“Kye? What happened? Where is she?” I sat up and looked around. It was the same graveyard, but it wasn’t as dark, gray, and gloomy. I must have been in the ghostly realm. A shudder ran through me at the memory of what I’d encountered.

“Here, let me help you up,” Kye offered an outstretched hand. I batted it away and stood on my own. “Who the hell was that, and why did you bring me here?”

“I’m only following orders, and you needed to see that,” Kye hissed.

“I needed to be attacked by an insane ghost?” my voice raised an octave with annoyance, so I took a deep breath. If the NAWC was trying to make me comfortable with spirits, they were failing.

“You needed to see what happens to a spirit walker who doesn’t embrace her magic. Insanity is a high possibility for you, understand? As much as you dislike the NAWC right now, they’re trying to help.”

I cringed at the thought of turning into something like that. “So, how do I not turn into an insane ghost?”

“Oh, she’s not a ghost. She’s just trapped in the realm.” Kye shrugged his shoulders and began to walk.

“But she floated and just appeared in front of me. Why is she trapped?” I stumbled over the lumpy ground trying keep up with Kye.

“She’s still a witch, Gwen. Seasoned witches can do all sorts of things with magic and she appeared because she can transport to different areas within the ghostly realm. You’ll be able to do it too.” Kye’s lack of patience really annoyed me. How was I supposed to learn from someone who thought I should already know everything?

Kye stopped outside of a large mausoleum, pulled a ring of keys out, and unlocked the large iron door. “After you,” he held out an arm. I eyed the inside of the dark tomb. After what I just experienced, I was on high alert when it came to Kye’s training methods.

“Why? What are we doing in there?” I was unwilling to step inside the dusty darkness.

“More training,” Kye said with a huff.

“Am I going to be attacked or hurt?”

“No.”

I glared at him then stepped into the crypt. A large concrete tomb sat in the middle of the stone room. I batted at cobwebs as I inched my way inside, as far away from the tomb as possible. The clanging of the door being shut made my stomach drop.

“Kye!” I beat against the door and tried the handle, but it was locked. “Kye!” I screamed. The room didn’t have any windows, so I was in complete darkness. My eyes strained, in vain, to capture even the tiniest bit of light.

Little witch, what have you gotten yourself into? Ian’s voice said.

I jumped, expecting him to be behind me. The telepathic bond was hard to get used to. Shoo fly, don’t bother me.

I can feel your panic. It woke me from a dead sleep, it did. Ian’s English accent was thicker than it was before. I pressed against the door again, and when it wouldn’t budge, I slammed my palm against it. “Kye!” I screamed again.

“Calm down, Gwen,” Kye finally answered from the other side of the door. “You won’t be able to concentrate if you’re panicking.”

I laughed bitterly, “Maybe you should try explaining things first instead of ambushing me.”

I look forward to seeing you very soon, little witch, Ian said, making me cringe.

Ian Despereaux was the last person I wanted to see. Micah and Aiden both promised they’d kill him and sever our bond, but three weeks later, Ian was nowhere to be found, and we were still connected.

“Shut up and leave me alone,” I snarled out loud.

“What?” Kye asked.

“Not you,” I grumbled.

“Who are you talking to?”

“No one, just get me out of here!”

Kye was silent for a few moments—probably wondering if the insanity was already starting. If I kept hearing Ian’s voice in my head, I didn’t doubt I would go insane.

“Okay, Gwen, I want you to close your eyes and erase all of the tension in your body. Meditate,” Kye advised.

“Easier said than done,” I mumbled. Kye didn’t know Ian was in my head, and there was no amount of meditation that could get rid of him. The council hadn’t found out I was bonded to a vampire yet. Ian Despereaux wasn’t just any vampire either. He was the man behind the brew outbreak, the reason our two species were going to war. I chewed on my lip as I considered whether I should tell Holly about the bond.

“Are you concentrating?” Kye asked. I sighed and tucked my thoughts away for another time. Obviously, if I wanted to get out of the dusty dark crypt, I had to focus.

“Yes,” I closed my eyes and imagined nothing. I breathed in through my mouth and exhaled through my nose.

“Good. When you feel completely relaxed, imagine yourself outside of the tomb, and open your eyes,” Kye said.

I mentally laughed, then cursed because I lost some of the emptiness I was trying to create. I focused harder and continued my breathing exercises.

