The First Spell: The Weight of Magic, Episode 3 Read online

  THE FIRST SPELL

  THE WEIGHT OF MAGIC BOOK 3

  LANA MELYAN

  Copyright © 2019 by Lana Melyan

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual locales, organizations, events, or persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.

  Lana Melyan

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Also by LANA MELYAN

  1

  Several days had passed since I received my dad's message. I still felt overwhelmed. Keeping secrets wasn't easy, nor was having all this information and not being able to share it with someone. I wished I could talk to Nathan, but both my dad and my ancestors didn't think that it was a good idea. I had to follow their instructions, to do what was best for the mission.

  I walked into the Grill and looked around to find the others. First I saw Connie and Logan next to the pool table. Then I saw Nathan. He was supposed to be with Sam and Kate, but to my surprise, he was alone, sitting at the bar stool with a bottle of beer in his hand.

  I approached him from behind. “Hi.”

  He turned around. “Hi.” The moment he looked at me, his cheery smile faded. “Nicky, are you okay?”

  “Is that your gentle way of letting me know I look horrible?”

  “No, gorgeous, it’s not that. You look kinda . . . wait, wait . . . here. You look kinda lost.”

  “That’s because I am.” I forced a smile.

  Nathan sighed.

  “And you’ve been like this for a few days now. You did it, didn’t you?”

  I nodded once.

  “Do you want something to drink?”

  “Just a water.”

  “Are you sure? My potion would be very appropriate for this occasion.”

  “If you want to get me drunk so you can ask me what—”

  “Honey, I’ve seen you drunk. After the second glass you wouldn’t even be able to tell me your own name. So don’t worry, your secrets are safe with you.”

  He put down his beer, asked the barman for a glass of water, then got up and led me to a vacant table in the corner.

  “So,” he said as we sat down across from each other. “How was it?”

  “Nathan, I’m sorry, but I can’t say much just yet. I need to think this through first.”

  “What the hell are you talking about?” He frowned at me. “Are you really thinking that I’m asking you to tell me what Vincent said to you? Nicky, who do you think I am?”

  “Sorry. It’s just . . . I thought—”

  “You saw your dead father talk to you. Do you know how often I wished I could see mine after he died?”

  “Sorry again.” I paused for a moment. “It was intense. And to be honest, I wish I could tell you because I know you would understand better than anyone, and you’re the one who can tell me what to do next. Well, Gran could be helpful too, of course. But the thing is, she said I can’t talk to her about any of the things Dad told me either. So, you see, I’m screwed.”

  He reached for my hands wrapped around the glass and pulled them into his.

  “I know this is hard,” he said, looking into my eyes. “But you can do it, Nicky. You’ll figure out how, by taking one step after another.”

  “Wait. How did you know?” I stared at him. “How did you know I saw him?”

  “You just said Dad told me.”

  “Hm. I did, didn’t I?” I shook my head. You’re doing a good job of keeping the secrets, Nicky. “No, wait, you knew before that.”

  “I’ve been around for a long time. I’ve met many of your ancestors, talked to them. I can put two and two together.”

  “Did you just say you’ve been around for a long time?” came Connie’s teasing voice. She dropped into the seat next to me. “So you admit you’re old?”

  “We’re not old,” said Logan, sitting beside Nathan. “We’re experienced.”

  “You see.” Nathan glanced at Connie. He let go of my hands and leaned back. “You’re looking at this the wrong way. Living long doesn’t make us old. Take the cars, phones, computers. With time they don’t get older, they get better. They upgrade, get more programs, apps, look cooler, get smarter. And so do I. I update my software constantly. So no, honey, we’re not old, we’re special, and a very limited edition.”

  “Well.” Connie smirked. “You’re not spending your days brooding. That’s already a good sign.”

  “Where are Sam and Kate?” I asked.

  “Brian just got back from Orlando. He called, said he needed to talk to them. Sam looked very annoyed. He’s been waiting for you and didn’t want to leave.” Nathan artistically cleared his throat. “Asked me if I knew where you went.”

  “You know what?” I glared at him. “If you want to talk about Sam, you can go join my Gran’s club.”

  “Aha.” Chuckling, he rapped his knuckles against the table once, then pointed at me his finger. “She noticed that too.”

  “If we’re going to talk about boys,” said Connie. “it’s gonna take some time, and I’m hungry. Let’s order something.”

  While we ate, I noticed the way Logan looked at Connie. How he ran his eyes down her long curly hair, watched her lips move when she spoke. And I envied Connie’s confidence, this freedom she had with him. He didn’t hide his feelings, and she didn’t need to hide hers, either.

  My biggest achievement with Nathan would be finishing the meal without bickering.

  “What about your love life, Nathan? How often do you update that program?” asked Connie, sticking her fork into a piece of chicken.

