Page 81 of Which Witch is Willing?
Tierra dropped the fake baby and whipped out her wand. Claire focused on the fire inside her until it was a swirling mass of flames. She was certain Aerin called upon her power as well, and the ground began to shake with Kai’s fury.
Lucy glared at Killian. “Always remember, you brought this on yourself.”
She uttered unintelligible words, and all hell broke loose.
Claire launched a fireball. Aerin’s vicious wind thrust it at Lucy with a mighty force. Tierra’s vines sprouted from the ground, twisting around Lucy’s ankles.
Doctor Lector tore at the devil’s hair, while Jinx jumped onto her back with claws out, and Cheeto shot off his own form of fireballs.
Lucy lifted her arms, deflecting their attacks and flinging vines and familiars into the air. Kai landed roughly at Claire’s feet, fueling her rage.
Lucy directed her gaze at Tierra and a black mist shot from her fingers and straight into Tierra’s heart.
Tierra gasped and fell to the ground.
A flare of panic gripped Claire, even as she reminded herself of Tierra’s immortality. Killian flapped his wings, sending an unseen wall of power toward her, but the force of it bounced off Lucy and knocked everyone to the ground.
Lucy seemed to grow taller, and she focused her gaze on the ground. “I call all that is dark and powerful, the night and its shadows, the darkest of forests, the deepest of oceans, and the burnt embers of those who have passed, to give me all that is mine.”
She thrust her hands outward, and the Standing Stones shuddered and shook. Pieces broke off and fell to the ground. Then large slabs began to rock. Killian scooped up Tierra, and Aerin made a mad dash for the portal, with the bat, cat and little pig rushing along beside her.
Claire frantically searched for Kai and found him limp on the ground next to a large rock. She dove for him as Lucy’s fury unleashed around them.
One of the Standing Stones fell and then another.
Claire wrapped her hands around Kai’s still-warm body and stood. Through the gaping holes in the Standing Stones, she caught sight of three imposing figures galloping toward them on red, white and black magnificent horses.
Dru’s thoughts slammed into her.Run!
Before she could, something impossibly heavy and hard struck her in the head and brought her to the ground. Her vision blurred, and everything turned black.
39
Hours later, Claire left the safe confines of the de Moray mansion, carrying the lifeless body of her precious fox now wrapped in a red silk scarf. Untamed grief flowed like molten lava through her veins, boiling her blood and singeing her soul with a mark that would forever remain with her.
She’d woken not long ago, tucked in her bed, with a headache raging like an untamed forest fire. Dru had handed over her wand that he’d retrieved from the battleground, and then with a voice softer than she’d ever heard, he’d imparted that her faithful companion had not survived the crushing blow, one that she shouldn’t have, either.
She’d proved her immortality but lost one of the true loves of her life. She couldn’t imagine a tomorrow without him.
Claire headed toward the hillside where she intended to honor her precious familiar with her fire and cremate his remains.
Kai.
The thought of him brought a fresh wave of pain rolling over her.
Her familiar. Her baby. The one being who knew her very soul. The one who’d worshipped, no, loved her unconditionally. He’d been her constant companion, always keeping a watchful eye on her. There to protect her and love her as needed.
They could raise the Standing Stones, but nothing would bring her baby back.
Her heart folded in on itself, and a raw sob escaped her.
She’d taken his presence for granted. She’d naively thought he’d always be with her, and she hadn’t truly cherished him like she should have.
Now, he was gone.
Forever lost to her, with memories of the love they shared left to haunt her every thought.
Dru and her sisters had offered to come with her to honor and bury him, but this was something she needed to do alone.
