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Mateo studied her face for a second and see else "Okay, apparently I’ht?"

Changing the subject--definitely a good idea "Remember that whole scene in chemistry class? Doesn’t normally happen after a spell of liberation So, yeah When you’re closer, ical power should be, um, amped up"

"Well, come on Let’s find out what you can really do"

Nadia heard the challenge in his voice and, despite her worries, had to sht of the spells she’d ed to decipher in Goodwife Hale’s Book of Shadows For every one that sounded beyond aweso fire), there was another that wasn’t as useful these days (like the one to remove enchantments on your milk cow) But one in particular had stood out to her, precisely because of how hthouse: a spell for ht her hands in front of her chest, a gesture alers of one hand curled around the pendant on her bracelet that was ether the ingredients:

The love of a child

A living thing rising froht of, then felt so deeply it almost ached--

--and as she concentrated, her eyes shut, she felt Mateo slip his hand between hers He didn’t clutch at her, didn’t weave his fingers into hers, just touched her His skin arh fro thing possible Instead Nadia’s thoughts took on an entirely new clarity It was like the world had gone froraph to three dion his chubby baby legs and taking his first steps, not toward hiscrocuses pushing their way up through the snow--

"So what do you say?" Dad sitting at their table back in Chicago, in the apartment that always felt so empty without Mouys okay with iving up everything he’d ever known in an instant, and Nadia suddenly realizing she wanted to do the same and find out as next--

"Oh, my God," Mateo breathed Nadia opened her eyes

The ocean in front of the walls of water They outlined a path stretching into the ocean, until those walls of water were several feet high There before thereen, the iridescent shells of oysters, and wet, dark sand--a road for only the two of theht into radiance, as priseous It was miraculous Every fear she’d had seemed to melt away in an instant

"That--that was not supposed to happen," Nadia whispered

"In a bad way or a good way?" Mateo’s hand re"

"This is biblical" Mateo started laughing "Are you going to tell et struck by lightning? Hush" Though she’d occasionally wondered--there were a few spells that would definitely seeht and avoid the whole lightning-strike-fro

Nadia couldn’t take her eyes from the incredible phenomenon in front of her, but she could hear the smile in Mateo’s voice as he spoke "Do you want to walk out there? Stand in the middle of the ocean and watch the fish swis--I don’t want the is" They needed the water, so Nadia let go of the charm and relaxed Al their legs and soaking her shoes clear through Although the ripples spread out across the waves, already the ocean looked exactly as it had before

Nadia turned to Mateo and saw her own delight reflected back to her in his face The two of the at the same moment "So it works?" he said Salt water flecked his hair "I’ood Steadfast?"

"I don’t kno you’re one at all But yeah, you’re good You’re incredible That spell should have moved the water a couple of feet, not--parted it like the Red Sea!" Nadia brushed back her own dampened hair The as colder now that her clothes et, but she didn’t care This beach seemed like the only place she could ever want to be, Mateo the only person she’d want to be with "We’ll have to be careful hoe practice You give erous"

Mateo’s sh power to take on Elizabeth?"

God, she wanted to lie about this But Mateo had been lied to enough already "She’s strong Stronger than any other witch alive, and her ally is the One Beneath But--but maybe I don’t have to be h to stop her"