Her chest tightened, as did her throat. Breaths were coming short, so Antonia closed her eyes and focused on peace and calm. Except, she couldn’t find it. Not within herself, or from anyone else in the vault with her. She knew her breath was growing short but had no control. And her heart, it wanted to pound right out of her chest, and hurt.

  This was panic. She had experienced it before.

  And it wasn’t just hers. It came from everyone. It surrounded her.

  They all feared what was to come and were losing hope that an answer could be found.

  Oh, if only she could block each one of them, but without a veiling spell, it was impossible.

  For a moment she was torn. Did she stop looking for a spell or artifact to revert the spell Chedworth was under and try a veiling spell for herself or keep working. If their emotions were hidden from her, she would be able to concentrate. But Antonia also knew that much of the panic came from within her being, and there was no way to hide from herself.

  She grasped the shelf, determined to push past this, but if she could not, she’d need to leave the house, but only for so long as it took to calm, and then she’d come back.

  “Please excuse me,” she murmured and nearly ran from the vault, then up the stairs, and ran right into the hard chest of Chedworth.

  He placed steadying hands about her upper arms, and she gazed up into his cobalt eyes. Instantly her panic fled, yet the fear did not. That was from him and her. The peace that she had hoped to retain was missing and she feared that he might not ever know it again.

  “What is wrong?” he asked softly, his tone warm with concern.

  “I need to step away from…” she gestured to the cellar. “They are so afraid, as am I.”

  Philip drew her close and placed his arms about her. Her head was now against his chest and Antonia wasn’t certain what to do. Did she put her arms around him?

  It was want she wanted to do, and even as she was questioning her response, her arms acted on their own, as if she had no control over them, and soon, they were wrapped in each other’s embrace.

  Antonia dearly hoped that nobody came upon them because this could harm her reputation and at the very least, create gossip, which none of them needed right now.

  Thank goodness nobody knew where he had slumbered last night, and Antonia could only assume that Philip had snuck away before a maid found them.

  He simply held her, arms tight, as if he couldn’t let her go and his heartbeat was steady in her ear. Soon, hers matched his, and her fear lessened to what he experienced. Odd that she feared more than him. As for her panic, it subsided as all tightness left her neck and chest.

  He was her calm, still. Yes, he was frightened, but Chedworth was the calm and strength to her soul.

  “Are you better?” he asked. His chin rested on the top of her head.

  Antonia didn’t want to speak, instead she nodded.

  “Do you think you can return below, or do you still need to go outside?”

  She wanted to go outside for fresh air, and to simply be alone with him, but it was no longer necessary. “I should return.”

  “Then I shall go with you.”

  With reluctance Antonia let her arms drop so that she was no longer holding Chedworth, and he did the same. She stepped back, he took her hand as they once again descended the stairs to continue reading journals.

  They must find an answer. There was no other choice.

  “Retrieving what was lost,” Maia was saying as they walked into the vault.

  “We do not need anything like that,” Petra reminded her.

  “What of a lost spell, or words that can no longer be read?”

  The order of importance of what they were looking for shifted in that moment. Antonia would first try once again to bring back the words once written by an ancestor, and then she would return to searching for a reversal for Chedworth, assuming that it was still necessary.

  “I will go ask mother if this will work,” Maia said before she darted out of the vault holding the journal. Antonia still did not know what Maia had found but hoped that it could be used to solve one of their problems.

  Petra and Samantha quickly followed. Antonia glanced at Chedworth, and he simply shrugged and soon they were rushing up the stairs too.

  Chapter Sixteen

  “We need permission to remove an artifact, or at least touch it,” Maia announced as she entered the back parlor without knocking or even greeting anyone.

  “Why?” his mother asked.

  “The Eye of Theia,” Maia announced.

  “What is the Eye of Theia?” Philip asked, coming from behind Antonia.

  “It is a bejeweled eye made of quartz stones and an amethyst for the pupil.”

  “Is it a brooch or a necklace?” Philip asked.

  “A necklace,” Maia answered.

  “It is meant to be worn when seeking,” his mother answered. “Clear quartz is a rejuvenating stone and can reveal what is lost. The amethyst can be used to visualize.”

  “But it is kept in the vault, so the explanation is not so simple,” Petra reminded them.

  “What does the journal reveal?” his mother asked.

  “It was crafted by witches during the 15th century to see danger as it neared, a protection.”

  “Who is Theia?” Antonia asked.

  “Titan of sight and shining light and brightness, a Greek goddess who had an oracle. Many believed her to be all-seeing. It is said that she could give the ability for a person to see ghosts and other forms of clairvoyance,” Petra answered.

  “What else is written in the journal?” his mother asked.

  “The Eye of Theia can be used to find what is lost, see the unseen, bring forth the light and reveal the truth,” Petra read from the journal.

  “You want to use it to raise the missing script from the spell book,” his mother confirmed.

  Petra and Maia nodded.

  “What are the dangers?” his mother asked.

