“Quinn!” Ashling’s voice went up another octave and I stared in horror as her head bobbed down on the last bit of my name, her voice turning into a gurgle. Something large and black, skin shiny with slime, breached in the water next to her then slid back under the waves. My heart constricted with fear, my body thundered with adrenaline. It had to be a killer whale, even though I didn’t see a fin. That was the only thing out here that could be attacking her. We didn’t have sharks on the west coast. At least, not that I knew of. God, I hoped not. I couldn’t face that again.

Luke held me tight. “Quinn, please believe me, you can’t go in the water.” His voice caressed my skin, his words reverberating inside my skull until I believed them. I relaxed into his arms, my head leaning back into his chest as a wave of fatigue swept over me. I slumped as my blood slowed and the fear left me. Luke was right, I couldn’t go in the water. Ashling would be okay. She was a strong swimmer and this, his arms around me, felt so nice. Maybe she was just playing with me again. Like humming the theme to Jaws. He turned me to face him, putting my back to the ocean and the distant cries of the gulls. His hand came up and stroked my face; he brushed an errant curl back, and tucked it behind my ear.

“Ah, Quinn, you’ve got to let her go. It will be easier this way, to say goodbye now, rather than later. I know that’s hard to hear, but you must trust me that I know what’s best for you.” He leaned down, holding my face in his hands as his thumbs rubbed intricate designs on my cheeks; his lips pressed into mine.

It was as if I was kissing sunlight, golden warmth rushed through my veins, waking parts of me I had no idea were even there. The heat stirred some long dormant piece of me, something that I suddenly knew Grandpa had awakened in me. The empty pieces that had left me hollow my whole life filled my body, sealing the broken bits together.

Quickened.

Pushing up against Luke’s energy, my own power rippled through me—answering his kiss—my nerve endings flashing and clearing my mind. Tingling from head to toe, I pulled away and tried to untangle my limbs from his. Though I didn’t understand it, I felt the power and knew it for what it was.

Magic.

Magic that gave me the strength to fight what Luke was trying to do to me. It burned through me, a cleansing fire that undid the power that he wrapped around me.

“Ashling,” I gasped out. Luke pulled back, a frown slipping over his beautiful face, marring it, taking the glamour away.