Chapter 19 The ritual

"There you two are." Mina greets them with a smile as her eyes glance over the pair. "Come now, let's get you into position." She beckons them over to the huge tree in the center of the clearing. Rowan looks at the old witch with concern as Selena guides him to the large trunk. "Please remove your clothing; you must be naked to do the ritual," Mina commands them with a gentle smile, her wrinkled face shining in the sunlight. "Okay." Rowan nods, hesitantly beginning to take his clothes off as Selena helps him, unbuttoning his pants as she kneels in front of him, her head at his crotch level.

"There you two are." Mina greets them with a smile as her eyes glance over the pair. "Come now, let's get you into position." She beckons them over to the huge tree in the center of the clearing. Rowan looks at the old witch with concern as Selena guides him to the large trunk. "Please remove your clothing; you must be naked to do the ritual," Mina commands them with a gentle smile, her wrinkled face shining in the sunlight. "Okay." Rowan nods, hesitantly beginning to take his clothes off as Selena helps him, unbuttoning his pants as she kneels in front of him, her head at his crotch level.

Her slender fingers swiftly unbutton his jeans, the denim falling to the floor as she slowly pulls down his boxers. "Damn Rowan," she mutters to herself, standing up. Her eyes linger on his now-bare flesh, her eyes drinking in the sight of his naked form as he steps out of his pants. "Come lay down." Mina rasps, pointing to a large, flat stone at the base of the giant tree. The surface of the stone is smooth and cool to the touch as Rowan lays on it. A chill runs down his spine as the cool surface of the rock meets his bare skin. The sensation sends goosebumps down his skin as a light breeze blows across the clearing.

Looking around the area, he sees the witches gathering around the stone he's lying on. "Selena Please take a step back; he has to do this alone." Mina spoke as Rowan was settling down, and Selena nodded, taking a few steps back. The witches began chanting softly, the words unfamiliar to his ears, as the forest came alive with noise. The birds began singing, the wind rustling through the trees as the grass swayed with the gentle breeze. The air began to feel heavy, and the hairs on his arms stood up as a weird feeling started to spread throughout the clearing.

A green glow begins to fill the space, the rocks humming with energy as the witches continue their chanting. The glow starts to intensify, the ground shaking beneath them as the magic flows through the clearing, washing over everything in its path. Selena can feel the magic in the air as she watches Rowan lay still on the stone, her nose filled with the scent of nature as the wind picks up, blowing her hair behind her.

"Rowan, just relax," Mina whispers, her eyes closed as she channels the magic in the area. "This might hurt a little." She warns him, placing a hand on his chest and over his heart. His breath catches in his throat as he feels the pressure in his chest increase, his heart pounding rapidly in his ears as all sound dies down besides the wind. "You must endure the pain or you will die." She whispers as a sharp pain pierces his heart, his mind screaming in agony as his body remains motionless on the stone, unable to move as the witches' chanting reaches a crescendo as the green glow incircles him like a protective barrier. Selena can only watch as Rowan's body tenses up, his eyes closed tightly as sweat drips down his forehead.

"Argh!" Rowan screams as his body spasms, a dark mist leaking from his chest, encountering the green barrier that was enveloping him. "Almost there." Mina reassured him as Selena stared at Rowan, her heart aching in sympathy for her mate's pain. As she looks around the clearing at the other witches who were still chanting, The green glow becomes brighter as the dark mist is pushed back, trying to fight off the power of nature itself.

"Hang in there," Mina tries to tell him as his body struggles against the pain. The wind roared, drowning out all sound as the green and black mists fought over control of Rowan's heart. Selena stares in horror as she can only watch as Rowan's face is contorted in pain, his breathing shallow and rapid as his eyelids flutter shut, his consciousness starts fading, the pain winning over his mind.

The black mist grows stronger as it fades. "Rowan, hang in there, boy!" Mina yelled over the wind, trying to awaken him with her voice, her hands glowing green as she held her palms on his chest. "Stay with us, Rowan." She ordered him as the darkness started to consume him, pulling his mind into unconsciousness.

"ROWAN!" Selena yells out as she rushes to his side through the witches, knocking a few over. The green glow flickers as the darkness gains ground in his heart. "Keep going." Mina tells the other witches, ignoring Selena's interference as her hands pulse with power, trying to stop the darkness from taking him over. Selena grabs onto Rowan's hand, squeezing it tight as she calls his name over and over, trying to get his attention.

His body gives a jerk, his eyes snapping open and staring in to hers, a silent scream on his lips as the green mist breaks through the darkness. "Let it happen, Rowan," Mina soothed the teen, feeling his pain and discomfort at the struggle within. "You have to accept it." She said calmly, watching as his eyes water, his body trembling as the dark mist is consumed by the green one entrapping it in his heart. Selena's eyes well with tears as she continues to call his name, begging him to fight the pain and stay with her. The darkness vanishes as the last remnants of the black mist are devoured by the green, sealing it in his heart and trapping the curse.

"It's over; we did it," Mina gasps out, her hands falling away from Rowan's chest as sweat drips down her winkled face. Selena lets out a shaky breath as she looks over Rowan's face, her hand brushing away his sweaty hair as his eyes close, his breathing calming down as the pain ebbs away. "The curse is sealed within him and won't expand." Mina said as the other witches stopped chanting, their own bodies dripping in sweat from the effort it took to contain the darkness. "It shall protect him for a bit while we find a new heart for him." Mina said before collapsing into her chair from exhaustion.