Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 67614 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 338(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67614 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 338(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
“Oh, right,” Breena says, returning her attention to Xander. “Sorry. What do we do?”
“Sweep,” Xander replies.
“That’s it?” I ask him.
“It’s a start.”
Chapter Twelve
Breena
“This place shines,” Lorelei says. We just spent the past hour sweeping, cleaning, and speaking spells aloud to keep the negative energy away.
“I felt it,” I say and look toward the open window. “I felt it leave. Was I imagining things?”
“No,” Lucy says. “I felt it, too. When Giles placed that last crystal in the corner.”
Xander closes the window, and we all stare at the pile of dust in the center of the room.
“We have to bury that,” Jonas says, and Xander nods in agreement.
“But where?” I ask. “It shouldn’t be where any of us lives.”
“What if we bury it at your old place?” Lorelei suggests, looking at me. “You certainly don’t live there anymore—and don’t plan to.”
“But there’s already so much activity there,” I reply with a frown. “Wouldn’t this fuel that?”
“I don’t think so,” Jonas puts in. “This is charged with our magic, not that of whatever we just got rid of. At the very least, I think it’s neutral. Best case, it has a positive effect on what’s happening at the house.”
“Agreed,” Xander puts in. “But it’s your property, Breena. You have the final say in that, and there’s no pressure.”
“As long as we don’t think it’ll make things worse, I’m fine with it. Let’s do it.”
Giles secures the apartment, double-checks the locks on Gems’ doors, and then we’re off to my property.
“I’m riding with you,” Giles says. “You’re not going there alone, even if it is just for a few moments. I can pick up my car later.”
“Thank you.” I don’t even bother putting up any kind of argument. I want him with me.
We’re the first to arrive, and I park farther back from the house than I normally would. The others follow suit, pulling up behind and beside me. When we get out of the vehicles, we form a half-circle, facing the house.
Xander’s holding the bag of dirt from the apartment.
“Where should we bury it?” I ask and swallow hard.
“Anywhere,” Lorelei says. “There is some crazy shit happening in that house.”
Her eyes track something moving about, making all the hair on my body stand on end.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Jonas adds and instinctively wraps his arm around Lucy.
“What happened here opened a portal,” Xander says at last, and I’m shocked to hear apprehension in his voice, even for a second. Xander is the strongest, most self-assured witch I know. To know that this has him unnerved is startling.
“I can’t see it,” I reply. “But when Giles and I came here a few weeks ago to get my loom, I saw shadows.”
“We need to do this and get out of here,” Lucy says. “Where do you want to put it?”
“We’re on the property now,” I tell them. “We can simply put it right here.”
“Great. Where’s the shovel?” Giles asks.
“I have one in that shed.” I point to the side of the house. Before anyone can respond, Xander shifts into his crow form and flies to the shed, then shifts back and walks inside. Seconds later, he returns, carrying the shovel and walking briskly.
“The shed seems to be quiet,” he informs us and immediately begins digging a hole in the grass. It doesn’t have to be big, so it doesn’t take long. We empty the dirt into the hole, and then Xander covers the debris and fills it in again.
“Are you okay?” Lorelei asks Xander, her voice the softest I’ve heard it where he’s concerned in a very long time.
“We need to get out of here,” he replies. “It’s not safe for any of us.”
Xander turns to me and grips my shoulders.
“You won’t ever come here alone again. And as soon as possible, this place needs to be sold.”
“I can’t sell it until we cleanse it.”
“Part of the problem is that you own it,” he replies. “Once it’s no longer connected to you, to any of us, this will all go away.”
I look back at the house and feel sadness and grief fill my chest.
“I loved this little house,” I whisper and feel a tear land on my cheek. “It was my dream house. It was everything I ever wanted. Now, it’s haunting those I love.”
I shake my head and turn my face up to Xander.
“I’ll sell it. I’m sorry it hurts you.”
He’s lost some color and doesn’t look well at all.
“Come,” Jonas says. “Let’s go.”
Xander immediately shifts back into his crow and flies off, pointed away from the cottage and toward the sea.
Lorelei looks concerned as she watches him. “He needs the sea air to clear his mind. He’ll be okay.”
“Let’s go,” Giles echoes, and the rest of us pile into cars and drive away from the house I once loved.
I needed a little break from the loom today. Now that all the yarn is spun, I’m back at the loom, weaving. I enjoy it, but I needed some time away from it to clear my mind.