Page 29 of His Blazing Witch (The Silver City #3)

I try to fight it, to keep my eyes closed and hold on to the memory a little bit longer, but I can feel his hands on my arms, shaking me. It brutally stops, and I open my eyes, unable to fight it anymore.

It's a strange sensation. Like I just woke up from a violent nightmare, but without the harsh part. I'm out of breath, feeling a bit lost, and nauseous.

Liam's eyes immediately meet mine, he looks panicked. I realize he's the one who's been holding me and shaking me like crazy. My neck and shoulders even feel weird. He sighs in relief, falling back to sit on his rear, as he was crouched down in front of me.

"Moon Goddess... You gave me one hell of a fright..."

"Are you alright, Mara?" asks Kelsi, rushing to my side too.

Even Ben looks worried on the side, his ears down.

"I was almost going to get all my answers! Why did you wake me up?!"

They stare at me as if I was crazy, but I'm too shaken up, at the moment. The adrenaline from the dream is still coursing through me, I can feel my heartbeat still thumping erratically.

"I swear, I was living Clarissa's memories, my memories! I was almost to the part when I moved to Silver City and–"

"Mara, Mara, wait," says Kelsi. "We didn't stop you for a long time, I promise, but... boo, look at your... I mean, just look at your body."

What about my body?

Oh... Oh, holy crap.

The burn marks are back. My legs look like they are taken over by growing tentacles, black like coal, once again as if the burns had occurred yesterday. ...Or just now. They are running all around my legs, and as I look up, my arms have some mean ones too. As if my brain had been waiting for me to see, the pain suddenly hits me like a wave, and I scream uncontrollably. How the hell did I not feel that before?! It burns, it burns! It's like someone piercing me with a hot needle, ripping my skin off slowly. It's unbearable, I want to cry and scream. I do. I feel like they all waited to attack at once, making the blow so much worse. It takes me a full minute to calm down and tame it, as they all panic around me. I know this is just the first wave. I can endure this, I can do it...

I hold on desperately to Liam's arm, and listen to his voice.

"Mara, calm down, calm down."

I nod.

I need to control the pain. It’s familiar, I've been through this shit before. I can do this. I take deep breaths, trying to focus on his voice. Grabbing his arm and holding on to it firmly helps me. The burn marks stop progressing on my body, and the pain subsides slowly too. It's like trying to find my little flame among the fire raging inside. I need to tame my magic and have it calm down before it kills me for real.

Liam keeps whispering into my ear, caressing my nape and rubbing my shoulder, careful where he touches. It feels so good to have this to help me. I can lean my forehead on his shoulder and focus on this. I don't care that we're sitting in that dirty hangar, I just need a minute, and Liam.

"Do we need to call an ambulance?" asks Kelsi somewhere above my head.

"No... I'm fine," I protest.

"Boo, you don't look fine..."

I know she's worried, but I've been through this before.

Or at least, I think I did. These marks are so much like the ones I had before, after the first fire. The one that happened here. If I had used this circle before, what did I see back then? What happened that almost killed me? Is that why? I didn't have someone to stop me, so I went overboard and... did this to myself without knowing? But the memories I saw were Clarissa's, and it doesn't explain who Mara is...

"Come on."

I feel Liam put an arm under my knees, and lift me before I can say a word. Either I'm thinner than I thought, or he's strong, because it looks like he's completely fine while taking me across the room.

"...Where are we going?" I ask, my voice a bit raspy.

"Let's go to Nina's," he says. "You can sit down and explain what the fuck was going on here..."

He sounds angry, and I don't even dare protest. He really looked panicked earlier. Is it okay if it makes me happy? Liam doesn't say a word as we leave the building. I'm so tired, actually, I'm happy to just be carried around. Why the hell am I so tired already? Is it because of the magic from earlier? Moreover, I'm so comfortable in his arms, I could shamelessly take a nap there if I wasn't fighting this.

