Page 37 of Witch's Promise

"Fuck," Gabe hissed, his eyes snapping open. "This is bad. Really bad."

"What is it?" His mother asked, her voice tight with fear. "What's wrong with her?"

Gabe shook his head, trying to clear the lingering sensation of wrongness from his mind. "It's her magic. Something's eating it. Corrupting it from the inside out."

His dad cursed, a rare display of emotion from the usually stoic coven leader. "How is that possible? And more importantly, how do we stop it?"

Gabe ran a hand through his hair, his mind racing. This was beyond anything he'd dealt with before, even in his years with the Shadowguards. But he couldn't let that stop him. Jessy's life was on the line, and he'd be damned if he let her down.

"I need to call for backup," he said, already pulling out his phone. "This is going to take more than just me."

His fingers moved on autopilot, dialing a number he knew by heart. It rang twice before a familiar voice answered.

"Finn Sloane's house of healing and questionable life choices, how may I direct your crisis?"

Despite the gravity of the situation, Gabe felt a smile tug at his lips. Trust Finn to find humor even in the darkest moments.

"Finn, it's Gabe. I need your help. We've got a situation here with some seriously dark magic, and I'm in over my head."

Finn's tone immediately sobered. "Talk to me, Reed. What are we dealing with?"

As Gabe filled Finn in on the situation, he couldn't help but marvel at how quickly his friend switched into healer mode. By the time he finished explaining, Finn was already rattling off instructions.

"Okay, here's what you need to do," Finn said, his voice steady and confident. "You're going to have to use your magic to create a barrier between the corruption and Jessy's core. Think of it like... like building a dam to hold back a flood. Can you do that?"

Gabe swallowed hard, doubt creeping in. "I... I think so. But Finn, if I screw this up-"

"You won't," Finn cut him off. "You've got this, Gabe. I'll talk you through it, step by step. Just focus on my voice and trust your instincts."

Taking a deep breath, Gabe placed his hands on either side of Jessy's head. He could feel the corruption pulsing beneath herskin, a malevolent force trying to consume her from the inside out.

"Okay," he said, closing his eyes. "I'm ready."

What followed was the most intense magical working Gabe had ever attempted. With Finn's voice guiding him through the phone on speaker, he delved deep into Jessy's magical core. He fought against the darkness, pushing it back inch by excruciating inch, building walls of pure energy to contain the corruption.

Sweat poured down Gabe's face, his muscles trembling with the effort of maintaining the complex spellwork. More than once, he felt his concentration waver, the darkness surging forward to reclaim lost ground. But each time, Finn's steady voice pulled him back, offering encouragement and guidance in equal measure.

"You're doing great, Gabe," Finn said, his words a lifeline in the sea of magical chaos. "Just a little more."

And he was right. Slowly but surely, the corruption began to recede. Gabe could feel Jessy's natural magic reasserting itself, pushing back against the invading force with renewed strength.

With one final surge of power, Gabe sealed the last of the corruption behind a wall of pure, cleansing energy. The darkness gave one last, furious push before dissipating entirely, leaving behind only the warm, familiar glow of Jessy's magic.

Gabe slumped back, utterly drained. He was vaguely aware of his parents rushing to his side, of Finn's voice still coming through the phone, but it all seemed distant and unimportant. The only thing that mattered was Jessy, her color already improving as her magic flowed freely once more.

"You did it, son," His dad said, his voice thick with pride and relief. "You saved her."

Gabe managed a weak smile, exhaustion tugging at the edges of his consciousness. "We did it," he corrected, gesturing vaguely towards the phone. "Couldn't have done it without Finn."

As if on cue, Finn's voice piped up. "Damn straight you couldn't. Now get some rest. Doctor's orders."

Chapter 11

Sean

He winced as he prodded the fresh bruises blooming across his face. Fuck, he looked like shit. The days since his encounter with Gabe had crawled by, each one a painful reminder of what he'd lost and what he stood to lose again.

He couldn't help himself though. The fight last night had been inevitable, a desperate attempt to exorcise the demons that haunted him since seeing Gabe again. The familiar dance of violence, the rush of adrenaline, the satisfying crunch of bone against bone - it was the only thing that made him feel alive anymore. Well, that and the hefty payout from The Elder. A man had to eat, after all.

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