Chapter 25

TWENTY-FIVE

T he air crackled with magical energy as Fia and her makeshift army of Whispering Pines residents approached the secluded magical nexus. Ley lines pulsed beneath their feet, their raw power almost visible in the ethereal glow that surrounded them. Fia’s heart pounded in her chest, a mix of fear and determination coursing through her veins.

“There,” Luna whispered, her silver-streaked hair whipping in the magical wind. She pointed to a clearing ahead, where the ley lines converged in a brilliant display of shimmering light. “Be careful, Fia. The nexus amplifies magic exponentially.”

Fia squinted, her eyes adjusting to the otherworldly brightness. In the center of the nexus stood Brooke, her dark hair wild and eyes flashing with manic energy. In her arms, Vienna whimpered, her tiny face streaked with tears.

“Brooke!” Fia called out, her voice carrying more authority than she felt. “It’s over. Let Vienna go.”

Brooke’s head snapped toward them, her lips curling into a snarl. “Stay back!” she shrieked, tightening her grip on Vienna. “She’s mine now. You don’t deserve her!”

Fia took a step forward, but Luna’s hand on her arm held her back. “Careful,” the older witch cautioned. “Any spell cast here could have unpredictable consequences.”

Nodding, Fia surveyed their group. Celeste, Tabitha, and Ivy flanked her, their faces set with determination. Behind them, the shifters – Sayer in his magnificent lion form, Kade as a hulking wolf, Roarke as a stalking panther, Reed as a commanding tiger, and Bram as a towering bear – formed a protective semicircle.

“Brooke,” Fia tried again, her voice softer this time. “Please. This isn’t right. Vienna needs to be with her family.”

Brooke’s eyes flashed dangerously. “Family?” she spat. “What do you know about family? Perfect Fia, with her perfect life and her perfect business. You don’t know the struggle to go through life wishing for only one thing. Only one. Well, now it’s my turn to have something perfect!”

“This isn’t the way,” Fia pleaded. “We can talk about this. We can get you help-”

“Help?” Brooke laughed, the sound brittle and unhinged. “I don’t need help. I need a child. My child. Do you have any idea what it’s like to want something so badly and know you can never have it? To watch everyone around you get the one thing you desire most?”

Fia’s heart clenched at the raw pain in her sister’s voice, but Vienna’s frightened whimper snapped her back to reality. This wasn’t about childhood grudges or even Brooke’s inability to have children. This was about protecting an innocent child.

“Now!” Luna hissed, and their plan sprang into action.

Ivy stepped forward, her hands weaving intricate patterns in the air. A shimmering barrier sprang up, cutting off Brooke’s escape routes. Simultaneously, Celeste’s emerald eyes glowed as she cast a protective spell over their group.

Fia locked eyes with Vienna, silently praying the toddler would understand. “Bubble,” she mouthed, reaching out with her mind through the blood bond Luna had helped her tap into. She projected an image of the protective bubble spell they’d been practicing.

For a heart-stopping moment, nothing happened. Then, miraculously, Vienna’s face scrunched up in concentration. A shimmering sphere materialized around her, causing Brooke to yelp and loosen her grip. Vienna floated gently out of her aunt’s arms, the bubble carrying her safely toward Fia.

“No!” Brooke screamed, her hands clawing at the air. She whirled on Fia, her eyes blazing with fury. “You think you’ve won? I’ll show you what real power is!”

Magic exploded from Brooke in a violent burst of energy. Fia barely had time to put up a shield before the first spell slammed into her, the impact reverberating through her bones.

The air around them erupted into chaos. Spells ricocheted off barriers, sizzling trails of light illuminating the ley lines beneath their feet. Fia deflected a bolt of crackling energy, retaliating with a binding spell that Brooke barely managed to dodge.

“Fia!” Celeste called out, her voice strained as she maintained their group’s protective barrier. “We can’t hold this forever!”

Luna’s eyes widened as she watched Brooke unleash spell after spell, each more destructive than the last. “Fia,” she said urgently, “we need to end this now. Your sister... she’s gone too far. If we don’t stop her, she’ll destroy everything in her path.”

“What are you saying?” Fia asked, deflecting another of Brooke’s attacks.

Luna’s eyes were sad but determined. “We need to shut down her magic completely. It’s the only way to ensure everyone’s safety.”

