Curse of Ravens // Mikaelson

40 Strength of Thor

Josie,
I'm sorry for disappearing so suddenly. An elite school in Belgium offered to pay my tuition for the last semester, but I had to leave immediately to take the opportunity.
I will always hold you close to my heart,
xx Penelope

I read over the short note, wondering if I could ever be so selfless as Penelope's letter was. I tossed the page into the fireplace, and the flames hissed as they retrieved it. No one will believe this letter. It's better her disappearance remains a mystery. I watched as the letter turned to ash. The mansion was dark and quiet. At my feet the collection of ingredients sat, waiting to be readied. A bloody fresh heart was in a wooden bowl nearby.

My hand was still slightly sticky with blood. I had dressed for the ritual. My dress was black and flowy, stopping at my knees. It didn't have sleeves, and had a gaping neckline and open back. The material was soft and thin, so it hardly felt like I was wearing anything. I was barefoot. With more skin exposed, I hoped it would be easier to draw in more power. I'd pull it from wherever I could tonight.

I would channel the very energy of the eclipse, the waterlines under the earth, and the runes I had drawn down my arms in kohl. This was the calm before the climax. The crackle of the fire in the dark room, casting an orange glow against my face. I was aware of the chill in the air, which deepened with the night. I was aware of the way the carpet slightly bounced under my bare feet. I thought I'd be nervous, after months of preparation here I was, finally about to perform a ritual centuries old to help my sister.

I was about to single-handedly bring an end to one of the eldest and deadliest spirits to ever exist. Inadu would never be a problem again, and my family would be free to come together again after ten long years. I unraveled my braids, sticking fingers into my hair and massaging my scalp to loosen the locks. The blonde and brown hair fell over my shoulders in waves.

I was not nervous. Actually, I only felt a need to get this over with as quickly as possible. I've overused my magic in the last ditch effort to increase my capacity, so that I could decrease the risk of fatality for my conduits. The Ravensons were already in the backyard at the edge of the woods. Hope was there as well. They waited for me. But the Eclipse was still aligning. There was still time before I had to begin.

I waited until the last minute to join them. After all, Aleksandr and Anastasia would know almost immediately when they saw the runes that I would be using them as conduits- not just channeling their magic. I suspected neither would be okay with that. I know I wouldn't be. The time to burn bridges was now. I popped a cork out of a bottle and sprinkled the dark powdery kohl on my palms. I rubbed my hands together until they were covered with the black stain.

There's a flutter of wings and then Gyre landed on my shoulder, his sharp talons scratching me slightly through the material of the dress. He cawed right into my ear and I winced at the sharp noise. I scratched his head. He seemed to know the gravity of the ritual that we were about to perform. He was another form of magic I would be siphoning from. The familiar wouldn't make it out of this alive.

I closed my eyes. "Odin hear my prayer from the Halls of Valhalla. Come sit at my fire, share in the story the flames breath into life. Lend me the strength of Thor, the wisdom of Frigg, and the power of Hel. When I fall, make it so my death is as impactful as Balder." I spoke the prayer out loud, wishing that it wasn't just words. Gyre cawed again. I grabbed the ingredients and stood up.

As I joined Aleksandr and Anastasia, whom had already drawn the pentagram onto the earth and gathered the materials for every element, I felt the anxieties in the air. I set down the wooden bowl and the other ingredients. Hope already stood in the center of the pentagram. Candles were lit all around the area. Gyre's talons gripped me harder as I pulled the items out.