Page 37 of Spirit Witch

“I am good.What about you?”

“Injured, possibly a coma, from where I hit my head on the tree.But you must go back.Your friends need you,” he said, cupping my face and looking at me so tenderly I could not stop crying.

Comas were bad.People rarely woke from them.And I had only just found him.How unfair if I lost him now.I shook my head, not wanting to leave.

“No, I’m staying with you,” I tried, but he was already shaking his head.

“Nizhoni, you must go,” he said, kissing me hard, his tears mingling with my own.“Go.But know this, I will always come for you.This is not how we end!Now go!They need you, my love.”

“I need you!”

“You have me always.I am in here now, forever,” he said, laying his hand over my heart.

He was right.I knew he was.But I wasn’t ready for him to shove me out of time and space to rejoin my friends.I cried out in agony as I was pushed out of the spirit realm.I just knew that was where we’d been.

The wind was knocked out of me when I landed back in the hard and bloodied snow.I barely had time to catch my breath before the next wave of enemies started blasting the land around me with their hate-filled spells.I barely ducked in time.

The battle raged on, and I could see death and despair everywhere I looked.Jade was back on her feet, defending Arlo where he’d been struck down by a spell that sliced through his clothes like a sword across his chest, and blood poured from the wound.

Magnus was holding his own, half a dozen snow krakens moving according to his commands and Rio repairing limbs as they were cut off.Tana and Brandon moved in time, her creating fireballs, and him lobbing them at the enemy since her flames could not harm his skin.Enok used his mage knowledge to help Maia control the winds, and they did their best reflecting spells and casts intending to harm us.

I had to help.It was why I was there.Seeing them fall was the hardest thing ever, but still, I faltered as I looked at Judge’s prone form.

How could I do this without him?

Someone took my arm.I turned and saw Marcus.Sometimes a ghost could touch one of the living, and he looked like he’d been trying to get my attention for a little while.

“They need you, fair one.Go to them.Fulfill your destiny, child of the Morrigan.You are my legacy, bright one.But go now and rest assured my friends and I will guard your man.”

“Thank you, grandfather,” I said, and Marcus Morrigan offered me a heartfelt bow before I turned to face what I had to do next.

I admit, I felt relieved when I saw a dozen fades surround the man who literally was my heart.I ran to Rio, who was closest, pulling on the bond we now shared to bring my other sisters to where we stood.

“She’s gone, Enid,” Rio cried.

Lives had been lost in the moments I’d been gone, and I felt sick.The body Rio cradled was pink, covered in scorch marks and bleeding from a huge gash on her side.The weeping water witch held her tight with her mate by her side.

“Oh no,” I murmured, covering my mouth.

Damn it.

Jubilee was more than a kitchen sprite, she was our friend.She would be greatly missed by all of us, but maybe a little more by Rio, who’d thought of her as family.

“Enough is enough.It is time to stop this madness,” I growled.

“Let’s do this then,” Rio said, standing up and offering me her hand.

I took it, gratefully.Soon, the others joined us.And we moved as one until all six of us were side by side.Next, we joined hands and sent a wave of power washing over the entire area.Knocking everyone on their ass and momentarily stopping the madness of their unorganized assault.

With everyone down for the time being, I took a step forward, looking around at the damage.There was a bonfire, undoubtedly burned out because of the wind.A book of spells, a pile of bones, some runes carved into the snow and dirt, and what looked like blood spilled in a circle around it all.

“What is all this?”I shouted, needing answers.

“That looks bad.”

“Really bad,” Jade added.

“That’s dark magic,” Mabe filled in, her eyes going right to Stolbright, who was still unconscious.

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