"So what are we doing? What can I expect from this magic thing, Bitty?" Oliver asks as we head back to where my semi-hidden hammock is.


    "Really, I can''t do much with magic, but I''m focusing on how to sense it and have been able to start manipting elements a little with it. Magic is really hard. Do you remember learning to shift for the first time?" He nods at me. "It''s kind of like that when I use magic. Somewhere in me I have the capacity for it, but because it isn''t my first nature the learning is slow and draining. With the Rogues using magic, sensing it is my main focus and Elena agrees. If we can avoid things and people that are being manipted and controlled by magic, we can keep more pack members safe. What happened to Jena''s pack and Tyler''s pack is uneptable and I believe magic is going to be the Rogue King''s weakness."


    "How so?"


    "The rogues arezy and weak when ites to real fighting. They are too reliant on magic to take control with no real effort. That''s how Jena and I were able to get away after Gentry kept the wolfsbane and other poisons out of our food. We had to fight a little, but not as much as I would have thought once they discovered us gone. I was also able to kill Janice without a lot of effort too when she tried to take me on one on one. I didn''t think about it at the time, but I don''t sleep well so I''ve had time on my hands."


    "What do you mean you don''t sleep well? You slept finest night."


    "I have always slept better with you guys around." I smile at him. "I''m pretty sure it''s the only time I actually hit a deep sleep really. You guys are just my people, you''re safe, home." He pulls me into a hug and I can hear his wolf purr softly in his chest.


    "That was the ego boost we needed. Now he isn''t going to shut up the rest of the day." Oliverughs. "So what do I need to do?"


    I walk him through what it looks like for me to work with the elements and some of the history that Elena has been teaching me. He''s as big of a geek as I am, so I know he appreciates the in-depth information. The rest of the guys would have stayed and pretended to pay attention while spacing out. Cam would havested the longest, while Sam would have made it two minutes before offering to get snacks and drinks. I also exined that he needs to watch me for signs of distress, because the concentration is so deep, I can''t always pull myself out of it and I can actually get hurt while I''m in a trance.


    We finally unwrap and open the ancient grimoire. I know that this thing has been around for generations, but the thought of it being here outside the safety of the Royal pack makes me a little nervous and excited all at the same time. It is clearly important, if she broke her own rule to bring it to me.


    There is an envelope tucked in between pages. I open straight to it and see why immediately. I open the thick envelope and unfold the heavy, hand pressed paper. I can feel the hum through my fingers just touching it. I know there is magic, even here. I begin to read.


    Skr, I wish I could be with you, but my coven needs me more right now. Your rogues are terrorizing my kind and we must help put an end to the injustice. Our leaders can no longer avoid it or pretend it is not happening. We are going to bring our brothers and sisters home.


    You must continue your training. I believe you are vital to our cause. Read the grimoire from front to back and stop where the magic calls you. Your wolf can guide you as well since she is of the same magic. Make sure you are safe when practicing, knowing who to trust is bing a dangerous game. I have marked three pages for you to follow before and after you practice casting. This will keep you and your watcher safe as well as suppress your strong aura.


    The first will help you veil your practice area and bar anyone outside your space from entering until you drop the veil. This may affect your ability to mindlink when you first begin to cast. As you get better at the skill, it will be less broad and you can manipte it to your will.


    The second will help you ground and be intune with the elements around you before you cast. This meditation is what we did together, but will take some energy from you as you align with the earth to cast.


    The third is instructions to infuse


    magic into elements that can be worn for protection. Make one protection pièce per day and no


    more. The magic is powerful and et


    contained, but you and your team will need the added protection. The elements can be ced in everyday Wearable items. I suggest infusing at night before you sleep so you can rest and recover overnight and no one will be suspicious of yourck of energy.


    Check in with Niks and he will get messages to me if you need anything. Good Luck my girl.


    "Okay, well, I have my work cut out for me then. What do you think I should start with first?" I look back at Oliver who is rubbing his forehead. "What''s wrong?"


    "Everytime I tried to read over your shoulder, I got a splitting headache. Is that a normal thing when you get a letter from a witch?"


    "Uh, no. I could read it just fine. I can


    feel magic on it though, so maybe she made it so only I can read it. I''m curious, though. Can you read anything in the book? I know it has all kinds of magic cast over it, but does it have some kind of repelling spell too?"


    He starts to slowly flip the pages. "That one is fuzzy, but it doesn''t hurt my brain like the letter did." He points to one that has the coven''s lineage. "AH!" He turns a page and quickly flips it again.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    "What?"


    "That one actually burned. It burned my fingers and my eyes. What the hell is on that one?"


    "It is coven locations. Clearly that is a bigger secret than the people in the covens." I turn to the page marked with the spell to protect my practice area. "Can you read this? You are my bodyguard for this whole thing."


    "Umm, yeah. I can. Is it weird that someone went through and put individual spells on pages and pieces of information?"


    "Not really, and it wasn''t just one person. This is a collection from many witches. So I''m sure each entry was protected by the witch who wrote it." I shrug, admiring the effort that this book took to make. Let''s just practice the protection spell and see how that goes. I''ve never done it on my own, but I''ve seen Elena do it and Gentry did one when we got our warrior brands, I just didn''t know it at the time."


    We spend the rest of the afternoon setting and unsetting the protection circle around us. We let our friends know so we could practice mind linking them too.