Warlock Brothers of Havenbridge 01 - Spell Bound by Jacob Z. Flores Read Free Book Online

my own thing, and it upset my family to no end.
    “Aren’t you going to say hello?”
    Adam’s question pulled me out of my thoughts. “Of course,” I said before holding out my hand. “How’s your last year of grad school?”
    The smile on his lips practically made him glow as he shook my hand. “Pretty wonderful,” he said. “I’ve met lots of great people, but it’s still tough being away from home. I’m sure Thad says the same thing.”
    I chuckled. “My bookworm brother talks to his dusty old books more than he does to me.”
    Adam laughed. “Yeah. He’s always in the library, and he’s usually alone.”
    They went to the same school. “Doesn’t surprise me at all.”
    He gazed out of the corner of his eye at Charlotte, who smiled knowingly at him. “Um, I wanted to, uh, ask you something,” he said between sputters.
    “What’s that?”
    Why was Adam so nervous all of a sudden? An uncertain smile tugged at his lips as he raked his fingers through his light brown hair, which was cut short and tight at the sides but longer and looser on top. When he couldn’t get the words out, I looked back and forth between him and Charlotte. “What’s going on here?”
    She snickered. “What my speechless big brother is trying to ask you is—”
    Adam cut his gaze to her, and she stopped. “Charlotte, I can do this.”
    “Well, then do it,” she said with a Cheshire grin.
    Adam had let loose a long exhalation in preparation to speak when the clinking of a fork against crystal cut through the crowd.
    Everyone turned to the front of the room where Lawrence and Rachel Stonewall stood. Like my family and the Proctors, the Stonewalls were one of the three protector covens. Even though they were boring as all get-out, they were a striking couple. Mr. Stonewall’s bright smile gleamed against his mocha skin, which stood in contrast to Mrs. Stonewall’s pale and delicate features. “Greetings and blessings to you all.”
    “Greetings and blessings to you,” we all responded.
    Mrs. Stonewall held her husband’s hand. “Let’s head outside and begin.”
    We filed into the backyard, and everyone immediately formed a huge circle in the middle of the lawn. After we were all in place, we turned to face the east.
    “All hail the Watchtower of the East,” we said, reciting the prayer that would evoke the elements, which gave us our powers. “The element of air, I do summon you forth to guard and protect this circle. Be here now.”
    When a warm breeze blew through the yard, the Stonewalls’ eldest, Edith, walked to the center of the circle. She carried a candle with her. She blew across the wick, which suddenly danced with flame.
    We continued calling the elements. After air came fire, after fire was water, and the last was earth. After each invocation, one of the four Stonewall children stepped into the circle and lit the candle in their hands.
    When it was Mrs. Stonewall’s turn, she proceeded toward her children and joined their circle, carrying a much larger candle. Their bodies formed the human pentagram that was needed to invoke the fifth and most powerful element of them all.
    “Spirit, the quintessence,” we said. “You are the bridge between the physical and the spiritual. Your touch binds us today as it did when you first gifted us with the essence of the Gate, creating the Spellbringer, the first of our kind. We summon you forth to guard and protect this circle. Be here now.”
    As on Sabbats past, I suddenly felt as if I were flying. The fifth element had arrived. We had the blessings and the protection of the Five.
    We then joined hands. I held onto Charlotte’s right while Adam held mine. He rubbed his index finger over the back of my hand and smiled. What the hell was going on with him?
    Mr. Stonewall launched into prayer. As head and high priest of his family, the duty fell to him to lead us in thanks. “We celebrate the balance of Mabon, equal hours of light and darkness. For all that is