Kelsi and Ben are following us, exchanging worried glances. I must really look like crap... I'm fine with it, though. I already got a lot of answers. Or did I? I may have gotten even more questions, actually. But I do know where to start next...

"Oh, fuck..."

What's going on? Liam starts growling, and I turn my head to check what's going on ahead of us.

Wolves. Two dark gray wolves appeared, and between them, a young man is standing there, his hands in his pockets with a smirk on. He has ash blonde hair and a little goatee, and a lot of piercings too. One is a little anchor. The fact that he's half-naked probably means he's a werewolf too...

"Hey, Black. You're coming into our territory and not even coming to say hi?"

"I'm busy, Seaver," growls Liam.

The other guy sounds arrogant, and I already knew who it was before Liam said it. To my surprise, he looks about our age, not older as I had imagined. He smiles, shaking his head.

"You should greet old friends even if you're busy, kid."

"You're only one month older than me, you idiot," growled Liam. "Fuck off."

Ignoring him, Liam starts walking again, still heading toward the diner. I think this is fine, until the two wolves start growling at him, warning us not to come closer. Ben is growling too behind us.

To my surprise, Liam doesn't stop or even slow down. He obviously doesn't care about those two, and still goes to enter the diner behind them. When the wolves start growling even louder, he suddenly turns around and growls at them. He's in his human form, yet his growling is much louder and impressive, and they both immediately back away, their ears and tails down. I guess this is probably how I'd react if I were a werewolf and could be impressed by his Alpha Aura... Behind the wolves, the Seaver guy seems to not like that either.

"Careful, Black. You forget this isn't your territory."

"Call your cousin if you have an issue with that. Technically, it isn't really yours either," growls Liam.

That Seaver guy grimaces, unhappy, but Liam walks inside the diner, Ben and Kelsi quickly squeezing themselves in behind us. Ben is growling at the other wolves the whole time and not turning his back to them, even as he enters the diner.

Nina walks over, immediately catching hold of the situation.

"Liam, boy! Did you fight with Johnny again?"

"Not yet... Sorry, Nina, we just need a bit of quiet to discuss for a while."

"Of course, honey. Grab any table you want, it's early, anyway..."

Indeed, the diner is empty, except for an old man snoring at one end of the bar and Nina. Liam carries me to the other end of the restaurant and helps me sit next to him, careful not to touch my injuries. I can barely put my ass on the end of the leather, thankfully my burns aren't spreading too high. I suddenly realize most of my pants are gone. I don't know why I didn't realize earlier that the denim had burned all the way up to my thighs. Now it looks like I'm wearing shorts, but it's not as eye-catching as the obvious burn marks.

Nina seems to only spot them now that Liam let me down too, and her eyes go wide.

"Oh, dearie, what happened?! Should I call someone?"

"I'm fine, thanks..." I mutter, a bit embarrassed.

"...Actually, can we get some ice?" asks Kelsi, a bit shy.

"Of course, darling, give me a minute!"

Nina is obviously used to werewolves, she doesn't even blink at Ben sitting at Kelsi's feet, or the two still glaring at us from outside. That Johnny guy too is standing there, not coming in but not walking away either. I try to ignore him, but Kelsi looks uncomfortable.

"...Should we be worried?"

"Don't mind him," sighs Liam. "It's just a rivalry thing, he's an Alpha too..."

I do feel a bit of an aura from that guy, but it's not as intimidating as Liam's older brothers. More like some gray cloud compared to a raging storm.

"Your rival?" I ask.

"He thinks so. He's just fixated on me, for some reason. It's old."

So those two have some history together? I wonder why Liam won't tell me more, but honestly, I can't afford to care much. I'm still in a shit load of pain and trying to control it. Kelsi takes the seat in front of me, still with that worried look on.

"What happened there?" she asks.

"Well, it worked, for one..."

"We saw that! Boo, there were red flames all around you, it was really scary... I thought it might be normal since you didn't look in pain or anything, so we waited until, um... your friend arrived."

