by Tijan
“Lucas put her with Mavic to train her magic.”
“Your magic was locked to you.”
Brown nodded, dropping her voice to a whisper, “It was. Mavic helped unlock it, and he’s been helping me hone it more.”
“But why . . .” She wasn’t enough. Tracey knew it would take more than one Bright witch. She turned to Lucan. “Tell me there is more. Tell me you have a plan.”
Lucas’s twin brother glared at her, his forehead wrinkling and he narrowed his eyes at her. “I would ask you to stop being insulting to me. Right now, you can stop.”
Tracey didn’t dare hope. “There’s more than her?” There had to be, or all was lost. Davy was gone. Her niece was gone. “Lucan, tell me—” She grasped onto him with desperate hands.
“Tracey, stop.” Wren ran up to them and pulled her lover’s hands away. She held them in her own and said to her, “It’s not. There’s more. I promise.” She twisted back to Lucan. “Do it. Now. We can’t wait.”
But Lucan wasn’t paying attention. Brown and a man in a robe stood beside him. Tracey guessed this was Mavic. She had never heard of the sorcerer, but he was rumored to be the second most powerful, second to Jacith. Some of her dread lifted as she recognized him and hope flickered inside of her. It was small, so small, but it was there. Tears streamed freely from her eyes now. She must’ve looked as Suhnah had, but she would never relinquish to The Immortal. Never.
She held onto Wren’s hands now. “Wren,” she gasped.
“I know.” Wren pulled her close so their bodies touched. She rested her forehead against Tracey’s. “Just hold on. Hold on.”
“It’s not done.” More tears. She gave her lover a watery smile.
“It’s not done,” Wren soothed her. One of her hands released her and wrapped around Tracey’s shoulders. She held the blonde warrior to her chest and ran her hand down her hair. “It’s not done. I promise. There’s more to come, much, much more.”
And then, a new sudden burst of wind ripped across the lands.
Lucan let out a breath. “It’s time.”
Tracey watched from the crowd. The Mori allowed her to see now, knowing she wouldn’t rush in anymore. The Immortal reached for Lily. Both mother and daughter’s faces were wet. They were crying steadily, but Lily didn’t fight. It broke Tracey’s heart. She couldn’t imagine the fear her niece was experiencing, but the little girl wore a brave front. Despite the tears, her eyes gleamed with a fierce determination and her hands were balled into tight little fists. When The Immortal pulled her into her arms, Lily didn’t wrap her legs or arms around the other. She held limp, making her body dead weight for The Immortal. A twinge of pride tunneled deep into Tracey’s chest.
She brushed her own tears away and held onto Wren’s hand tighter.
Their roles switched in that moment. Tracey was the solid one. She had been their foundation and Wren was the feisty, more emotional one. Wren was her rock that day. She held her hand and as Tracey couldn’t look away from her niece, she continued to smooth a hand down Tracey’s hair and back. She was reassuring her, or trying, but the truth was that no one knew what was going to happen.
Even Lucan, who glanced to Mavic and Brown. Both nodded. Both were ready, but they still waited. Mavic felt the thread-holders arriving. He knew the entire line of sisters was going to show, and he felt another power traveling with them. He didn’t know who or what that was, and he refrained from telling Lucan. There’d be questions he could not answer, but when they were on the outskirts of the Mori, he lifted a hand to Lucan’s shoulder.
Lucan touched Wren’s shoulder, who was already touching Tracey. The Mori nearest Tracey touched her shoulder and one by one, a Mori would touch the shoulder of the next one and so forth. Tracey stopped crying. She stopped feeling so helpless, and her tears dried up. Her hope flared brighter. They were all going to fight. She realized that as all the Mori became connected to each other. When they were done, the only Mori who wasn’t touching another was Suhnah. It came full circle, rounding back until it was Brown’s turn. The last Mori placed his hand on her shoulder, and then they all began to chant.
We are.
We will be.
As one.
Together.
We will
cast out
the imposter.
They repeated those words softly under their breath.