  “I’m glad you asked,” said Nathan, cutting the meat on his plate. “You see, that’s the complicated one.” He smiled. “The more special you get, that much harder it becomes to find the one person who can actually surprise you, take your breath away. You know, stuff like that.” He stabbed his fork into the small piece of meat and sent it into his mouth.

  “So you’re saying, your heart is free right now?” said Connie.

  “No,” I smirked. “He’s saying he can’t love anyone, he’s too old for that. Sorry, I meant experienced. Which brings us to the beginning of this conversation.”

  “That’s where you’re wrong.” Nathan’s smile vanished as he glanced at me. “What I’m saying is, if one day I fall for someone, that love will be epic.”

  My heart rose, and I looked down into my plate. I felt a strong tingle in my fingers. Relax. He can love whoever he wants. There’s still a whole world full of other, much younger guys.

  The peas in my plate started quaking. Luckily Nathan and Logan were chatting and distracted.

  “Did she ask you all those questions? Or am I the only one who gets to be interviewed?”

  “Not all, but a few.” Logan beamed at Connie. “I like it when she does that.”

  “You do?” Connie raised a brow. “That’s good, because I have many more of those.”

  “Ask away. There are not many people with whom we can actually talk about our lives.�
�

  “That much is true,” said Nathan, and he glanced at my plate.

  Of course. He sees everything.

  He put his fork and knife down.

  “Take a deep breath, Nicky,” he said calmly.

  The peas started jumping.

  “Close your eyes.” He pushed his plate aside.

  I did, and he reached for my hands. Stroking them with his thumbs, he siphoned some of my energy, and gradually, the tension left my body.

  “Thanks,” I said, pulling my hands out of his. “I’m sorry, guys.”

  “I’m not,” said Nathan. “Your emotions are coming back, and that’s a good thing. I think we should have a lesson tomorrow.”

  “I can’t.” I had finally planned to go to the Family Tree. The thought of walking into the vault alone creeped me out, and I’d put it off long enough already. “There’s something I need to do tomorrow. What about the day after?”

  Nathan’s eyes narrowed as he looked at me. “I understand. The day after tomorrow it is.”

  “Could you guys do it on the weekend?” Connie asked. “Nicky, the day after tomorrow is your birthday, and I thought we could get together.”

  “Connie, please don’t make a thing out of it.”

  “I know it’s your birthday.” Nathan glanced at me. "But it wouldn’t take long, and we can still all get together after that.”

  “Guys, I’m not in a birthday party mood.”

  “No, no party,” said Connie. “Just us.”

  When the four of us walked outside the Grill, I pulled Connie aside.

  “Listen, I’m not coming to school tomorrow.”

  “Why?”

  “I need to do something, and I need you to cover for me. Come up with some reason, okay?”

  “You need to do what?” She looked curious now.

  “Sorry, Connie, I can’t tell you yet. You know I don’t keep secrets from you, but this is about the mission, and it’s very dangerous for you to know.”

  “Are you going to be with Nathan?”

  “No. I can’t tell him either. Not yet. So it’s better if he thinks I’m at school.”

  “Is it safe for you to do . . . whatever it is you’re going to do, alone?”

  “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.”

  “Just keep me posted.” Connie sighed. “I need to know you’re okay.”

  “I will. Thanks.”

  2

  My heart hammered as I walked between the trees. The moment I stepped into the familiar clearing, I stopped, pinned to the spot. The ancient oak sent a chill down my spine every time I came here. And right now, thinking there was something under my feet all this time, made this place even more mysterious and creepy.

  But no one was going to do it for me, and I moved closer. I stopped next to the tree and pulled out my pocketknife. I slid open the blade, then stood for a few seconds, preparing myself. Clenching my teeth, I thrust its tip into my palm.

  The blood dripped onto the earth. Nothing changed. But when I looked behind the tree, I saw on the ground a wooden door in a metal frame with our family crest carved on its surface.

  I drew closer, my heart beating in my throat. I knew the veil wouldn’t close because my blood was still dripping from my hand. Hoping that one day I’d learn how to heal my wounds, I yanked the bandage from my pocket and patched my cut.

  The door looked heavy. Was I strong enough to pull it up? I threw a glance around to make sure I was alone. Then I bent over, grabbed the big iron ring, and pulled as hard as I could. The door opened half way. Just when I was sure I wouldn’t be able to hold it, I heard a click. I removed my hands, and the door opened the rest of the way by itself.

  Go, before it slams shut over your head.

  I pulled the flashlight out of my backpack and moved down the stone stairs. As I reached the bottom, the door closed smoothly, and the gas lamps on the walls lit up.

  “What a . . . ” I gasped. Was there a sentry spirit here or something?

  The view in front of me made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. I was looking at a large room with a desk on one side, a long table in the middle, and bookshelves all around. The air was filled with the smell of old parchment, leather, and some herbs. An iron ring covered with the remains of burned candles dangled from the ceiling. Not far from its hook was a ventilation hole.

