Page 29 of Magic Unleashed

Struggling to hold on, Griff suddenly convulsed. With a growl of inhuman strength, Griff’s eyes snapped open, glowing with an eerie, dark light. His body jerked violently.

“Griff!” Phoenix shouted, fear that she had lost him—had lost everything—clawing at her chest as she rushed toward him.

But it wasn’t Griff anymore. Not fully. The demon’s presence had taken root, and Phoenix could see the battle raging behind Griff’s eyes. He was fighting, trying to hold onto himself, but the dark magic was overpowering him.

“Phoenix…” Griff’s voice was strained, barely his own. “I can’t… I can’t hold it.”

Tears blurred her vision as she stopped in front of him, her hands trembling. She knew what she had to do, and the thought of it made her stomach twist with agony. If she couldn’t free him, if she couldn’t exorcise the demon… she would have to kill him. It was the only way to save Griff’s soul from being consumed entirely.

No. I can’t lose him like this. Not like this.

The weight of her duty as a fae enforcer pressed down on her, the cold, relentless reality of what she might need to do. But her heart—her heart couldn’t bear the thought of destroying Griff, not after everything they had been through—not when they seemed to finally be building something between them.

“I won’t let this happen,” she whispered, her voice shaking.

With a surge of determination, Phoenix gathered every ounce of her power, drawing upon the strength of her fae magic and the bond she shared with Griff. She placed her hands on his chest, feeling the dark magic thrumming beneath his skin. It was like touching fire—dangerous and consuming—but she didn’t pull away.

“Griff, listen to me,” she said, her voice fierce with emotion. “You have to fight it. You have to hold on.”

He groaned, his body writhing in pain. “I… I’m trying.”

Phoenix’s heart clenched. She could feel the demon pushing against her magic, trying to break through. The darkness was closing in around Griff’s soul, suffocating the man she knew and loved. She didn’t have much time.

“I love you,” she whispered before taking a deep breath and beginning to chant a dangerous, ancient exorcism ritual. It was one she had only read about, one that could either save Griff or kill them both in the process. But she had no other choice.

Golden light flared around her as she spoke the incantation, her words laced with fae power. The air crackled with tension, the dark magic resisting her every effort. But she didn’t stop. She couldn’t.

The connection between her and Griff burned hot, and she could feel the demon writhing inside him, furious and desperate. Sweat dripped down her face as she pushed harder, her magic straining to banish the dark presence.

“Come on, Griff,” she whispered, her voice thick with tears. “Don’t let go.”

Suddenly, she felt it—the shift. Griff’s body jerked, and his eyes flashed, the demon struggling to maintain control. Phoenix’s magic flared brighter, and for a brief moment, she thought she had won. But then the demon roared, a sound that echoed through the cathedral like a storm.

Before she could react, Griff’s body convulsed violently, and a wave of dark energy exploded from him, knocking Phoenix backward. She hit the ground hard, her vision swimming as she tried to focus.

When her eyes cleared, she saw it.

Griff’s dragon.

The beast roared to life, its essence pushing to the surface, fighting the demon with a ferocity that took Phoenix’s breath away. Griff’s body trembled, his dragon form shimmering around him, and she could feel the sheer force of his will.

The demon couldn’t hold him. It was too much.

With one final, earth-shattering roar, the demon abandoned Griff’s body, its dark form swirling through the air in a desperateescape. It slammed into Fontaine, and the councilman’s scream pierced the air as the demon took him instead.

Fontaine’s body twisted and contorted, his eyes glowing with the unholy power of the demon lord now possessing him. The cultists around them gasped, their chanting faltering as chaos erupted.

Phoenix pushed herself to her feet, her entire body aching. She wasn’t alone. She could sense the magic before she saw them—four specks of light entering the cathedral. Her heart leaped in her chest as she turned and saw her sisters and Aunt Maeve, their forms glowing with the same ethereal light she had come to associate with family.

“We couldn’t let you have all the fun,” Savannah said, her voice light despite the dire situation.

Geneva and Catalina stood beside her, their hands already glowing with healing magic, while Aunt Maeve’s eyes narrowed as she took in the possessed Fontaine.

Phoenix smiled weakly, relief flooding through her. “I’m glad you’re here.”

The battle resumed with renewed intensity, but now, Phoenix wasn’t alone. Her sisters joined the fray, their fae magic mingling with hers as they fought the cultists and the possessed Fontaine. Griff, though weak, managed to pull himself to his feet, his dragon energy still burning in his eyes.

Together, they faced the demon lord.

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