Happy Wednesday. Time for another snippet from Ethereal Guardian, which will be the third book in the Ghosts of Salem series.“Yeah, okay. I’m…I’ll be back.” Slipping through the door without a coat, she couldn’t stay out long. The cold snapped her up though, breaking both her anger and the strange hysteria that had surprised her. Comparing the crystal to a stain remover really belittled what Summer had done.
Wrapping her arms around herself, she walked to the garden and looked down where the earth was exposed, a few leaves there looked far too green for the season. Was she freaking out over nothing?
Summer wouldn’t hurt her, she was sure of that. Doubt still needled her, like the ice seeping into her slippers. One thing was certain. Magic was part of her, just as it was in each of the others, and she could either accept that and confront it, or deny it and risk something worse than making a calculated mistake, making a naïve one.
Plucking one of the leaves, she laid it flat in her palm. The magic that had revived it still flowed through it. Focusing, she tried to pull it out again. It darkened, twisted and curled up, looking like all the other leaves in the flower bed. Taking a deep breath, she blew the remnant away. If she couldn’t do something right, at least she could set it right.
The tiny spell had taken long enough that Gwen and Paige were on their way back up the stairs. Summer frowned and waited for Ember to approach. “I’m really sorry,” she said.
Ember nodded. “I know. It’s okay.”
Meeting her gaze, Summer’s shoulders dropped. “Thank you. I…Paige said something earlier and I don’t think you were there to hear it. She said that magic was a part of us, just like any other talent or ability. We can control it the same way we control our tempers or use a tool correctly.”“Somehow I think making a mistake with magic will be worse than a temper tantrum.”
Summer looked at her feet. “Yeah, probably, but what I really meant was, there’s no use running from it and probably a lot better to learn to control it. Don’t you think so?”
Rather than answer, Ember turned to the stairs. “Actually, I was thinking just that while I was outside.”
Summer hurried to follow her up. “Really? That’s great!” When they reached the landing, she seized Ember in a hug.
“I get it. You’re worried about me. I appreciate that, but right now, I need to warm up. It’s cold out there.” She rubbed her arms.
“Right. We’ll…talk more later. Okay?”
Ember nodded and entered her bed room. Closing the door behind her she leaned on it. Could undoing magic teach her the control she needed? Maybe not, but it was a good place to start.