I glance at Liam. I forgot he didn't really get to introduce himself, although Ben definitely already knows him. I sigh and nod weakly, but it's hard to focus. I want to sleep, scream in pain, and cry. All the emotions from earlier are still haunting me. If it wasn't for those three around me, I'd be falling apart right now… and dead, probably.

"How long did it take?"

"Not long, actually. Maybe less than five minutes?" says Kelsi.

Ben nods next to her.

That's it? I felt like I was having those nightmarish memories for hours! They all seemed so real too. I mean, it was probably real in some ways, but to me, they just felt like dreams, as if they could disappear at any given moment. I keep trying to remember each detail, afraid I'll forget something important.

"...Are you sure you don't want to go to a hospital? You're all sweaty..."

"I'm fine, Kelsi, just... tired."

"You need to learn to control your magic, Mara," says Liam. "You're going to kill yourself at this rate."

I nod.

Actually, it feels a bit unfair because I have no idea what I am doing. I wouldn't have known I was in trouble, and even if I did, I may not have known how to stop it. Nina comes back with a bunch of ice and a towel, and both Liam and Kelsi thank her. She reaches to take it, but Liam is faster.

He grabs the towel to wrap some cubes in, and Kelsi and I exchange a look. Her eyes are full of questions, but I silently move my lips to say I'll give her the details later.

"So? What happened?" Liam asks.

He applies the towel on my legs, and I'd surely blush if it didn't feel like a horrible slap on my legs. I gasp, but after a few more seconds, the cold finally kicks in, and I feel a lot better. Oh, Moon Goddess, that feels good. Liam doesn't seem embarrassed one bit about applying ice on my thighs, but I do. Even Kelsi is blushing across the table, pinching her lips with her eyes wide open on Liam Black and his hands...

Ben growls a bit and puts his head on her knee. I see Kelsi frown, confused.

"Mara?"

I almost forgot his question. I nod and start explaining.

I try to detail what I saw as much as I can, not just for them but also because I need to vocalize everything to be sure I don't forget. They remain quiet the whole time, even Kelsi makes a sad expression from time to time. I detail everything, not just what I saw but my sensations, the feelings of being trapped in someone else's body. Liam frowns the whole time, but I try to ignore it until I'm done.

Nina comes back to give us a bunch of colored drinks just when I finish, and I grab one to quench my thirst. In front of me, Kelsi is still making that upset expression, as if she was about to cry.

"Poor Clarissa... I mean, poor you. What a douchebag her father was! Even to... Amy..."

"You mean is. He's still alive, as far as I know..." I grumble.

"It explains a few things, though," she says. "You probably didn't come for the university program, you were really looking for witches. Probably had to do with your mother..."

"There are some things that still don't match, though," says Liam, rubbing his chin. "You being a Fire Witch, and your name. There was no sign of a Mara in those memories?"

"Nothing. Something definitely happened here. Whatever Clarissa did made me awaken as Mara. As I said, the name Clarissa feels... strange to me. Even the name Mara, I don't know how I know that. We are still missing pieces, and those pieces are between the time Clarissa came here and before the fire in that hangar."

"...Moreover, she was... sick, right?"

I nod. That's the strangest part. I felt a part of Clarissa's pain in that last memory. She wasn't just sick, she was in pain, and in really bad shape.

"From what she said, it sounded like she was... supposed to die," I say. "I mean, she was coughing up blood, and she said something about being as good as dead. It doesn't sound right to me."

"But you're… fine," says Kelsi. "I mean, your doctors wouldn't have lied about that or Bonnie. I overheard your sister talking to them too, I never heard anything about you being... terminally ill."

"Which makes me think either Amy had no idea, or she knew and hid it."

Kelsi gasps. She slowly starts nodding and frowning.

"It would explain why she was super... I mean, really on top of things at the hospital... She didn't even want to let you out, I thought it was because of the fire incident, but if she thought you were supposedly sick and had miraculously healed, she may have been scared you found the truth? Or could get sick again?"

