Blood and Kisses(37)

Thalia stepped up, resolute. She could do this. She had to do this. Covering the remaining button with her hands, she took a deep breath, letting her eyes half-close. “Metamorphose.”

Blue light seeped through her closed fingers, and she withdrew her hands with a flourish, revealing an amethyst even larger than the original button. Thalia checked the councils’ reactions. There were some raised eyebrows and shared glances, but she knew from the earlier tests that this contest would not be decided until the final object.

Heath practically shoved her aside as he returned to the altar and obscured one of the black combs with his sturdy hands. “Metamorphose.” He whipped his hands away, uncovering a large painted Fabergé egg with extensive gold leaf and a scene inside.

Mina cradled the delicate object in her hands and passed it around the murmuring circle. Each council member studied it with approval. Heath directed a smile of triumph at her. Thalia clenched her fists. God, she’d like to punch him in his big fat nose.

Throwing every shred of intention into the universe, she took her place, hiding the plastic comb from view beneath her fingers. “Metamorphose,” she bit out through gritted teeth, stepping back before the blue light of her power faded away, unveiling a tiny carousel with the last remnants of her magic twinkling around it.

She reached down and pressed a tiny hidden lever with her fingernail. The miniature carousel began to turn, sending the elaborately decorated horses and fantastic animals plunging and rearing in a choreographed dance around the carousel while a sprightly tune played.

Thalia smiled sweetly at Heath as Mina showed the petite merry-go-round to each person in the audience.

“Charming,” a young blond woman whispered to her look-alike neighbor who sniffed haughtily in response.

Without waiting for Mina to finish, Heath strode up to the sideboard and thrust his hands over one of the gray pebbles. Sweat trickled down the side of his face, leaving wet streaks in its wake. “Metamorphose,” he said.

He ripped his hands away, holding them high in the air like a prizefighter after winning a fight. What had been a smooth round stone was now a tiny gray mouse, perfect in every detail from its miniature whiskers and toenails to its translucent, shell pink ears. It squeaked. Its diminutive nose wiggled as it smelled the air and scampered behind one of the carved wooden candlesticks for cover. Mina picked it up and showed it to the council. They nodded and smiled.

“Thalia,” she said as she set the mouse in a small acrylic cage held by one of her assistants. “The ball is in your court.”

Thalia folded her hands under her chin and closed her eyes, thinking of what to do and summoning her strength. Her muscles tensed. If she won this, she would win the ritual.

She placed her cupped hands over the stone, shoulders rigid with concentration, and whispered, “Metamorphose.” Blue light reflected on her hands, and when she removed them, a small, gray kitten with huge blue eyes gazed up at them. The kitten was passed around, ending up in the arms of the young blond councilwoman who’d admired the carousel.

For a third time the council members stood to deliberate. Their discussion was heated. Heath was showing hints of wear. He sat on one of the mats for a moment. Thalia took stock once more. In the past, if she’d expended this much magic she would have needed a couple days to recover, but somehow she only felt a little tired. She locked her hands behind her back and waited impassively for the verdict.

Finally Mina turned. “It’s a tie. The personal power spell will decide the competition.”

Heath grinned. The bastard thought he’d already won.

Thalia nodded coolly, maybe he had—or maybe not. She’d done far more than she’d thought she could.

She peeked over at Gideon and Spirit. They were speaking quietly, about her odds she supposed. She filled her lungs and released a calming sigh. She had to admit they weren’t good, but she wasn’t out yet.

When intermission was over, they began the final test.

Thalia took a seat on one of the fiber mats. Heath would go first as before.

Heath went to the altar. He took a small piece of paper from Mina and began to read from it. As he spoke each line, he burned a pinch of herbs in the candle’s flame. Strands of yellow light hung in the air around him, weaving about each other like a web.

On the last line, he opened the first birdcage. The finches flew around the room for a moment, then out the partially opened window. Thalia felt a force push her backward off her mat. At the same time, the other council members slid back off their mats.

