Legacy of the Necromancer [Legacy, BK1 - Completed]

Chapter 5:3

After being tortured by my mother and her set of dressing piens for an hour, I escaped into the backyard. Poe's screech caught my attention and I found him sitting on an open stall door of the stable. He took off, gliding away from me toward the grove of trees that sat in the middle of the Manser's land. I followed, looking forward to a chance to release some power and meditate.

The hemlock trees encircled a small clearing where a stone Altar was set up. I'd read once in one of old Stanwood books that this was the oldest relic in all of the Necromantic Families, moved only once, when the Mansers fled the Witches from their previous estate. Potted plants and flowers were placed around the wooden pillars that supported the heavy, stone slab.

I sat in the grassy clearing facing the Altar, criss-crossing my legs in front of me. Talent crawled along my arms, like thousands of tiny spiders.

Taking a deep breath, I shoved my worries about tomorrow's ceremony aside. I cleared my mind of all the questions I had about the Reinhardts, and my lingering doubts of Nathan's intentions. I focused only on my power -- Controlling it, pulling all the warmth that radiated from my skin back into myself, and shaping it into a ball of energy at my core.

But as soon as I got the ball to form, I'd feel the energy slip away as my concentration wavered, and I had to start the process all over. It was aggravating.

The energy raced along my skin, and the more I attempted to control it, the faster it slipped from my fingers. I let everything go and cleared my mind again. There was a stillness that hung around the altar, that even the breeze couldn't touch as it whispered through the trees. The new spring leaves sang against each other as the birds added their own chorus to the nature song.

I reached for my Talent and this time it came willingly, gathering itself tightly into the ball, and stayed there. Having it all in one place was taxing and a little frightening. The sheer amount was more than I thought I could ever have. It was too much to release in a spark like that night in my bedroom. It would be more like a lightening bolt, with me at the end of it.

Decision made, I opened my eyes. "Vershala tulian das lo berruas."

The red circle glowed bright and violent against the grass in front of me. "Kalha vas notha rak! Kastem!" I released the Talent into the spell, enjoying the rush of cool sensation racing along my skin as the summoning circle shrank to a pinpoint, then exploded in a burst of light. The doglike demon, Kastem, stared at me, waiting.

I sent the demon a silent command, but Kastem ignored me. Instead, he chose a spot in the clearing almost as far as possible from me and still lay in the sun. To say that connect between us was strained, would be an understatement. But, maybe that could change in time.

The snap of a twig set both Kastem and I both on edge. I turned to see Avery standing near one of the trees.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

I shook my head. "You're fine," I said, and silently told Kastem she was not to be harmed, that she was a friend.

The demon stood and walked up to her, his tails high like a banner. I followed, trying not to let my worry show on my face.

Avery offered a hand to the beast. "He seems so much friendlier than the last time I saw him."

Shrugging, I watched the two of them interact, ready to dismiss the demon back to the Half-world at the first sign of aggression. "He really isn't all that bad, I guess."

Silence stretched between us as Avery affectionately patted and scratched the demon. He stood tall enough that his head came up to her chest.

Her hand stilled on top of Kastem's head. "I found something today." Avery's voice was slow, its expression unsure. "I've been going through my Dad's office, getting it organized for when it's all official." She reached into the back pocket of her jeans and pulled out an envelope.