She rubbed the stone, a serene expression on her face. “Oh, I have my ways. Of course, you understand that I can’t reveal my source.” Her gaze included the witches still kneeling on the ground. “They are of no use to me now. With their powers depleted, they are mere mortals again.”
Falcon stepped in front of the witches to shield them from Athena’s wrath. “They will be returned to the homes they knew before magic ensnared them.”
She laughed. “Do you really think I would waste my energies incinerating a few helpless women? I have much larger potions to brew.”
Hestra stood, her face drained of all color. “What happened?”
“You happened, you idiot,” Athena snapped. “Because you let the human stab you, the wizards were able to gain access to your blood, a witch’s blood. I told you they would use it against us. Or you, rather. I, on the other hand, made other preparations.” She wagged the amulet in front of her chest. “Oh, don’t look so downtrodden, Hestra. At least you’ll go back to that pathetic existence you had before I made you a witch. Think about poor me. I’m going to have to start all over, build the Coven once more.” She tilted her head, her long, black hair falling to her waist. “I think this time around I’ll be a little more selective in my apprentices.”
Hestra opened her mouth to speak but no words came. Her body began to shimmer, to fade into nothingness. Her eyes wide with terror, she could only wait as the ground shifted beneath her until she disappeared.
Tess clutched Andion’s arm. “Where did she go?”
Andion peeled her fingers off his arm and lowered her hand to her side. “As the spell said, she has been returned to her home. Do not ask me where that is. Just know that she is fully human once again as are the others. They will resume their lives and be wiser for what they have known here. I do not believe they will be tempted again by the call of magic.” He directed a hand toward Jaxon. “Now you must be quiet. We await Athena’s next move.”
“Her next move? Doesn’t this defeat her? She has no backup.”
“It causes us some concern that she was prepared for this, that she has stolen the amulet.”
“How did she get the amulet?”
Athena tapped one fingernail against her chin, tilted her head as if considering her options. “You wonder what I’ll do now that my sister witches have been disposed of.” She hummed low in her throat. “I can assure you the fun’s only beginning. I’m alive and well and,” she threw a wink at Jaxon, “ready to play.” Stopping, she clapped her hands in mock applause. “Kudos for your abilities, Jaxon. Many years ago, that spell would have been out of the realm of your powers. I must say, you’ve come a long way.”
Tess stood on tiptoe to hiss into Andion’s ear. “Why is she just talking?”
“Be quiet,” the wizard growled in response.
Athena laughed musically, enjoying center stage. “Yes, I see all of you are trying to anticipate my next step. Falcon, you look tense. Do you think you can read my mind? Do you think you will know when I will strike next? Perhaps I won’t strike at all today. Perhaps I shall just evaporate this morning to return when I have rebuilt the Coven.”
“You have always said you do not need them, Athena.” Jaxon’s voice was softly enticing. “This was supposed to be between you and me.”
“But you changed the rules, didn’t you?”
“I ensured the battle would be between the two of us and only the two of us.” He folded his hands together, allowed a small smile to play about his lips. “You really did not expect me to trust you, did you?”
Athena swept a gaze at the gathered wizards. “And I’m supposed to trust that your wizard friends won’t jump in to protect you?”
Jaxon’s eyes glittered. Beneath the silk of his robe, his muscles bunched. “Wizards have honor, something you witches sadly lack. No one will interfere should you choose to make a move against me. In fact I look forward to it.” He held his arms away from his sides, opening himself up to the witch’s attack. She wouldn’t kill him with the first strike and he only needed one. The amulet was the only thing standing between Athena and life as a mortal. Once he broke the chain, he could kill her.
Tess’ shriek clogged in her throat. “What is he doing?”
“You have an open target,” Jaxon goaded.
Athena’s eyes narrowed. “Do you think me so stupid I would attempt to kill you now? No, I have another idea. A better one.” Her smile created a cold knot in the pit of Tess’ stomach.
The rumble of conversation to Tess’ right drew her gaze to where Jaxon’s brothers stood, arms folded, staring straight ahead as if they were about to watch a football game. Was this entire family crazy?
“I wish she would show us what it is instead of talking about it,” Rane noted from the sidelines.
Braeden nudged his brother with his elbow. “Perhaps we do not want to know her plans.”
Rane returned the nudge. “Speak for yourself.”
“Look at her eyes.”
Rane sneered. “I do not really see as much in her eyes as you do, my dear brother. After all, you have been closer to her than any other wizard. Maybe there is something you could tell Jaxon to help him out. An Achilles heel, maybe?”
“Shut up, Rane.” Braeden walked forward and came to stand at Jaxon’s side. “Athena, think about what you are doing. You are risking far more than your magical abilities. You are risking your life.”
She placed a hand over her heart. “Your concern for my welfare is heartening. In fact it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Maybe after this is all over, we can discuss our feelings.” Her eyes hardened. “Oh yes, I’d forgotten you have no real feelings for me. Isn’t that the last thing you said when you left me?”
