Page 13 of Sophie’s Ruin (Crimson and Shadows #2)

Apleasant herbal aroma climbed up my nostrils as soon as I left the bedroom, and I followed it to the kitchen, where I found Celeste sipping tea at the table.

“Good evening,” the witch greeted me, setting down her cup.

“Evening,” I murmured, as I approached the table and took a seat across from her.

Resting my forearms on the flat wooden surface, I cradled the amulet in my hands. My gaze cast down, I got momentarily distracted by the pulsing blue light.

“Is there anything you want to ask me?” Celeste prompted, drawing my attention to her.

When I looked up from the Tear, her sharp blue eyes watched me as she waited.

My brows flew up—she’d known I’d come here in search of an answer.

The world must have whispered it to her, carrying the news through one of the invisible threads.

“Yes,” I told her. “My grandmother and my mother forged the Tear.” I waved the amulet in front of Celeste before putting it in my pocket for safekeeping. “Do you think I could create an enchanted object?”

“Perhaps one day, but you have a long road ahead of you before then,” Celeste gave a practiced answer.

My forehead creased. “I need a shortcut, don’t you think? The longer I delay going after Henry, the more torture he endures.”

“His suffering is unfortunate, but you cannot rush this,” the witch explained calmly. “They will not kill him because they need him alive to lure you out.”

They would not kill him, but they would make sure he wished he were dead, I wanted to say but saw no point.

The way Celeste had spoken the words, matter-of-fact and detached, let me know there was no appealing to her softer side.

I wondered if she even had one. Was that why she lived alone, separated from the village?

She’d never mentioned any family or anyone she was close to.

Perhaps she chose not to grow close to anyone on purpose because having loved ones or people dear to you was a weakness in this world where evil roamed so freely.

Still, I had the urge to shake her to rattle the stoic facade, but I didn’t, reminding myself that I needed her guidance.

So, I balled my hands into fists in my lap under the table and took a steadying breath.

“I’m ready to begin my training. What’s the lesson for today?”

“You still need to work on establishing your connection to the world. Once you accomplish that, you will be able to tap into the energy around you and manipulate it.”

My ears perked up at her words. “Manipulate how? Will I be able to use it for fighting?”

“Yes, but that shouldn’t be your main focus.”

“It is my main focus. I need to learn my magic so I can fight for Henry.”

“That cannot be the only reason. The magic in your blood is your legacy. You need to learn how to honor it.”

“I will honor it. I just don’t have years to learn it,” I bit out.

“It will take as long as it takes. You are only at the beginning of your journey, and it is not something you can force.”

My nails dug into the palms of my hands from how hard I was clenching my fists, trying to keep my composure. I wanted to force it, and I wanted to force Celeste to approach the situation with the same urgency I did, but the witch seemed unyielding.

“Alright,” I tried to say calmly, but the word came out as a growl. Celeste arched a brow, the look on her face warning me not to challenge her on this. I cleared my throat and tried again, “What should I work on tonight?” This time, my tone was more measured.

“You need to get to know your magic. It is a part of you, but it has been dormant for all your life. Think of it as trying to unlock it. Your powers are asleep. You need to wake them up and bring them forth.”

“I thought I needed to learn how to tap into the world around me?” I asked, uncurling my fists, and scrubbing my face with my hands in frustration.

“The two are not mutually exclusive,” Celeste replied.

When I stared at her, waiting for more instruction, she gave none before lifting her cup to her mouth to finish her tea. I imagined reaching across the table and swatting it out of her hand.

“You should go for a walk in the woods. Being close to nature helps,” she said, eyeing me over the rim of her cup.

“The woods?” I stared at her in dismay. “Are you suggesting a stroll in the Black Forest?”

“You are a vampire. I trust you can take care of yourself,” she said nonchalantly. “But you can also take this.” She reached across the table to hand me a small brown pouch. “A hex bag to protect you in the woods.”

My eyes grew bigger at her words as something occurred to me.

“You’re not coming with me?” I asked in disbelief.

“This is something you must do on your own. This journey is between you and your magic.”

Of course, it is.

“Very well,” I said, squaring my shoulders and lifting my chin. “I’ll see you later.”

If it was between me and my magic, then maybe I could speed things up. Celeste not coming with me was a good thing because then she wouldn’t be there to hold me back.

Rising from my seat at the table, I crossed the short hallway to the living room and then stepped outside into the cool night air.

It washed over me like a caress, and I inhaled deeply, breathing it in.

The primal side of me reared her head, beckoned by the darkness, and my blood began to hum, answering the call.

My muscles tensed with the need to dash into the woods, to join the other wild creatures roaming there and go on a hunt.

My fangs throbbed with the need to sink them into something, and my stomach hollowed out as hunger surged.

I quickly tamped it down. I needed the witch inside of me to rise to the surface tonight, not the vampire.

I patted my pockets, feeling the amulet in one and the hex bag in the other and set off toward the tree line with supernatural speed.

The dark woods rushed by as I ran through them, carefully avoiding gnarled roots and twisted branches.

When my ears popped and magic snapped around me as if I’d broken through some kind of a barrier, I knew I must have left the warded area surrounding Celeste’s cottage.

The intense pins-and-needles sensation stopped me in my tracks, and I shook out my limbs and rolled my neck before resuming my journey.

I didn’t know where I was going until I heard it.

Water. A gentle whisper of a shallow stream flowing over stones tickled my ears, and I adjusted my course, heading in the direction of the sound.

I halted when I reached a small creek, the bottom part of my tied hair swooshing around me to catch up from the movement.

The Forest creatures that had kept their distance until now because I’d been sprinting too fast, slithered in the shadows all around me, watching me with glowing red eyes and snapping at me with gleaming sharp teeth.