My shoulders drooped and arms dangled as if weights were attached to my fingers. Soon my mind was a peaceful lake without so much as a ripple. And my body tranquil after another twenty minutes of breathing and focusing. I did what Kye instructed and imagined myself outside of the tomb. When I opened my eyes, Kye was leaning his back against the crypt with his arms crossed and eyes closed. He didn’t seem to notice I was standing next to him.

“Kye?” I whispered.

He lifted an eyelid open then closed it again. I pursed my lips and waited for a few moments before I walked up to the door and slid the lock. I struggled to open the heavy iron door and gasped. My body was still inside the crypt. I stood with my eyes closed and my chest slowly rising and falling with each breath. A chill danced along my skin, and I shuddered. I walked up to my still body, my fingers reaching out to touch my peaceful face. It was bizarre to see myself like this.

“Connect, Gwen,” Kye said from the doorway. I turned around to look at him, but he was staring at my still body. I looked back at myself and walked behind my body. I took a deep breath and walked forward into myself. I awoke from my meditation. My eyes blinked a few moments before they settled on Kye.

“I opened the door,” I told him.

“I know.”

“But I was in here, and I was able to be out there and open the door,” I rambled from my astonishment, and Kye chuckled.

“Yes, you did very well, Gwen.”

“But…how? What happened?”

“Have you heard of astral projection?” Kye asked, and I nodded my head.

“Well spirit walkers can astral project; it’s one of the ways they can travel to the realm of the dead. Right now you can’t do much when you’re in your astral projection body, but after I train you, you’ll be able to do everything you can now and more.”

It was creepy Kye knew more about me than I did. “How do you know all this stuff? Are you a spirit walker too?” I leaned against the stone wall; it felt like I just had an intense workout. My muscles ached and my energy was drained to that of a sloth.

“I am not, but my sister is. I learned a lot from her. I was fascinated with her powers, so I paid close attention,” Kye answered.

“Why isn’t she teaching me? Don’t get me wrong, I’m learning a lot from you, but…well…your methods aren’t the best.” I yawned and fought to keep my eyes open, I did not want to fall asleep in the graveyard.

“I don’t think you’d want her to teach you, you seemed pretty frightened of her,” Kye smiled.

My tired eyes popped open in surprise. “That insane woman was your sister?” I said a little more rudely than I planned, but Kye took it in stride. It couldn’t be easy having a sister who was crazy.

“She is. So see, I do know a little something about it.”

“I suppose you do,” I yawned and fought to hold my body in a vertical position. “Why am I so tired?”

“Traveling to the ghostly realm and astral projecting will wear you out until you build up your tolerance. We’re done for now, but we’ll meet tomorrow night.” Kye turned and walked away. He wasn’t much for personality, or words, but I was happy to be learning what my capabilities were. I trudged back to the castle—I needed a nap.

“Little witch, it’s so lovely to see you again,” Ian said.

My head swiveled as I searched the English garden. Rows and rows of colorful flowers weaved an intricate pattern all around me. The sun was high in the sky which led me to believe I was dreaming.

“Stay away from me,” I warned and was answered with soft chuckles that filled the empty space around me. I walked down the stone path, searching for Ian. It was a weird feeling to know I was dreaming.

I turned a corner, and a large peony was held out in front of me. I looked around the cluster of pink petals and saw Ian Despereaux. His short blonde hair was cut closely to his head, and his blue eyes sparkled when the sun caught them. A grin tugged at his lips while I sneered. I took steps backwards, but with each movement, he stepped forward. I didn’t know if he could actually hurt me in the dream, but I didn’t want to find out.

“You act like you’re not happy to see me,” Ian said playfully.

“You hit the nail on the head. I don’t want anything to do with you,” I told him and then tried to pinch my arm

“What are you doing?”

“Trying to wake myself up!” I continued to pinch my arm, but it wasn’t working. Ian laughed at my attempt of escaping him.

“Little witch, we are bonded by blood, no amount of pinching will allow you to escape me.” He took a moment to watch me, “Join me; we have much to talk about.” Ian grabbed my hand and dragged me towards the edge of a pond. Magnolia trees with dark pink and white flowers bloomed all around and decorated the water with their blossoms.

“Sit,” Ian ordered.

I scowled but decided to sit. It looked like I wasn’t going anywhere until he said what he had to say. “You know Aiden is going to break our bond,” I told him with a proud smile.