Clash of Magic (Dragon's Gift: The Amazon Book 3) Page 11

  Holy shit, she had to be kidding. There was no way I could move the moon. That was insane.

  Chapter Ten

  “You can’t be serious.” I stared at her, dumbfounded. “I can’t possibly move the moon.”

  “You’d better.”

  I began to pace. WTF. This was nuts. Make the moon rise? “It’ll be terrible for the tides. I can’t just screw with the moon, assuming I even have the ability.”

  “Pshaw.” She waved her hands, clearly not interested. “The moon is almost here. It won’t be so bad, just give it a little nudge. We are the daughters of twilight, and it’s been over a hundred years since we’ve seen the moon. I want to see the moon!” She sounded so irate that I expected her to stomp her foot.

  I held up my hands. “Okay, okay. I’ll try.” This was insane, but so was she. And she clearly wasn’t going to take no for an answer. “Let’s go outside and get this show over with.”

  I really hoped the moon was close. I had no idea how to pull this off, but if I managed it, I really didn’t want to screw with the tides too much.

  We walked out onto the front steps of the temple. Dusk had fallen, turning the sky a moody gray. Night insects created a horrible orchestra that battered my newly sensitive ears.

  “Prove yourself, DragonGod,” said the blonde. “We’re getting tired of waiting.”

  I turned to scowl at her. “Hold your horses. I’m getting there.”

  Jeez, this was bonkers.

  I shook my head to try to ignore the infernal buzzing from the night insects and turned my gaze to the sky.

  What the heck was I supposed to do? Shout at the moon? Yell at it that Artemis had given me her magic and that it needed to follow my orders?

  Yeah, that wasn’t going to work.

  I pursed my lips.

  I probably had to do this the way I did anything with magic. I sucked in a deep breath and reached inside of me, looking for the magic that Artemis had given me. It was probably my favorite gift, so it wasn’t hard to find. It felt like a breath of fresh air and the warm fur of a friendly cat. It even glowed a bit, like the moon.

  Just like with my water magic, I tried to feel the moon’s presence. It took a while—and I could feel the unimpressed stares of the Hesperides the whole time—but finally, I thought I could sense it, right at the edge of the horizon.

  It really was close.

  Thank fates.

  Using my magic, I called to the moon. It was almost impossible to understand how I was doing it, but I could feel it. Like it was part of me.

  That didn’t make it easy.

  It felt like pushing the Titanic toward the iceberg. Sweat dripped down my temples as I worked, using my magic like a lasso to draw the moon up over the horizon. Strength and energy poured out of me, all of the life that I’d taken from the vines going into this job.

  It didn’t take long for my muscles to weaken and my posture to sag. But I could feel it working. Slowly, the moon rose over the horizon.

  Tonight, it was huge and white, totally full.

  From behind me, the Hesperides sighed, delight in the sound. They really did like the moon.

  As soon as it was entirely over the horizon, I stopped, stumbling forward. Maximus caught me.

  Panting, I looked up at him. “I really hope I didn’t screw anything up.”

  He grinned. “You just moved it a little bit. And it was a worthy cause.”

  I turned to look at the Hesperides, who seemed happier than kids on Christmas morning. The moon glowed on their faces, and for a moment, I forgot what bitches they were.

  I caught my breath and let them enjoy it for a minute. Weak, I leaned against Maximus, leeching off of him to keep myself standing.

  Finally, the Hesperides turned to me.

  The leader, who did most of the talking, gave me a begrudging smile. “That was pretty good, DragonGod. You might be worthy of your magic, after all.”

  “I sure hope I am.” There was way too much riding on me for me to fail. “Can you tell us where Atlas is, now?”

  “We can give you your first clue.”

  “Clue? That wasn’t the bargain.”

  She shrugged. “Take it or leave it, because we can’t tell you where he is. If he’s sick like you say he is, then he’s retreated to his fortress in Greece. It’s the only place he feels safe.”

  “Then tell me where that is.”

