Timespell (12 page)

She shook her head, furious with Ethan for coming here to ruin her prom. Did he have some protecting to do that required barging in on her romantic moment with Brian?

“What’s the matter?”

“I’m sorry,” she said, her throat burning. “I have too much on my mind right now.”

“Why don’t you tell me what it is?”

Maybe that was the problem. She had to keep such a huge part of her life secret from him. How could her heart stand a chance at falling in love?

“I’m sorry,” she repeated, sliding out of his arms. “I just need a few minutes.” She needed to get away. Just be far away from him. Ethan might show up at any moment. She wanted to find Ethan first and give him a piece of her mind.

As soon as she walked into the ballroom, Angie’s gaze shot over at her.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, but Julia kept up her ruthless stride. “Wait,” Angie called.

Julia ignored her, pushing past the bodies in the darkened hall, the music throbbing with a loud bass.
Just dance, just dance.

“Julia, stop!” Angie called.

Yes, stop. She needed the world to stop. Relief flooded her. She would freeze time and make everything stop. She let Angie catch up, then grabbed her friend’s hands, but the magic didn’t form strongly enough between them. The mark on her arm warmed only enough to let her connect with Angie’s thoughts, nothing more.

“What’s wrong with me?” Julia asked. She had gotten so good at freezing time that it hardly took any concentration at all.

“It’s not only the two of us anymore, remember?”

Her gaze flew to the doors that led out to the deck, where Kaitlyn and her friends stood gossiping. There was no more magic without Kaitlyn. At midnight, even that much would be gone.

“Tell me what happened,” Angie demanded.

Brian stepped in from across the ballroom. Julia couldn’t believe how blazing hot her face became. He hadn’t seen her, and it was better that way. She needed to get to Ethan before he barged into the ballroom looking for her. “I’ll be back in a few.”

Without looking back, she ran out of the room and into the ship’s passageways.

Julia
didn’t know whether she was running from Brian or toward Ethan. Maybe it was both. She couldn’t get her head straight, and slowed to a stop in the dim corridor.

Yellowed wall sconces struggled to give light. The flowery carpet and glossy wood walls seemed to go on forever.

How far had she gone?

Did it matter? She wanted as much space between her and the ballroom as she could get before Ethan found her. She had no doubt that his protector antennae would send him her way.

The mark on her arm grew warm and she rubbed it. That must be him. Should she try to find him and get this inevitable meeting over with? It wasn’t as if she could wait in this spot forever.

She pushed herself off the wall, wondering which way to go. The long hallway stretched like a mirror image in either direction. She shivered, deciding to go left. This whole ship reminded her a little too much of the
Titanic.
Her stomach tightened as she headed toward one of the openings that might be stairs or might
be a lounge.
Or might be where some eighteenth century ghost waits for stupid girls who wander ships alone.

She glanced behind her as she gnawed on her lip, unable to help the tremor of fear in her chest. Everything she had ever heard about the steamship
Queen Mary
raced through her mind; that it was bigger and faster than the
Titanic
had been, that it had crossed the Atlantic over a thousand times before retiring ... that almost seventy people died onboard. Wasn’t this ship supposed to be haunted?
Where is the ballroom? I want to go back!

A figure appeared at the end of the corridor. She tripped backward, banging her head against the wall.

He stepped into the gloomy yellow light and she exhaled in relief. It was only Ethan. His eyes remained darkened by shadows, a mess of black hair falling into them.

She swallowed beneath the intensity of his stare as he moved closer. What was up with him and invading her personal space? She reached for her wrap and found only bare skin. Her wrap was back in the ballroom with Brian. “Why are you here? Do I need protecting at prom?”

He leaned back. His eyes drifted over her face, soft for a moment. “You really don’t know me?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” She fidgeted beneath his gaze. They had seen each other once at Indira’s tent and once at the park. What more did he expect her to know?

He took her hand and brought it to his chest, and she sucked in a sharp breath. “You don’t feel me at all? Here?”

She could feel his heart beating against her hand.

