Page 82 of All's Fair in Love and Magic

The thought of destroying all the work, time, and brilliance that had gone into the resort’s wards made me nauseous.

Hell, thinking about destroying all thatlovedid too. Liam’s mother had created those spells to protect him. She’d blown up her life and ultimately been killed because of the love that still existed in those wards.

The magic had history in ways I couldn’t even fathom, and I was just supposed todestroyit?

Fuck, that would make me feel like a monster.

“Are you sure, Liam?” I asked quietly. “Your mom created this magic for you. If I take it down, there will be no way to recover it.”

“Clove, I don’t give a damn about the magic. You’re what matters. She would understand.”

“Alright. Last chance to change your mind.”

“Do it.”

I nodded and took a deep breath in.

I had no idea what was going to happen when I was done, but I was going to find out.

I pulled a pin from my hair and focused on the bubble spell. With the sharp end, I dug into the skin on the back of my hand.

And finally, I drew a single rune.

Unravel.

It wasn’t complicated, but it didn’t need to be.

One by one, the magic untied every sealing and strengthening rune I’d placed on the bubble spell. It picked up speed as it continued, and I felt my nose sting at the sudden, harsh drain on my magic.

“She’s bleeding,” I heard one of the security guards say to Liam.

He growled back, “Where? How badly?”

“Her nose. It’s slow.”

I didn’t hear whatever he said next. My gaze was fixed on the magic in front of me.

The final strengthening rune on the spell finally vanished, and the bubble popped.

My heart beat in my ears. Sweat dripped down my back as the rest of the spells followed. They were all tied to the bubble, and without it, my rune tore through them like tissue paper.

I was breathing heavily when the final spell disintegrated. My mind was fuzzy and my emotions were a mess as I watched the sphere that had held them fade too, undone by a simple piece of magic.

Vaguely, I noticed commotion behind me.

Liam was snarling something on the other side of the phone call.

I was once again wiped out by my magic, and my mind wasn’t working like it should’ve been as a result.

Rising shakily to my feet, I forced myself to push through the exhaustion. Everything swayed a little, but my heart flew into my throat when I saw two of the security guards on the ground, unconscious. My phone was on the dirt beside them, the screen lit up with an incoming call.

The third guard’s hand landed on my shoulder. When my gaze jerked up and met his, his eyes gleamed with magic.

One of the witches was controlling him. Probably with a charm.

Fuck.

There would be no reasoning with him or changing his mind. The only thing that mattered to the witches was the magic literally embedded in my blood, powering me in ways theirs never would.