“Asherah and I can syphon some of it out. But we have to give it to someone. They will … be younger.”
The room went silent.
“Oh, chile. Give it to me, t’en.”
Dominic looked over at Zahara. “Are you sure?”
“I’ve got the age to spare, and I gave some of mine up when I saved Silva. Seems fair.”
“What will it do to my daughter?”
“Let her be a normal child,” Silva explained.
“Are you sure she’ll be okay?” Tears danced in Zoey’s eyes. “I don’t want anything to happen to my baby.”
Dominic reached for his mate, pulling her against his chest. “Silva wouldn’t hurt her.’
“Please.” Zoey pleaded.
“I swear it, Zoey.”
“If it won’t hurt her, I trust you,” Zoey whispered.
Silva nodded and reached for her sister. “Bring on the sea, sister mine.”
Together, the Fae women, brewed a ball of silver lightning traveling through rolling seas and slammed it over Isadora. Romano and Pasquale held Dominic back as Isadora jerked in the water.
“Don’t hurt her,” Eiravel roared.
But the sisters still worked, pulling bright-green light from Isadora and pushing it into Zahara.
Before Heath’s eyes, the Witch Doctor’s hair turned black, wrinkles disappeared from her face, and a glow came back into her eyes until the green faded. Water washed away, Isadora sank into Eiravel’s arms, and Dominic broke free to get to her.
“She is resting,” Eiravel assured her father.
Dominic took her from him, and Heath’s second looked like it pained him to let her go. “Did it work?”
“Yes,” Asherah whispered, drooping against Heath’s chest. “Your daughter is not carrying the extra life energy she once was.”
Zoey kissed Isadora’s head, running her fingers through her hair and checking her over. Heath couldn’t blame her, even just watching had been terrifying.
Zoey whispered, “I love you, Isadora.”
“Little Rosemary,” Silva quipped, and it was like the whole room took a collective breath.
They may have all made it out of the meeting with the Guardian unscathed, but the repercussions of what was done were still to be seen.
“Then everyone out. We can reconvene later, but frankly, I’m exhausted.”
Heath couldn’t argue. “We’ll head back to the inn.”
“Correction, you’ll be heading with me to Council Headquarters. Staying there will keep down confusion,” Kalinda explained.
“Then lead the way, Ales.”
“Kalinda is fine. I’m pretty badass all by myself, thank you.”
Chapter Eighteen