They didn’t advance, though, as if I had my own warded barrier around me. The hex bag must be working.

Suppressing a shudder, I turned from the woods and approached the creek, stopping by one of the trees.

The skinny trunk sat at an angle, its roots trying desperately to hold on to the abrupt and rocky bank.

The low-hanging branches reminded me of slim, knotted fingers as they drooped over the water, skimming the silvery currents sparkling in the glow of the moon.

As good place as any to tap into my magic, I thought, planting my feet firmly into the ground and closing my eyes.

Sounds and scents assaulted my senses, but I pushed them aside, focusing instead on the rushing of blood in my veins.

I tried to find the magic within. Power coursed through me; it was only a matter of distinguishing and plucking it out of my essence.

Vampire, human, and witch were all intertwined inside me, and I needed to learn to single out the part of me I needed the most so I could use it to my advantage.

Easier said than done.

I stood unmoving by the creek for quite some time, my eyes closed and my breathing even.

I couldn’t feel it. I couldn’t feel the magic in my blood or discern the energy around me, let alone tap into it.

With a rough exhale, I opened my eyes and dragged a hand down my face.

Failing. I was failing at the time when Henry needed me the most.

The sound of a twig snapping alerted me to the presence behind me. Whirling around, I crouched down and bared my fangs with a hiss.

“Whoa!” the young man in front of me exclaimed, raising his hands in surrender. “I’m not a danger to you. I live in the village.”

Slowly, I straightened from my crouch and retracted the claws that had snapped out at the sound of a threat.

The man before me instantly relaxed, lowering his hands and extending one of them to me.

“I’m Damien,” he introduced himself in a smooth, rich voice.

“Sophie.” I shook his hand, noticing his flinch at my cool touch even though he’d tried to hide it. “I didn’t see you at the bonfire,” I told him, taking in his pale blond, almost white hair and dark eyes that were a striking contrast to his alabaster skin.

“I was too drunk on mead and passed out early at my friend’s house,” the man said, embarrassment coloring his cheeks a bright red shade.

“Don’t tell my mother,” he added hastily.

“I know I’m a grown man, but she doesn’t like it when I drink.

” I opened my mouth to tell him I didn’t know his mother when he continued, “My mother Agatha is good friends with Celeste, so please don’t tell her either.

In fact, I wouldn’t tell her about our meeting at all.

She has given strict orders to leave you alone. ”

My brows pinched in confusion. “Leave me alone? Why?”

Damien shrugged. “Something about letting you come into your own power. Celeste wants you to forge your own path without anyone giving you direction.”

“I don’t have time to forge my own path.” I blew out a breath of frustration. “I just need answers.”

“Well, did Celeste explain anything to you about our magic?” Damien asked, angling his head with a look of curiosity on his narrow and angular face. The straight fringe of his hair shifted to one side when he did so.

“She didn’t give me much to go on,” I told him. “She said my magic is a part of me, but it has been dormant, so I need to bring it forth.”

“And did she tell you how to accomplish that?”

“Well, no, not exactly. She said being close to nature helps. That’s how I ended up here,” I said with a sweeping arm gesture.

“I see,” Damien replied. He quickly glanced behind his shoulder as if he wanted to make sure we were alone.

When he turned back to me, a mischievous look settled into his features.

“Tying your magic to your emotions helps sometimes when you’re first starting out,” he said quietly, as if sharing a secret.

“What do you mean?” I tilted my head to the side.

“You feel frustrated about not being able to awaken your powers, right? Channel that frustration to bring your magic forth.”

A memory invaded my mind about how I’d defeated the Dark Witches. I had channeled the power of love to activate the Tear. Perhaps I could do something similar to stir my magic awake.

Closing my eyes again, I took a deep breath and thought about Henry, about how he made me feel and how my very bones ached, missing his closeness.

The feeling that came forth was not the one I’d hoped for when I’d closed my eyes.

I’d planned on channeling joy, happiness, and the one feeling that was the strongest and the purest of them all, but instead, despair rose, swelling in my chest. Refusing to wallow in it, I weaponized it instead.

My brows pinched in concentration as I let the dreadful feeling ignite my blood until it was boiling with fury.

The clan leaders’ flawless faces flashed through my mind.

They would pay. I didn’t know how yet, but they would suffer for what they’d done, for what they were currently doing to Henry.

I gasped as potent power surged through my veins at the thought.

It rippled through me, spilling outward, making the air around me charged with magic.

My eyes flew open as I lifted my hand to my face and rolled my magic between my fingers.

The power shimmered with a faint blue light, captivating and beautiful.

Damien was smiling when my wide-eyed gaze darted to him.

“How does it feel?” he asked.

“It feels…like lightning in my veins.” I tried to convey what I was feeling.

“Incredible, isn’t it?” the young man said, turning to leave.

“Wait,” I called after him, and my magic dissipated the moment I stopped concentrating. “You’ll have to show me more.”

“Oh, I don’t think that’s a good idea. Celeste was very clear about letting you find your own way. I just pointed you in the right direction. Eventually, you’ll come into your own power, figuring out what works and what doesn’t.”

“I already told you, time is not on my side,” I bit out, my tone harsher than I’d wanted it to be. Damien recoiled, clearly taken aback. I let the muscles of my face smooth out as I tried again, “I just need your help. Please.”

His dark gaze flickered over my features as if assessing how desperate I truly was. Silence stretched for a few seconds until he gave in with a heavy sigh.

“Alright, meet me here tomorrow night.”

He turned away then, and I watched him disappear into the woods. The corners of my mouth lifted as I recalled the rush of power I’d felt at my fingertips a few moments ago. Hope flared in my chest—I was one step closer to getting Henry back.