  The reason the artifacts, antiquities and relics were stored in the vault and locked away was because harm could also come from using them. Many were good, when used as intended, but could have bad consequences when not. There were also antiquities stored that were simply too dangerous to be used and why the rule was to never touch a relic unless everything was known about it.

  “The one who uses the eye must have good intentions in their heart. If it is used for a selfish purpose, the person who uses the Eye of Theia will be blinded.”

  “That is too dangerous,” Philip said immediately. He knew that it would be Antonia who took the risk because it was her book and she had cast the spell, but he would not allow her to do so.

  “I need to read the journal myself.” His mother held out her hand, and Petra placed it in her palm. “Petra and Maia, ask your mothers to join me in the vault, and Philip, please bring Orion. This is not a decision that can be made by one.” Then she paused. “Has anyone touched the eye?”

  “No. It is kept in a glass box, which is how we were able to see it,” Petra answered.

  His mother nodded then quit the room.

  Petra and Maia followed his mother and Samantha left as well, though Philip couldn’t understand why. Only Antonia remained. “I should go get my book.” She turned to leave.

  “Wait.”

  Antonia paused and turned toward him.

  “This is too dangerous.”

  “No, it isn’t.”

  “Why do you want to reveal the rest of the writing?” he asked.

  She frowned and tilted her head, eyes narrowed. “I hope for an explanation on how to reverse the spell.”

  “For me or for you.”

  The “V” between her eyes deepened. “For you.”

  “Me, alone?”

  “Um…yes.”

  “Not because you need to fix this for yourself?”

  “You are most important. I need to stop you from becoming a werewolf.”

  “But if you have even the slightest part of selfishness, of needing this for yourself as well, you could be blinded and that is not a risk that I am willing to take.”

  “I am.”

  Antonia turned and rushed from the room before he could call her back.

  She held the book and stared at the Eye of Theia.

  Did she do this? Was it too dangerous?

  Also within the vault were the mothers of Philip, Petra and Maia, as well as Orion Drakos, cousin to Philip, and keeper of Nightshade Manor, which Antonia did not understand. Why did it need a keeper and why wasn’t the Earl of Wharton that keeper since he was the owner?

  Perhaps she would learn one day but it wasn’t so important right now. Not while they were all gathered around the Eye of Theia and trying to determine if it was safe enough to touch.

  “What does the journal say?” Lady Norcott asked. She was Maia’s mother.

  “The Eye of Theia was created for protection. The greatest threat at the time was witch finders. This allowed the wearer to see and watch so that there would be time to hide if they were near.”

  “Would that not be a selfish purpose?” Philip asked.

  “It wasn’t only to protect the witch who wore it, but others who were with her. All witches, not just one,” his mother explained. “Further, it isn’t selfish if it is simply to keep oneself alive, or not be killed. Had the witch used it to go after the witch finders, no matter how much they may have deserved whatever ill befell them, the witch would have been blinded, because it would have caused harm to another.”

  It was fine for self-preservation but nothing else.

  “It also tells of another witch who gained control of the eye for the purpose of gaining power, and control. They were blinded.”

  Antonia gave a shiver and stepped back, clutching her great-grandmother’s book to her chest.

  “The Eye of Theia was then stolen from that person who thought to mask their own desires with an altruistic reason, but the Eye of Theia knows a heart, and that person was blinded as well. No longer able to see anything.”

  What if her heart wasn’t pure enough? What if she was blinded. Except, what would happen to Chedworth if she didn’t at least try? She might never forgive herself if he faced life as a werewolf.

  His mother turned a page in the journal. “It finally came to a witch with good intentions and found its way to this vault.”

  “What do you do with it?” Lady Wharton asked.

  “First, the person wishing for sight should wear it for protection. If magic is being performed, the Eye of Theia will shield while the witch is most vulnerable to outside forces. The Eye of Theia attracts vanity and greed.”

  “Where should we perform the ceremony?” his aunt asked.

  “Shouldn’t we first ask Lady Antonia?” Chedworth interrupted. “She is the one risking her sight, not you.”

  “I will do the spell,” Antonia announced when everyone looked at her. “Is there a certain spell that I must use? Is there one written in the journal?”

  “You should read the one from before,” his mother instructed as she picked up the glass box holding the necklace. “We will take this to the garden, where our magic is strongest.”

  “Are you certain?” Lord Chedworth asked.

  Antonia looked into his blue eyes, her heart pounding, hands shaking. She wasn’t certain at all but had little choice. “Yes.”

  “Then come along.”

  “What of candles and crystals?” Petra asked.

  “They are in a satchel in my chamber,” Antonia answered.

  When everyone had first come into the vault, it had not bothered her as much because they were all curious as to what the Eye of Theia could do. Now, each was filled with worry and fear of what might be discovered, and it was pressing in on her.

  “Might I have a moment, please?”

  “Yes, of course,” Maia said. Except nobody left, they just stepped away.

