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She knelt in front of the table of ingredients. She was going to have to split her magic in two parts. One to fight off Vanya and Roland and one to destroy the ingredients. Maybe she could reinforce the barrier that Vanya put off with her own magic. That would ensure that neither man could leave to carry out their threats on her family. And then maybe she could put a second barrier around her and the table of ingredients? The barriers would take an immense amount of magic and she still had to destroy the ingredients. Would she have enough magic to do it all? Did she have a choice?
Claire took a deep breath and then reached into her magic center. Instead of calling a trickle up at a time, Claire pulled with both hands, allowing the magic to fill her body. When she opened her eyes, her arms were glowing.
Vanya made a warning noise and moved towards her and that’s when Claire acted.
She shoved her magic into the barrier around them, sealing the men inside. She wove three layers of magic into the barrier to make sure. Vanya spun towards the barrier and then spun towards her again. Claire cast her second barrier around herself and the table of ingredients. Vanya lifted his hands to try and break her barrier and Claire layered more magic on top of it, reaching deep in her center and pulling even more magic into her hands. She could immediately feel the strain in her muscles but she ignored it and pulled more magic, focusing on the ingredients in front of her.
She never learned how to destroy powerful magical resources. Kallan and Kieran’s warning of the sacredness of the objects before her came to mind and she felt a flicker of guilt about having to destroy them but there was no other option. She decided to just send pure magic into them with the intent to destroy. Maybe her magic would take over the rest. She just needed to trust it.
She pushed that intent into her magic and cupped the flask of Ligamen with her hands. She poured her magic into it, seeking to destroy it. The Ligamen seemed alive in her hands, resisting her magic’s intrusion, Claire pushed harder, reaching for more magic.
Claire, Desmond’s voice in her head shocked her into releasing the Ligamen.
Desmond? she asked desperately.
Claire, it’s us, Everett’s voice came next.
Where are you?Malcolm demanded.
Claire wanted to cry at hearing their voices in her hand. Her magic must be surpassing Vanya’s barrier at this level.
I’m so sorry, she said, biting back tears.Just know that. I’m so sorry. You need to kill the raven. Vanya’s raven.
Claire, you’re not making sense. What’s going on? Where are you?Their voices clamored in her head, demanding to know what was wrong so they could fix it. But they couldn’t fix this. Only she could.
I trapped them in the barrier, she continued, squeezing her eyes shut as she redirected her magic to the barrier. Vanya’s magical attack was relentless. Roland had shifted to his tiger form and was raking his claws down her barrier. Even though she couldn’t feel them, the sensation of his claws scratching down the barrier sent chills down Claire’s spine.I trapped them. They can’t hurt anyone else.
Claire, where are you? Mama said…Malcolm growled.
I can’t tell you, Claire said.It’ll ruin what my mother saw. This is the only way. Roland and Vanya had consumed too much magic. If they consumed anymore, they would become unstoppable.
Stop talking like that, Everett said.You fight. Do you hear me? You fight.
Tears were streaming down her face now. Words clogged in her throat.This is the only way, Her voice down the bond barely a whisper. Vanya and Roland are too powerful. They have too much Energy.
She was just trying to protect them. She closed her eyes and images of the headless Fae warrior, Henry Storm, her mother’s dead body in the clearing all assaulted her. She couldn’t let her Triad join them.
You’re stronger, Desmond’s voice was sure and Claire choked back a sob. She let out a muffle cry of pain as Vanya landed a particularly vicious magical attack against her barrier. He had abandoned the outer barrier to focus on the barrier surrounding her.
I’m not. Not before my birthday, she choked out as she called up more magic to repair what he was trying to break. Her magical reserves were growing dangerously low. And she still had to destroy the ingredients.
Why not before your birthday?Desmond’s voice was a gentle plea in her ear as he tried to understand. But Claire didn’t have time to explain.
I wish I had more time to tell you. I’m sorry for keeping secrets but I was just trying to protect you. I have to destroy these ingredients. I have to stop them. Claire stopped and took a shallow breath. She couldn’t utter the actual words.I’m going to need all of my magic, she choked out, too afraid to tell her mates even now what that meant.
But they were too smart not to know. Silence dragged on in their bonds for a few long seconds.
Use our magic too, Desmond said. His voice was not a question but she didn’t imagine the catch in his breath.
All of ours, Malcolm demanded.
I can do it,Claire protested, weakly, knowing that even while she said it, she couldn’t. Not alone.I can protect you from this.
A life without you is not one worth living, Everett said softly, ever her sweet quiet mate.
I can’t imagine a more honorable way to go with my brothers and my treasure,Malcolm said.
Claire was sobbing now, their words and the strain of holding back Vanya and Roland too much. Her body ached everywhere and her magic was faltering. She couldn’t do it without them. But she didn’t want them to die. She didn’t want to die. But the cost of not doing it meant the death of the Realm.
