“Tough.” I flicked my wrists and canceled her spell, dropping to my feet.
She stopped. “I didn’t think you had it in you, witch. Consider me impressed.”
“I don’t want to impress you!”
“You’re a spitfire just like your mama used to be.”
Rage slithered up my back and exploded through me. “Don’t even speak of her! You lost that right when you had her and my dad killed.”
Her persistent cackling rang out through the trees, scaring off tons of poor forest critters. “Behave, Harlow. You’re coming with me the easy way or the hard way.”
I cocked my head. “I’m not coming with you at all.” I hadn’t dared dream of defying her when I lived in the coven, but I couldn’t dream of doing anything else.
Not even a second later, a fireball was thrown at my shoulder, searing the flesh. I winced, grabbing my crisp, bloody shoulder. Pain erupted through it and radiated along my chest. Lunar coven needed to hurry. I wasn’t sure how long I could hold my own against her.
I threw my arms out and summoned energy from the tree and wind spirits who were more than happy to help me take out a dark witch. Wind wisps swirled on my palms before I shot my hands forward, sending spears of wind to pierce her stomach.
The spears of wind tore through her skin, muscles, and tendons before cutting clear to the other side of her. She coughed up blood and spat it in front of her. “You’ve got moxie, kid. Too bad you have no allies.”
“That’s what you-” My oxygen depleted, and I couldn’t breathe. My hands wrapped around my throat as red and black splotches began to dance in front of me.
Another dark loop witch emerged from behind with a striking glower. Her hair was brown, and she was younger. I didn’t recognize her at all, but how had I not sensed her?
“The Oaks daughter?” She snickered. “Now, why haven’t you killed her yet?”
“Her powers are strong. She could be a tool for us.” Evanora snapped her fingers to break the spell the other had over me as she healed her own wounds.
I gasped for air and sunk to my knees as I breathed in deep. Suffocation was painful, and I didn’t want to experience it again.
I threw my hand up and shot a wind spear at the new witch. She hadn’t had time to react, and it pierced straight through her skull. Her body dropped, and Evanora looked shocked for a split second as the woman’s brain leaked onto the ground.
Laughter tore out of her throat, and ice ran through my veins. How could anyone laugh at something like that?
“I’ve underestimated you. You’re capable of more than I thought.”
I cringed as the wind skimmed across my face. “I’m capable of protecting myself.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure, Oak,” another chilling voice jolted me to my core.
The only other person as evil as Evanora was her twin sister, Lucinda. And that was the witch who had the power to steal someone’s life essence and power as she did to my grandma.
“It’s been a while.” Lucinda stood by her sister and fluttered her fingers my way.
I choked, and she laughed.
No, no, no, no. She was going to kill me, and take my magic for herself. I collapsed the rest of the way to the ground.
“She could be useful, Lucinda.” Evanora clicked her tongue.
“I suppose. But letting her live gives her the chance to betray us. It’s better to take her powers for ourselves.” She shrugged.
I couldn’t speak or move, and there was so much I still needed to do—I had to get to Xavier. I was never scared of death until I met him, and I couldn’t leave him yet.
My eyes closed as the world around me blackened. My magical essence was draining along with my soul, and I couldn’t do anything to stop it. It wasn’t painful, but peaceful. I almost let myself succumb without fighting it, but they couldn’t win. I couldn’t fathom what they’d try to do if they had my power, but it couldn’t be good. I had to hold on.
“She’s resisting.” Lucinda huffed. “I’ve never had a witch resist before.”
“She’s special.” Evanora tapped her foot. “I still think we should use her.”
The evil witch sisters continued to bicker as I fought against the life-draining spell.
Minutes after what felt like a futile struggle, the air around me turned static once the wind picked up. The wind seemed to spin a circle around me, and the spell Lucinda cast on me vanished.
My eyes popped open in time to see the Lunar coven appear in a protective circle around me.
Ingrid, Sybil, Deb, and the other two elder witches had saved my life.
I gasped and climbed to my feet. “Thank you all, so much.”
Ingrid smiled. “I’m sorry it took so long, child.”
They broke the circle, and we stood in a line side-by-side with our hands interlocked. Magic flowed between us, warm and comforting—powerful. No words were needed to know what we needed to do. Our magic was united by our stance, and the elements around us went wild.
A wall of fire surrounded the two shocked hags as wind swirled like a tornado around them. The earth spiked upward at their feet, causing them to fall into the violent wind.
Their screams would haunt me forever as the wind tore their limbs from their bodies and fell into the firewall, burning their flesh and bones into nothing.
We dropped each other’s hands, and Deb and I sank to the ground. The other witches stood tall like they were used to exerting that much magical power. Ingrid stepped forward and helped me up as Sybil helped Deb up.
“Harlow, are you alright?” Ingrid asked in a soft voice.
My heart pounded as blood roared in my ears. Xavier. “I have to go to my mate. He’s in pain. I feel it.” Tears flooded down my cheeks. “Thank you all so much. If the offer is still standing, I would
