“Try not to wipe my childhood, will you?” Madison asked. “I actually had a good one.”
“Nobody has a good childhood,” David said. “We just get good at forgetting the shitty times.”
“Well then don’t bring back the shitty times,” she said. “I like my memories. I don’t want to lose them.”
“We’ll do our very best, dear,” Shelly said before turning to David. “Stop being a demon.”
“I am a demon,” he said.
“Yes, but you don’t need to act like it,” she snapped.
“He can’t help it,” I said.
“He’s going to have to help it or he’ll lose his mate,” Shelly said.
“Are you going to tell on me?” David said with a laugh.
“I won’t have to. You fuck this up, she’ll kick you to the curb on her own,” Shelly said.
David growled.
“Enough,” Madison said. “Open your fucking eyes and stop the bickering. You’re like toddlers. Seriously. Stop.”
I looked back at the human. There was a green glow circling her, radiating out from our linked hands. We were already making magic and it wasn’t the kind we needed.
“Focus,” I said.
“You’re lucky Skylar wants you around,” David said.
“I don’t know why she wants either of you around.” Madison shook her head.
She was probably right. We were acting like children. “Memorium momentiumen clomintious.” I started chanting the words, hoping David would join in.
Shelly closed her eyes and took a deep breath. David began to chant. The two of us, speaking in Demonic while Shelly sent her magic to us, amplifying the spell.
I closed my eyes, focusing on the building magic inside me. It rushed through me like a wave, growing larger as I continued speaking, building. The temperature around us grew and sweat beaded on my face. With each chant, the heat rose, and the magic intensified.
I could feel it swirling around us like a storm. We still had a handle on it, but it was pushing back, trying to take over. I clenched my teeth, muttering the words as best I could while holding onto the spell.
David squeezed my hand tighter and I knew he was also struggling. We had to hold on a little longer. We weren’t through yet. I could feel the building, feel the magic working, but it wasn’t enough.
Madison started screaming, but I pushed through. We had to make this work. Our whole plan was built around her being able to get us into the palace. If we couldn’t bring back her memories, it would be too risky to send her in. We had to succeed.
Shelly muttered something, and I felt a rush of cool air swirl around the room. It was a momentary reprieve and I sucked in a breath before returning to the spell.
The heat returned, but the magic felt more stable. Madison wasn’t screaming anymore. I risked opening my eyes and saw that she was slumped in the chair, her eyes closed, her chest barely rising.
“We’re losing her,” I said.
“We’re almost there,” David said. “Finish.”
I called on everything I had, all my magic, guiding it through me, pushing it outward with a yell. David was screaming next to me.
A burst of blue light filled the air then all the candles roared, their flames reaching the ceiling before they suddenly snuffed out.
David and Shelly both released my hands. I took deep breaths, panting from the effort. The room was full of smoke curling up from the spent candles. We were in darkness and I had no idea if the spell worked.
Shelly stepped forward and in the dim light, I watched her press her fingers to the unconscious woman’s neck. She looked up at us. “She’s alive.”