A.N.: Really short chapter because I've got to be up early tomorrow! Thank you all for the wonderful support! At the time I'm writing, the rest of Season 15 hasn't dropped, so here's to hoping everything goes as well as it can.
Sitting in a salt circle with a candle in front of her, Grace first had to get a read on what kind of magic was going on. Leprechauns usually didn't go this far north, and most of them were into mischief-making nowadays, not luck. Some sort of witchcraft was a lot more likely. But there were a thousand different kinds of witchcraft, and a lot of them could transfer luck. Something about this place made it special, though. If it was a legend even among hunters, there was definitely something - or someone - powerful behind all of it. Concentrated power, probably a kind of magic the world hadn't seen in a while.
As she began to set up a spell to gather some more information and get a read on the pool hall, her phone buzzed. It was Sam, reporting that they could definitely play pool for luck there, but if they lost, they would gradually run out of luck. Good. They hadn't used up most of their cash driving to Alaska for nothing, even if this was just a chance at getting their luck back.
Know anything else yet? - S
Soon. Who's playing first?
Dean's up. He was always way better than me at pool, and if we've only got one shot, I'm glad he's the one taking it.
Grace went back to work, setting her phone aside. She mixed a few ingredients together, double-checking the list quickly. Yarrow. Salt. Owl bones. A shard of a mirror, broken seven times. Closing her eyes and dropping the candle into the mixture, she mumbled the words she had memorized so long ago. Immediately an image hit her, something older than she'd ever seen before. Her eyes snapped open, Grace reaching for her phone again.
It's ancient magic. Older than anything I've worked with before. I think it's Roman. Could be Greek - I only got a glimpse, but it seems like one of the two. Haven't seen it very often.
Dean's winning so far.
Keep it that way. I can work on a spell to tilt the odds a little more now that I think I know what I'm looking at.
Gotcha. Two more and then the eight ball.
Good. Don't let him keep playing after this. Make sure he takes a break. I don't trust this place.
Grace didn't have much experience with magic that old. She'd worked with a lot of Celtic magic, since she'd spent time learning from Rowena. Miczael gave her a little help with English and German magic, but this was much, much older. "Help me out," she mumbled, trying to summon the wisdom and power of the demon she'd managed to absorb. "You're how old? I'm sure you've seen this before."
Instantly she seemed to know what to do. She dumped the ingredients from her last spell, cleansing the bowl before mixing together some of the ash, clay, and chicken bones. The true Roman spell called for a bell, but all she had was dried belladonna. Grace turned the bag over in her hand for a moment before pouring some of it into the bowl. Better than nothing, but it would make for an interesting substitute. She trusted Miczael's knowledge, though. The demon had hated Chuck, and even if she wasn't always the best to get along with, she was an ally. Besides, Grace had absorbed her power. It wasn't like the demon could regain control. She shrugged her worries off, focusing on the spell instead.
Before she ground everything together, she checked her phone again.
I'm up 1-0. Going in for another game soon. - D
Don't play too many. You know what happens when you tempt fate.
Just a few more games, I promise.
Okay, good luck :)
Very funny. Love you.
Love you too.
Returning to the spell in front of her, Grace ground everything together, fumbling around in her bag for the lighter she had used before. Of course, it was out of fuel. She sighed, summoning a handful of flames and relighting the candle directly. Grace closed her eyes, dropping the ball of fire in with the rest of the ingredients. She could feel it glowing as she mumbled the words to the spell, words that popped into her mind like she had known them her entire life. The perks of being able to tap into ancient knowledge, she assumed.
The flames went out, Grace opening her eyes again. There was no way to tell if it had worked but to find the boys and see if they'd kept up their winning streak. She packed everything away, carefully burying the ashes under a pile of logs. As she reached for her bag, her phone buzzed again. This time it was Cas, finally updating her on where he had been for the last few days.
Jack might be back. He's been sighted eating angel hearts. - Cas.
He was beyond dead. Chuck killed him himself… what the hell is going on?
I don't know. I'm going to investigate. - Cas.
You don't have to sign off like that :) Good luck!
Grace's fingers were shaking as she typed. Her stomach had dropped the second she read Cas' message. How could Jack be back? Someone must have raised him from the dead, but not many people could pull off something that drastic, bringing an angelic entity back from the Empty. If Jack was back, it was quite possible Chuck had planned this all along. Grace took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves as she tucked her phone into her pocket. If Cas thought Jack was back, he was probably right. And if he was eating the hearts of angels, he wasn't going to be too friendly when they finally managed to hunt him down.
The only thing she could think to do was tell the boys. So she slung her bag over her shoulder, reaching for the door. Before she had wrapped her hand around the handle, the door flung open, a burly man staring her down. "What are you doing here?"
