Student Bodies Read Online Free PDF

voice so loud that both my mother and I cupped our ears. “I am charged with protecting Julie, but right now I think I need to protect you both from each other. Listen to me… you are together, one and the same, Mother Witch and Adept. You’re both acting foolishly when a dark power is lurking in the shadows and very likely plotting his or her next move!”
    I stretched out my left hand and touched a wall of magical power. It felt ancient, stretching my mortal understanding of time and space, and as my fingertips brushed against it a voice whispered in my ears:
    â€œBe the better and end this battle between mother and daughter, Shadowcull. Something draws near with intent so black that even I cannot see it, despite my power. Your mother has not been herself since you saved her life. Be mindful that in her own way, she is terrified of the dangers you will face in the days and weeks to come. Her anger is born out of love, but you must understand that deep inside her heart, she believes in you. She has always believed in you, as do I.”
    I stared at the shimmering wall of magical energy stretching across the room from floor to ceiling; all of it emanating from a tired but determined Great Dane. The dog lowered its hackles and its magic pulsed with a measure of power that dwarfed mine or my mother’s.
    â€œMarcus is my choice, Mother,” I said, trying to sound as diplomatic as possible. “I need you to believe that I’m not blinded by my feelings for him. I need you to support me because nothing matters more to me than knowing that you approve.”
    She stared hard at my Shadowcull’s band and I self-consciously covered it with my left hand. “I need time,” said Mom wearily. “And I’m sorry for hexing your phone. I’ll get you a new one. I’m just not myself since…”
    The wall of magic separating us disappeared amid a haze of twinkling mist and I said, “Since you got out of the hospital. I know, Mom. But please understand that one of the reasons you are standing before me today is because of Marcus. He saved my life, Mom. He saved yours too because of what he did that day.”
    Betty dropped down onto her belly again and once more rested her enormous head on her forepaws. “Julie has a potion for protection so it would be wise to begin to unmask whoever attacked that boy before they strike again.”
    I nodded and slipped back onto the stool. Mom went back to the bookcase and pulled out more than a dozen dusty old binders and books with dried, cracked spines. I’d come within a whisker of lashing out at my mother and now I was going to spend what was left of the day at her side, but Betty was right: Mom needed time. After what had just transpired in the lab, I decided that I had to be the better person.
    But there was no way in hell I was going to break it off with Marcus.

 
    CHAPTER 5
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    An icy calm remained between my mother and me for the next few hours as we scoured her books for information about Soul Worms. I knew they were a kind of enthrallment spell, but there was scant information available in the archives my mother had amassed over her life. I decided that it was time to think outside the box.
    â€œI have an idea,” I said, rubbing my eyes. Mom glanced up from behind a stack of binders and arched her eyebrows.
    â€œI’m all ears. What have you got?” she asked.
    I closed the book in front of me and massaged the back of my neck. “Residual magic – every kind of spell leaves the tiniest trace in its wake, right?”
    She leaned on the table and nodded silently. I had her undivided attention so I had to think carefully about how to present my idea, because there was no way in hell I was going to look like a rank amateur in front of her.
    â€œSo… remember when the shed blew in after we exorcised the spirit of John Stearne from that teddy bear? Marcus and I scraped up a bunch of teddy