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58
The Prince of Pride and the head of the Nightshade coven shot into the air above the battle, and my magick folk friends crowded under them, each using their unique gifts to beat back the seemingly endless swarm of opposition.
Mr. Abbey stomped the ground, and an entire slate of asphalt launched into the air and shot forward to pulverize a slew of Nightshades.
Conrad continued to drown his adversaries on dry land while his grandmother, Patricia, pulled so much water from the great lake I thought it would empty, then she shot the water into the sky to create a small but deadly, hurricane.
Meredith was dashing. Her power over plants was urging the earth to bend to her will. Plants, that I hadn’t even known were trying to grow in this barren wasteland were erupting through the concrete and tripping up any daemons at risk of besting Amon’s team of two.
Watching Amon battle Kieran mid-air was one of the most mesmerizing things I had ever seen. They both moved so quickly it was hard to keep track of them.
‘That asshole is definitely bound to Ash Nevra. No wizard can move that fast or even hope to come up against someone as strong as Amon. Not without funneling power straight from the hell-bitch herself.’ Rycon said into both Clair's and my minds. Clair nodded.
“We should get out of here,” she said finally. Rycon dipped his great head in agreement.
Clair smiled at me, turning away from the battle. Everyone was so distracted with destroying each other that no one noticed us as we slipped away.
Clair placed her hand on each side of my face. “We have some powerful friends now, Raven.” I knew she was referring to Amon and his team. I wasn’t sure I was ready to call them friends, but I wasn’t in any position to turn away willing allies. “Let’s go home,” she continued, smiling. I had never wanted anything more in my entire life.
‘CLAIR!’ Rycon roared. His voice in my mind echoed against his panther’s scream. Clair’s body jerked, her hands tightening on my face, before loosening completely. Her eyes widened and she staggered backward.
“Mom?” I asked, startled. “Mom, what’s wrong?”
She was staring at me, stunned. Then finally she glanced down, and my gaze followed hers. Blood was seeping down her front at an alarming rate. I glanced behind her and saw Maria with her hands out, an evil look on her face.
My mind couldn’t process what was happening. Clair’s knees buckled, and I rushed forward to catch her, but she had become dead weight, and my weakened body couldn’t hold her up.
“MOM!” I was screaming now, sobbing. I sank to the ground with her as more and more blood spilled from her chest from a wound born of an invisible weapon. “MOM!” I repeated, still screaming.
I could feel Maria building another blast of power now, but I didn’t care. Rycon launched himself at her and took her down. I could hear the two of them engage into a fight, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away from my dying mother’s face.
I was on my knees now, and Clair was lying down, her head and shoulders in my arms. I curled around her, rocking her back and forth.
“Meredith can fix you,” I sobbed. “She can fix this. No, no, please, stay with me. Meredith… she has herbs, just hold on I’ll get her…” I started to get up to do as I said, but Clair touched my face weakly.
“No,” she whispered, she coughed, and blood erupted from her mouth, staining her lips. “Just, stay here. This is what I owe the goddess for granting me my powers back. I knew that my time was limited. I just didn’t think it would be this quick.”
She tried to laugh, before coughing again. I wasn’t sure if the battle had literally stopped behind me, or if I had just stopped hearing it. I felt the rage and sorrow begin to pour off of Kieran from where he hovered above me in the air. He was an evil wizard, but I didn’t believe he wanted Clair to die.
“Mom.” I sounded like a broken record, but I didn’t know what else to do. I pressed my hand against the hole in her chest and tried to hold the blood in fruitlessly.
“Mom, no, don’t give up. We still have to plant the sunflowers. Please. Please don’t leave me.” My voice was breaking. She closed her eyes and patted my cheek softly, choking almost delicately on the crimson still spilling from her mouth. I tried to sit her up more so she wouldn’t drown in her own blood.
“Raven. You have to win. You have to protect Jeremy. You are the balance that this world needs...” She opened her eyes and smiled at me. She weakly rose a hand to brush my cheek.
“You have always been... a fighter.”
And then, she was gone.
59
The battle had stopped. Everyone stood frozen as Kieran’s daughter, and the only woman who had ever bothered to love me died in my arms.
“Mom?” I whispered. I shook her. “MOM!” I heard a drum beat start from somewhere. It began slow, and the deep rhythm methodically increased. I looked into Clair’s face, her eyes wide and her face as beautiful as ever. Frozen now, forever in death.
Boom, boom, boom.
“Hey hun, want me to fix you a snack? Clair was smiling, in her scrubs, already half in the fridge just as she got home. Whether I wanted a snack or not, you knew she was making something.