“Because I feel you. Every second of every day.” He brought his face close to hers. She closed her eyes, inhaling the scent of him ... salty, like he had just come from the beach, along with something else. Something that made her fill her lungs and lean into him. Wild, intimate thoughts raced through her mind, shocking her. She could take hold of his face and kiss him like crazy. They were alone here in this corridor. No one would ever know.

He looked down at her hand, turning it palm down. He brushed his thumb across the skin on the back of her hand, his gaze flicking up, appearing almost confused. “Find the other Daughters,” he said, letting go of her hand. “Go to Indira. That’s what I came here to tell you. You only have until midnight to be sealed to one another, remember?”

She let out a long breath. “Don’t you think I know that? We’re not going to go through with it. Tell Indira we decided—”

“What?” he roared.

Julia jumped as his voice boomed down the hallway.

“You’re going back to being normal, while I’m stuck as a Wanderer for the rest of my life?”

“Wow! Chill out!”

“Yeah, easy for you to say. After today you won’t be stuck, alone, in some game of fate.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Find Indira,” he said. His eyes shifted back and forth, and Julia struggled to understand the pain she saw in them. “There’s a lot you still don’t understand.”

“Explain, then,” Julia began. “No, never mind. We’re done with the magic. We’re letting it fade.” That was what she and Angie had decided. That was for the best. And the sooner she got rid of the magic, the sooner she could get this jerk out of her life.

His face became ashen. He took her hands again. “Don’t do this. Please, you don’t understand.”

“No. I don’t. Because you don’t tell me jack.”

His fingers interlaced with hers.
“Please.”

Ice wrapped around her ribcage. Her eyes fluttered shut as her mind became crowded with images. She saw him, but it had to be a different person. In her mind he smiled—a shy flash of white teeth. His eyes were dark brown instead of silver, and they were lit up with the sweetest look in them as he watched her. His face was relaxed, his shoulders at ease, as they walked down the beach together. She shook her head back and forth against the sight.

The image melted into another, Ethan chasing her down to the shore, catching up with her in the waves. They kissed.

Her eyes flew open and she took back her hands. What
was
that? The future?

He shut his eyes. When he opened them he lifted his hand to her face, catching one of her curls. “Please don’t let the magic fade.”

She didn’t want to let it fade. Not really. All the magic she had learned, and the things she had never even tried ... They were letting Kaitlyn rob them. Why shouldn’t Angie get to fulfill her destiny? Why shouldn’t they get to keep the magic?

“How?” she whispered. “How can we get to Indira in time?”

“You’re the Daughter of Present.” His eyes searched hers. “Use your power. Journey there.”

She shook her head. “I’ve never been able to do that one.”

He came close again, this time without the edge of anger. “You can do it. You’re more powerful than you think.”

He stepped into her personal space like he was used to it, the most natural thing in the world, but she felt the heat from his nearness. She couldn’t slow her hammering heart. A tilt of her head would make their lips meet, and the very thought sent her gaze to his mouth.

His hand lifted, hovering a moment beside her face before grazing her cheek. Her heart misfired. She struggled not to lean toward him.

“It’s not supposed to be tonight,” he whispered, but his palm slid down, cupping her chin.

Tonight ... yes, tonight.

“Julia!” a girl called. “Where are you?”

Angie.

Of course she would come after her.

Ethan took her in his arms and whispered close against her ear, “Find Indira. Please, Jules, please don’t leave me alone.”

“Where are you?” Angie called, louder this time.

Ethan pressed his lips to her neck. She shuddered. He took one of her curls, sliding it between his fingers as he let her go.

Her breath hitched. He turned and raced down the opposite end of the hall without a backward glance.

A moment later, Angie appeared. “Thank goodness. What are you doing?”

Her whole face went hot. A sick wave of scum bagginess overwhelmed her as she thought of Brian. “The Fates. Everything has my head messed up. I needed some time.”

“The magic didn’t turn out like we thought,” Angie said, her eyes dropping. She looked younger than usual in her pale pink gown and half-up hairstyle. Glitter trailed along the edges of her cheeks and shimmered in the pale light. “I think this is the right thing. We can’t seal ourselves to Kaitlyn, we just can’t.”

