Dark Curse (Darkhaven Saga #5) - Danielle Rose Page 0,39

black, starry sky. Her rays shine down upon us, illuminating our ritual space. She looks happy to abide by my wishes, like she has missed me as much as I have missed her.

I call to the moon, summoning her power, using the circle’s magic and the elemental gain to reverse my spell. I chant loudly, clearly, carefully casting my spell so I may return to my former self once again. My Latin incantation swirls round and round in my mind and echoes all across the silent, sleepy land.

The trees come to life, swaying as the elements surge through the forest, rejuvenating even what has slumbered since the start of winter. The air is hot and misty, and the snow at my feet quickly melts away. I sink into the earth, the mud coating my shoes as I plunge into its depths.

The moment I complete the spell, I feel the moon release me. Her hold over my soul dissipates, and raw, pure magic courses through me once again. The evil residing inside of me springs to life, latching on to my magic, sucking the life from it like a leech. I keel over, caught by Will, who struggles to keep me upright as I scream in utter agony.

With my magic restored, the darkness has found a new purpose. It feeds on my strength, using it to become more powerful. Slowly, it outshines even me, even as I desperately grab on to the elements, refusing to relinquish them until the darkness evaporates.

“We need to complete the severing spell!” Will shouts.

I am holding too tightly on to the elements, and the wind is howling now. It experiences my pain, and it screams. Will bellows over it, trying to get the attention of Holland, who is busy chanting his own spell. I do not understand the archaic language he is speaking, and I am too distracted by the gut-churning, stabbing pain in my core to concentrate on his words.

I fall to my knees as Will leaves my side. When I scream again, the earth shudders. In the distance, I hear something rumble, and I look up in time to see the frozen tundra split in two, an echoing vibration that worms its way up my spine. I know I have done this, but I cannot release the elements. Not yet. Not until the severing spell is complete. Without their aid, I will fall victim to the evil inside.

Someone grabs on to my arm and yanks it forward. I glance up in time to see Will. I smile at him, but he is not looking at me. The flash of something silver distracts me momentarily, and then I watch as the blade slices into my arm.

I shriek, screaming so loudly I am certain I have woken all of Darkhaven. Will releases my arm, but only when he has dug so deeply, I will certainly bleed out in only minutes.

He twists the blade in his hand and uses it to slice into his own flesh. He slaps our wounds together and sinks into the earth as I do. Together, we hold on to each other. Both unmoving, unspeaking, focusing solely on Holland, who still stands over us. His arms are stretched out before us as he recites his spell, chanting the same sentences over and over again.

Will whispers softly, so quietly I almost do not hear him. I watch his lips, my eyelids growing heavy, but the roaring wind silences him. His eyes are closed, his hand grasping my arm, his fingers digging painfully deep into my flesh.

His blood is pouring from his wound, dripping steadily into my gaping arm. I have performed a bloodletting spell before, but it never felt like this. Silently, I pray these two know what they are doing, and that by combining my blood with Will’s, we are not invoking a worse evil.

“Ava! Look at me!”

Holland sounds so far away. When I turn to face him, everything feels heavy. It takes every ounce of energy I have to open my eyes and stare into his. His irises are murky and brown. They are puddled messes swarming with tears.

“Drink,” Holland orders.

Only then do I notice his arm before me. His wrist has been slashed, and blood seeps from the thin sliver of a wound. I lick my lips and never question his order, even as I press my mouth to his arm and suck.

Holland is still chanting. With every passing second, I hear him better, yet his voice grows quieter. It is