Page 28 of The Sins of Silas (The Otacian Chronicles #2)

Chapter Twenty-Eight

MERRICK

I 'd be lying if I said I was thrilled to be on the road again. I'd grown accustomed to the warm bed, the hot showers, and being able to piss in private.

We were all back to how we were before, only this time, Viola and I rode on Dani, which I abhorred.

I didn't mind Dani. I just hated that she lusted for my girlfriend…or whatever she was to me. We hadn't put a label on it and had only had sex twice—the first night in Forsmont and the last.

Really, what I actually hated was that Viola returned the attraction. Even though it's normal for people to be attracted to more than one person, I didn't care to know about it.

My eyes slid to Erabella, who gave me a small smile when she saw me looking over at her. I returned the gesture.

Gods. I was such a hypocrite.

After the battle between Otacia and Forsmont, I immediately rushed up the steps inside the castle to find Era.

“You're alright,” she had breathed.

I had acted on complete impulse, advancing on her and wrapping her in my embrace.

She had become rigid, but my grip didn’t lessen because I felt her warmth at my gesture. She returned the hug a moment later.

I had never been a touchy-feely guy. Ever. But after witnessing her overcome her fear…seeing her have the strength not only to fight but also to take the shot that saved my life…I was left in awe.

I had pulled away, cupping her face in my hands. Her whole face was flushed, those gorgeous brown eyes wide as she stared into mine.

“I am so fucking proud of you,” I had praised, my grin wider than it had been since before Ames was overthrown. “I owe you my life, Princess.”

She bit her lip, a smile spreading across her face. “I guess my teacher did a good job,” she murmured.

My smile began to fall as I studied her. Excitement and wonder bubbled in my chest as I marveled at her sparkling eyes, her cute nose, and her short blonde hair. My pale hands against her tanned face.

I had held her face.

It was an intimate gesture, and when I realized how I'd crossed a boundary, I cleared my throat, hands falling to my sides.

I wanted to read her desperately. But I wouldn't…because I feared what she felt. One way or another.

“I was so scared,” she admitted, tears blurring her vision. “I was shaking so badly. I feared I'd miss and strike you instead.”

I gave her a lopsided grin. “I'm surprised you didn’t,” I teased.

She nudged my shoulder, chuckling. “ I'm serious, Merrick.” Her smile vanished. “If I had killed you…”

I couldn't seem to keep my hands off her. I held her shoulders, angling my head down to look at her. “In that situation, you would not have killed me, Era,” I insisted. “Either you would have saved me, or your arrow would've struck me at the same time as that man's sword. Perhaps it would have given me a quicker death.”

Her lip wobbled, and she shook her head. “I wouldn't have been able to live with it.”

My eyes bounced between hers, and I couldn't stop myself from tuning in to her feelings.

The warmth that flooded into me was like sunlight, revealing just how much she had grown to care for me. Her emotions were heightened…a medley of colors and sounds I couldn't organize. But the warmth was the strongest.

I knew I was pushing…being ballsy. But I had almost just died, so I decided to do what my heart told me.

I leaned down and planted a kiss on her forehead. “Well, good thing your teacher taught you well,” I murmured as I pulled away.

Her widened eyes, flushed cheeks, and rapid breathing could've meant multiple things, but I was too scared to find out what.

I knew my eyes had turned blue, not wishing to know how my kiss felt to her. I smiled at her before I strode away.

My eyes now slid back to the road ahead, my arms tightening around Viola. She rested her head on my chest.

Faltrun, thankfully, was only a five-day journey. Once the sun had begun to lower in the sky, Dani came to a halt, and the rest of our friends brought their horses to a stop as well. She neighed, and Viola and I took that as the signal to hop off of her.

In a flash, Dani shifted, wincing as she stretched her arms and let out a loud yawn. “Yep…I'm getting sleepy.” Her eyes, now appearing human, slid to me and Vi, then to El and Lena. “Mage practice starts in the morning.”

Lena frowned from her position on her and Roland's horse, Donut. I still couldn't believe he named their horse that. “What…out in the open?”

Lena gave us the rundown of Dani's hypothesis during our trek today. I didn't know if I believed her theory, but with all these threats we have faced, I'd be willing to try anything.

Dani's grin grew. “Yup. We have no time to waste.” She fished into her back, pulling out a pouch and grasping its contents in her palm. “Averte sonum intra hunc circulum” she recited as she walked in a circle, sprinkling what appeared like salt on the ground.

“What the hell are you doing?” I questioned.

“Yeah, I'm with Mare Bear—you're creeping me out, Dani,” Edmund trembled.

Mare Bear?!

I shot him a scowl over the nickname.

“Averte sonum intra hunc circulum. Averte sonum intra hunc circulum.”

Dani then began moving her lips. A smile was on her face, but no sound emitted from her mouth.

“Uh…Dani?” Roland's brows drew together. “Did you star as a mime at The Freak Show and not tell us?”

