Page 20 of Magic Unrestrained

Savannah paced the length of the alley, her phone pressed tightly against her ear as she coordinated with Zane, Griff, and her sisters. The late afternoon air was thick with tension, the distant hum of the city barely noticeable over the chaos that was quickly spreading. Water mains were beginning to leak, the ground rumbling beneath her as demonic energy seeped into the streets like a virus. The familiar sounds of New Orleans—music, laughter, the murmur of conversation—had been replaced by the wail of sirens and the panicked cries of civilians fleeing the sudden destruction.

“We need to get the civilians out of the French Quarter,” Savannah said sharply. “It’s not safe. We’ve got to evacuate everybody from the water-adjacent areas. They’re going to hit the supply soon. Griff, focus on the Bywater and the Garden District. It’s only a matter of time before the demons reach those parts of the city.”

Griff’s voice crackled over the line. “We’re on it. But, Savannah, be careful. Things are getting worse by the minute.”

“Yeah, I know,” she muttered, glancing down at her map as she marked off another location that needed attention.

“Savannah, where are you?” asked Geneva. “We’re more powerful together.”

“I know, but I need to find Gage. We can back each other up. The rest of you need to concentrate on getting people out of harm’s way.”

“I don’t like this,” said Catalina.

“None of us do,” said Phoenix, “But, baby sister is right. We need to get people to safety. If Savannah says she and Gage can handle the fight, they can, and we just have to believe it.”

“Has Maeve had any luck in contacting the fae for their help?” asked Savannah hopefully.

“None. They refused to even speak with her. They sat back and used her to help Cipher almost destroy the city, and it looks like they’re doing the same thing now,” answered Geneva.

“What about Ash?” asked Phoenix.

“He’s doing what he can, trying to find demons that will help, but that’s a tricky thing. Vesper and Falwell have a lot of them convinced this will put them in power,” answered Geneva.

“That’s it, then,” said Savannah. “We’re kind of on our own.”

“Savannah’s right,” said Zane. “We need to get to it.”

“Agreed,” said Griff. “We each know what we have to do. Savannah, if you can’t get to Tremblay, don’t try to take them on by yourself.”

They talked for a few minutes, ensuring each of them knew their part in the coming battle. As she hung up the phone, Savannah couldn’t shake the feeling that Gage was in more trouble than any of them knew.

After ending the call, Savannah ran a hand through her hair—frustration and anger weighing heavily as she tried to reach Gage again by phone. No answer. She reached out to find his location—the loft. She allowed her wings to unfurl and made short work of reaching his building.

Civilians needed protecting, her family was fighting on all fronts, and the city she loved so deeply was on the brink of being consumed by darkness. But despite the urgency of it all, her thoughts kept drifting back to one thing—one person.

Gage.

A knot of unease twisted in her chest, growing tighter with every passing minute. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was horribly wrong, that Gage was in terrible danger. She’d felt it ever since he’d left to infiltrate Falwell’s meeting, and now that feeling was intensifying, pulling at her like an invisible thread.

What if something had happened to him?

She fought to focus on the task at hand, but every time she tried, her mind slipped back to Gage. She felt his presence like a distant echo in her chest, faint but constant, and now it was throbbing with warning. Something had gone terribly wrong.

Her body was in motion, but her mind kept drifting back to the memory of Gage—his grin, the way his eyes darkened when he looked at her, the heat of his touch. The connection between them had only deepened with every encounter, and now, with the city teetering on the edge of disaster, she realized just how much he meant to her.

And how much she stood to lose.

Before she could open the door to go inside, there was a glimmer, and before her stood the one person she really didn’t need to see. Thornheart.

Savannah’s body tightened with tension and was coiled, ready to strike. “What do you want?”

Thornheart’s voice oozed with malice, his tone as cold and condescending as ever. “You’re running out of time, Savannah. The Council has told me to make you an offer. You and the rest of your misbegotten family promise to return to the fae realm now,and we will ensure you have our support in this... little crisis of yours.”

Savannah clenched her jaw, her grip on the phone tightening. “I’m not sure how to respond to such a charming offer,” she said sweetly. “Oh, wait. I have it—fuck off and die. We’re not leaving the city.”

Thornheart’s chuckle grated on her nerves. “How noble of you but misguided. You know as well as I do that you cannot stop what’s coming. The demons will overrun your precious city, and without the backing of the fae, you and your family will fall. You belong to us, Savannah. Come back, and I will make sure your family is spared.”

“Spared?” Savannah’s voice was barely a whisper, her heart thudding against her ribcage. “You have no right to make that promise.”

---