Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

Tamzyn

T amzyn stood at the center of the remains of the charred ritual circle—it still smoldered with the acrid scent of burned earth and dark magic. Her senses hummed with the residual energy that clung to the place like a stain, but she could feel her own strength rising. It felt more alive, more powerful, and more under her control than ever before. The ground beneath her feet pulsed with a malevolent force, a twisted echo of the ritual that had taken place there.

She could feel it calling out, reaching for her, as if recognizing the magic that ran through her veins. Tamzyn closed her eyes, drawing a deep breath as she focused on the energy around her, letting it seep into her awareness. The magic was dark, familiar, and it made her stomach twist with a mixture of fear and anger. She knew whose work this was, even before the name formed on her lips.

Isolde.

Isolde, an elder who had been one of those who had demanded she be banished. Isolde, who with this dark magic had to have betrayed her coven, and who must have manipulated and twisted the minds of those who had once been Tamzyn's family. Isolde must have believed she could seize her mother's place and power unchecked once her only daughter was gone. Isolde, who must have sought to break Tamzyn's mother through the anguish of losing her only child.

The realization that Isolde was behind this filled Tamzyn with a cold, hard rage. She had been the one who had demanded Tamzyn be banished for trying to shapeshift. It was now apparent that she had been shapeshifting in order to gather the power she needed. The betrayal that had shattered her life and the darkness that had tainted her past had all led to this moment. Isolde had been working in the shadows, building her power, and now she was here, in Silver Ridge, threatening everything Tamzyn had come to care about.

Tamzyn's hands clenched into fists at her sides, her nails digging into her palms as she channeled her own magic, letting it rise within her like a storm. She was no longer the frightened girl who had been cast out of her home. She was stronger now, more powerful, and she would not let Isolde destroy everything she had fought to rebuild.

"Isolde!" Tamzyn's voice rang out, strong and commanding as she called forth her magic, challenging the power that still lingered in the circle. "I know you're here! Show yourself!"

The wind picked up, whipping through the clearing with unnatural force, carrying with it the scent of ozone and the promise of violence. The air crackled with energy as Tamzyn's magic clashed with the remnants of the ritual, and for a moment, it seemed as if the very ground beneath her feet might split open.

Then, with a deafening crack, a figure appeared at the edge of the circle, materializing out of thin air. Isolde. The elder witch stood tall and imposing, her silver hair whipping around her like a storm, her eyes glowing with the dark power she wielded. Her presence was suffocating, a weight that pressed down on Tamzyn's chest, but she did not waver.

"So, the little witch thinks to challenge me," Isolde sneered, her voice dripping with disdain. "I thought I'd gotten rid of you for good, Tamzyn. But I see you've grown stronger in your exile."

Tamzyn's heart pounded, but she kept her expression cold, refusing to show any fear. "You should have finished what you started, Isolde. You underestimated me then, and you're underestimating me now."

Isolde's eyes narrowed, and with a flick of her wrist, she sent a bolt of lightning streaking toward Tamzyn, the air sizzling with the force of the attack. Tamzyn reacted instinctively, raising her hand and summoning a barrier of magic that deflected the bolt and sent it crashing into the trees behind her.

The sound of the explosion echoed through the forest, but Tamzyn didn't flinch. Her focus was entirely on Isolde, on the power that radiated from the elder witch like a dark sun. Isolde was strong, stronger than Tamzyn remembered, but Tamzyn was no longer the scared girl who had been cast out of her home. She was ready for this fight.

Another bolt of lightning arced toward her, this time aimed at Neville and the pack members who had spread out around the clearing, ready to defend her. Tamzyn's heart lurched, fear for Neville spiking through her, but she acted quickly, raising a shield that absorbed the impact of the lightning before it could reach them.

Neville's gaze met hers across the clearing. He could tell how powerful Isolde was, but he knew this fight was Tamzyn's. She could see the tension in his stance, the barely restrained urge to shift and fight beside her. She gave him a small, reassuring nod, silently telling him that she could handle this.

Isolde's laughter cut through the air, cold and mocking. "So protective of your new friends, Tamzyn. But they won't save you. No one will."

Tamzyn's anger flared, and she took a step forward, her magic surging in response. "I don't need saving, Isolde. But you—you're going to wish you had stayed in the shadows where you belong."

With a wordless cry, Tamzyn cast a containment spell, her magic forming a glowing circle around her and Isolde, trapping them—and, more importantly, their magic—within its bounds. The ground beneath their feet shimmered with the force of the spell, the symbols Tamzyn had drawn glowing with a bright, silvery light.

Isolde's eyes widened with surprise, then narrowed with fury. She struck out with her magic, trying to break through the containment, but Tamzyn held firm, reinforcing the circle with every ounce of power she could muster.

"Do you really think you can contain me?" Isolde hissed; her voice laced with venom. "I am stronger than you could ever imagine!"

