Shift

SIXTEEN.2

"It was my fault," Blaze said, and Lira's blue eyes jumped to his face. Blaze took a deep breath, trying to calm the churning in his stomach. Lira was intimidating, but at least she was fair. "My name is Blaze Merg. I was the one who accidentally shattered the windows in the World Financial Building last week when I was working as a volunteer for the event in New York. In the chaos, I ran into Kayden on the streets, and I said something to her but I couldn't remember what because of—"

"Residual spell headiness," Lira completed with the smallest of smiles on her lips.

Blaze felt his face warm and he nodded. "Yes. And I was worried I let something slip, so later that night I cast a trace spell and snuck into her house to wipe her memory. But she woke up before I could finish the spell and I accidentally left my father's spell book in her room. When I returned a few hours later, she had already found it and wouldn't give it back to me unless I promised to let her keep her memory. I... I know it wasn't legal, but I was more concerned about what my father would do if he didn't get his book back. So I performed a Bonding Oath. But the next day, after the shift, she was magically transported to my house. The Bonding Oath somehow bound us together physically. And because of the shift, we can't undo the spell."

"Are there other side effects?" Lira asked.

Kayden held out her wrist, where the green symbol glowed through her sleeve. She pulled the fabric back so that Lira could get a better look. "We have these marks on us. And if I'm too far away from him, my stomach starts hurting. I used to be able to be in a different room, but now if I go even a few feet away, I get these horrible stomach pains."

"It seems like the spell is bringing them slowly together," Carsten said contemplatively, his eyes flickering between the two of them. "It could very well force them together, a fusion of their bodies."

"And it's not just us," Kayden pressed, opening the laptop which hummed to life. She clicked a few links and turned the screen to face the Congregation. "This website is full of people who have undergone altered spells. There are people in worse pain than us, and several are dying."

"We are aware of the people suffering right now," Wheeler said, trying to remain calm, but his bald spot was glistening with sweat. "We just assumed they could use the new counter spells once the book had been mass distributed. We had plans to send the very first shipments to potestas working in hospitals."

Walter looked uncomfortable. "The spells were designed to work after a magic shift; that's why my wife and I named it A Progressive Book of Magic. When the shift happened, most old spells simply broke apart without too much damage. But others, like this Bonding Oath, were grandfathered into existence and are impossible to reverse. It's possible that we could use some of the spells in A Progressive Book of Magic to treat symptoms, but I don't think we will ever be able to heal the source."

Lira laced her fingers together tightly. "So thousands of people are going to die then, even with the book."

"But what else can we do?" Wheeler said miserably. "Magic has shifted. We have to deal with the situation at hand as best as we can."

"But magic can be shifted back!" Lexi said suddenly from the other side of Voyle.

Carsten frowned. "I'm sorry, but you are...?"

"Lexi," she introduced. "I'm Kayden's cousin."

"And what is your name again, young man?" Carsten asked, turning to Helio.

"Helio Ruke," he introduced with an inclination of his head.

"Helio Ruke!" Wheeler exclaimed, his blue eyes widening in recognition. "I knew the name rang a bell! You're one of our new interns!"