Covet (Clann)

then clapped a hand over my mouth. Nobody was outside in the only neighboring yard, but if I made too much noise and anyone was home, they might come out to investigate.
    Okay, settle down, Sav, I told myself. You’ve got the grounding down. Now let’s do the next step.
    A flip of the spell book’s page revealed the next lesson was to draw energy from the ground. So I just needed to reverse the process, right?
    Closing my eyes, I pressed my hands to the ground again and tried to visualize the earth’s energy entering my hands.
    Nothing. No tingling, no warmth.
    I reread the lesson’s directions but didn’t see anything that I’d missed. Grumbling, my back and head aching probably from sitting hunched over on the ground so long, I lay back on the sun-baked grass and tried again.
    Come on, I thought, pressing my hands against the earth. Give me some energy already!
    My hands grew warmer and tingled this time, and I sighed with relief. Finally, it was working. But when I tried to sit up, I couldn’t move. It was like someone had parked a car on top of me.
    Oh crap. What had I done?
    I must have accidentally grounded off more energy instead of drawing it into me.
    I opened my eyes in panic, opened my mouth to yell for help. But all that came out was a tiny squeak. And my phone was inside the house beyond my reach.
    Okay, relax, Sav. You can do this . You figured out how to ground energy. Maybe too well. Now just chill out and do the opposite!
    Less warmth in my hands this time, and my thoughts grew fuzzy.
    The backyard seemed to grow dark. Was it time for the sun to set already?
    I should feel cold, too, but I didn’t. I didn’t feel much of anything other than the need to sleep. Except a voice in the back of my mind said sleeping was a very bad idea. I should call someone.
    I tried to roll toward the patio door. But I couldn’t move any part of my body. Even breathing felt like an effort.
    The yard was so quiet. I could hear the wind as it wove through the backyard, making the plants rustle and whisper.
    If I could just find a way to tap into those plants’ energy…
    I should start watering everything. Nanna would have wanted that.
    That was my last thought as even the tree branches overhead faded from view.
    And suddenly I was free. I was floating above my body in the garden, held by only the thinnest of silver cords at my navel.
    “Savannah, what on earth are you doing?” Nanna demanded as she walked through the garden toward me, her feet not quite touching the ground.
    “Nanna! How—”
    “Child, you’re in the in-between world. Which means you’ve gone and done something pretty dumb. They sent me to come and send you back where you belong.”
    When I frowned in confusion, she added, “You’re dying, dear.”

CHAPTER 13
    TRISTAN
    Three-quarters of the way through afternoon practice, I felt like I’d been steamrolled, and it wasn’t from the defense or the hot July sun sizzling on my skin. It was like something had drained every bit of energy out of me till I could hardly breathe. Coach Parker pulled me off the field to rest on the bench, thinking I was overheated. But I knew it was something much more serious.
    When I caught my breath again, I realized it wasn’t my own exhaustion I was sensing. It was Savannah’s.
    Savannah was in trouble. I didn’t know how I knew, maybe it was that connection spell still in effect, but I knew. I could feel her out there somewhere, slipping away.
    But I had no idea where she was or what was wrong with her or even how to reach her.
    I was forced to wait half an hour till practice ended before I could get back to the field house and grab my phone in my locker to text her.
     
     
Sav, I know you don’t want to talk to me, but I felt like you were in trouble just now. Are you okay? At least let me know that much.
     
     
    SAVANNAH
    “Well, crap,” I muttered. Talk about a failed magic lesson. “I was trying to learn how to draw energy. But all I kept doing was grounding instead.”
    “Yes, well, do it again and you’re going to end up in the ground,” Nanna said.
    “I probably shouldn’t even be trying to do magic in the first place,” I grumbled. “If the Clann or the council find out, they’re going to go nuts.”
    “Pfft.” She waved a hand with a scowl. “They’re just afraid you’ll give them a taste of their own medicine. Of course, you won’t have to worry about them at all if we don’t get you back into your body soon.”
    Maybe