Page 49 of Fallen Angel

“That is far enough,” she said, threatening him with her shadows swirling in the palm of her hand.

“There must be something you can do,” Callan pleaded.

“And why would you think that?”

“You do not need me to tell you how powerful you are, Mara. She is harmless to you now. Prithee, undo this curse.”

Mara stepped closer to Callan, bringing her face in front of his. She sniffed in his scent and exhaled in satisfaction. Enthralled by him, she hovered her lips close to his, almost as a test to see what he was willing to stand for Hannah’s benefit. Callan didn’t move. Mara giggled behind pursed lips. It echoed in her throat. “You know I do not do anything for free,” she said. She licked her lips and moved away from Callan. She picked up her grimoire and caressed it as if she had been reunited with a long-lost child. She pulled her hood over her jet-black hair and prompted her shadows to dance up her arms. She smiled, invigorated by their cries, and sauntered away. “Come, Nathaniel. Let us leave these two to say their goodbyes.” Nathaniel followed Mara as she glided out of the forest.

“Prithee, wait,” Callan pleaded.

Mara turned. Her red eyes shone from beneath her cloak. “You know what I desire, Mr. Delmonte. Come find me when you are ready to give it to me.” Callan stared after them even once they disappeared into the trees. When he finally turned around, Hannah stared at him. She couldn’t bear the panic on his face. She was hanging by a thread trying to deny her own dread. She couldn’t possibly deal with his.

Callan rushed toward her. “I do not understand. Why would Raven do such a thing?”

Raven cursed herself to die over and over again in order to save Callan. Hannah had never known such love. Perhaps, with time, she could grow to love the beautiful young man standing before her. Time, however, was something she didn’t have.

“She, uh…” Hannah’s voice cracked, and she gulped back another irritating knot. “She had to match Mara’s spell in order to counteract it. So instead ofthis eighteenth yearbeing her last, she made sure that magic understood thateacheighteenth year would be her…my last.” Hannah knew that she was bending the truth, but it was better than Callan blaming himself more than he already did. Though she could feel her numbness fading, she fought as hard as possible to keep it in place—tight fists, tensed stomach, fixating on the trees, the leaves, the sun, the air.

“Raven was more powerful than that. She could have done something differently,” Callan shouted. He stalked back and forth, then paused to look at Hannah. Her body trembled, no matter how much she fought against it.

Callan stopped. He tucked her hair behind her ear and caressed her cheek with his thumb. “I am sorry. I am not ready to lose you again.”

She didn’t want to lose him either. She had learned more about herself in the past two days than she had in her entire life, and that was because of him. It was also because of him, however, that she was fated to die in one week’s time. Her heart accelerated, causing her chest to heave. The shock was wearing off, and it felt as if her emotions had broken through the dam holding them back. Tears flooded her face and her knees buckled beneath her. She crumbled to the ground despite Callan catching her. He lowered her down and held her tight.

Hannah could feel her magic going wild, as if it was rupturing inside her. Little white bursts of light skipped all over her body. Callan jolted at the shock of her magic, but still he held her close, embracing the sting.

Hannah hyperventilated just as she did on top of the cliff after discovering the truth behind her parents’ death. She should have just killed herself then—beaten her fate to the punch. Her magic may have saved her life, but it killed her parents. This was her punishment.

Her thoughts raced faster than the air trying to get into her lungs. A succession of memories plunged her below the surface of dark waters.

Drowning in the ocean.Salt water filled her lungs. She choked, coughed, bubbles exploded from her lips.

Lying in bed with a high fever, her entire body aching.

Falling off a horse and snapping her neck.Hannah grasped at her neck as if the pain were real and very present.

“Make it stop,” she cried.

“What is happening? What can I do?” Callan asked, his voice trembling.

Choking to death on a piece of food.

Crashing into another car while driving and flying through the windshield.

“Siren me,” she pleaded.

Callan’s brow furrowed, and he shook his head. “I promised you I would never…”

“Do it,” Hannah cried. She tapped her fingertips to her thumbs, over and over, but the coping strategy did nothing for her.

Crushed beneath rocks in an earthquake.

Freezing to death in the dark woods.

Hannah’s teeth chattered, and her skin turned cold. He cupped her face in his hands and sweetened the quality of his voice. “Relax. Be at peace. You are safe. You do not feel any pain. There is nothing amiss.”

She allowed his voice to wash over her, and the memories ceased to stab her mind. Her body stilled. Though her magic tried to fight against Callan’s charm, Hannah ignored it. Hopefully, it would soon realize that Callan shared its overarching goal—to protect her.

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