Page 109 of Spells of Breath and Blade
Kirin’s eyes alight with new hope. Relief.
Beside her, Baz let’s out a breath I’m certain he’d been holding all night.
“Dark Arcana,” I whisper. “It must be.”
“What’s taking so long?” Janelle snaps.
“Mrs. Kirkpatrick,” Professor Broome replies, her tone as steely as ever. “Each time you interrupt the ritual, we must begin again. Please stop with your incessant questions. You will have your treasure soon enough, but only if you let us work in peace.”
“But—”
“Furthermore,” she continues, “the whole point of this ritual is to guide them into a dream state, for which they must be sleeping. Even the slightest interruption or sound could wake them, and we’ll be forced to start at the beginning. Understand?”
This does the trick, and Janelle and Casey both back off, though they’re still watching us closely.
“What do we do now?” Professor Maddox whispers.
I close my eyes, thinking as quickly as I can. “For now, we need to go through with the ritual. We can’t let on that we know. If they come back with the Sword, there might be a way… I don’t know. I need more time.”
“I’ve got other herbs and potions,” Professor Broome says. “We may be able to devise a spell to force out the entities temporarily, or bind them to something else”
“Keep thinking,” I say. “In the meantime, we’ll move forward with the ritual as planned.”
“We’ll find it, Doc,” Stevie whispers. “I promise.”
Despite the dire circumstances, a smile spreads across my face. “I have no doubts, Miss Milan, that if the sword exists, you will find a way to bring it back.”
She returns my smile, her eyes shining with new hope.
“Bring each other back,” I whisper, laying my hands on them one last time.
They nod and shift closer together, hands clasped tight, the bonds of Brotherhood and love and friendship wrapping around us all, a bright inner light that can never be dimmed.
Swallowing the thickness in my throat, I smile and say, “Shall we begin?”
Stevie, Kirin, and Baz nod, their eyelids finally drifting closed.
Professor Maddox places three Tarot cards on Stevie’s chest—The Moon, to encourage lucid dreams; The High Priestess, for inner wisdom; and the Ace of Swords, for the swift recovery of the Sword of Breath and Blade.
And then I begin the chant.
Kneeling together in silent solidarity, clinging to a blind hope, the Professors and I watch them drift off into sleep, their breathing deep and even, their young faces smooth and untroubled.
I let out a soft sigh of relief.
“What do we do now?” Professor Maddox whispers.
The uncertainty presses on my heart, threatening once again to shatter it. But I promised Stevie I’d be strong, that I’d keep our allies together. And no matter what Casey believes, my promises to the ones I love—to my brothers—theyarestrong. Unbreakable, in fact. So, despite the desperate pain in my chest, I draw on Baz’s rock-solid strength, on Kirin’s keen intellect, on Ani’s optimism, and on Stevie’s healing light, her hope, her love.
I turn to Professor Maddox and offer an encouraging smile.
“The only thing wecando,” I whisper. “We wait.”
* * *
Will Stevie and her red-hot mages survive the epic journey to the dream realm, and what awaits them on the other side? Find out what happens next inTarot Academy 3: Spells of Flame and Fury!
* * *
