Page 42 of Twisted Fates
Owen nodded, his eyes still wide with concern. “Okay, Orville,” I called, and the ghost appeared beside me. “I’m going to take this up to the attic. I need to analyze it to see if the positive energy of Cary’s magic can help me figure out where the dark energy it absorbed came from.”
Orville looked at the necklace with disgust but made way for us to walk past him and into the house. I normally wouldn’t involve Orville or anyone with the ways of wizardry, but since yesterday, I sorta felt like I needed to.
I didn’t remove the muddy necklace from Owen until we got there and sat down. Then, I asked Owen to remove it and place it next to the parchment. “I dare not touch it, as I think my powers would immediately destroy the darkness, and I want Elias’s help figuring out its source.”
Owen just nodded and did as I asked. I picked up the quill and activated the parchment. “Is Owen okay?” Elias asked.
“Yes, Elias, I’m fine,” Owen responded.
“I have a necklace that’s absorbed the energy that attacked Owen. Can you help us distinguish where the attack came from?” I asked.
For the rest of the afternoon, with Elias’s limited help, we tried to trace the darkness. Since he could only communicate through the parchment, it didn’t work. However, Elias confirmed there was no way the energy could’ve reached Owenin his room if a witch, or at least a similar power, hadn’t been there.
That meant it wasn’t Cary. The only other person I could think of was Molly. But she wasn’t a magical being. She wasn’t even what we would classify as a source of light, like Owen. So, how would her being here give the darkness power to come through the wards?
It couldn’t, plain and simple. Molly couldn’t send power to impact Owen, nor could she be manipulated to do so. That just wasn’t how magic worked.
That meant something else was at play, but nothing I could think of would have the power to break through my wards unless an army of darkness came at me all at once. I was powerful enough to hold the darkness back, and I doubted my or Elias’s wards would ever be impacted without that full-on assault.
Chapter thirty
Owen
Iwasn’t too keenon leaving the safety of the house, even after Cary agreed to meet me Monday morning with a necklace like the one he’d worn to our house on Friday.
“You okay?” Cary asked after I donned the necklace and strapped the seat belt on.
“Um, no, not really. What could’ve infiltrated the wards?” I asked.
Cary shrugged. “I don’t know, but if I’m going to guess, it’s someone you let in the door.”
“Molly?” I asked, and Cary shrugged. “Not on her own. She doesn’t have the power. She’s not a witch, and as far as I could tell, she was only human. However, we are watching.”
“Wait, you’re watching Molly? No one will hurt her?” I asked, and Cary immediately shook his head.
“No, of course not. Witches have a bad reputation, some of which is earned, but we don’t interfere with humans’ andnonmagical people’s lives. Let’s just say that’s a lesson we learned the hard way.”
I cringed, remembering the witch trials. “Okay, so, am I safe? Damian thinks I am with you and my bosses, you all being witches and stuff.”
Cary laughed. “You’re safe as can be with us, but to be honest, I am surprised even a dark entity would dare take on a wizard. It’s a good way to find yourself six feet under.”
I paused, thinking about that. “Damian isn’t violent.”
“Really? If someone tried to hurt you or Molly? You don’t think he’d react?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know, Cary. I… It’s weird to think about.”
Cary took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “For now, don’t think about it. Let’s go have a carby breakfast and copious amounts of coffee, and then we’ll go sleep it off in the office.”
I laughed. “You know your bosses are witches right?”
Cary just laughed. “You’re learning. Okay, no sleeping it off, but I did let them know you were attacked this weekend. They’re on high alert, and it was even Mr. Harrison’s suggestion that we take the morning to settle you back in.”
I laughed, thinking about my boss and more about Cary. “You mean to pry information from me. Cary, you might be a witch, but you’re still a total gossip queen. You think I missed that?”
Cary eyed me and put the car in drive. “Lucky for you, you’re the boyfriend of a powerful wizard, or I might be tempted to turn you into a frog or something for such a comment.”
I batted the hand he had placed on the gear shift and laughed. “You’re a light witch, and you can’t turn people into frogs for telling the truth.”
