My Secret, My Bully, My Mates

We spend the rest of our evening setting up all of the pieces for the protection spell. I was hoping that Oliver would be here to help me, but Jena is more than adequate at helping me perform the incantation part of the protection spell. I light the fire in the firepit in the backyard like I do it all the time. I think Oliver was able to unlock whatever block I had with my magic when he stopped by yesterday.

It doesn't take long for me to say the few lines of protection spell and feel the literal change in the breeze around the house. The cool night air warmed just a few degrees, but enough to be noticed. Then Jena and I set about making the woven bracelets.

We tied red strings around the smallest herb leaves I have ever seen. The process was intricate since we had to knot the strings in very specific locations around the herbs.

Then we made it more-so when we made bracelets for the guys by weaving in a piece of the bracelet they gave me for my fifteenth birthday and by adding a small chunk of a green malachite stone and obsidian stone, both with hand carved runes for protection.

It took hours. Even Martha was able to drop dinner by and Wyatt and Nathaniel had been here to eat and then left again to run patrols and we didn't even look up.

It was well after eleven when we finished, but I had to finish, we need to get these on before anything else happens. I give Jena hers and we both repeat the incantation that goes with it. She does the same with mine. Then we find Lil, who all but laughs while she repeats the incantation. Apparently the spell tickles.

We decide that Lil should follow me and Jena should wait for Wyatt and Nathaniel to set them up with their bracelets.

We start walking, taking the route that Lenny suggests to get to the forest behind the packhouse. It's been almost a month since we had our last bonfire here. Time seems to just be flying right now and yet I wish it could go just a little bit faster so we could get to the light that Elena was talking about.

Once I get to the clearing a familiar tattooed hulking form stands waiting.

"Oliver!" I whisper shout and run to him. I don't even care if anyone can smell me on him, I need the contact, need the tight bear hug embrace that only he can give. He just holds me then gives me a kiss on his spot on my temple then lets me go. He gestures with his hand over our heads.

all he says and

umbrella up and

sure the direction was to come alone." He looks at me with a

me walk from our house out into the woods with those

Did you get

you?" Lil asks, patrolling the edge of the

underground things happening to make sure you can do what you need to do to save

really. It will just be a matter of invoking the spell that goes with them.

holding his hand, say the incantation and he repeats, then I feel a whoosh of air that throws my long hai in every direction. Then a searing pain rips up my arm and he must feel it too as he cries out, but neither of us can

a crescent and only a few millimeters in height, but there is no

hell was that Bitty?" He

do that when I did the exact same incantation for Lil and

this magic with the guys. This," He holds up his arm, "Needs to come from

them? Kota

he might have been mad at me,

Lil and I say