“What is she talking about?” Falcon growled, his stance threatening.
Athena clapped a hand over her mouth. “Whoops. You mean they still don’t know about our little dalliance? Braeden, you didn’t crack under the pressure of so much snowy white morality? Perhaps I should extend the kudos to you as well as your brother.” She shook her head, a picture of sadness and regret. “Poor ignorant wizards. They didn’t know that one of their own was dipping his wand into a witch’s cauldron. And you call yourselves wise.” Her fingers brushed the amulet once more. “Do you still want to know how I got the amulet, Jaxon?”
Charlemaine entered the conversation. “You can’t mean…”
Athena’s eyes found Charlemaine’s face. “Oh good, a female wizard. Now here’s someone I can have a conversation with. Yes, my dear Charlemaine, I mean your son and I were lovers. Heavily involved. This was his gift to me.” She brought the amulet up to her lips and kissed the stone. “It’s possible he wasn’t aware of its powers but then,” she shrugged, “it’s a far greater possibility he was so enamored with me he would do anything I asked of him.”
Braeden’s teeth gnashed. “That’s enough. My family has heard enough from you.”
Athena’s face twisted in bitterness. “Oh, they must be eager to hear more.” She scanned the wizards’ faces. “Aren’t you?”
Jaxon called Athena’s attention back to where it should be. “Your fight is with me, not my brother.”
Her eyes flashed. “My fight is with whoever I choose it to be. And right now I choose, well, you shall soon see.” With a snap of her fingers, she was gone.
“Damn!” Jaxon whirled, searching the sky, the ground and scanning the tower for any lingering traces of the witch. “Braeden, do you want to tell me how she got the fucking amulet?”
“Now is not the time,” Charlemaine interrupted.
“I beg to differ, Mother. Now is the perfect time to know why my brother turned against his own family.”
Before Braeden could respond, a loud gasp cut through the tension and all eyes turned. Athena had materialized behind Tess. The witch wrapped one hand around her throat and gave a gurgle of laughter.
Jaxon leaped across the distance and landed inches away from his wife’s shaking body.
“Let her go.”
“Uh-uh-huh.” Athena lifted a finger, wagged it at him. “No one moves. In case you were wondering, I choose Tess. My fight is with her.” She leaned her head to whisper in her ear. “Sorry, dear, but I never liked you very much.” Her fingers clenched around Tess’ neck. “If anyone takes one step or bats an eye, I’ll crush her windpipe and she’ll die a painfully horrid death.”
Jaxon’s control couldn’t combat the rage whirling inside him. He would kill Athena for this and consequences be damned. Once she was dead, the Coven of Allesandra would be finished forever. And Tess would be safe. “You will not live beyond this day, Athena, so enjoy your moment of power.” His voice was an acrid burn.
“We will combine our powers and—” Andion began.
“No!” Jaxon whipped his head around, fixed his glowing eyes on the wizard’s face. “You were going to protect her. You failed. Were it within my authority to end your miserable existence, I would do so.”
Falcon lashed out. “Jaxon. Focus.”
“Boys, come now. Let’s not fight over one measly little human woman. What can she give you that a witch whose cogent abilities you clearly see cannot?” As Tess began to squirm, Athena’s hand tightened even more. “But never mind. Right now I’m incredibly bored. Let’s do something to liven things up a bit, shall we?” She tipped her head back, inhaled deeply and, with her fingers secured around Tess’ throat, began to speak in a low, magnetic whisper.
“This human woman in the midst, let the fire now surround her, fed by the darkness of this heart and the spikes that have bound her. A sacrifice of a wizard’s heart is required to break this spell or may she join with her true love in the burning depths of hell.”
Athena’s hand dropped to her side and she leaped back as the fiery darts blasted through the dirt, shooting toward the sky. Encasing Tess in a burning prison, the spikes licked at her skin, forcing her to shrink back toward the center of the flames.
The witch backed away, out of Jaxon’s reach. “Oh, isn’t this exciting? Now I must tell you that in a matter of minutes, your little wife, Jaxon, is going to be a charcoal briquette unless you do the noble thing and save her.” She trailed a look around at the wizards’ faces. Equal parts of horror and shock. “I’m sure the universe will not mourn the loss of one more wizard. So come now. What will it be? Your wife’s life and the life of your unborn child? Or your life?”
She strolled around the burning prison. “You do believe she’s pregnant, don’t you? Surely your wizardly powers have told you that by now.” Her lips parted in a gleaming grin before she shook her head. “Though it pains me to lose this child, I’ll start again. Eventually one of your horny brothers is bound to step across that line into immorality.”
A gust of wind increased the flames and Jaxon took several steps forward.
“Jaxon, no. Don’t even consider it.” Tears raced down Tess’ cheeks. The look on Jaxon’s face told her more than words ever could.
He held up his hand, hovered it in the air near hers. “I cannot let you die, Tess, not if it’s within my power to stop it. Our child will need its mother.”
