Instead, Faith winked and threw the dagger at me. I put up another wave of water, partly deflecting it, but it still slid into my stomach instead of my chest. My aunt gasped, and I looked down at her, trying to hold her, trying to do anything. My tears fell, turning to ice as they slid down my face. Pain erupted from my side as the dagger dug deep, lightning sparking and slicing into my skin. I felt my magic leaching from my body and tried to do something, anything.
Blood pooled, its dark and sticky residue coating my hands, my knees, everything. My blood mixed with my aunt’s, and I felt helpless.
All I could do was lean down and hear the screams of others as they came in. As magic pulled from me, I felt my soul leaving, right along with my aunt’s.
Then, there was nothing.
Only screams.
And death.
Chapter Eighteen
Rome
My bear roared within me, and I twisted, looking over my shoulder at the town.
Alden’s eyes went wide at the sound of my growl, and the two fae in front of me frowned.
“What’s wrong, Rome?” the leader asked.
“Sage. Something’s wrong with Sage.”
Aspen, the fae leader’s eyes widened. “I didn’t realize you were bonded. I would say congratulations, but I do not believe it’s a good time for that.”
“We’re not, not yet, but something’s wrong.”
“Go, we’ll be right behind you,” Aspen shouted, and I ran, my feet pounding the ground. I didn’t know if Alden had joined me, but he would. He was my brother. I trusted him to be at my back, no matter what. The fae would likely be there, too, and so I ran, keeping my gaze on the town in front of me as I made my way towards the bakery. I ran as quickly as I could, my bear pushing me, scraping at my skin as I saw the water main break at the end of the street.
Jaxton flew over me, his hawk form shrieking as he passed by before landing in front of me as I stood and looked at the bakery. I felt him shift and saw Trace running towards me, garments in hand. He tossed clothes to Jaxton, and I tried to push my way through the wall of water.
“What the hell is this?” I growled, my hands burning as I touched the scorching water.
“Faith is in there,” Jaxton said. I shot him a look.
“How do you know that?”
“She’s the only one I know who could do this.”
“She’s there.” Ash came to my side, tilting his head as he studied the water. “We can make our way through.”
“How?” I asked, my bear growling.
Others joined us then: the fae, Alden, Rowen, and Laurel. We were all there, looking at the wall of boiling water blocking us from getting into the bakery. None of the rest of the town had been touched, only this. I frowned.
“We’ll need to push through it with magic,” Ash said. “It will take everything we have to go against water since Sage is in there.”
My bear could only hear the name Sage. I growled again, pushing at the water.
“You’ll hurt yourself,” Trace scolded.
“Maybe, but I need to see her. She needs to be okay. She’s hurt,” I growled again.
“Fine, we’ll help,” Rowen said.
“I won’t be much help,” Laurel added.
“You’ll be enough.” Ash took Laurel’s hand, not Rowen’s I noticed, and Laurel took Rowen’s. The three of them pressed their hands to the water and began chanting a spell I ignored. Instead, I pushed my hands towards the water, trying to get through, attempting to break it down so we could get into the bakery and I could get to Sage. So I could save her.
Jaxton and Trace were at my sides, pushing at the water, as well, scalding themselves to help me get to her. The fae muttered something under their breaths, and I knew they were trying to help, as well, trying to break through the new ward. The others did what they could, each using their type of magic or power to get through. Jaxton stripped again, turned into a hawk, and then he and some of his winged brethren began flying over, hopefully to find another way in.
The town was working their hardest as one to get through. Finally, finally, Laurel screamed, blood pouring from her ears as Trace ran to her and caught her.
“Go,” Rowen said, falling to her knees. One of the fae was there to catch her, and Ash looked down at her. I saw something flash in his eyes for just a minute, but then he was at my side as I pushed bodily through the water. The wall scorched my skin, leaving blisters, but I ignored it. I could make my way through. Ash was behind me in the hole I had made. One of the fae came, as well, and then Jaxton was there, but I couldn’t see any others. I couldn’t pay attention to them. Instead, I looked down at the blood on the ground and roared.
Claws burst through my fingertips, and I fell to Sage’s side as I looked down at the blood covering her stomach, her arms, and chest. Then at Penelope’s wide, vacant eyes.
I threw my head back and roared, the windows shattering, the wall shaking.
“Control yourself,” Jaxton said, pulling me back. Sage was still in my arms, gasping for breath. I put my hand over her wound.
“Rome,” she muttered, blood trickling out of her mouth.
Lightning and electricity shocked my system as I touched the dagger. I growled again. “What is this?”
“Damn it, Faith is siphoning her power,” Ash said.
Jaxton was there, putting his fingers to Penelope’s neck. He met my gaze and shook his head. Pain shocked me, the loss staggering. Penelope was dead. I could sense the other woman here. I knew that Faith had been the one to do it. She had killed Penelope.
A latent witch, a kind woman, someone who had been at our sides for as long as I could remember. Now, she was dead, and given their positions, I had a feeling she had died to save Sage.
“How do I stop it?” I growled, my voice so bear, I knew I was one second away from shifting.
“Mark her,” Ash said, and I looked up at him.
“What?” I snapped.
“Mark her. The bond will help her push out the dagger by giving her that boost of your strength and will help her keep her magic. It’ll drain you slightly, but you’ll be able to keep steady and recuperate. You’re strong enough for this. You’re alpha.”
“You can take power from me, too,” Trace said.
“All of your pack will help,” Jaxton said, though I didn’t know if that was quite the truth. Most of the pack would, but not everybody.
“I can’t take her choice from her,” I growled, my bear so close to the surface, I would shift and prove that I wasn’t strong enough to be alpha.
Ash snarled. “If you mark her, you’ll save her.”
“It’s her choice,” I growled.
“She can’t choose if she’s dead,” Ash said, a hint of anger in his tone. For a man who rarely showed emotion, that was something.
“Do it. Sage will understand,” Rowen whispered as she supported Laurel. Laurel was still bleeding, probably from the pain it had caused her to use magic, and then Trace was there, keeping her steady.
Rowen looked around, her entire body shaking. “Faith is gone. But she’ll pay for this. She’ll pay for all of it. But we can’t do anything unless we have Sage. Save her, Rome. She’s our only hope.”