  “We can’t. Even we don’t know. No one does, not unless they pass the test that proves they bear him no ill will.”

  Okay, I didn’t like hearing that, but it made sense. “What is the test?”

  “It’s a bit of blood magic that sees into your truest intentions. We can tell you how to perform it. All you have to do is find a Blood Sorceress to help you conduct the spell. If you mean him no ill will, then his location will be revealed to you.”

  “I can work with that. What is the spell?”

  “Wait here a moment, and we will fetch it.”

  The three of them disappeared back into the temple. My knees were so wobbly that they were about to give out, so I sank down onto the step. Maximus joined me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.

  “Well done, Rowan. I think you’re doing the Greek gods proud.”

  “I hope so.” Whatever reticence I’d had to use my magic was gone. They’d wanted me to embrace my magic, and I sure as heck had. I’d raised the moon, for fate’s sake.

  Exhausted, I leaned my head against Maximus’s shoulder and gazed out at the forest. “I’m glad you’re with me on this adventure.”

  He squeezed my shoulders. “Me too. We make a good team.” He cleared his throat. “Honestly, this is the first time I’ve felt at home since I was taken from my farm when I was a kid.”

  “With me?”

  “With you.”

  Wow, I—

  The Hesperide’s voice rang out from behind me. “Here it is!”

  I turned to see her sweeping through the massive door with a small scroll in her hand, her sisters behind her. “We’ve written it all down for you. Just find someone to conduct the spell, and you’ll have what you want—as long as your intentions are pure.”

  My muscles ached as I stood and took the scroll to inspect it. The list of ingredients and instructions looked legit, as far as I could tell. Since there was no way to test them here, I had to take their word for it.

  “Thanks.”

  They didn’t bother acknowledging my gratitude, just turned and retreated into the temple.

  I grinned wearily and looked at Maximus. “Well, I guess that’s that.”

  “They don’t waste time, at least.”

  “Let’s get out of here. Can we use a transport charm? I felt a protection charm at the entrance to the forest.”

  Maximus shook his head. “I felt it, too. I think we need to get out of the woods before we try. This place is sacred—to Artemis, I assume—and I don’t think transporting is allowed.”

  “She’d want to know who comes and goes from her woods.”

  “Indeed, I do.” The godly voice resonated with power, and I spun to find Artemis stepping out from between the trees.

  “You did well here, DragonGod.”

  “Thank you.”

  “You must not pass through the forest at night. It is too dangerous.”

  “We need to stop the Stryx,” I said.

  “You cannot stop them if you are dead. There are creatures that prowl this forest at night that do not heed my wishes. Even I do not like to confront them. It is only a few hours until daybreak, so it will not be long.” She paused. “And the Stryx have not broken through to Tartarus. Not yet.” She gestured for us to follow. “Come, I will lead you to a grove where you will be safe, but you must not step outside of the boundaries until daybreak.”

  “All right, thank you.” I struggled with my desire to charge off and stop the Stryx, but if Artemis was too afraid to confront the night creatures, I didn’t want to either.

  We followed Artemis th
rough the forest. Faint moonlight filtered through the trees, turning the bark silver and the ground a dark, rich gray. Through the leaves above, I caught sight of a few stars, twinkling away. In the distance, animals rustled in the leaves, night creatures going about their business. If I focused hard enough, I could even hear their heartbeats.

  “Here we are.” Artemis turned and gestured to a clearing up ahead.

  A beautiful blue pool sparkled under the moonlight, the color a deep rich navy in the dark. Artemis waved her hand, and a campfire burst to life next to it, warm and welcoming. Plush sleeping pads and blankets appeared next to the fire, along with trays of food and wine.

  Uh-oh.

  As if she could read my mind, Artemis spoke. “It is all safe for mortals to eat, I vow it. I would not give you my magic and then feed you something that might trap you in the godly realm.”

  I met her gaze, and believed her. “Thank you.”

  “When the sun rises, you may walk safely from the forest. Once you are on the outskirts, your transportation charm will work.” She stepped toward me, reaching for my arm. Her touch was like lightning, but somehow, not bad. It shot power and strength through me instead of an electric current. “We believe in you, Rowan. You must believe in yourself.”