Her shoulders moved up and down as if laughing, and then she stepped outside of the salt circle. “Soundproofing spell. Good for many reasons.” She wiggled her brows at Roland. “Our glamouring spell is simple, only speaking the word once and tilting our hand. The more advanced the spell, the more you have to chant.” Her eyes dropped to the salt that was sprinkled on the ground. “The salt acts as a magic binder, absorbing the energy and transmuting it.” She casually stepped back into the circle, speaking soundlessly, until she scuffed the salt with her foot, and her voice came through.

“‘ Aversa Pars’ is another way to shut off the spell, but sometimes just scuffing the salt works best.”

Elowen's round, aqua eyes slid to mine briefly before setting back on the Warlock. “So, you always carry around salt? How do you memorize the spells?”

Dani gave her bag a pat. “Yup, but not just salt. I always keep chalk in my bra. I also carry candles, crystals, and herbs. And, like you Mages sometimes do, a spell book.” She fished into her bag, pulling out a nameless tome. “Our ability to enchant isn't innate-like you, nor is it as efficient or as powerful. However, you pair your powers with a spell book like this…” She shook her head, a half-smile on her face. “Well, I'd say we'd be in for some badassery. The salt should bind the spell as it did with mine, but according to myth, with your illusion magic, even disruption to the salt should have no effect.”

Lena's arms were crossed, her eyes wide. “I want to try.”

Dani's grin widened. “I knew you'd be intrigued, Supreme.” She gestured forward.

Lena took a deep breath, tossing her orange braid over her shoulder as she dismounted her horse. She grasped a pouch of salt from Dani.

“Do you remember the words?” Dani asked.

Lena snorted. “No.”

“Averte sonum intra hunc circulum. ”

Lena took in a sharp breath. “Averte sonum intra…honkfer…”

Dani shook her head. “Hunc circulum,” she corrected.

“Averte sonum intra hunc circulum. Averte sonum intra hunc circulum.” Lena grasped a handful of the salt in her hand, bracing herself to perform the spell.

“Like I said, this is a form of illusion magic,” Dani spoke. “Release it. Infuse the salt with it.”

Lena kept repeating the spell, over and over, as she dropped the salt. Dancing down her fingertips was a purple, sparkly glow.

“Averte sonum intra hunc circulum. Averte sonum intra hunc circulum. Averte sonum intra hunc circulum.”

Lena stopped once the circle was complete. She turned her head toward us and mouthed, “Can you hear me?”

We heard nothing.

“By the Gods,” Viola breathed. “I cannot believe this.”

“Now for the true test,” Dani said as she stepped up to Lena, dragging her white boots through the salt. “Speak again, Lena.”

Every one of our eyes was wide, waiting in anticipation.

Lena went to speak.

Once again, no sound came out.

“Holy shit…” I mumbled. The Otacian's jaws were on the floor.

Dani threw her arms up. “Hell yeah, bitches!” Her excited eyes danced around us all. “Once Lena—or any one of you, I suppose—grasps higher-level illusion spells, we'll be able to conjure an illusion ring around our camp at night, so no one will be able to hear or see us while we sleep.”

Edmund damn near started dancing. “Oh, thank the Gods! Sleeping on the road is especially horrifying…what with all the Undead.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Wait, you don't know how to?”

Dani shook her head, crossing her arms and pushing out her hip. “It's not that I don't know the spell. I'm just not powerful enough to do it on my own. I'd need at least seven Warlocks performing the incantation with me.” She looked at Lena, who was still in the soundproof ring. “I think if you Mages did it together, though, we might stand a chance of it working. But I’m not sure how draining it will be for you. This spell was on the easier side. I wouldn't expect it to go as smoothly when we try something more advanced.”

Edmund slowly nodded, and Dani turned to our Supreme. “Alright, Lena. To cancel the spell, you must say Aversa Pars. Just once, focusing your magic back into the salt.”

Lena blinked, then did just that, the violet glow drifting from her fingertips. We couldn't hear her as she spoke the words, but as the magic vanished from her hand, she tilted her head up to us. “Did it work?”

“Wow…” Hendry whispered. “Yeah, it worked.”

“So, wait,” Era began, shaking her head. “You couldn't do this type of magic before? I'm confused.”

I answered for Lena. “We can create illusion elixirs—potions with our magic. We utilize certain properties in various herbs when we make them. I suppose that is our magical binder.”

“My mother was able to conjure up false bodies. That was done with no binder.” Her guilty eyes slid to Silas, only for a moment. “We can conjure familiars, though that, too, takes a significant amount of magic. This—” She motioned to the salt ring. “This felt like nothing. ”

“Don't you see?” Dani began. “This has been the missing piece for Mages for centuries. The other half of your power.” Her eyes fell to the tome, then back to us all. “This book's title has been glamoured by a powerful being to hide the title. Potestas Verae Maleficis. The Power of a True Witch.”