THE CONTRACT (The Chosen Series #2)

YOU'RE A WIZARD

"Erin, I suggest you lie down for this," Morgan instructs, her pale hands motioning towards the living room sofa. Turning, I notice Ava's already there, removing several cushions to make me comfortable.

As the men tidy up, Morgan outlines her plan to assist me in recovering my memories. However, before taking any steps, she needs to ascertain whether they've been blocked or completely erased. To gauge the extent of the situation, she'll delve into my mind and evaluate the best course of action.

We opt to begin the first part of the process while Griffin and Shay are out of the room. It's not that I'm intimidated by Griffin, but Morgan believes that minimizing distractions will help us focus better. I lie down on the soft leather, resting my head on a cream coloured cushion, observing as Morgan kneels beside me. With her close proximity, I notice a necklace peeking out from beneath her white blouse—a simple leather strap holding a metal heart entwined with three leaf-shaped objects. Catching my gaze, she blushes and discreetly tucks the necklace deeper into her blouse before placing a warm hand on my temple.

"Erin, this part should be painless. I'm going to do a quick surface check to see what we're dealing with." Soothing energy flows through her fingertips. "It will help if you close your eyes and picture something that calms you."

Calms me, calms me? Why couldn't she request that I focus on something that excites me? Trying to consider something that brings me peace feels unnatural. My world is all about fire and control, not water and moonlight. The word "moonlight" triggers something deep within me, and I redirect my attention to it. Inhaling deeply through my nose, my mind drifts, and I visualize a forest—tall pine trees shrouded in darkness, with only the soft rays of the moon illuminating the ground. I picture myself moving, the fallen leaves from now-bare oak trees crunching beneath my feet as I follow a path etched in the snow.

The treehouse and its inhabitants disappear...

I continue walking, an urge pulling at my core, compelling me to go further into the forest. Toward what? I don't know, but I persist.

The trees rustle, snowflakes falling from their branches, yet I can't feel the wind. It's surreal. Everything seems so real. Breathing deeply, I hear a shuffling sound up ahead and keep moving forward. I strain to listen again, my eyes scanning the white landscape before me, but I can't discern anything.

Reaching out to touch a low-lying branch, I marvel as my hand moves through the. Who would have thought being a ghost would be calming? Oh, the people I could haunt. I wonder if I could Moaning Myrtle myself out of Alexei's toilet and scare the crap out of him. Literally! That thought causes me to chuckle, but I pause when I hear the sound again. This time, the shuffling has changed into a low growl.

Intrigued rather than alarmed, I move forward and enter a clearing. This expansive area unfolds on the cliff's edge. Scanning my surroundings, I observe structures meticulously carved from rock arranged in a circular pattern, encircling a stone altar. Is this the Spur?

Approaching the altar cautiously, I freeze as the growl echoes again, this time from directly behind me. Turning, surprisingly unafraid, my heart lurches at the sight before me. Standing just a foot away is the most impressive creature I've ever seen.

Its fur is a mixture of brown and white tones. However, its face is entirely brown, with a solitary white circle of fur concealing its left eye. I watch as it sniffs the air, its ears perking up, emitting soft whines as it approaches me. Blinking, I remain perfectly still as the top of its head meets my chest, its nostrils flaring and its pink tongue lolling. In that instant, tranquility envelops me completely.

I sense a gentle pressure on my shoulder as a small hand squeezes me. Blinking several times, I gaze up into Morgan's glowing eyes, flecks of gold lighting up before fading into the dark irises behind. "Welcome back, Erin. Where did you go?" she asks, a small smile gracing her face as she assists me in sitting up.