Tracey couldn’t help herself. She called in her mind, “Lily, look at me.”
“I am.”
Tracey’s eyes snapped open. Her niece was staring right at her and there was no fear. There was only happiness. Her tears dried up too and she added to her aunt, “I’m going to see my momma. I am so excited, Tracey.”
Tracey gasped silently. Her mother. Talia. Lily was going to die. That was what she meant and she started to say, “No, Lily. Not that way—”
“Yes!” Lily cried out. She thrust her hand over The Immortal’s shoulder. “Look!”
DAVY
Davy felt them.
She could feel her sisters there. They were with Lucas, who was connected to all the Hunters before him. The Mori were as one being, along with Brown and Mavic. There were so many, but they were all needed. All against one. It was what was needed and as The Immortal turned, distracted, Davy stood up inside of her. She was pushed to the farthest regions of The Immortal’s mind, but she was still there. It wasn’t over. Not yet.
Saren stood beside him, and they strode forward.
They had remained hidden, cloaked from The Immortal until the last second. Everything was set in place. They continued walking forward and he knew the instant the invisible spell fell away. They appeared, a foot, a leg, both legs, the torso, then the arms, shoulders and finally their heads. The full bodies were now visible and The Immortal turned at the child’s cry of ‘look!’ Her eyes first gleamed in amusement. Her top lip curved up in a mocking grin, but her eyes trailed past Saren and soon filled with horror.
“No,” she shook her head, saying quietly.
“Yes!” Saren growled.
Lucas glanced behind him and started. All of the thread-holders were there. They weren’t in their bodies, but they stood as if ghosts. They were there, though. That was all that mattered, and they were standing behind Saren. He realized now what it meant that she was their vessel. He had the Hunters’ power in him and she had all of their power inside of her.
The crowd moved to the left of Saren. The Mori were all still connected, but they were able to maneuver so two that were forgotten came forward.
Brown and Mavic. Lucan followed behind them. Lucas’s eyes went flat at seeing his brother, but that was a battle for another time.
Lucan caught his gaze and wore a mirrored mocking grin that The Immortal had moments before. It was as if to say, “Later, brother. Later.”
Lucas stifled the growl and swung his head to focus on The Immortal again.
She congregated to them. “What is this?” Her eyes trailed over everyone, seeing the touching hands of the Mori before landing on Lucas. She jerked forward, a growl coming from her. “What is this?”
“It’s over.” Saren drew her sword. “That’s what this is.”
“No.”
“Yes.” And Saren attacked, but as she did, all the thread-holders launched with her. They rained down on The Immortal. It was a whirlwind after that. The Immortal was covered in ghost forms and the wind picked up, swirling around them like a tornado. Lucas stood back. He wasn’t sure if he should wade in or hold back, but when he heard the first cry, he knew that wasn’t The Immortal. No matter how much he hated it, she still had Davy’s voice. He would’ve recognized her cry no matter how far away.
He started forward.
“Wait.” A hand touched him. It was soft and warm. It was gentle, too.
Brown was there, her eyes were open, but he only saw the whites. Her eyes had rolled into the back of her mind. He said, “Tell me that’s magic.”
“It is.” Her hand clasped tighter onto him. �
��I am connecting you to everyone to fight her.”
“I can’t fight if I’m being held back.”
“I know. I’m connecting to you mentally.” A shift happened inside of him, like a room appeared and the door swung open to let thousands inside. He gasped, but he heard her say, “And I’m done. Go. Fight. Get Davy.”
That was all he needed to hear. Gripping his sword, he waded in through the winds.
The Immortal and Saren were trading blows. One would hit, the other retaliated. It would repeat, over and over again. He had to push through more winds and more of the thread-holder sisters. They were there right alongside their sister. They were urging her on, chanting words of magic to her. The Immortal was growing frustrated. She couldn’t strike Saren down, but when Saren swung the sword to her head, she grabbed it and yanked it out of her hands.
Saren cried out, losing her weapon.
“Finally,” The Immortal growled and swung it herself.
It would’ve come down on Saren, who was dazed, but Lucas blocked it with his own sword.
