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“I can’t kill him,” he reminded her.

“I know. But we can interrupt his concentration for a moment.”

Ella gave a nod. “Even we Casters can do that.”

“No, stay out here and work on breaking the perimeter spell so we can leave. It’s too dangerous for you near Rakkley,” Mira protested.

“There is no way we’re letting you face Rakkley alone,” Oliver interjected. “Besides, we can always figure out the perimeter spell when he is defeated. His army of Feeders will go dormant once he is dead.”

“We all took my shield potion,” Rylan added.

Mira turned to Aidric again. “I have to try,” she said.

His nostrils flared with angry breaths, but after a few seconds he gave a nod. “Lead the way.”

Rakkley, she said into his mind. You’re right. I’ve come to make a deal.

At once, the Feeders stopped in their tracks.

Mira stared at the temple where her monster was hiding. Then she began to walk. Her cold feet moved slowly across the grass, weaving among the grotesque bodies of the Feeders. Her friends were behind her. She took one step at a time, walking to the entrance that Aidric had violently ripped open. It looked like a gaping maw—nothing but darkness in front of her.

For too long had she feared it.

For too long had she let her life be ruled by it.

She was anger. She was despair. But she was no longer afraid.

46

She stepped through the entrance, and her eyes took a moment to adjust.

“Where is everyone?” Amelia whispered.

Mira walked back to the main room of the temple. Black candles illuminated Rakkley’s beaked mask and hollow eyes. He stood at the end of the room, surrounded by six robed Wielders. Around fifty of them lined the steps. The rest of the room was filled with Feeders, sitting motionless along the perimeters. There were so many of them.

Harrington let out a breath.

“You win,” Mira said to Rakkley. “You can take Synth back, but only if you let my friends live.”

Rakkley gave a nod and motioned for her to come closer. Whenever he was nearby, it was impossible to focus on her magic. With every step she took, the image of the strands of her magic in her mind became increasingly blurry. Her left arm with the scar felt heavy. Quietly, on bare feet, she passed the Feeders hovering on pews. Aidric was right behind her.

When she was only a few feet from the stairs leading to Rakkley’s seat, he reached out his bony fingers and closed his eyes. Pain shot through her arm so viciously, it almost dropped her to her knees, but Aidric caught her.

“Mira!” Ella screamed.

Then she felt a pull, and one strand of her powers was ripped from her grasp.

“Focus on your power,” Aidric said next to her. “Hold on to it.”

Mira closed her eyes and concentrated on the strands within her until she could visualize the white strand of her Caster magic and the dark strand of her Wielder power.

The third strand rushed through her grip. It was so black, it seemed to absorb all the colors in her mind. She grabbed it with force and pictured a tug-of-war.

Come on, Mira, she told herself. End this now.

Rakkley blinked rapidly and wobbled on his feet as his own power left him.

“Get the girl!” Rakkley screamed.