Chapter Fifteen

“What are you going to do about an evil witch that no one has been able to stop in one hundred years?” I threw my hands up.

“Ugh, you sound like my parents.” Tamsin groaned.

“It’s not my birthday,” Devon declared. He looked up at our silence and noticed our stares. “For the database. The password. Not my—uh, sorry, what did I miss?”

“Tamsin’s going to stop the witch,” I said and he perked up in his seat.

“Cool,” he said. “How?”

“Yeah, Tamsin. How?” After the story she’d told, it sounded pretty freaking impossible.

“I created a new spell,” she said, a huge grin splitting her face.

“You can do that?” Grandma had only ever taught me how to use our magic. I had no idea you could do other things. Or maybe we couldn’t. Maybe it was only Tamsin and her family.

I hated this. There were so many things I still didn’t know.

“Absolutely, but this is even cooler than you think.” Tamsin bounced up from her seat and pointed at the tablet in Devon’s hands. “It’s like how we brought the records up to date, but I’m doing that with magic. I’m mixing it with modern technology.”

“The spell is in the tablet?” Devon scrunched his face at the look she gave him. “What? It would not be the weirdest thing I’ve come across lately, okay?”

“It’s a real live spell,” Tamsin said. “I used trace evidence found on some of the victims to zero in on the biometric and magical markers of the witch. Her personal magical signature. I crafted a spell that will target her specifically.” She held out her arms, pausing for effect. “It will eliminate her magic.”

“Whoa,” I said. “That sounds effective.” Tamsin nodded enthusiastically.

“Why isn’t your family here helping you catch her?” Devon piped up. “Isn’t this the spell you’ve all been waiting for?”

“Well.” Tamsin cleared her throat. “I haven’t been able to actually test it yet.”

I side-eyed Devon, who was looking like he shared my concerns with that revelation.

“I can’t test it because it’s designed specifically for the witch,” she explained in a rush. “I could craft one for someone else to see if the spell works, but . . .”

“Then that person would lose their magic,” I finished for her.

“Exactly.” She sighed.

“I can see why your family might not want to take a chance on an untested spell,” I said carefully.

Tamsin scrubbed a hand through her curls as she strode around the room. “But I’ve made all kinds of other spells and potions and things that have worked. I’m twenty years old! I’ve been working in the family business for years. I wish they’d have a little more faith in me.”

“Maybe it’s not a lack of faith and more that they don’t want you to die,” Devon said, shrugging when she heaved out a sigh at him. “Just a thought.”

“I know.” Tamsin nodded, falling back onto her stool. “That’s why I was doing this on my own. I’m willing to risk my life for the chance at stopping her from hurting anyone else. That’s my choice to make.”

“Aren’t you worried about someone from your family showing up?” I asked her. “They’re still hunting her, right?”

“Half of them are working on trying to strengthen the same old spells that they keep using, and the others?” Tamsin flushed and looked down at her shoes. “I may have sent some fake tips from a few different burner accounts to put them on a false trail. I think my cousins are searching in Vancouver at the moment?”

“Nice,” Devon said and I swatted at him.

“Listen,” Tamsin said. “I needed to give myself time to work because I know I can do this. All I have to do is identify the witch, trap her, and then my spell will take care of the rest!”

“Destroy a witch in these three easy steps,” Devon chirped.

I groaned. “How do we identify her? Where should we start?”

“I’ve been tracking her pattern of behavior,” Tamsin said, pulling her phone out of her bag. She unlocked it and opened her notes app. “Staying in one place for so long is unusual for her, but if your grandma was actually her first victim, it makes sense. It would have given her a boost and she might be hoping there are other magic users in town for her to drain.”

I didn’t want to think too much about her targeting me or Tamsin. “Everyone after Grandma has been elderly people from long-term care homes. Where does Devon fit?”

“Taking the life force of a regular adult is a meal. A magic user is a feast. But a kid?” Tamsin turned to Devon thoughtfully. “You said you were out watching the meteor shower when she found you?”

He nodded, straightening up in his chair.

