Page 78 of Power Shift
“I wasn’t,” Tess said.
“You are now,” Moira whispered.
The pillar candle flared, soaking the room in a soft golden light.
“Everyone gather hands,” Ash said in a hushed voice.
Caelan’s calloused palm slid over mine, his fingers interlacing mine. My heartbeat kicked up a few notches, and from the slight tilt of his lips, I knew he noticed.
Moira took my other hand, hers cooler and smoother than Caelan’s. As soon as Ash’s hands closed the circle, every tea light ignited.
“Do you have the seed?” Ash asked.
I carefully extricated the small bead. Ash held up the pendant.
“It opens from the top,” Caelan said. “There’s a small catch at the bottom of the pendant.”
Ash frowned and turned the pendant upside down. “Clever,” he murmured after a moment. A tiny opening appeared at the top of the obsidian. “Drop the seed in, Evie.”
I was disturbed by the fact that the seed fit perfectly, dropping into the small opening like it was meant to be there. Ash clicked the lid shut and placed the pendant around the beeswax candle, careful not to get any wax on the gold.
“Everyone except Caelan should concentrate on the pendant and touch it with your magic. Only a touch and retreat. This spell is …” His voice trailed off. “Greedy.”
Caelan’s hand tightened in mine.
“Why not him?” I asked. Ash was never rude, so I gave him the benefit of the doubt.
Ash’s eyes glowed with emerald colored magic. “Because he will serve as the anchor. The pendant belongs to him, and its magic belongs to the shifters. When we’re finished using the necklace, I will clear the spell and return it to him. Until then, Caelan should be able to retrieve the pendant if it’s lost.”
I frowned. “You’re putting a tracking spell on the pendant?”
Ash let out a soft chuckle. “Yes, but not in the way you think. If the pendant gets farther than six feet away from you for more than three minutes, the location spell will trigger and alert Caelan.”
The distance from my shower to the sink was about four feet away, so that would work. I didn’t love it, but I understood his logic. “But not when I’m wearing it?”
“What’s the matter, flower girl? You don’t want me to know where you are twenty-four hours a day?”
“I don’t wantanyoneknowing where I’m at for the entire day.”
“Take it off for showers and when you’re sleeping if you want to,” Ash continued. “But keep it on your nightstand, not your dresser.”
“I don’t sleep with jewelry on.” The only thing I’d ever worn while sleeping was my wedding ring. Now I wore very little jewelry at all due to my job duties. With my hands constantly in the dirt, I didn’t want to risk losing a piece I loved in one of my floral arrangements.
Losing Caelan’s precious heirloom would be even worse.
The Shifter Lord was being too quiet. Too cooperative over the last few days.
And that made me suspicious.
“Any thoughts, Caelan?” I asked.
“You’ll be wearing a piece of our history around your neck. Shower with it, don’t shower with it. Sleep with it or don’t.” He shrugged. “I’m ready when you are, Ash.”
One of Ash’s eyebrows rose. He cleared his throat. “Of course. Tess. Are you ready to begin?”
Tess inhaled and closed her eyes. A soft silver outline formed around her body, ethereal and glittering. But instead of reaching for the pendant, Tess pursed her lips and blew out a thin thread of power.
“Cool,” Moira whispered.