  Most of the bookshelves contained old books, but there were also a lot of objects, which I was sure had some magical value, and some of them were in glass cases. My ears buzzed with the strength of the magical energy in the place.

  Something caught my eye. On one of the shelves, glittering under the light of the nearby lamp, lay the sword. Still a bit scared, I glanced back at the stairs, then slowly moved forward. The blade was short for a sword, but a bit long for a dagger. I run my fingers along the incantations carved on its silver surface. And then I looked at the symbols on its handle.

  I wish I knew what they mean. I sighed.

  The table was loaded with aged parchments and books, and the first thing I noticed was a regular piece of paper lying above yellow pages of some ancient book, looking out of place. I picked it up and recognized my dad’s handwriting.

  Don’t be frightened, honey. You’re absolutely safe here.

  The thought of my dad trying to support me even when he was long gone sent a warm wave through my body, calming me. That’s what I needed. To stay calm, so my energy wouldn’t burst out of me and damage this centuries-old, priceless collection.

  A closed book with a brown cover lay at the other side of the table. I picked it up and opened to a random page. Once again I saw the familiar handwriting. It was my dad’s grimoire, and he probably put it here to make it easy for me to find so I could start learning.

  Next my attention was drawn to a stack of big books at the other end of the table. I moved closer and glanced at the cover of the one lying on top. The book was sheathed with black leather. On its spine was a big red cross, which meant top secret. Two large letters inside a circle were embossed in the middle of the cover. KN.

  Kenneth Nash.

  My insides went cold the second I touched the cover, and dad’s words of warning echoed in my mind. My hand jerked, and I backed up, reminding myself that the first thing I had to do was look for the items dad wanted me to check out.

  I crossed to the desk and stared at the chest sitting in the corner. I pulled it closer and lifted the lid. Lying above a stack of time-yellowed envelopes was an old photograph. An image of a sitting woman with a man standing beside, both very handsome, looked right at me.

  Joseph and Josephine.

  Nathan didn’t look much like his mother, but the familiar gaze of her black eyes pierced me through, raising my heartbeat. I glanced once more at the envelopes and felt a strong desire to read those letters. But I put the photograph in its place and closed the chest. Maybe one day.

  There was so much in this room that I wanted to examine, but it would take months, maybe years, to go through even half of it. Right now I had to do the important things.

  Dad said part of the map and the page ripped from Joseph’s journal would be in the top drawer of the desk. I opened the drawer and saw a wooden box. On its lid was the red cross. Inside I found a metal capsule with a gold carving, the page from Joseph’s journal, and a vial of dark red liquid. I opened the capsule and pulled out the map. It was a blank piece of old parchment, just as Dad had told me. I put it back and picked up a folded piece of regular paper. It was a note from my dad.

  Nicky, we thought we were nearly done with the sword, but the thing is, the last touch became a big problem. Nathan has an idea, he’s sure it will work, and I think he’s right. But the thing is, it’s extremely dark and evil. So I was trying to find another way, but unfortunately, so far none of my experiments were successful. If by the time you get here the sword is not ready, don’t bring it out. Convince Nathan to find some other solution.

  “Well,” I sighed. “Maybe if I ask politely.”
>
  How long ago had Dad started preparing the vault for my visit? I folded the paper and put it aside. Then I picked up the page from Joseph’s diary and sat down in the chair in front of the desk.

  Most of it contained the information about the places where the remaining three parts of the map were hidden. It was pretty simple. Three graves. Henry Callahan’s, Joseph Callahan’s, and Josephine Cain’s. The ones at Henry’s and Josephine’s graves were hidden by Joseph himself. The task of hiding the last part Joseph forwarded to his son.

  But the last paragraph, which was about the tomb itself, put me in some kind of stupor. As much as it shocked me, it was one thing that would hit Nathan even harder. Keeping this information a secret from him seemed unfair, and I wanted to run to him, tell him about my discovery.

  But there was a red cross on the lid of this box.

  I picked up the vial and looked at its sticker. With a sigh, I put it back in the box.

  It would take time for me to get used to my new status, but I was starting to perceive that the vault, and the whole information it contained was mine now. It was my turn to make decisions. But I also was aware that I didn’t know much yet. I was just stepping into this world of secrets, and maybe first I needed to find out the reason behind those red crosses before I could judge the people who drew them.

  Our job was to destroy Kenneth. It didn’t really matter how we got to the end of the story. We could lick our wounds after we accomplish our mission.

  3

  I tried to curb the splash of joy inside me the moment I saw Nathan at his usual spot next to the school parking lot. Yesterday, when I came home after my visit to the vault, I spent most of the evening going through my dad’s grimoire. I stopped myself several times from calling or texting Nathan. And not because I wanted to tell him something, but because it was becoming hard to spend the whole day without seeing him.