“No!” Furious dark eyes snapped to his. They widened at his arrival. “I was going to let you live.”
He kicked her sword away and grunted, “You were going to let Jacith kill me.”
“Well.” She shrugged, rounding back and steadying on her feet. “I was, but then I liked your company after all.”
“Bitch,” he snarled.
“Vampire,” she shot back.
His eyes jumped to hers. Shock spread quickly through him. It was the same insult, said with the same venom that Davy first held for him. He looked into The Immortal’s eyes. Davy? The Immortal’s eyes lit up. A literal light filled them and he heard back in his mind, “It’s me. She can’t concentrate on me, but I’m slowing her down. Each time she swings or tries to send magic out, I block her. She hasn’t figured out what’s going on, but she can’t stop me anyway. She’s losing her hold. Keep going!”
He swung his own sword, and The Immortal blocked him, rounding to hit him across his face. It was a slap, but with her strength, it was a launch backwards.
“Vampire!”
He thought it was The Immortal, but it was Saren instead. She jumped in the air, grabbing a dagger that was tucked against his back and she thrust out, slicing The Immortal. It was going to slash her throat, but The Immortal evaded. It cut her arm instead and another unearthly growl came from The Immortal, who retaliated. She swung the sword out. It was quick enough to graze Saren’s cheeks.
Blood had been spilled on both ends.
Lucas rebounded and both Saren and he were swinging at The Immortal. They struck at the same time. The Immortal was cut by both, but her efforts doubled. They fought like that, trading blows, until Lucas had lost track of time. He felt like he had been fighting for hours. His body was growing weaker so he closed his eyes and pulled forth more of his power. The Hunters were there. He felt them rallying inside and when he opened his eyes again, he felt all of them with him. He swung, but they were all swinging with him.
His sword hit hers. It held and he leaned forward, pushing on it. He was going to overpower her. He had to.
Sensing the renewed strength, she dropped her sword and hit at him with magic. “Enough!” she roared.
The magic hit him like a two-ton semi. It hit him hard and he was winded. He could see, but he couldn’t stop her as she turned on Saren. The wind went to her feet and began circling her. It picked up speed as it started up over her feet, her calves, her legs, her waist. She was drawing power from the ground.
She was going to kill Saren. He felt her intent and tried to help. “No!” he yelled.
It was too late.
The Immortal shot Saren with a blast of magic.
The blue-leathered warrior fell back, stunned by the hit. Her eyes rolled to the side and she began to fall.
“No!”
Lucas thought that was him. He was shouting in his mind, but it wasn’t. It was the other sisters. They surged ahead and Talia stepped into Saren’s body. He blinked by the sudden transformation. The blue leather was gone, and instead the red hair grew and a similar white dress formed over the thread-holder.
The Immortal stepped back, shocked, too.
“MOM!”
Talia’s eyes widened. She paled and turned. The Immortal did as well. Lucas saw the little girl run past him. He didn’t know what had happened to her. The Immortal must’ve placed her down, but she ran right by him. Her arms and legs were pumping as hard as she could and her eyes and mouth were flat, looking determined. “MOM! Mom!”
“No!” Talia gasped.
She lifted horrified eyes to Lucas. “Stop her—”
But she was past him. It was too late. Talia moved to scoop her daughter up, but The Immortal was there. She grabbed the child before Talia could and swung her away. She lifted up in the air and laughed down. “It is too late now. I will end all of this foolishness.”
“NO!”
The Immortal placed a hand against the child’s cheek and closed her eyes.
“No, no, no.” Talia was whimpering. “She can’t kill her. It’s all over for us then.”
“Lucas!”
He heard Davy shouting to him. “What?”
“Throw Talia up here.”
“What?”
Talia turned to him, hearing him. “What?”
He ignored her. “What, Davy?”
“Throw my sister up here. Just do it. The child has a knife. She’s going to plunge it into my body. The Immortal’s distracted. Now’s your chance to free me.”
“Davy, I don’t know—”
“DO IT!”