Thalia tried to swallow the hard lump in her throat, but her mouth was too dry. Could she muster enough personal power to blow the council that far?

They stood, and reseated themselves, exchanging meaningful glances yet again.

“Thank you, Heath.” Mina’s words were clearly a dismissal.

He bowed and went to his seat, the line of his back straight and proud, obviously pleased with his performance.

It was her turn. Her final chance to prove she belonged as Champion.

As she took the small piece of paper from Mina, Thalia became hyper conscious of everything around her. Her light robe seemed to bite her skin, the breathing of the witnesses seemed too loud, and she couldn’t seem to get enough air.

Licking her lips, she began to read, sprinkling herbs over the flame. “Reveal the secret hidden from my heart, the magic energy that flows into my art.” With each word something grew inside her, it tingled from the soles of her feet, consuming her in a field of pure electricity. The light of her magic slowly filled the air, tinting everything in the room blue. The ribbons of energy plaited together into a tangled skein. The herbs crackled as she crumbled them into the candle’s fiery heart. “Like this charm of finches from their cage, release the storm of power to be gauged.”

At her last word, she threw open the second cage.

The finches flew in a circle around the room, their tiny wings fluttering overhead, then out the half-open window.

As they disappeared, the charge of power that had built inside her became a rush of wind that seemed to emanate from every inch of her body. It blew out the candles and catapulted the observers back against the walls like debris carried on a storm surge.

Thalia shook with the force of the release, and sank to the rug, drained. Clearly stunned, the witches and mages of the council got slowly to their feet, rubbing heads, shoulders, and backs.

An older mage helped Mina to her feet. Heath bore a shocked look on his broad face. The room was silent for a moment and then the young witch with the kitten on her shoulder began to clap. One by one the others joined in.

Regaining her feet, Thalia smiled politely at the council, but inside she shouted and pumped her fist. She‘d done it! She’d defeated Heath. She was still the Champion.

Thalia held her head high. She’d proven herself worthy. No one could question her ability to serve as the Champion now. She turned to Mina. “Are you satisfied?”

Mina smiled back. “More than satisfied, my dear.” Her brown eyes danced.

Thalia tilted her head. “You knew this would happen?”

Mina put her arm around Thalia’s shoulders and led her to a secluded corner. “I had a suspicion. Your mother always said she thought you had an enormous talent, but something was holding you back. Fear? Lack of confidence?” Mina shrugged. “She didn’t know. But whatever it was, you seem to have conquered it.”

“This whole thing—” Thalia waved a hand toward the altar, and the crowd of councilmen and women who spoke excitedly amongst themselves.

Mina’s expression grew serious. “Was a ploy to bring you to a place where you could discover your real talent, at least on my part.” She glanced over her shoulder. “Don’t tell Heath. He had ambitions.” She grinned, patted Thalia on the shoulder and, with a stately whisper of nylon hose and linen pleats, moved to intercept the nearest clump of people.

Thalia went to Gideon.

“That was quite a show.” The harsh lines of his face made it difficult to guess his thoughts. “Is that how it’s supposed to work?”

“Typically the observer feels a small push.”

Gideon nodded and took her arm. “I think we should get going.”

Deflated by Gideon’s lack of reaction, Thalia followed him up the narrow stairs, the weight of everything that had happened pressing down on her.

This night was far from over.





Chapter 21



The summer solstice. Akos hated the shortness of the night, but it signaled the turning point of the year. Now the hours of sunlight would diminish and the hours of darkness would flourish, a fitting night for Inanna’s prophecy to come true.

Inanna. She’d been the perfect pawn. She’d thought she was the one in control, the immortal vampiress, and she’d certainly been exciting, but his agenda had had nothing to do with love or even sex.

He’d sought her out because of what she was, and when he had arranged for her and Gideon to meet, his two goals had collided.