Page 53 of Zero Happily Ever Afters

“A glamour from that staff of yours?” Wadsworth asked with a nod to the dangerous gemmed weapon The True Witch wielded. “Or did you finally figure out how to weave those sigils into a solid rejuvenating spell? Something to revitalize your old bones?” He smirked, wheezing as he bit back laughter, actual joy. “I must warn you, reversing the aging process is a delicate and dangerous thing.”

“Only for someone with a novice understanding of their branch, such as yourself, Sammy.”

Enchanter Wadsworth clenched his fists, furious with the feelings that fluttered from hearing her say his name. So much love and lust and loss clung between them.

“Remember, her staff is where the true threat of her power stems.” Wadsworth nodded to the weapon.

Was it a support tool? No. Nothing in Milo’s immediate surface thoughts indicated such, meaning she had full access to her arcane branch, Oceanic Collapse, independent of the staff. I swallowed hard, absorbing the thoughts that crossed Milo’s mind as he studied the assortment of gems, each housing a different branch magic bound inside the jewels through sophisticated enchantment techniques.

“You bring such a small force to face me,” The True Witch said.

“You’re alone, Amara,” Wadsworth revealed her name casually, letting it spill from his mouth like it meant nothing to him, like she meant nothing. Neither was true despite how he tried to will it. “Rumors suggest your Celestial Coven has finally fallen apart. I suppose that time you spent to find yourself didn’t help hold your extremists together.”

Celestial Coven?I trembled.

The same coven from the dreams I had. Dreams I had because perhaps my magic became aware of something, wished to warn me of something. Of what, though? And how? How did my telepathy learn or suspect this connection between The True Witch and the Celestial Coven?

“Enchanter Evergreen.” Amara tipped her staff toward him, pointing. Her menacing curiosity reeled me away from my paranoid questions. “Your clairvoyance is quite the force of steel. It wormed its way into my choices, my future. You knew every X on the map of my commencement, my reintroduction to the world.” She tightened her green eyes onto Milo with an unnerving hunger in her gaze. “You and Global Guild comrades leapt to every marker, every destination so loudly that it steered me here.”

“You could’ve always gone into hiding.” Milo shrugged, knowing that was the faintest of chances he gambled by beating The True Witch to every destination she intended on committing massacres at, by announcing themselves loudly and publicly, drawing crowds and media, and ensuring she knew.

“I am no wafter, no feeble child, no frightened rat.” Her green eyes flitted and struggled to mask the rage, the offense to Milo’s comment. It gave him a direction on how to steer her here and now. “Your Gladiatrix has weaved all across the countryside, has she not? Such a dangerous foe—I was careful to avoid her.” Amara studied the three men surrounding her, training her eyes on Diaz whom her expression revealed little knowledge of. Therewas a twinge of the unknown in the crinkle of her brow. “Yet you chose to face me without her? Without the Gladiatrix?”

“It’s just Gladiatrix,” Milo said.

“It’s actually Global Gladiatrix,” Diaz noted. “Though, guess that gets a little redundant for her. Global Gladiatrix of the Global Guild. Whatever, Global Gladiatrix, The Inevitable Future, Annoying Old Man—none are half as catchy as Texas Daddy.”

He flaunted his tattoo, but in reality, Enchanter Diaz wanted to let the moonlight glimmer against the enchantment sigils that lined his blade, showing The True Witch that she wasn’t the only one with an understanding for support magics.

“No matter,” Amara said. “Last I saw your Gladiatrix, only real threat, was in the Carolinas, helping with something as trivial as demons.” She spit at the mention of demons as if the word itself left their filth and tar on her tongue. “Figured I should pick a region far from her.”

Even The True Witch knew not to challenge someone with supreme physicality. Given the way it enhanced all of Gladiatrix’s senses, it might’ve added a layer of immunity to her wicked arcane magic that drowned people in their thoughts. Either that or she knew Gladiatrix actually earned her ranking as the fourth most powerful witch in the Global Guild unlike Wadsworth who still ranked among the top-ten witches in the world because of his role in founding the organization.

“So, you’re here to what? Attack big tech? Corporate Casting Inc.?” Milo shivered, feigning phony fear that he’d weaponized into a slight. “Technology really frighten you that much?”

“Nothing frightens me,” Amara said.

“Except for Gladiatrix, clearly.” Milo grinned, cocky and meant to shift The True Witch’s focus, so he could search, search for possibility layered beneath so many wards of protection.

“These companies, these businesses claim to strive for accessibility.” Amara shook her head. “What they offer is simplicity. They brush aside tradition, they ignore customs, and they fail to connect with the universe. All of this. All of it must end. Science is the death of magic.”

“The lady doth protest too much, methinks.” Milo tilted his head, unraveling futures he’d already glimpsed, tying them into what her feigned response added, layering these possibilities and finding a true motive, a real reason. “That’s okay, though. I think it’s time we wrapped this up.”

“I won’t simply hand myself over.” The True Witch shifted her stance, channeling magic into her staff.

I braced for the possibility of her Oceanic Collapse hitting Milo, taking down the others. Who knew how fast that drowning arcane magic took effect, but I could counter it. I had before. This wasn’t interference; it was merely silent support if needed.

A golden blur zipped in front of The True Witch, and Gladiatrix stood before the other woman, one hand twisting her wrist and forcing Amara to drop her staff, while Gladiatrix snatched Amara by the throat and held her in place.

The grip radiated telekinesis, putting Amara in a full-body stranglehold under Gladiatrix’s control. She funneled her physicality into the root magics she wielded, enhancing the power.

“Yield or I’ll break all of your bones.” Gladiatrix had an expressionless face, calm and in control. I couldn’t properly get a read on her thoughts as her mind cycled through Milo’s plan, Global Guild protocols, Wadsworth’s fears, and her own opinions slipped beneath it all.

“You were a thousand miles away…”

Gladiatrix tightened her hold, choking Amara into silence. “Barely an hour’s flight for me.”

“Well, suppose I’ve been bested by the very best of witches.” The True Witch had a half smile that faded into a solemn façade. “I surrender.”

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