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Why not?
Because they are set for you. They are not set for me.
It took a second to realize she meant to merge with me, and I swore softly. I trusted my sister, but there was nevertheless an innate fear that she’d find being in flesh once again a temptation hard to resist. I silently reached out to Belle and drew her into the conversation. Cat’s personal connection to me and her status as a spirit guide might naturally exclude Belle—in the same way that I was excluded from any of Belle’s conversations with her spirit guides—but this was too big a decision for me to make it alone. I needed Belle’s input on this. There was too much at stake—not just for Dad, but for both her and me personally.
She was my familiar. My death would have serious implications for her.
Our connection deepened, and Belle came online, listening without commenting.
I couldn’t take you over permanently, even if I wanted to, Cat was saying. Your inner magic would not allow it.
Meaning the wild magic, because my innate witch magic would be overwhelmed by hers in an instant.
Besides, do you think Belle, or her spirit guides, would allow such a thing? Amusement ran through Cat’s mental tone. I would be kicked out of your body and forever banned from the spirit world. That is a fate I would not wish on even my greatest enemy.
Even the wraith?
He is a perversion of both flesh and spirit, and the fate that awaits if we do manage to kill him is far worse than mere banishment.
And if we don’t?
Then our spirits will be consumed, and all that we are will forever be lost to the world.
It was said as simple fact, and a chill ran through me. It wasn’t so much fear as an awareness that such a fate was far more likely than survival.
Mom sniffed and pulled away from my embrace. I handed her a tissue, but my attention remained on my sister.
Merging is dangerous. Bodies weren’t designed to house two separate spirits, and it taxed mind, strength, and heart, sometimes to the point of death.
It is the only way, she said. You cannot use your most lethal weapon, and your own magic isn’t strong enough to counter his, no matter how much it has grown.
“I’m sorry,” Mom said. “It’s unusual for my emotions to overwhelm my control.”
“Mom, tears are understandable given this isn’t a usual situation.” And it was nice to know that beneath the facade she was as much an emotive mess as the rest of us. I couldn’t say that to her, of course. Not only was it a little mean, but it would also hurt her, and I didn’t want that. “But we still have an option. Let’s get back to the others.”
To Cat, I added, Your magic couldn’t counter the wraith’s the first time round, so why would now be any different?
The difference is he has no idea I am present and capable of magic and has set his spells solely for you. They will not counter or subdue my magic.
Except you’ll be inhabiting my body, and his spells will no doubt take any capacity for movement and spelling away the minute I step through that void. Having you along as a passenger won’t change that.
Flesh and blood wise, yes, but your energy will be vastly different and will not be restricted. She paused. In fact, it is vital to our survival that it isn’t.
Meaning I’ll need to draw his attention and his magic before you can attack.
Yes. We must weaken him to have true victory.
It was never going to be easy to win this battle, but for fuck’s sake... could we not, just this once, contain a supernatural entity without me having to be in the firing line?
I sighed and said, Where has he stashed Dad?
She gave me the street address, then added, It’s a minimum twenty-minute drive. Even using lights and sirens, you will not make it there in time now.
I glanced at my watch and saw she was right. Belle, given how much he appears to know about my psi talents, it’s possible he’ll activate some type of inhibitor the minute we’re out of the void—will you be able to dismantle it?
Before she could answer, Cat said, her tone surprised, Belle was listening to our conversation?
She’s my familiar. There are few things that can void our connection.
