The Girl From Above [Ground: Zero, Book 1]

29: Broken Chains

Red.

The color of her aunt's tongue, whispering sharp insults across her neck, reminding her of her faults, of everything she had to hide about herself in order to deserve love.

The color of a friend's breath, telling her every whim that she blamed herself for, of every issue that she brought from her curse.

The color of her home, of her beautiful Novis, up in flames, of the screams that cracked against the air, and of the blood that ran along the ground as she ran far away from what little she used to have.

And now, the color of the sky.

The moon sat threatening near, beginning its slow but steady feast upon the sun. It hung silently, watching over them like an eternal and all seeing eye.

The eclipse was upon them. After hours of prep in the clearing, everything had come to fruition.

Doubt clawed at the back of her mind. Was this really the best option? Would this really fix all of her problems in one fell swoop? It couldn't be this easy, could it?

She shook her head. Of course it would, she didn't have any other options at this point.

Liam blinked. "Well, don't wait for me."

Ryan flipped open the journal. The excantation stared at her blankly.

She began to read the words she slaved over for the past three days. Liam continually warned her to never read the excantation aloud until the eclipse, which left her voice staggering and monotone.

"From demise I was saved, and burdened with destiny to bring a protection on those such as myself from evil that stirs below."

Ryan wasn't sure if she was saved from demise. If anything, the introduction of magic into her life made her life worse, but she guessed not every line had to fit to her specifically.

"Now, I, the magic-kissed human, the one connected to forces higher than mine, I call forth all who may hear my excantation. Break the chains of these beasts. Open what has been closed. Let the power of the heavens above rot away thy prison. Come forth and roam the surface one more!"

Her arms began to glow white. Yet instead of rotting away the journal, the ink began to glow with the same light as her arms, ablaze in milky flames.

Ryan yelped. She would've dropped the journal, but the pages were suddenly flypaper. She shook her grip, but the journal remained locked in her grasp.

The light along the journal grew. Swirls danced along the edge of the pages, bunching together in a miniature sun of white light.

The breeze picked up. Trees whistled tired lullabies, leaves dancing in the air.

Liam adjusted his glasses and took a step away from her. His hair flew behind him wildly in the wind. He turned his gaze towards the sky.

He bounced eagerly on the balls of his feet and shook wildly, fists clenched.

"Well?" He demanded.

The wind howled. Dark clouds rumbled in the distance, and the air grew restless. The storm seemed to have a mind of its own as it picked up. It turned in the air like an annoyed god. The kick of dirt rising in the air.

The moon locked over the sun, and for a brief moment, everything stood still. No leaf, nor magic, nor any other creature that walked the earth dared make a single peep.

Her tongue iron, Ryan exhaled and uttered the last words of the spell.

"I hereby release thee, celestial creatures of power and scorn!"