Lena shrugged. “A Binding Cast for people? It could work. I can’t think of a reason why it wouldn’t.”
Link scratched his head. “Work how? Like, our hands are permanently stuck together in a group hug? Or like, we can read each other’s minds? Can you get a little more specific?” Not that I’d mind being Bound to Rid, he thought. At least, it wouldn’t suck.
Lena stared into the glowing embers. “Who knows? We’re kind of winging it here. There aren’t a whole lot of Casts about Binding people.”
“Or, you know. Any.” Ridley sighed. “So why am I the only person who thinks we should get out the peach schnapps and go bowling instead?” No takers. “How about breakfast, then?”
Link kicked a clod of dirt toward the fire. When had Rid gotten so worried about using her powers? She’d been like that ever since the summer. Skittish as a new pup, and about as nervous.
“This isn’t black magic, Rid,” Lena said. “If we do something wrong, we’ll undo it.”
“When have those words ever not come back to haunt you?” Ridley shook her head at her cousin.
“Nothing big,” Lena said. “Just a little something so we don’t forget about each other. Like a Forget-Me-Not. A memento. I could do it in my sleep.”
Rid raised an eyebrow. “Someone’s gotten a little cocky since she brought Boyfriend back from the dead.”
Lena ignored the dig and held out her hand to Ridley. “Everyone join hands.”
Ridley sighed and took Lena’s hand, also taking Link’s warm and sweaty one.
He grinned and gave her a squeeze. “Is this gonna be kinky? Please let this be kinky.”
“Please let you shut up,” said Rid. But it was hard not to smile, and she had to make an effort to keep her bratty expression in place.
John took Liv’s hand, and Liv took Link’s. Ethan grabbed hands with John and Lena to complete the circle.
Lena closed her eyes and began to speak in a low tone. “There is a time beyond mountains and men—”
“Is that it?” Link asked. “The Cast? Or are you just makin’ it up? Because I thought all your Casts were in Lat—”
Lena opened her eyes and glared, one green eye and one gold flashing in the remaining firelight. Link’s mouth shut and his voice was silenced for him, Caster-style. Link swallowed, hard. Lena might as well have slapped duct tape across his face.
He got the message.
Then she closed her eyes again. As she spoke, Link could almost see the words on the page, as if a scroll had opened itself for them.
“There is a time beyond mountains and men
When our six-faced moon must rise.
If you call for me, I will come to you then,
And our six-headed horse will ride.
Though Sixteen Moons began our thread,
And Nineteen Moons must end us,
Let us always be Bound by the Southern Star,
And when in grave danger—
Send us.”
Lightning flashed in the sky, ripping across the dark clouds and reflecting in the still surface of the lake. Boo growled.
A shiver rolled through all six of them—like a cold current coming from the lake itself—and they dropped hands, as if some invisible force had ripped them apart.
The circle was broken.
Link tried his voice and found to his relief that he could use it. Which was good, since he had something to say.
“Sweet buckets of crap! What was that?” Link opened his eyes. “ ‘Grave danger’? And ‘send us’? Send us where? What are you talkin’ about?” His voice was raspy, as if he’d just been yelling.
Lena looked uncomfortable. “Those are just the words that came to me.”
John sat up on his rock. “Wait, what?”
Lena squirmed. “I wasn’t expecting the danger part. But it’s all good, right?” She frowned as soon as she said it. “I guess it doesn’t sound that great, does it?”
“You think?” Ridley tried another position on her hard log seat. She didn’t look happy.
“Could it be an omen?” Liv’s face clouded. “A warning or a threat about something that’s going to end us?”
Lena shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s meant to be whatever it is. I mean, it’s just what came out when I tried to focus on the Binding.”
That was when Link lost it. “What do you mean, that’s what came out? How could you work a Cast without knowin’ what you’re Castin’? What if it’s somethin’ really bad? Because Lord knows that’s never happened to us before!”
Ethan punched Link’s arm. “Chill out, Mrs. Lincoln.”
Link shot him a dirty look, which Ethan deserved. It was basically the meanest thing you could say to Link.
Still.
Get control of yourself, dude.
“Lena knows what she’s doing.” Ridley tried to sound confident.
If she says it enough times, maybe it will be true, Link thought.
“Ridley’s right. It’s fine. Everything’s okay. No one panic.” But Liv didn’t look like she believed a word she was saying.
Lena didn’t look all that relieved, either. “Well, we should be Bound now. See? Something’s happening.” She motioned to the fire.
There, beneath the rising mound of gray ash and log, was a strange pulsing light. Lena leaned forward, blowing away the ash.
What remained were six glowing blue lumps of burning ember.