The two witches stood at the center of the clearing, their magic crackling in the air, the tension between them palpable. The containment circle held, but Tamzyn knew it would not last forever. Isolde was powerful, and she would not go down easily.

Isolde's power surged, and with a wave of her hand, she sent a blast of dark energy toward Tamzyn, the force of it like a battering ram. Tamzyn braced herself, summoning a shield to deflect the attack, but the impact sent her stumbling backward, her breath knocked from her lungs.

Isolde pressed her advantage, unleashing a torrent of magic that crackled with malevolent energy. The containment circle flickered, the symbols wavering as they struggled to hold against the onslaught. Tamzyn gritted her teeth, digging deep into her reserves as she fought to keep the circle intact.

The force of Isolde's magic was overwhelming, but Tamzyn refused to give in. She pushed back, her magic flaring as she sent a wave of energy crashing into Isolde's shield. The elder witch staggered, but she quickly recovered, her eyes blazing with fury.

"Stubborn as ever, I see," Isolde spat, her voice dripping with contempt. "But you're still just a child playing with powers you don't understand."

Tamzyn didn't respond. She focused all her energy on maintaining the containment circle, on keeping Isolde trapped. But she could feel the strain, the way the magic was starting to slip through her fingers. Isolde was right—she was powerful, more powerful than Tamzyn had remembered.

But Tamzyn wasn't fighting alone. She could feel Neville's presence, his unwavering support bolstering her, even as he stood at the edge of the clearing, ready to defend her if needed. She could feel the strength of the pack behind her, their loyalty giving her the resolve to keep fighting. They had no way of knowing that if she fell, the containment spell would collapse in on her and Isolde, ending both of them.

And then, she felt it—the Veil. It was weakening, tearing at the edges of the containment circle, the rift between the worlds growing wider with each passing moment. The air around them shimmered with the energy of the Veil, and Tamzyn could see the darkness bleeding through, a swirling vortex of chaos and destruction.

If the Veil tore completely, it would unleash unspeakable horrors on both the human and supernatural realms. The thought of what could happen if Isolde succeeded sent a surge of desperation through Tamzyn, fueling her determination.

"You won't win, Isolde," Tamzyn said, her voice steady despite the fear gnawing at her. "This ends here."

Isolde's laughter echoed through the clearing, cold and cruel. "You're a fool, Tamzyn. You always were."

The elder witch raised her hands, gathering her magic for a final, devastating attack. The air crackled with energy, the containment circle trembling under the force of Isolde's power. Tamzyn could feel the circle weakening, the symbols starting to fade as the magic that held them together began to unravel.

But Tamzyn wasn't done yet. She couldn't let Isolde win, couldn't let her tear the Veil and unleash chaos. She reached deep inside herself, drawing on the magic that had always been a part of her, the magic that had been passed down through generations of witches in her family.

She felt it rise within her, a wellspring of power that surged through her veins, stronger and more potent than anything she had ever wielded before. It filled her, giving her strength, giving her the courage to do what needed to be done.

With a cry that echoed through the clearing, Tamzyn unleashed her magic, pouring everything she had into the containment circle. The symbols flared to life, glowing with a blinding light as they surged with power. The ground beneath Isolde's feet trembled, the air vibrating with the force of the spell.

Isolde's eyes widened in shock as she felt the containment circle tighten around her, the walls of magic closing in, cutting off her access to the dark energy that had fueled her. She struck out with her magic, but it was too late. The circle held firm, the power of Tamzyn's spell binding her in place.

"No!" Isolde screamed, her voice filled with fury and desperation. "This cannot be! How can you defeat me?"

"Because the blood and strength of the alpha of the Silver Ridge Pack flows through me."

"You do not bear his mark."

"It isn't always necessary for an alpha to claim his fated mate completely for her to be able to tap into his power."

"No!"

"Yes! Isolde, I banish you to the darkness that you sought to unleash on the world," Tamzyn intoned, containing Isolde's power, cutting her off from the dark magic she had used to wreak havoc. The elder witch was trapped, her magic rendered useless within the confines of the circle.

Suddenly, the shadow creatures appeared. Realizing their acolyte had failed, they descended upon her. Tamzyn dropped the containment field and stepped away. The forces that Isolde had thought to control now had the upper hand and gathered around her, trapping her within their darkness. The old woman held up her arms to try and ward them off, but her efforts were in vain. The shadow creatures collapsed all around her, consuming her as she screamed, and they sank together back into the Earth.

Tamzyn stumbled, and Neville rushed forward, catching her before she could hit the ground. Leaning into his strength, Tamzyn cast a counter spell to the one that had been used for the dark ritual and condemning Isolde to an eternity of nothing. She was banished forever from the Earth as if she had never been.

She had thought that destroying Isolde would cause the Veil to repair itself, but it was still tearing, the rift between the worlds growing wider with each passing moment.