Fia’s heart sank, but Luna was right. She nodded grimly. “Tell me what to do.”

As Luna quickly explained the complex spell, Brooke’s attacks grew more frenzied. “You can’t take this from me!” she screamed, hurling bolts of raw magic in every direction. “I won’t go back to being nothing! I deserve to be a mother!”

“Now, Sayer!” Luna shouted suddenly.

The massive lion sprang into action, coordinating with the other shifters and witches. They moved in perfect synchronization, weaving a complex web of magic that began to close in around Brooke.

Drawing upon every reserve of magical energy she possessed, Fia chanted the words of the binding spell Luna had taught her. The ley lines beneath her feet pulsed in response, lending their ancient power to her magic.

Brooke’s defenses crumbled under the combined assault. The magical net tightened, glowing runes appearing on her skin as the binding spell took hold.

“No!” Brooke wailed, her voice breaking. “Please, you don’t understand. I just wanted a child of my own. Is that so wrong?”

For a moment, Fia hesitated, her sister’s pain piercing through her resolve. But then she remembered Vienna’s tears, the fear in her eyes, and she steeled herself.

“I’m sorry, Brooke,” Fia said softly. “But this isn’t the way. You’ve gone too far.”

With a final push of magic, Fia completed the spell. Brooke let out an agonized scream as her magic was ripped away, leaving her collapsed on the ground, sobbing.

For a moment, silence reigned. Then Vienna’s bubble popped, and the toddler fell safely into Fia’s waiting arms.

“It’s okay, sweetheart,” Fia murmured, cradling Vienna close. “You’re safe now. You did so well with your bubble.”

Vienna sniffled, burying her face in Fia’s neck. “Bubba,” she mumbled, her little body shaking with leftover adrenaline.

A warm presence appeared at Fia’s side, and she looked up to see Sayer, back in his human form and – surprisingly – fully clothed.

“A little trick I picked up,” Luna said with a wink, noticing Fia’s confused glance. “Saves on the awkward post-shift moments.”

Sayer wrapped his arms around Fia and Vienna, his solid presence a balm to Fia’s frayed nerves. “You were incredible,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to her temple.

As the adrenaline of the fight began to fade, Fia became aware of the gathering crowd. The entire town seemed to have turned out, their faces a mix of concern and relief.

Cedric Fernwood, the mayor, stepped forward, his golden eyes glinting with barely contained dragon fire. “Well,” he said, his gaze falling on the bound and defeated Brooke, “I believe we have some matters to discuss.”

Luna nodded gravely. “Indeed. Brooke’s actions cannot go unpunished, but neither can we ignore the pain that drove her to this point.” She turned to Fia, her violet eyes gentle. “What are your thoughts, my dear?”

Fia looked down at her sister, huddled on the ground, all fight gone out of her. She remembered the little girl who used to braid her hair, who cried when Fia left for college, who had slowly been poisoned by their parents’ toxic expectations.

“She needs help,” Fia said softly. “Real help, not just punishment.”

Cedric nodded approvingly. “A wise decision. We’ll ensure she receives the care she needs while also protecting the town and young Vienna.”

As the townspeople began to disperse, discussing plans and next steps, Fia leaned into Sayer’s embrace. Vienna had fallen asleep, exhausted by the ordeal.

“What happens now?” Fia asked, her voice small in the aftermath of such a monumental confrontation.

Sayer’s arms tightened around her. “Now,” he said, his voice full of love and certainty, “we go home. We put Vienna to bed, and we start healing. Together.”

Fia nodded. Home. It was still a new concept, but one that filled her with warmth. Home wasn’t just a place anymore – it was Sayer, and Vienna, and this entire quirky, magical town that had embraced them so completely.

As they made their way back through the forest, the ley lines pulsing gently beneath their feet, Fia felt a sense of peace settle over her. The road ahead wouldn’t be easy – there were still custody battles to face, a sister to help heal, and a life to build. But for the first time in a long time, Fia felt truly, completely certain.

She was exactly where she was meant to be.

As they prepared to leave the clearing, Brooke’s broken voice reached them. “I just wanted to be a mother,” she whispered. “Is that so wrong?”

Fia turned back, her heart heavy. “No, Brooke. Wanting to be a mother isn’t wrong. But the way you went about it was. I hope someday you’ll understand that.”