Chapter 29

TWENTY-NINE

Tara

The ugly web of metal and crystals hangs in front of me. It looks just like something my mother would create. It's twisted and corrupt, metal woven with dark crystals, practically vibrating with bad energy. I send my magic out and feel the creation, and it makes me gag. All I sense is death and sickness.

I withdraw my magic quickly, unable to stand the vile energy it sends out. It makes me sick to my stomach that everyone in this land has been drinking water contaminated by this monstrosity. Water is a requirement for life, something no one can escape from. And my people corrupted.

I clench my fists, taking in deep breaths to rein in my anger. My people have always been known for their powerful magic, but I always saw magic as a good thing. It made our lives easier, healed people, and protected us. Never did I think about it as something they would use to create something so destructive and harmful.

But then, I guess I didn't know my own people as well as I thought.

My mind goes to my mother. Where I expect to feel sadness that she's gone, I feel nothing at all. It's strange. Maybe it means something is wrong with me. But if it cost my mother's life to protect the men I love, it was a price I was willing to pay.

"What do you think?" Arlys asks.

The answer is simple and not at all. "This is definitely what's making people sick. It looks like they used metal to make it functional, and the crystals to make people sick."

"Do you think… do you think you can fix the curse?" Rinan asks hesitantly.

"Maybe," I whisper. "I'm not sure yet, but given the use of metal… I think so."

I walk closer to the structure, and water sprays out at me, soaking me with a fine mist from the cascading water fall. I can feel the tainted magic in it. Can sense it all over my skin.

"It wouldn't be hard to just remove it," I say, knowing I could twist the metal, take the crystals, and be done with it. "But that's not enough."

"How so?" Drogo asks, sounding confused.

"It's… I think I can do better." Maybe.

As my mind works, a plan begins to form. Removing the crystals would work to keep more people from getting sick, but it wouldn't help the people who are already sick. And I can't exactly go to every person and heal them, so I have a better idea.

This contraption was once used for harm, so let's use it for good.

Reaching out, I touch the metal. It whispers to me, and I smile, because we both want the same thing. And because as exhausted as I am, Metal Magic comes easily to me. I take a deep breath. I feel it as the metal snakes around the crystals. I feel it as I pump my magic into the whole creation, making sure to make it complicated enough that no other witch can come back here and undo what I've done.

Luckily, no one else can do Metal Magic.

I focus on what I want. What I need. No one deserves to be made sick by some angry witches with a generational vendetta whose origin we don't even remember. Too many lives have been lost already. Too much blood has been shed. Ancient grudges have no place in our world. We can't live like this anymore.

Panting, tired and weakened, I work to make my spell intricate and unbreakable. Sweat beads my forehead and my hands shake from the effort. Now that I know I'm good at magic, I feel confident in my work. And that confidence pushes me to do my best at this.

The entire shifter population is counting on me.

I feel etchings covering every inch of the metal. Etchings that wrap the crystals and the metal in my new spell, giving them a purpose that will help everyone and undo some of the damage my kind have done.

I stumble back to where my men wait for me, feeling clumsy and unsteady. I sway on my feet before I collapse into Drogo's arms, the closest man to me. My eyelids feel heavy, and I can barely keep them open, but I know I need to tell them first. "It's fixed. Everyone should get better now. I wove the crystals and the metal with a healing spell, so the water should help everyone who drinks it instead of hurting them."

The group of men erupt into cheers, their faces beaming with joy and relief. They lift me up and squeeze me tight, planting kisses all over me. I'm tired, but I'm happy. I feel like finally, finally , this is over. A whole world of happiness awaits us after this.

"You're amazing, Tara! You saved everyone today with your magic," Garrick says to me as he squeezes me tightly in his arms.

I did save everyone with my magic. And if anyone had told me I would be able to do this a few weeks ago, I would have laughed. But here I am now in my new life doing new things with people who love me.

I look at my four men. They beam at me with pride and adoration. I want to just go home with them, to be together. But my mind's working again, and I know there's more that needs to be done to keep everyone safe.

"Unfortunately," I tell them, "we aren't done yet."