Spring Rain (The Witchling #4)(25)

It makes sense. Beck still hesitated to agree, leery of placing a Dark student with Morgan and also concerned about Noah’s loyalties.

“I’m on board,” Decker said, studying Summer. “I can track him, too.”

“Okay,” Beck relented, aware they currently had no way to track a witchling caught in between Light and Dark like Morgan. “Do you think Mom or Sam knows more about the stone than we do already?”

“I don’t think Sam knows much. I cornered him after the mess in December. He told me what he said he told you. He also said he didn’t think there was a way to destroy it.”

“It’s not right that she’s stuck with it. If not destroy, what about contain with a binding spell?”

Decker shrugged. “It takes a fire witchling. For some reason, her family was chosen, like ours was. There’s likely a reason for it. I don’t know if we should mess with that.”

But we have to. Beck rubbed the rough hair of his goatee. “And … we need to find Dawn. She’s not going to stop until she has that stone. I think we should reconsider how we can use it to trap Bartholomew.”

“Oh, now it’s a good idea?” Decker shot back. “When I wanted to try it, you were neck-deep in self-pity. But you’ll do it for Morgan. Interesting.”

I had that coming. Beck rolled his eyes at his brother.

Summer smiled at him in encouragement. Decker’s arms were around her, and she was leaning comfortably against him. “He still loves you, Beck.”

“Thanks.” He snorted.

“She’s shielding herself and others. Maybe Mom has a trick to find her,” Decker continued. “Or … maybe I can still communicate with Bartholomew.”

“I feel like we’re half-assing everything,” Beck growled.

“We’re doing what we know to do,” Decker responded with rare calmness Beck attributed to Summer’s touch subduing his shadows and emotions. “We don’t understand the stone well enough to know how to contain it or why exactly Bartholomew wants it found and in Dawn’s hands.”

“Is it something you can tolerate?” Summer asked him. “To study if nothing else?”

“It’s strong,” Decker said, considering. “I’d have to touch it. Between the former Masters of Dark and Mom, I should be able to figure out something.”

“And I’ll talk to Sam and anyone else who can help us understand,” Beck said. “This sounds more like a plan.”

Decker leaned past Summer, sensing something or someone Beck couldn’t. “Let me get Noah before he leaves.” He rose and strode down the hallway, oblivious to the humans who scampered out of his way. The Master of Fire and Night drove people away while Beck’s gentler magick and open smile pulled people to him.

Summer watched him. “Are you really okay with this?” she asked Beck when Decker disappeared around the corner.

Beck dwelt briefly on his emotions and the enormous task before them. “I don’t know about okay,” he admitted. “I’m not freaking out like I thought I would and I’m also not … angry. I thought I’d be more furious. Instead, I’m relieved.”

“That’s good. You need a clear head.”

“You’re too smart.” He wrapped an arm around her neck and gave her a gentle noogie. “I see how you boss Decker around now.”

“It’s not bossing!” Summer laughed and pushed him away. “And I’m not smart. I’m just not an emotional mess like you and your brother.”

“It’s usually his state of mind not mine. Something’s up, though, Summer. You’ve been prickly for a while.”

“Just struggling with my place in the world, I guess,” she murmured. “I want to be more than Decker’s counterbalance. It’s amazing, but I want to be me, too.”

“That’s understandable. Have you talked to him about it?”

“Not yet.” Her gaze lingered in the direction Decker had gone. “I, um, have a knack for art. I painted this watercolor but …”

“You’re afraid to show him?”

She nodded. “It’s of him. He kind of has a bit of self-hatred left, and my skill can’t handle too much criticism yet. I’m still learning.”

Beck smiled. “Show him, Summer. Decker will never, ever do anything to harm you. He might be overly honest about it, but he’ll support you.”

“Yeah. Good advice. I’ll think about how to tell him I want to carve out my own thing.” Her gaze sharpened and rested on him. “Speaking of honesty … you’ve been a mess for a while, Beck. Morgan needs you not to be, though, and so does the Light. So you have to fix it,” she said wisely, gazing up at him. “You have to bring her home somehow. You need your counterbalance, and she needs you. What she’s going through is torture.”

“Yeah,” he agreed thoughtfully. “I know. I’m just not sure how to make things better with the soul stone in the mix.” It was more of an instinct than a choice, one that assured him both that Morgan was meant to be his and that if something happened to her, he would never regain any sort of peace of mind.

“Oh, and make sure nothing happens to Noah. Biji won’t admit it, but she likes him,” Summer added.