Spring Rain (The Witchling #4)(3)

“I imagine it’d be much harder since he has no human form this time around. How do you lure a soul out of the body it’s possessing without destroying the vessel?” Beck replied. He, too, had given this and every other scenario he could come up with some thought and returned to the conclusion that nothing was going to work that wouldn’t involve putting his daughter in danger.

“That part I haven’t figured out. But … do you think it’s worth talking to Sam about?”

“I don’t think it matters since the soul stone is gone,” Beck replied. “Is that why you came by? To tell me they hadn’t found anything?”

“No. Dad was worried and wants you involved in the family event for the equinox.”

“I’m not in any shape to deal with people.”

“I see.” Decker motioned to Beck’s scruffy features. “You can sleep in a real bed and eat hot food. Grandpa has cookies.”

The moment he said it, Beck’s stomach growled.

“That’s what I thought,” Decker said with a trace of a smile. “Come, Beck. Please. At least for a couple of days.”

Beck debated. He’d been hiding in the forest since he lost Morgan under the guise of helping the Light. In truth, he didn’t feel any more ready to face the world than he had that agonizing day in December when he saw the SUV she was in sink to the bottom of the lake.

He had found his counterbalance, the witchling that was supposed to help him with the Light, then lost her immediately.

“When is it?” he asked.

“Two days. You can hide out in your room. You need a break, Beck, and a shower.”

Beck smiled. “All right.”

“Your phone on?”

Beck stretched for the phone he had tucked in a box. “No. It’s the first day of sunlight in two weeks. The solar charger is outside.” He motioned to the doorway. “Phone will be charged in a few hours.”

“I’ll tell Dad.” Decker stood. He seemed ready to say something else and changed his mind, leaving without another word.

Beck watched him go. He didn’t want to ponder on what Decker had said about the fact no other bodies had been recovered from the lake. There was a part of him that didn’t think he could ever handle knowing Morgan was truly dead. It was easier for him, at least for now, to live without closure and the slim, crazy hope that maybe, by some miracle like the one that saved Summer, Morgan was still alive.

However stupid it was to think so.

If she is alive, she wants nothing to do with me. Their last interaction almost killed him through no fault of hers when he touched the soul stone. Only a Fire witchling could touch it safely. Morgan had saved his life.

Then died alone, scared, tortured by Dawn and believing he hated her.

She deserved so much better. Her death was yet another of his failings.





Chapter Two





Morgan squeezed the soul stone in her pocket, automatically directing more of her Fire magick to counter the rock that was too cold for a normal human or witchling to touch. Her phone vibrated on the tabletop beside her, and she glanced at it. The warm, fragrant air of a café, combined with the gentle murmur of its patrons and the sound of espresso drinks being created, made her feel almost normal.

He can’t take this much longer, read the text.

Almost. Normal.

Any fragile fragment of peace she managed to eek out of her tedious day vanished. Morgan set down her drink and picked up the cell she’d been given several months before by the same person who texted her.

Decker held the magick of three elements, and in that moment, she could see the impatient Fire element dominating him. She’d stopped using the credit card he gave her but not the phone, because …

Because some part of her wanted to be found by the guy she’d left behind. She’d even saved his contact in the phone Decker gave her. It used to belong to Summer, and Morgan had deleted everyone’s contact information except for Decker’s and Beck’s. She had renamed Beck’s, though, because seeing his name made her hurt too much.

Whatever was between them was too strong to be natural. She’d come to this conclusion late one night about four weeks ago, after she’d spent her tears and lay waiting for sleep to claim her.

She still missed Beck, and it didn’t make sense that she should after three months of not seeing him. She had barely gotten to know him, having spent only a few precious moments with him and yet, couldn’t let him go like she wanted to so she could move on. If she were someone else, if her situation was different... If she was different and not charged with safeguarding a tool of evil, one that could kill the Master of Light …

No matter how bad things were, she wasn’t able to escape the sense of belonging, the sad instinct that begged her to return to the Master of Light who somehow branded her soul.

Morgan typed the response she always gave Decker. You know this is the right thing to do. Pressing send, she did her best to convince herself it was true.

He responded immediately. You’re Beck’s counterbalance, like it or not. Why aren’t you trying to help us with the Light? He had typed.

“If we ever meet again, Decker, I’ll do more than set your shoes on fire,” Morgan muttered under her breath.

She didn’t understand fully what a counterbalance was supposed to do and why he assumed she was one. True, she couldn’t explain the bond with Beck that wasn’t growing weaker the way it should be if they had a normal relationship.