“Well, fuck. Guess she saw me summoning you all,” I say, trying to lighten the mood a bit.
“Why didn’t you ever tell me any of that, Kil?” Dax asks.
“Because I didn’t think it was important. I thought Suzanna was bat-shit crazy just like Octavia. Honestly, I forgot about all of this, even Suzanna, until I saw her photo. Then the memories came pouring back.” Killian shrugs his words off his shoulders.
“What are you looking at, Adonis? You can’t read the old language,” Amelia states, changing the subject from Suzanna to the delicate piece of paper.
“Yeah, no shit. Dani found it in Octavia’s little hut,” he says casually.
“Woah, I’m sorry, what? Why the fuck were you there?” Killian chimes in.
I wave off his worry. “We were…”
“Playing,” Adonis says with a big grin. He fingers his onyx hair.
Killian and Dax smile at me.
“Ew. Y’all are nasty as hell,” Jules jokes.
“Okay, any-fucking-ways. I was hiding and came across the little shit hole and decided to hide inside. There was a little closet, and that’s where I found that piece of paper.”
“Let me see,” Killian says as he takes the paper from Adonis and eyes it over. Once he realizes he can’t read the old language, he hands it to Dax, knowing he can’t read it either, but he’s equally curious.
Amelia sits on the opposite side of the couch, legs crossed, picking at her long hot-pink manicured fingernails. She looks like she wants to say something.
“I don’t know what the fuck it says. We can’t read this shit. What do you think it is?” Dax asks anyone.
“Let me see it,” Jules says.“Oh, right. Because you’ll be able to read this language. Silly human.” Jules flicks Dax off playfully, and he sticks his tongue out at her. “You can’t read it either, dipshit,” Jules continues their playful banter.
Adonis takes the paper back from Jules’ hands. “Dani has tried the spell multiple times with the necklace, and nothing. And now we have what seems like a spell in a different language that none of us can fucking read!” Adonis’ frustration is evident, and everyone stays quiet.
Amelia clears her throat. “I can.”
We all silently look over at her.
“What?” Amelia sits, smiling innocently. She shrugs her shoulders. “I’m a celestial being. Of course, I can read the old language!” She remarks.
“You could have spoken up sooner,” Dax says while standing with his arms crossed.“Sometimes it’s fun watching your heads spin. I like being the only one who knows something. It keeps things fun around here.” Amelia stands up, walks over to me and Adonis, and holds out her hand. Adonis gives her the paper.
Amelia examines it, running her fingers over the fabric, reading the front, and checking the back even though it’s blank.
“Yup. It’s a spell…” Amelia stops, and her eyes go wide. “Holy smokes! ‘in ruby’s heart, a spirits plight’…” She pauses again. We all sit quietly, watching her. “Oh my gods… ‘from this gem, let love flee’… YOU GUYS! This is the spell for Adonis’ necklace! Not the one you’ve been reading! Octavia clearly wanted this hidden.”
“What?” I ask, feeling a bit confused.
“The spell you’ve been reading, the reason it hasn’t been working is because it’s not the right one. Maybe a fake? But this, this is definitely the right spell!”
“Well, that makes perfect sense then on why you’ve been unsuccessful,” Killian says to me.
“However, it’s not as simple as just reciting it. There are instructions on how to read this spell, but it’s faded. I can make out the majority of it, though.”
“Okay. What does it say?” I ask her.
“Basically, this is for you to read, Dani, you are their mate. When you are most vulnerable, you must shed your blood, but it’s important that you have all of your mate’s blood streaming through your system. You have to make a sacrifice. There is a sentence I can’t fully read, it’s faded too much. But I can make out the word ‘fire’, but unfortunately, that’s it. I don’t think you should mess with this, Dani. None of you should.” Amelia looks around the room at my mates and then back to me. She runs her fingers over the spell again. “This is dark magic. You were right before, Adonis… If Dani does this spell to free your soul from the necklace and break the curse… I’m afraid the sacrifice is your life, Dani. A life for a life. Magic always comes with a price.”
“Well, she sure as shit isn’t reading it then. Ever!” Adonis’ voice bellows as he takes it back from Amelia and tucks it in his pocket.
“Hey! That’s for me to decide!” I whine.
