Page 108 of Kiss of Magic

“It is too soon to say. But it is likely to be hundreds.”

Hundreds. Dani felt the shock of it hit her in the chest. Lenore saw her distress and her expression softened.

“Child, you ended the carnage. For good. Focus on that.”

The coven leader wasn’t usually given to displays of affection, nevertheless she opened her arms and allowed Dani to embrace her. The younger witch leaned against her, trying to sort through her feelings.

“But I could have ended it sooner,” she said, her voice muffled. “I was selfish, only thinking of myself. Do you think the people of Nush’aldaam will ever forgive me?”

The coven leader didn’t answer, Puzzled, Dani raised her head.

“Lenore?”

The witch had gone quite still. She stared fixedly at Dani, her mouth working. A single sound emerged from her throat.

“Oh.”

“Lenore, what’s wrong?”

“Oh, my dear. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

“What? You’re scaring me. What’s wrong?”

The other members of the coven exchanged bewildered glances. They had no more clue what was ailing Lenore than Dani did.

But the coven leader was hundreds of years old and an extremely sensitive wiccan. She looked at Dani now with a mixture of horror and pity.

“I… I don’t know how to tell you.”

“Lenore, for the love of the goddess, just say it. What’s going on?”

“You… you don’t… I can’t feel it anymore.”

“Feel what? You’re making zero sense right now.” Unease coiled down Dani’s spine. “Lenore, speak to me.”

“Your magic. I can’t feel your magic. Your connection… it’s gone.” Lenore’s voice shook. “You’re not a witch anymore, Dani. You’re human. Just human.”

Fifty Two

“That’s impossible. You’re wrong!”

Panicked, Dani tried to siphon energy. There was plenty of it around her – the surrounding stones held warmth from the sun, dust motes danced in the air, there was light and heat and motion everywhere but…

But she couldn’t draw on it.

She tried again and again, aware of the pity in Lenore’s eyes. But no matter what she did, she couldn’t pull any power into her cells.

It wasn’t like wearing the dampener, where she could feel the energy but couldn’t access it. This was completely different. She couldn’t senseanything.

She couldn’t do magic.

How had she not noticed the minute she’d woken up? How had she missed it?

Blake. Blake was kissing you and you didn’t think about anything else, did you?

Fuck.

“Bring it back,” she said shakily. “Make it come back!”

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