Page 27 of Magic Unleashed

Phoenix shot him a glare, her fists clenched. “This isn’t the time, Ash. Griff’s in danger, and I need your help.”

Ash shrugged, his smile fading as he saw the seriousness in her eyes. “All right, all right. I’m in. What’s the plan?”

She swallowed hard; her throat tight. “We’re going to infiltrate the cult’s main gathering. It’s tonight. They’re planning to summon a demon lord during the eclipse, and… my fear is that they’ve figured out who Griff is. As a dragon-shifter, he’d make a powerful vessel for them to use.”

Ash’s expression darkened instantly, his usual playfulness vanishing. “A demon lord? They’d need an incredibly powerful vessel to host something like that. You think Griff’s?—”

“I don’t think—I know. He’s a fucking dragon, Ash. You can’t get a much more powerful vessel than that,” Phoenix’s voice cracked, and she hated the vulnerability that seeped through. “He’s in over his head, and I need to get him out. Before it’s too late.”

Ash nodded, his jaw tightening. “Then we need to move fast.”

The location of the cult’s main gathering was an abandoned cathedral on the outskirts of the city, its gothic arches rising like dark sentinels against the stormy night sky. Phoenix and Ash moved through the shadows, keeping low and out of sight as they approached the entrance. From inside, they could hear the faint murmurs of chanting, the unmistakable hum of dark magic in the air.

Phoenix’s heart pounded as they slipped inside, careful to avoid the cultists patrolling the outer corridors. The cathedral was vast, its once-sacred halls now corrupted by the sinister energy radiating from the summoning circle in the center. In the distance, Phoenix saw the cultists gathering, their black robesbillowing as they moved in unison, chanting in their guttural, ancient language.

And there, at the center of it all, was Councilman Fontaine, presiding over the ritual like a dark king. His arms were raised, his voice commanding as he led the cult in the summoning. But Phoenix’s gaze locked on something—or rather, someone—else.

Griff.

He was bound to an altar, his shirt ripped open, blood smeared across his chest in intricate, demonic symbols. His head hung low, and though he was conscious, Phoenix could see the strain in his body, the way he trembled under the weight of the dark magic trying to consume him.

Her breath caught in her throat.No. No, no, no.This was worse than she’d ever imagined. Why had she let him go? If he lived through this, she was going to kill him.

“We have to stop this,” she whispered to Ash, her voice trembling with urgency. “They’re going to use him to bring the demon lord into our world.”

Ash’s eyes darkened as he took in the scene. “Yeah, well, we’re about to make sure that doesn’t happen. What’s the plan?”

Phoenix’s mind raced. She couldn’t just storm in—they’d be overwhelmed by the cultists in seconds. But there was one thing she could do. One thing that would change the odds in their favor.

“I’ll reveal myself,” she said, her voice steady but filled with tension. “I’ll use my fae magic.”

Ash’s eyes widened. “Are you insane? You know what’ll happen if you?—”

“I know.” Phoenix cut him off, her gaze hard. “But it’s the only way. They’re expecting a mortal sacrifice, not a fae. If I disrupt the ritual, it’ll cause chaos. You get Griff, and we get out.”

Ash hesitated for only a second before nodding. “All right. Just… don’t die, okay? Your sister would never forgive me, andif you die and he lives… well, he’ll roast me without a second thought.”

Phoenix managed a faint smile, though it didn’t reach her eyes. “That is not the plan.”

With a deep breath, she stepped forward, drawing the attention of the cultists. She could feel the dark magic in the air, thick and suffocating, but her own power hummed just beneath the surface, waiting to be unleashed.

“Fontaine!” Phoenix’s voice rang out, cutting through the chanting like a hot, sharp blade through butter. Every head in the room snapped toward her, their eyes wide with shock and confusion.

Councilman Fontaine’s gaze landed on her, his face twisting with surprise before it morphed into a cold smile. “Well, well. What have we here?”

Phoenix stepped into the center of the room, her presence commanding as she let her fae magic rise to the surface. The air around her shimmered with golden light, her wings unfurling behind her in a brilliant display of power. The cultists gasped, several of them stumbling back in fear and awe.

“I won’t let you use him,” she said, her voice steady, though her heart was racing. “This ends now.”

Fontaine’s eyes narrowed, his smile fading. “A fae. I didn’t expect you to be so bold.” He glanced at Griff, still bound to the altar, then back to Phoenix. “But you’re too late. The ritual is already in motion. He’s already marked.”

“Maybe,” Phoenix said, her magic crackling around her. “But you won’t survive long enough to finish it.”

The room erupted into chaos.

The cultists surged forward, but Phoenix was ready. She unleashed a blast of fae energy, sending them flying back, their bodies crashing into the stone walls. Ash moved in a blur,cutting down those who tried to get close, his blades flashing in the candlelight.

Phoenix’s focus was on Fontaine. She advanced on him, her magic swirling around her like a storm. He raised his hands, dark energy pooling at his fingertips, but Phoenix was faster. She blasted him with a wave of golden light, sending him stumbling back.

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