Julia didn’t answer. Angie slipped her satin-gloved arm around Julia’s bare one. Even through the fabric, their connection formed. Julia bit her lip. If she had Kaitlyn’s magic, she would be able to try to Journey them.

As soon as they reached the ballroom, Julia scanned the crowd.

“Where the hell have you two been?” a voice demanded.

Angie’s pale brows came together. She drew back. “It’s Kaitlyn. Let’s go.”

“Tonight’s the last night to be sealed,” Kaitlyn said. “There is no way I’m giving up the magic.”

Julia’s breath came faster. Ethan said she could Journey them anywhere she wanted to go. It would mean forcing the use of her power. Angie still held Julia by the arm. All she needed was Kaitlyn to come a little bit closer.

“You may as well know,” Angie said, her voice soft. “We’re not going through with it.”

Kaitlyn’s green eyes flashed. She closed the space between them.

The moment she was within reach, Julia grabbed her arm.

The magic flared to life between the three of them, strong and
sweet, waiting for one of them to harness it. She only had a few seconds before Angie realized what she was doing. She drew in the magic as quickly as she could. As the power built, strange emotions filled her ... love, pain, and an envy so strong her heart beat faster because of it. Kaitlyn? Jealous of whom? Julia squeezed her eyes shut. She couldn’t be distracted by their emotions. She already sensed Angie’s confusion probing her mind.

“Indira,” she whispered, visualizing the beach, the tent, the candles and cushions and crystals gleaming on an aged wooden table. And then she released.

The
world sped past her. Angie sucked in her breath, but before she could scream, she and the other girls crashed into Indira’s tent, knocking over crystals and talismans as they tumbled into the crowded space.

“Welcome, Daughters.”

Angie’s gaze darted around the room. She found Julia, who parted the hair across her face and looked around.

Julia had forced her power.

She smoothed her expression, though she couldn’t bring herself to look at Julia again. How
could
she? They had decided against sealing with Kaitlyn. Yet here she was, facing Indira and Kaitlyn, and it was all too much. She had to get out. She couldn’t do this.

Indira approached, her dark eye appraising them. Angie began to feel the weight of this moment. All three Daughters, finally together. Was she wrong to stop this from happening?
Tap-tap-tap.
Each of Angie’s fingers repeated its turn on the chiffon of her dress. She usually tried to hide the nervous habit, but she couldn’t
stop herself. She needed to leave. She needed to go home and put on happy show tunes and draw pictures of butterflies and fairies and fields of flowers.

Indira motioned toward the satin cushions in front of her. “When you are ready, place your hands upon the symbols that match the marks on your arms.”

Kaitlyn and Julia sat down. Indira watched her, waiting for her to take her place on her cushion beside the other girls.

Angie gripped the soft fabric of her gown. She shook her head, feeling her hair swish back and forth on her bare back.

“Evangeline?”

“I’m sorry, Indira,” she said, her voice sounding small. “I won’t be sealed.”

A wave crashed in the distance, the only sound for a full two seconds. Julia glanced back, her brown eyes soft as they met Angie’s for a brief moment. Angie blinked past the sting in her eyes. Why hadn’t Julia told her she wanted to do this? Why had she tricked her?

“The Fates have chosen, Evangeline, but as always, the decision is for each of you to make.”

“I choose the magic,” Kaitlyn said. “I want to be sealed. What do we have to do?”

“Wait,” Julia said, “I brought us here because I don’t want us to let the magic fade without getting more answers. I’m not a hundred percent sure it’s what I want, either.”

“Don’t tell me you don’t want the magic. I
felt
how much you want it, and I also felt—”

“Shut it,” Julia said, her chest heaving. “You’re making this decision really impossible, you know that?”

“Daughter of Present, be still.” Indira waved a hand through the air and flames flickered to life on a circle of candles. “You Journeyed your sisters to this place using new magic. Your power has grown.”

“Yeah, that was hardcore,” Kaitlyn said. “Do we all get more than one power?”