  “I will go to the garden, please give me time to prepare before you join me.” She didn’t wait for a response but left the vault and climbed the stairs and found a door leading to the outside. Once she was there, Antonia could finally breathe again.

  Thank goodness they hadn’t wanted her to perform the spell in the vault because her concentration would have been nil, and she may have ended up blind.

  There was still that chance.

  She made her way to the center of the garden and placed the book on the stone shelf in the middle and opened it to the correct page.

  She then settled back on her heels, closed her eyes, and slowed her breathing and attempted to clear her mind.

  There was peace in being alone, except there was a hole, a missing piece and she knew that it was because Philip had not joined her.

  Why was he necessary?

  It made no sense, but Antonia truly hoped that she found the answer. She did not want to go through the rest of her life with an aching emptiness when he was not around.

  “Do you still wish to be alone?”

  She glanced up to find Philip standing at the edge of the circle.

  “You may join.” She smiled at him.

  “Shall I sit across from you again?”

  “I think it is important that you do so.”

  He settled as he had before, and Antonia held out her hands. He took them, and a peace settled inside and around her like a comforting blanket and any tension she held melted away. Her mind cleared further as she closed her eyes, and she concentrated on seeing what was written and on what was missing. Willing the words forward.

  When she opened her eyes again, Philip was staring at her.

  “Once I reveal the words, and then reverse the curse, I need to understand this bond. This link.”

  He squeezed her fingers. “My mother thinks that it may be because we are connected by a spell.”

  “If it is broken then what binds us may be severed too?” she asked.

  “It is possible.”

  Antonia hadn’t considered that the spell could be the cause.

  “Are you ready, Lady Antonia?” his mother asked as she stepped into the circle.

  She and Philip quickly dropped hands and luckily, the others hadn’t joined them.

  “Yes,” Antonia answered.

  “Are you certain?” Philip asked, his eyes boring into hers.

  “Yes.” Though she wasn’t certain that she would ever truly be ready.

  Lady St. Alban came forward with the glass box and held it out to Antonia just as Petra entered the garden carrying her satchel. The others followed and formed a circle.

  Antonia took the glass box and placed it on the book, then set her crystals and candles about her before lighting them.

  She then turned toward the book and stared into the bejeweled eye while trying to clear her heart of any selfish purpose. She was doing this for Philip and only Philip.

  But what if the spell was seen as selfish? She wanted to know what was written, but she was also trying to find a way to break the curse Chedworth was under. But then she would be free of guilt if he was cured. What was considered selfish by the bejeweled eye?

  Philip’s predicament was the reason they were here. She would not do this simply for her own benefit, ever. Magic was too precious and a gift to be shared, not for the betterment of the person who possessed it.

  She was doing this for Philip and only Philip, even though she would gain something as well.

  Regardless of her intentions. Antonia stared at Chedworth and memorized his face. It may be all she had when this was over. A memory for unseeing eyes.

  With a deep breath, Antonia opened the glass box, lifted the necklace, and placed it around her neck and hoped the goddess understood.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Philip watched quietly and with concern as Antonia put that necklace around her neck. She then set the box aside and placed her original spell on top of the missing words.

  When she held out her hands, he took them. His heart pounded and he wanted to pull back.

  She shouldn’t be doing this for him. How could he live with himself if she was blinded? He would rather be a werewolf than let anything happen to her.

  His mother, aunts, cousins, and Samantha stood in a circle, surrounding them, hands clasped. The wind swirled but did not lift the parchment or the pages of the book.

  Antonia opened her eyes and stared down at the book.

  Bring back the words once written beneath this page.

  From ancient times to modern days.

  Lift them forward, reveal them to me.

  Another breeze swept around them and the parchment the spell was written on fluttered away. Philip looked at the page in the book and his heart sank to see the blank space where words had once been written. Antonia had risked blindness for nothing.

  “Make certain that the spell is said three times under the new moon and that the spell is completed. Any interruption will leave the person you are trying to change in a state of limbo.”

  Philip looked at the book again. Nothing was written, yet Antonia was reading.

  “If a spell is incomplete, the person on which it was cast will experience changes each night for a short time at midnight. While this will not make him a wolf, it will eventually drive him to madness as he will never know peace.”

  At least he wouldn’t be a wolf all the time and if he were normal during the day and most of the night, why should discomfort for about five or ten minutes each night drive him mad?

  Philip dismissed the concern because he would much rather have that than to risk fully turning into a wolf.

  Antonia took a deep breath then slowly blew it out as her hands tightened around his.

  “If the spell is completed as written, and recited three times under the New Moon, the person on whom the spell has been cast will become a wolf each night of the full moon, and only that night. However, caution is urged. He should not be allowed to roam free, or livestock will disappear, and there is a small chance that humans could be injured or killed, and at the very least, cause more mischief than a witch is ready to explain. Instead, lock him in a cell where they might be comfortable while the changes take place. While in the cage, do not approach and keep your distance for you do not want to risk being scratched or bitten or you may be cursed as well.”