Jensen took a step toward his son. “Jaxon.”
Falcon held up one hand. “No. Let him handle this.”
“She could die,” Charlemaine protested.
“This is wonderful,” Athena crowed. “I’ve never been around so much caring and compassion.” She touched her fingertip to the corner of her eye. “I do believe I’m getting misty-eyed.”
Tess focused on Jaxon’s face. “I won’t let you do this.”
He smiled at her, a sad smile, but inside the fires of retribution still burned. In the end, his death would be avenged. Athena would not walk away from her own plot. “You cannot stop me.”
“I will walk into the flames, Jaxon.”
He saw the reality of the threat in her eyes.
“My heart can’t stand much more of these grandiose expressions of undying love.” Athena clamped a hand over her heart and stepped backward, keeping one eye trained on the remaining wizards. She continued to dab at her eyes melodramatically.
“Listen to me. You have a destiny. You can’t walk away from that.” Tess was practically begging now.
The pain crippled him, making him weak. “And you expect me to walk away from you? I cannot let you sacrifice yourself for me.” He closed his eyes and drew on his own strength to take a step closer to the flames.
“Ticktock, lovers,” Athena singsonged.
“No!” Tess’ scream became a wail of despair.
Jaxon’s intent to merge with the fire snapped abruptly. He felt the impact of an unseen hand and his body flew into the air. He caught himself before he could tumble to the ground. Swiveling, he caught a glimpse of Andion’s white hair as the elderly wizard dove toward the flames.
The fires hissed and snapped, blending with Andion’s agonized screams.
Jaxon crawled across the ground as the flames receded, smoldered into ashes. The wizard’s ancient body impaled on the spikes and Jaxon and the others could only watch as he bent and twisted in a feeble attempt to free himself from the painful spears. Climbing to his feet, Jaxon lifted Andion’s broken body away from the fiery daggers and placed him carefully on the ground. Andion closed his eyes, one hand clutching his heart.
Tess fell to her knees and cradled Andion’s head in her lap. For a moment Athena was forgotten and all circled around the older wizard as his life slowly faded.
“Can you save him?” Tess’ question was more of a plea. She swept a look around the wizards. “Please. Save him.”
“They…cannot,” Andion whispered. His hand crept up to cover one of hers. “Even…their…magic…cannot…prevent this. Do not…blame…them.” He struggled to breathe, his face contorted with agony. A long, sharp spike protruded from the center of his chest, its aim true.
Jaxon clutched at the wizard’s arm. “Why? Why would you do this?”
“You think I hate you but I do not.” Andion’s voice weakened along with his body. “I have never hated you, my boy. I have envied you. Your life. Your wife. And now you will take possession of the Assembly.” Weakly, he lifted a hand, patted Jaxon’s cheek. “You will make a good leader.”
“You should not have done this.”
Andion tried to sit, cried out as the pain overtook him. He fell limply back against Tess’ lap. “I could not let you die. You have a wife and a baby to care for. And you must take care of the…magic.”
“Forget the magic. This is what the magic did to you.” Tess sobbed, leaning down to press a kiss against the elder wizard’s forehead. “I will never forget you. I knew there had to be something more to you than what you presented to us. You’ve always cared.”
“Yes.” Andion speared Jaxon with a look. “But you cannot forget the magic.”
Jaxon accepted the man’s words with a painful nod. “I know.”
Andion’s eyes closed, his head rolled to one side. “I must…rest…now. May the Fates be with you all.” As the breath left his body, a streak of purple vapor arrowed from his lips.
Jaxon whirled in time to see the malevolent gleam in Athena’s eyes as the mist jetted toward the sky. He bounded to his feet, took a running leap into the air and closed his fist around the tail end of the purple-hued fog. As it settled into the palm of his hand, forming a golden globe, Athena bumped into his shoulder, seeking to dislodge the precious item. But he held tight and touched his feet to the ground once more.
Athena moved swiftly, her nails reaching out with intent to rake a long, angry line down the wizard’s cheek. “That is mine! I shall have what rightfully belongs to me.”
Braeden caught hold of her wrist and prevented the damage. “You will not touch my brother.”
She twisted her arm but was unable to break free of the wizard’s grasp. “Release me.”
“I don’t understand any of this.” Tess continued to rub her palms across Andion’s hair.
Jaxon knelt down beside her
, covertly passing the globe into Falcon’s outstretched hand. “I know.”
“This is time for my exit,” Athena snapped.
“You’re not going anywhere.” Braeden held on tight.
Tess lifted her head. “He didn’t have to die, Jaxon.” The tears began to leak down her cheeks. “Why did he save me? Why would he place your happiness above his own? None of this makes sense.”
He caught a ribbon of hair between his fingers, tugging lightly. “Weren’t you the one who said most of this didn’t make sense?”
Tess dropped her hands to Andion’s shoulders. “Why am I the only one crying? Is anyone else here not grieving?”
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