  Her faith in me made my eyes prickle with tears. I blinked and nodded. “Thank you.”

  She smiled, then turned and left, disappearing into the air as she walked.

  I turned to the campfire and the picnic, my stomach already rumbling. “If you want to take the first turn in the bath, go for it.” I had eyes only for the bread, cheese, and fruit laid out in front of me on beautiful golden platters.

  By the time I heard splashing in the water behind me, I was already chomping away. Explosions of flavor made me swoon, and it was true—godly food is better. Everything tasted amazing. I ate and drank as Maximus bathed behind me, and it was hard not to think of what he might look like. As my hunger was sated, it became even harder to keep my mind on pure thoughts.

  Maybe I should join him. That wasn’t a terrible idea, was it?

  “All done.” His voice sounded from behind me.

  Dang. Opportunity lost.

  I swallowed the last bite of apple and stood, turning. His hair was damp and dark in the moonlight, and once again, I was struck by how much he looked like a fallen angel. I didn’t mean to be so shallow, but it was impossible to ignore.

  “Thanks.” I slipped by him, headed toward the pool, and he settled by the fire to eat. I couldn’t help but peek over my shoulder at him as I undressed, but he had his back politely turned.

  I kind of wanted to tell him not to bother being so polite—that I might actually like it if he looked—but I couldn’t figure out the words. Everything I came up with sounded awkward as hell.

  Carefully, I dipped my toe into the pool, delighted to find it warm. It was about the size of my bedroom back home, and the moonlight turned the water a clear, dark midnight blue. I could just make out the big rocks that sat on the bottom.

  Gratefully, I sank into the water, letting the warmth work away the soreness in my muscles. I leaned back and looked at the stars overhead, realizing that there were millions of them, all visible to the naked eye.

  Delighted, I grinned. There must be no light pollution out here. It was magical to bathe beneath the stars, beside a camp created for us by a goddess.

  As the water flowed around me, I couldn’t help but believe that maybe I was worthy. She believed in me. If freaking Artemis believed in me, maybe I needed to believe in myself.

  I could do this. I’d used the magic that I’d been afraid of, proven again that I could do it. Whatever my fears were, they weren’t rational. They were holdovers from my time in captivity, and I needed to remember that. It was the only way to make it through this.

  Truly relaxed for the first time in months, I enjoyed my bath, stealing occasional glances at Maximus. Finished, I got out and dried myself with the white cloth sitting by the pool—really, Artemis had thought of everything—then stared at my dirty clothes in dismay.

  I looked at Maximus’s back. “Can you conjure me a night shirt?”

  “What kind?” he asked, without turning around.

  Quit being so polite and turn around, I wanted to shout. But I didn’t. “Like one of your T-shirts or something.”

  “Sure.” His magic flared briefly, then he tossed a big T-shirt over his shoulders, followed by a pair of women’s underwear. They were green, and I caught them out of the air.

  I held them up to inspect them, spotting the ridiculous cartoon dragon’s face right on the butt. I laughed. “Nice choice.”

  “I thought they suited a DragonGod.”

  “They do indeed.” I shimmied into the clothes, then joined him on the cushion near the fire.

  He turned to look at me, his face highlighted by the golden glow of the fire. “You’ve done well here, Rowan. Artemis is right to believe in you. I believe in you.” He hesitated a moment, and my breath caught. “I’m not very good with words, but I wanted to say…” He sucked in a deep breath. “I care for you, Rowan. You’re important to me.”

  My heart swelled at his words. Suddenly, I was glad I hadn’t shouted at him to turn around and check me out since I was naked. This was much better.

  I leaned forward and pressed my lips to his, reveling in the heat of him.

  “You’re important to me, too,” I murmured against his lips. “More important than I thought someone could be in such a short period of time.”

  “Fate.” He pulled me to him, his lips moving expertly on mine.

