Vita’s energy hit like a wave; we tasted her hunger, her need for revenge, her determination and near madness.
As her spirit flooded through us and took over, the restriction spell came alive. It felt like claws in our brain, claws that somehow anchored the spell as its force surrounded Vita’s spirit, corralling her, restricting her, even as a soft timer began to count down.
“If you’re going to do something,” Ashworth barked, “do it now. We can’t hold her much longer.”
Our gaze jumped toward the penned Empusae. She was twisting, fighting against the nets that held her. Magic flowed from her body in waves, threads of foulness that attacked the three men and their magic. The latter was already weakening—several threads were beginning to unravel. Soon they would snap and the demon would be free.
No.
The denial echoed through us, fierce and furious. We grabbed the backpack, pulled out the silver knife, and then pushed upright. The Empusae paid us no heed. She continued to battle the three men.
But that would change and soon. Soon she would feel the silver in her body and she would stare into our eyes and see the death that had been chasing her for so long…
We gripped the knife so tightly our fingers ached. The Empusae caught the wind of our approach and her magic spun toward us. It battered us, shredded us, but it did not stop us.
“This,” we said, as we stopped before her, “is for Aldred, whose life you stole and whose future you destroyed. May your dark master shred your being for all eternity, and may you never know peace or life again.”
We raised the knife and plunged it down. Straight through the netting and into the Empusae’s dark heart.
There was no blood to stain our skin, but we did feel her life ebb away as her flesh became dust and her spirit fled to whatever hell awaited.
It was done.
But this body was a good one…
This body is not yours. Leave.
I think not, little witch. You should have listened to your friend.
That friend is here. Leave or we will force you.
You have not the strength.
She started to twist, to fight, even as she locked metaphysical claws deep into flesh. Every movement tore at our strength, and yet we were not one but two, and she would not defeat us.
You underestimate us.
The claws dug deeper. Reached for our souls. Attempting to destroy and claim what would never be hers. I underestimate nothing. If you think I cannot counter a restriction spell, then you are indeed— She cut the sentence off and then added, with a hint of fear, What are you?
I didn’t answer. I simply flooded her with the magic that was mine and mine alone—a force that had melded to my very DNA and changed me in ways I couldn’t yet fully understand. It swirled around Belle’s spirit, protecting her even as it caught the restriction spell and changed it, empowered it.
Then it tore the tendrils of the witch’s spirit from Belle’s body and cast her away—far, far away—and forbade her to ever enter this place again.
One became two again. I collapsed onto the ground and dropped my head into my hands. My lungs burned, and my brain felt as if it was on fire. Every single bit of my body hurt, but it didn’t matter. Vita and the Empusae had been banished, and somehow we’d all survived, even if somewhat broken and bloody.
Sometimes life didn’t really get much better than that.
It took six weeks for my ribs to heal and for some sense of normality to return to our lives. While Aiden’s natural healing ability meant he bore no lasting reminder of the Empusae’s attack, the same could not be said of Eli, who had an impressive array of thick scars down his back despite the fact we’d used holy water on them. My own were nowhere near as bad, and I was left with little more than three faint white lines down my forearm as a reminder of just how close death had come.
I pulled on a sweater as I clattered down the stairs to begin the day’s jobs.
Belle handed me a coffee and then said, “I broke it off with Kash last night.”
“Are we celebrating or commiserating?”
She shrugged. “Bit of both. He was fun to be with, but I was just getting some bad vibes.”
I nodded. It had become apparent that when I’d flushed her body with my native wild magic to force Vita away, a few odd remnants had been left behind and had visibly strengthened her magic.