Page 5 of Death Card

Gramps turns his back on the niches and extends his hands toward us. “Quickly, let’s shore up the defenses before Roberta calls, breathing down my neck.”

The three of us hold hands, standing in a loose circle. One by one, we close our eyes to heighten our other senses. I reach out to touch their auras, reassuring myself with their presence. When I reach out further, I feel the low thrum of the wards we placed six months ago—magical spells to protect this place from evil intentions.

I clear every other thought from my head, focusing on the task at hand. Orion and Gramps squeeze my hands in a rhythmic fashion as we each pour our magic into the structure of the building. In a sense, these protective wards are more for our benefit than Gran’s and our parents’. Their ashes may rest here, but their souls are elsewhere.

But this is no different from any other ritual society performs for the dead. It’s more for the comfort of the ones left behind than anything.

There’s a brief burst of light behind my eyelids as the shape of the wards flashes. When it disappears, there’s only darkness once more. It’s done. The steady vibration beneath my feet isstrong. We won’t have to renew the wards again until the end of the year.

A sigh escapes my lips, and I open my eyes to meet Gramps’s and Orion’s gazes. I’m struck by how haggard they both look. The mask has fully slipped, and our collective grief is on display for the entire world to see.

Once we break the circle, Orion slumps against the opposite wall and buries his face in his hands. I have the urge to do the same, but I remain upright under Gramps’s watchful stare.

Between saving Marian’s life last night and reaffirming the wards today, I’ve stretched my magic thin. I say as much to Gramps, who narrows his eyes and glances at Orion.

“Where were you last night?” he asks.

Orion slips his glasses back over his eyes and crosses his arms. “I was…out.” He looks between me and Gramps. “Why? What happened?”

“We could’ve used your help,” Gramps scolds. “We were visited by an evil I’ve never seen before.”

“That explains nothing,” Orion quips. “I’m still lost.”

I roll my eyes and quickly fill him in. Orion’s mouth drops open when I reach the part about Marian’s magic disappearing.

“I don’t understand,” he says. “It’s not possible to lose magic. It’s a piece of your soul. Right?” He looks at Gramps. “It’s for life. That’s what you and Gran have always said.”

Gramps remains silent. His eyes are focused on a point in the distance.

“That’s how I’ve always understood it,” I add.

Theresa and her daughter disappeared into the night shortlyafter everything was said and done. Gramps tried to call her this morning before we left, but it went straight to voicemail.

When Gramps speaks, his voice is low. Orion and I both lean forward to hear. “Something foul is in the wind. Can you feel it?”

Orion shakes his head at the same time as I nod.

“Suck-up,” he mutters.

“Pay attention for once,” I retort.

“Kids,” Gramps snaps. “Stay focused. Whatever this is, we don’t know how it works or its source. So, you need to be vigilant. Both of you.”

“How are we supposed to do that when we don’t know anything about it?” I ask.

He rests his hand on the smooth stone of the wall. “Just keep your eyes open and your mind clear.”

I don’t like this. Gramps is supposed to know everything. That’s the way it’s been our entire lives.

Orion crosses his arms. “Maybe it’s a one-off thing.”

My brother, ever the optimist.

“Listen, I don’t want a word of any of this to make it back to the coven and the Witch’s Council. Do you hear me?” Gramps takes a moment to stare into both of our eyes. His expression is deadly serious. “I’ll tell them once we know more about what we’re dealing with, but I don’t want to give them any reason to worry.”

A tingling sensation runs down my arms, leaving goose bumps in its wake. “But doesn’t this seem like the sort of thing they should know about?”

“It’s politics, Mikaela. Let me handle it.”