Page 70 of Beer & Broomsticks

“Should we shape it? At least give the impression it’s the same weight in case someone is familiar with the original?”

“Yeah, and that’s a brilliant idea, Bridg.” Cian nodded, his pride for Bridget clear in the admiration on his face.

She bumped her shoulder into his and turned to address Roisin. “As a whole, we’ve never cast a spell. Would you walk us through what needs to be done?”

“First, you need to set out the candles stored in the altar. You’ll put them on the five points within the circle. Since you’re all new to casting, I’d use salt and sage for added precaution on the perimeter of the ring.”

They hurried to do her bidding, and Roisin took an extra minute to show them how to light a candle using only their finger and a gentle push of power. “You’ll want to let the magic flow through you, yeah? Don’t shove it out, don’t pulse it. Visualize a golden ball forming from the nucleus of your body’s cells.” She touched her index finger to a candle wick. “Watch.”

With minimal effort, she created a spark and softly blew on it to stoke the flame, thereby lighting the candle. They each took a turn underneath her eagle eye.

The act itself wasn’t huge on the magical scale, but Bridget was over the moon in her excitement that her first spell worked. “Ruairí! I did it! Did ya see, love? I did it!” His pleasure in her success expanded her heart, and she hugged him tightly. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For being selfless enough to give my family the sword. Even knowing you could lose your gifts, you did the proper thing, and I have no words to describe this feeling of gratitude.”

“You already did,mo ghrá.”

“Since you all seem to have caught on quickly, let’s get on with the sword issue,” Roisin suggested then bent over the last candle, preparing to light it.

Footsteps down the stairwell caught their attention, and Ruairí silently directed them off to the side to hide as he went to see who it was.

Fearing for him, Bridget peered around the corner. The visitor she hadn’t expected to see was Knox Carlyle, husband to Spring Thorne, Alastair’s treasured niece.

Before Ruairí could challenge him, she ran by him and straight into Knox’s open arms.

“Yeah, and I’d like to know why you’re runnin’ to hug every stranger the minute he arrives, I would,” Ruairí muttered from behind her.

She laughed, grabbed Knox’s hand, and dragged him into the expansive ceremony room. “What are you doing here, love, and where’s your wife?”

“Sure and I feel better,” Ruairí said. “Welcome, friend.” After they shook hands, he faced her. “And I’d like to know why all the male company you keep look like they were molded by the gods.”

“Because they are. Quentin, anyway.” She looked up at Knox. “You?”

“No. Just the power of one.” He ran a hand down the side of his face and revealed a scar that ran from the edge of his eye to the corner of his mouth.

Bridget sucked in a breath, never having known he had been so badly injured.

“It’s not a big deal, Bridget. It happened when I was a child.” An instant later, his face was restored to the perfect mask he showed the world. “Quentin thought you might need backup down here.”

“Where is he?”

“Up there somewhere.” He gestured overhead. “Assisting Alastair’s security team in rounding up stragglers who work for Loman O’Connor.”

“They’ll turn on him soon enough when they realize he can’t pay them,” Ruairí said with a shrug.

Cian shook Knox’s hand. “Good to see you again, man.”

“You, too.” After a nod to Carrick and Roisin, he turned smiled at Ruairí. “So I hear we’re family, so to speak.”

“I don’t understand.”

“You’re Quentin’s cousin, which means you are a Thorne by marriage, like me. We protect our own. It’s why I’m here.”

“Your timing couldn’t be better, man. I’ve lost the bulk of my magic, and they gained theirs. But they’re like baby birds learning to fly and in need of instruction.” Ruairí grinned at Roisin. “She was doing a grand job, but the O’Malleys are hard headed, so we’ve no idea what will take.”

Cian slapped him upside the head as Carrick shoved him and Bridget pinched his side.

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