Hopeless Magic Read Online Free PDF

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    When I tuned back in to the events unfolding beyond the stone door, Lilly was completely buckled down, from the top of her head to the soles of her feet. She looked painfully uncomfortable even if this was her choice. Besides the chair restraints, Conrad, Terrance and Amory had also taken hold of her as if adding to the support of the buckles.
    Angelica stood in the corner near the bubbling cauldron of shimmering light. She had put on a pair of long, thick work gloves and held a long, cylindrical glass tube with a bulb on one end and a narrowed point on the other. When Amory nodded his head, Angelica dipped the cylinder into the vessel point-side down. She stirred the flickering illumination around until the tube itself seemed to be full of the same mysterious mixture, something not quite liquid, not quite light.
    When the glass bulb itself began to glisten, she pulled the cylinder out of the cauldron. Angelica walked carefully, methodically over to Lilly, holding the glass cylinder by the point. Once she 51/711
    reached her, she took a long moment to breathe and meditate before pressing the bulb against Lilly’s neck and jawbone just beneath her right earlobe.
    Suddenly I understood the restraints. As soon as the glass tube touched Lilly’s skin she let out a blood-curdling scream that engulfed the small room. I covered my ears instinctively, although technically no sound reached beyond the stone door.
    Lilly began to thrash aggressively, despite the fact that she had three grown men and numerous buckles holding her down. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head and I could see her seize violently. She continued to scream, loud and menacingly, a sound that would haunt me for a very long time.
    Despite Lilly’s struggle, Angelica continued to hold the glass cylinder to her neck, never falter-ing, never moving. I noticed the light inside the tube begin to drain, and Lilly's skin begin to turn a shade of shimmering violet. Her entire being 52/711
    was engulfed in the beautiful lilac, shining and glistening.
    If my friend wasn’t in so much terrifying pain I would have found the effect absolutely captivating. Unfortunately, despite her beauty, Lilly seemed to be in an insurmountable depth of hurt.
    She continued to scream and shake long past the last drops of light had drained into her skin.
    Suddenly the shimmering lavender intensified in-to a deep and bright purple, painting everything in the small room with its concentrated color. As quickly as the color grew bright, it diminished in-to a small snake eating its tail just below the earlobe of Lilly’s right ear. And finally there was silence. Lilly slumped, unmoving in her chair.
    I relaxed, exhaling a breath I had not realized I was holding. Apparently my relief was prema-ture, however, as only seconds after Lilly had calmed down, she began again with another round of screaming and thrashing. I left Avalon’s head unable to withstand the sight of my dear 53/711
    friend enduring so much pain. I cowered against the wall and let out a choking sob.
    The door opened slightly and Avalon slipped through to my side of the stone. His face was etched with the same pain that I imagined mine was, minus the tears. He stood facing me with a mixture of sorrow and exhaustion that aged him for a moment. For only a moment, I didn’t see my sometimes irritating and always over dramatic twin brother. In his place I saw a great leader, and a great man. I shook my head quickly, reminding myself of the here and now.
    “Where is she?” I peered around Avalon, expecting the door to open again at any second.
    “She has to stay here for a while. She has to recover,” Avalon spoke softly and with compassion.
    “What do you mean? We have school,” I said plainly, as if the choice Lilly just made shouldn’t interfere with high school.
    “Lilly won’t be able to come to school for a while, Eden. You don’t need to worry about her 54/711
    though; she’s in very capable