Chapter Twenty-Four
My father wasn't shocked by the issue with the RS; he'd heard it all before. And he reminded me that we'd asked the Witches for help before too.
“But that wasn't to stop it from growing,” I countered. “We just need something to suppress her power.”
My father considered this. We were still in his living room, with the tree's trunk forming the main wall and a sprawling balcony across from it. Declan had fetched my mother from Kyanite and she sat beside my dad on their love seat. The rest of us were spread around the airy room, waiting for my father's input.
“There are suppression spells,” Robert Scorcher finally said. “But they can do more harm than good and finding one to keep the RS from growing while not impeding any of her other... benefits will be difficult. It would have to be crafted specifically for you.”
“Could you do it, Dad?” I asked hopefully.
“No, I'm sorry, Ellie,” he said immediately. “You'll need someone stronger than me. Perhaps Osamu.”
I grimaced. I didn't care much for Osamu, the Witch Leader of Fire; the Head of my father's Witch family. It was difficult to trust him after the Darcraxis debacle. But, if Osamu could help us, it would go a long way to righting the wrongs he'd done.
“Ellie, have you tried singing?” My mother asked.
I blinked. It was so obvious a solution and yet it hadn't occurred to me. I hadn't even attempted it when I'd first got saddled with RS.
“I haven't,” I admitted. “I think I just assumed it wasn't possible since the spell is inside me.”
“It may not be possible,” my father agreed, “but there's no harm in trying.”
“I don't know what to sing. Something about suppression? That seems wrong.”
“How about something to take the spell back to when you first changed it to accept love instead of lust?” my mother suggested. “A return to it's beginning; a fresh start.”
“Return to Innocence” by Enigma, Kyanite provided the song I was trying to remember. It's perfect.
I don't know if I want to be innocent, RS whined.
Better than being destroyed, Ky countered.
Yeah. There's that.
If it hurts you, I'll stop, I promised her.
Okay, RS whispered the word even though she was speaking inside my mind and only Ky and I could hear her.
The music started softly and so did the lyrics; a wordless, lilting chant that faded when the beat climbed into a steady sway. I closed my eyes and sang, calling upon my magic to tame the spell inside me. I offered the RS a gentle change with my words; hope and love and a new beginning. Innocence. I felt her desire for those things; her need to be renewed and to become something that wouldn't hurt us. I clung to that and tried to connect it to my magic.
I'd fought myself before; defended my mind from the other half of my soul. But this was different. I couldn't separate my spellsong from the RS. I could feel her as an individual but when I searched for her, she was already with me; inside the very magic I was trying to use to change her. It was akin to dropping ink in water and trying to keep it from diluting. The RS was a drop of ink in my pool of magic and anything I did to her would disperse. Well, maybe she was more than a drop, but you get the idea. She was nearly indistinguishable from the rest of my magic. And I had a sudden feeling that even if I could change her, I'd end up changing the love she fed on as well. We could wind up worse off than when we started.
Love isn't something to trifle with; one wrong step and you could break a heart instead of save it.
I shut down my magic and the music clicked off abruptly, leaving an echoing silence. When I opened my eyes, I was met with concern in everyone else's faces. They knew it hadn't worked. Of course, they did. I wouldn't have stopped if it had.
“Your magic is intertwined now, I imagine,” my father concluded gently. “You can't suppress one and not affect another.”
“Pretty much.”
“It's okay, El. You tried,” Gage took my hand and pulled me onto his lap, his thick arms going around me. “We'll find another way.”
“And we also have to save Slate,” Darc said to my father. “We were hoping for some counsel on that as well.”
“Then you'd best visit the Coven,” Dad said. “The worst that could happen is they tell you they can't help you.”
“True,” I murmured.
“I'll give Nigel a call and let him know you're coming,” Dad offered. “He can gather the Leaders for you.”
“Thanks, Dad. Warn them about Slate. I don't know if the Jinni will dare to attack the Witches, but he might try to trick them.”
Dad nodded and headed into another room to make the call privately.
“How's Great-Grandpa?” I asked my mom as we waited on my father.
We could have left immediately but it's always better to warn Witches of your arrival before you actually arrive and to do that, we had to give Nigel more than a few seconds.
“He's good.” My mother's ebony wings rustled as she settled them in contentment. “Amphitrite and he are closer than ever now. I think Poseidon's possession actually helped their relationship.”
My mother's side of the family is... extensive, due to long lives and wandering eyes. Poseidon is her Grandfather but his wife isn't her Grandmother; not by blood. I call Amphitrite “Grandma” out of respect but my real Great-Grandma is Teles Tanager, a Siren. She had an affair with Poseidon a long time ago. Grandma Amphitrite got over it and was kind enough to not hold Poseidon's indiscretions against his offspring.
“At least something good came out of it,” I muttered. “And Uncle Triton?”
“He's taking on more responsibility so Poseidon can take some time off. Grandfather trusts him more now. And Triteia has been promoted as well.”
“Good for her.” I cleared
