Page 58 of Hand-Fasting and Other Hazards
The symbol combined protection and veil, forming an eye with an arrow at its center. As he worked, the earthy aroma of mugwort rose into the air, blending with the sweetly sharp scent of star anise.
When everything was ready, his attention snagged on a small brown paper bag sitting on the counter. It was suspicious, out of place.
Nia reached for it and withdrew two gold rings. She hesitated, holding them out as if unsure how they’d be received.
“This feels awkward,” she admitted.
“Why rings?” Lochlan asked, his tone carefully neutral, though a thought flickered unbidden through his mind: They were married. They should already have rings.
“Necklaces get lost, bracelets break, and I saw these in a store.” She stepped closer, the rings catching the soft candlelight. “This one has honeysuckle blossoms on it. You were looking at a bush full of them when I first saw you, and it just felt… serendipitous.”
He stared at her, then at the rings, Lochlan’s chest tightened with the ache of wanting something she didn’t.
“The spell requires tokens you can hold close to you,” she continued. “Jade has her collar, and we can have these.”
She placed the rings gently in his open hand, her fingers brushing his palm.
Lochlan’s ring, the metal cool and smooth against his skin, did in fact have a honeysuckle signet delicately etched into its surface. Hers was a thin golden band with black stones surrounding an opal at its center, the gem’s colors subtly shifting and shimmering in the candlelight.
Nia grabbed the diary and Jade’s collar and inscribed the remaining candles, the first with Jade’s name, the other with hers, then added runes to all three—ancient symbols for hiding and protection.
“In the center, we’ll place the items,” she said quietly, her mother’s diary open in her hands as Lochlan placed their rings next to Jade’s collar on the counter.
The air in the room shifted, charged with a sense of something sacred, as though the space had been transformed. Melancholy seemed to wash over Nia as she traced her finger along the worn page. Now that he knew what it was, Lochlan realized she’d always had the diary with her, hidden among her things, tucked in her purse.
“My mom created this spell specifically to protect against the magic that runs in my father’s bloodline. We need to pour our energy into this, focus on our intent to protect ourselves and Jade. The spell will not only shield us, but also hide us from my father’s magical sight, whether in person, dreams, or on the astral plane, as long as we wear the tokens.”
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. The air thickened with magic: a tangible force crackled around them. Nia’s shadows grew denser, wrapping around the spell’s components with eerie precision. Lochlan focused on the candles, their flames flickering but holding. The rings and collar glowed softly, pulling energy from both of them.
Most witches could channel raw power into shared spells, but doing it well meant syncing intent. Trusting the other person. Lochlan hadn’t expected it to come this easily with Nia. Magic pulsed outward in a quiet wave, brushing over his skin like warm wind. A shimmer rolled along the walls, too faint to see clearly—but it felt like a lock clicking into place.
Nia’s voice grew stronger, each word read from her mother’s diary spoken with purpose, each movement filled with focus. Lochlan felt the magic intertwine with his own energy, strengthening the shield they were creating. As she uttered the final words, the air shifted again: the room felt lighter, and the candlelight softer. The rings and Jade’s collar hummed with quiet power, infused with the protective magic he and Nia had woven together.
She took a deep breath, the tension in her shoulders easing as she reached for Jade’s collar. The dog waited patiently as the collar was placed around her neck. Lochlan and Nia reached for the rings, their hands brushing awkwardly as Nia took them both then held them out.
“Oops,” Nia said with a sheepish smile. “Here.”
Lochlan hesitated. Instead of taking the signet ring, he picked up the thin band, the opal reflecting the candle light as he took Nia’s other hand in his and slid it onto her middle finger. She glanced up at him. Then, her hands trembling slightly, she took his hand and slipped the signet ring onto his finger.
His pulse tripped as Nia’s fingers lingered, her grip warm and steady as her gaze flicked to his again—uncertain, searching.
“Fuck it,” she muttered under her breath as she pulled him to her and pressed her lips to his.
The kiss was quick and reckless, her lips gone almost as soon as Lochlan realized they were there. She pulled away looking startled, maybe even a little scared, but beneath this?—
Excitement.
The corner of her lips twitched into the barest, breathless smile.
With sudden clarity and need, Lochlan realized fuck it was exactly right. He closed the distance and kissed her, longer, deeper.
Kissing Nia wasn’t like breathing; it was like drowning in fairy wine. Each touch pulled him deeper into a sea of desire. Every brush of her soft lips made him want more. Endless possibilities flashed through his mind. Kissing her good morning. Kissing her goodnight. Kissing her because he damn well felt like it.
She let out a sharp breath as he gripped the back of her thighs and lifted her onto the counter. Nia pulled him closer, tighter, drawing him in to the space between her legs.
He ran his fingers through her hair, tilting her head so he could kiss her deeper but slower. He needed to be careful, to grasp for control after her little excited gasp made him feel different, dangerous. Being with Nia made Lochlan feel alive: like he was finally waking up from a long, dull dream. She ignited something fierce and primal that yearned to protect, possess, and care for her with a passion he never knew he had.
But he still didn’t know what she wanted, or what she was willing to give.