So, he did. He hurried to Talia and said, “I’m only doing what I’m told.” His fingers wrapped around her arm and he circled once, gaining enough momentum and then he let loose. Talia was launched in the air.
“Mom!” The child saw her coming and like Davy said, she pulled out a dagger that was inside of her shirt. He recognized it as one that he had given Wren as a gift. Then, right as The Immortal saw it, it was too late. It was plunged into her stomach.
“NOOOO!” she screamed, crashing back down to the ground, but he didn’t have time to figure why that one cut held so much more power than the others. The Immortal’s body was writhing on the ground and he stepped forward. A hand touched his. Brown was beside him. She said, “They need magic for this so hope you’re ready.”
“Wha—”
Again. He didn’t have time to question anything. He was overtaken by her magic, but it wasn’t just hers. He sensed all of the Mori as one. He sensed his friends. Gavin. Gregory. Wren. Tracey. Bastion. They were all connected. His brother, too. Mavic. Everyone. A moment later, he felt all the thread-holders, too. Brown must’ve connected to them, or to Talia, and they were all being channeled into him.
“Come in, Lucas!” Davy was calling him. He was on another plane. He wasn’t in his body form anymore. He had become his mind, but he followed her voice. “Davy, lead me!” he shouted back.
“I am. I’m pulling you to me.”
He stepped forward, feeling intense power all around him. It wasn’t his. It wasn’t Davy’s. It was angry, but it was distracted. It was blind to him until he was in front of Davy. He reached for her hand. Relief pouring through him. “Davy!”
His hand went through hers. He frowned, pulling it back. “I can’t touch you.”
“I know.” She was concentrating on his hand, her eyebrow bunched together. Her mouth turned down and she said, with authority in her voice, “But I’m going to grab you.”
He waited, holding his hand up, and as he held his breath, she started to lift her hand to his. He felt an immense pressure pushing back against him, but he held strong. Davy was breaking through whatever was holding her in.
A gasp.
He heard it in his ear. It wasn’t him. It wasn’t Davy.
A reeling sensation zipped around them. An anchor began to sink inside of him. The Immortal knew what they were doing.
/> “Davy, you have to hur—” Her fingers touched his and the last of his sentence fell from his lips, “—ry.”
That was all the connection she needed. Her eyes closed and he felt the power radiate from her. It was like a blanket coming from her, one thread at a time. It was covering The Immortal around them and he felt a shift in gravity. They were going down.
Davy’s palm fit against his. She tightened her hold on him and grunted out, pain laced in her tone, “It’s working. She’s weakening.”
She kept breaking through the barrier until her other hand was holding onto his, then her arms, her elbows, her legs, her knees, her feet, her waist, then her entire body. They were crashing to the ground. It was The Immortal, not them. He realized that now until he was holding Davy in his arms again. As the entirety of her body fit against his, perfectly and how it always had, he was back in his own mind. He was in his own body and he really was holding Davy.
She opened her eyes. Tears burst forth, and she smiled at him. “Hi.”
Hi. She said hi. Lucas felt a stupid grin on his face. He grabbed her face, rested his forehead to hers, and asked, “Is it done?”
Her smile spread as wide as his and she nodded, bobbing their heads together. “Yeah.” Happy tears slid down her face. “It really is.” She grasped his head too and dipped so her lips met his. One kiss. Two. Three—he couldn’t let go. It’d been so long, so damn long. He groaned, his hands going around her. He pulled her in. He just wanted to hold her and reassure himself that she wasn’t going anywhere anymore.
“I’m here,” she gasped against his lips. “I’m not going anywhere. She can’t break free. She doesn’t have the power. I do. I’ll never let her have it again.”
As they kept kissing and hugging, they began to hear sounds of sobbing. He didn’t want to pull away, but he did with reluctance.
Lily was kneeling on the ground beside Talia. Tracey was next to her, and Wren was standing on Tracey’s other side.
“Momma.” Lily stroked Talia’s cheek. She bent down and pressed her forehead to her mother’s. She whispered, “Momma, I love you.”