Page 48 of Claiming Chaos
13
ASH
“Go to the studio. I need a minute to center myself.” I sank into my squeaky chair and waited for the others to leave the library. Everyone filed out except Chaos, but that was fine. I might need a pep talk if I freaked myself out too much.
“You can do this.” He massaged my shoulders, easing the tension that had them creeping toward my ears.
“I know.” I patted his hand and stood before pacing toward the stacks and grabbing volume four of my sigil collection. I set it on my desk and ran my fingers over the embossed burgundy cover. Familiar magic tingled on my skin, and a sense of calm washed over me.
Real calm, not the fake kind Chaos could force onto me. Sigils were my jam. Ink was in my blood, and even with my fire magic unlocked, I knew this was what I was meant to do.
I flipped the book open to the protection symbol and traced the design with my fingertip.
“You aren’t familiar with this one?” He tilted his head, examining the page. “Have you done it before?”
“I am, and I have. The last time I drew this one was the day Cinder went missing. I assumed I’d flubbed it, but now I’m not so sure.” Because if she went across the veil with Discord willingly…that changed everything.
“What, exactly, does it provide protection against?”
I tapped the sigil. “Hexes, magical attacks, even physical trauma to an extent. It sort of creates a forcefield around the bearer.”
His brow crept toward his hairline. “It makes you invincible?”
“I wish. Strong magic can still get through, but the sigil helps deflect the weaker stuff. Although, with enough persistence, the weak spells can too. This one wears off quickly with use.”
“Your sister summoned a Prince of Hell. Even with the sigil working at full force, he could have easily overcome it.”
I closed the book and returned it to the shelf. “Yeah, well, it sounds like she went across the veil with him by choice, so…”
“Another unnecessary hit to your self-esteem has been resolved.”
“Exactly. Come on.” I led the way into my studio, where Ember had already set up the tattoo machine.
My sister sat first and offered her forearm. I dipped the needle into the enchanted ink and drew the sigils for enhanced strength and speed in record time. Honestly, I probably could’ve done those two with my eyes closed.
With the first two complete, I added more ink to the needle and pictured the protection sigil in my mind. I drew a circle centered over two perpendicular lines with arrows at each end. A half-moon came next, then a swoosh down on the right side and the left, ending at a fine point.
“That looks absolutely perfect.” Ember held up her arm, examining my work. “Next.”
My sister got up, and Miles took the seat. He closed his eyes and went into his meditative state like he always did when he got ink. When I finished, I drew the same designs on Shade and Patrice. Then it was time for mine.
Chaos’s mark occupied the space on my arm that was easiest to reach, so I had to flip to the opposite side and lay it on the table at an uncomfortable angle to find some free skin. My demon stood in front of me, watching intently, a smile curving his lips.
“What?” I glanced up at him before continuing my tattoos.
“I’m imagining how you must have looked when you drew my mark, so intent on using me to organize your library.”
I laughed. “Not nearly this awkward, I promise.”
My body tingled as I channeled the magic from the goddess and kept it inside rather than giving it away. The hum of the needle pulsing in and out of my skin filled my ears, and I inhaled deeply against the burning ache. Miles really did need to give a lecture on how to ignore the pain.
With my sigils finished, I let out a slow breath and returned the tattoo machine to its stand. “Ready to light these babies up?”
Shade examined his arm. “You’re sure the protection will work? You swore you’d never try them again after Cinder.”
Chaos tensed, ready to berate him for questioning my abilities, so I patted his arm. Thankfully, he took the hint because we had to operate like a team for this to work.
“Cinder crossed the veil willingly.” I returned the ink well to its proper place. “Now that I know what really happened to her, I’m confident in my abilities.”