  There were things I wanted to say to him—words that showed how great I thought he was—but they were driven from my mind. All I could focus on was how good he felt. How his kisses made my head swoon and my body heat.

  I moaned and pushed at his shoulders until he got the clue. He fell backward, and I rolled with him on the cushion until we were side by side. Then I pounced, kissing him for all I was worth.

  He groaned and yanked me toward him, pressing the full length of his body against mine. Heat exploded within me, driving all rational thought from my mind.

  Yes. Finally.

  Chapter Eleven

  I woke to the sound of the birds chirping and treetops rustling. The rising sun sent beams of light streaking through the forest, and I opened my eyes to see Maximus next to me. Memories of what we’d done flashed through my mind, heating my cheeks. Though we hadn’t gone all the way, it’d easily been the best night of my life.

  Quickly, before he could wake up and I started to feel awkward because I was a weirdo, I hopped up and hurried toward my pile of dirty clothes that I’d left lying by the pool. In the early morning light, the water gleamed a pale turquoise. I gave it one longing glance, then looked around for my clothes.

  They were where I’d left them, folded loosely on a rock, but next to them sat a neatly folded identical pair. My heart fluttered.

  Maximus must have conjured them. I tugged them on and pulled the dragon scale boat out of the pocket of my dirty jeans. I also grabbed the instructions for the spell from the Hesperides. By the time I turned toward Maximus, he was up and dressed. Man, he’d been quick and quiet.

  “Morning.” I could feel my cheeks go hot. Way to go, cool girl.

  “Morning.” His voice was warm and his smile warmer. “Ready to get going?”

  “Let’s get this show on the road.” I grabbed my dirty clothes and approached. He conjured a backpack, then held out his hand. “I’ll carry those for you.”

  I handed them over. “Thanks.”

  He shoved them in the pack, along with his dirty clothes, and slung it over his shoulder. I crouched and put together two bread and cheese sandwiches from the remains of last night’s dinner, then stood and handed him one.

  We set out of the forest, eating as we walked.

  “Can Hedy help with the potion and spell that you need to find Atlas?” he asked.

  I shook my head. “No
, I don’t think so. They said it was blood sorcery, and she doesn’t do that. I know two people who can do it, though. Blood Sorceresses who live in Magic’s Bend.”

  I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket and snapped a picture of the ingredient list that the Hesperides had written for me. Then I texted it to Aerdeca and Mordaca, the Blood Sorceresses that I’d met a little while ago. I didn’t know them well, but for a price, they’d help me. For a price, I had a feeling they’d do just about anything.

  I looked up at Maximus. “We’ll see what they say.”

  The forest was quiet this morning, and we had no trouble from the animals. I could hear them in the distance, but they didn’t bother us.

  When we stepped out of the forest, I felt the crackle of the protection charm as it broke. Grass waved against my ankles, and the sun beat down strongly. My phone buzzed, and I looked down at the text message.

  I read it out loud to Maximus. “We can do it tonight but we need you to pick up an ingredient from a guy we hate. We’d do it but he sucks. Go to Blackburn Alley in Darklane and stop by The Snake Pit. Buy some hespodel from Snakerton.”

  “Do you know what hespodel is?” Maximus asked.

  “Yes, it’s a root. Pale purple with green tips. Rare and a bit expensive, but it’s a great binder for more complicated spells that induce visions.”

  “That sounds easy enough,” Maximus said. “I wonder what Snakerton’s deal is?”

  “Whatever it is, I bet they’re right that he’s a jerk. Can your transport charm take us to Magic’s Bend? Near Darklane?”

  “Yes.” He dug into his pocket and pulled it out. “Ready?”

  “As I’ll ever be.”

  He hurled the charm to the ground, and a silvery cloud of black smoke exploded upward. I stepped in, letting the ether suck me through space and spit me out in the middle of Magic’s Bend.

  Given the time change, it must have been about ten at night here. The moon hung heavy in the sky, peeping out from behind a dark cloud. Drizzly rain spat from the sky, and I hunched deep into my leather jacket.