apartment? We’re ready to talk.”

Tears welled in my eyes as I read the message over and over. His timing couldn’t possibly be any worse, and my heart was breaking for it.

I blinked away the sting and looked back up at Gram, plastering on a neutral expression.

“Now that you know I’ll be safe from attack, will you allow me to go out for a few hours?” I asked with a steady voice. “I need to meet with Caesar and discuss an important matter.”

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