“Ah. A young life force combined with the power of a celestial event would’ve been a big boost for her, too,” she said. “I think Devon was a crime of opportunity.”

The dots started connecting. “The park is close to Basbridge Retirement Village,” I said. “I bet she came across him after stealing the life from someone else over there.”

“If that’s her hunting grounds, maybe that’s the area where I need to set my trap,” Tamsin mused, making more notes in her phone. “Another piece of the plan comes together.”

Now that I had all of this new information swirling around in my brain, I was realizing we might be the next piece her plan was missing.

Tug, tug, tug.

Yeah, I was on to something here. “You said she’s always been too strong because of the extra life forces, right?”

Tamsin nodded, waiting for me to continue.

I pointed at Devon. “I stole his spark back, but I’m not sure if I got it all because it looked weird—”

“Hey,” Devon complained half-heartedly.

“Would that have had an effect?” I asked Tamsin.

“Yes,” she said, considering the possibility. “But I’m not sure how much—”

“What if I took two more?” I walked over to the tables holding Mr. Kingsley and Mrs. Manning.

“That might make a difference. Maybe all the difference.” Tamsin’s eyes went wide before turning calculated. “But can you do that? Having full access to your power is one thing, but there’s no guarantee you could maintain a hold on three sparks or what kind of strain it would cause,” she muttered, staring at me like I was a particularly annoying math problem. “Would it be better to—what am I doing?”

Tamsin gave her head a fierce shake. “It’s one thing to take calculated risks for myself, but I can’t involve the two of you.”

“It’s a little late for that,” I said and Devon raised his hand.

“For the record,” he said. “I’m already more involved than I’d like to be.”

I ignored him and focused on Tamsin. “You’re sure your spell could work,” I said. “I’m sure my magic will hold.”

Tug, tug, tug.

Tamsin sighed. “We don’t even know if these two are her victims or not,” she said. “I was interrupted by people whisper-yelling in the closet before I could finish checking.”

“We have to find out before Mom comes down to prep them,” I said. “It’s better if they haven’t been—”

“Please don’t finish that sentence,” Devon said, voice weary. “I’m maxed out on things I’ve learned against my will this week.”

“I can finish checking,” Tamsin said, retrieving her bag and digging out the black rock. “Then we’ll know for sure and can go from there.” She went over to pull back the sheet on Mr. Kingsley. As she held out her hand over his body, the rock started to glow gently.

I knew exactly what it was going to prove.

The witch had taken them.

Tug, tug, tug.

They were going to be stuck there without any way out.

Stuck when I knew I could help.

I could bring them back.

Tug, tug, TUG.

“Uh, Kimmy?” Devon whispered.

“What,” I snapped, looking down when he pointed at my hands. Which were glowing.

“I’m finding traces of her magic here,” Tamsin said, freezing when she caught sight of my hands. “What is that?”

“My power.” I brought my hands up to stare at them. “It did this when I Woke Devon, but I don’t—I don’t understand. I’m not—”

I was going to say not trying to use it, but all of a sudden, I realized I was using it. It surged through me along with a need to do something—to search, to connect, to bring back what had been stolen.

The light from my hands arced through the air and into Mr. Kingsley and Mrs. Manning. Forging the connection on its own. “How is it—it can’t do that unless I’m touching them,” I whispered.

“Pull it back, Kimmy,” Tamsin said firmly. She stepped beside me and tried to touch my shoulder, wincing when she got too close. “Focus. You can do it.”

She didn’t understand. I couldn’t. I wasn’t in control. This was all the power.

How was I supposed to stop it?

It flooded through the two bodies, searching for what they’d lost. Pushing forward and dragging me along with it. A wave of dizziness crashed over me, but the power didn’t let me fall.

TUG, TUG, TUG.

In the distant corner of my mind, I found them. Two bundles of energy that were bright, but torn and cold. Tumultuous. Just like Devon’s had been. The power grabbed them and pulled. It yanked them free and wrapped energy around them until they were warm and settled and anchored into place.

Finally, it relented, flowing back and settling into my chest where it belonged. I relaxed for one moment and then everything went dark.