"I have to ask her," I nod. "Moreover, I'm curious about what she'll have to say about those memories. I..."

Ben suddenly starts growling at the door, and we all turn our heads. Seaver and his wolves have stopped glaring at us. In fact, they’re busy looking elsewhere, toward the sea. What's going on? I'm about to stand up, but Liam gets on his feet first and holds out his arm to stop me.

"No, Mara, wait here."

He goes ahead with Ben to see what's happening outside. We see the two of them go, but once the door is shut, we can only watch through the windows, and I don't like it. I stand up, and Kelsi does too.

"Mara... You should stay put, you're not in any shape to get up..."

I know, but I have a bad feeling about this. I walk up toward the door, to at least see what the heck is going on. I had only seen Liam this bothered a few times before, and it was always about a witch, even myself. I try to see what's going on, and the first thing I notice is the sea.

It's way too agitated, even more so than earlier. The weather has gotten worse, but it doesn't really explain those tall waves I see. What the fuck? I don't like this at all... Kelsi grabs my hand, scared, but my eyes are outside, trying to see what the werewolves are growling at. There's more of them, actually. A dozen more werewolves have appeared, but they are not growling at each other anymore, they look like they’re all on the same side and angry at something else. I keep moving around the windows to see, trying to follow their line of sight, until I finally spot it. A woman, standing alone in the middle of the waves.

What the…? I can barely believe my eyes. I rush outside, trying to look for whatever that woman is standing on, a boat or something, but those waves wouldn't even make this possible. She is moving strangely, as if she was riding the waves, but with the minimum amount of effort. How does she... No, aside from that. This can't be good. I did not expect to meet another witch so soon. Moreover, this one probably isn't just here for a chitchat. Ravena had warned me that her peers wouldn't always be so... passive. I don't like that this rain is seriously getting worse too, and bringing my headache back.

"You two, step back!"

I ignore Liam growling at me and stare at that woman. She spots me too, and her eyes snap toward my markings. She's standing a few meters away, and I see her slowly bringing her fingers to her lips, looking intrigued. Is she staying at a distance because of the barrier? Or because she's at least a little bit wary of all the werewolves assembled here? What is she looking for?

I take a deep breath, and look for my inner flame. I glance around, trying to find the barrier, but it's not quite what I wanted to see. I don't know if I'm too tired, or the barrier is too weak, I have trouble finding it. Maybe I'm too far? Does it even go into the sea?

I can barely focus with all the wolves growling around me, the sound of the furious waves, and the wind around us. This turned from a calm morning to the beginning of a mean storm on the shore...

"Fuck off, witch!" yells Johnny Seaver, his fists closed. "Or we will attack!"

She barely glances his way, as if he was some insignificant insect. The threat doesn't seem to have any effect on her. This woman... her clothes are all black, with a lot of silver jewelry on her. And her eyes too, there's something strange with her eyes, like they are not human… Reptilian eyes? What the heck is this now? She lifts her hand, and a wave suddenly stands over us. Holy crap. This is going to be one hell of a shower if she releases it on the shore.

All the wolves start growling even louder and retreating.

"Kelsi, get back inside!" I yell behind me, but she pulls on my arm.

"Mara, you too! You can't fight in your state!"

Among all the other wolves, Ben suddenly sticks out his head, having heard our voices. The large young wolf runs to us and stands in front like a guard dog. I feel like he's bigger now that he's in an actual defensive stance, growling furiously with his fangs out at the witch. I don't think I've ever seen him this impressive or serious before, but the situation calls for it.

This woman by no means looks like an ally or anything remotely close. I don't like judging by first impressions, but that wave looming over us looks pretty mean. Liam runs to stand in front of the wolves, still in his human form. He's the only one.

"What do you want, witch?!" he yells.

The ruckus of the wind and waves is astounding, but she still heard him. She turns her head toward him, shaking in disagreement. She starts talking, and I have to figure it out from the movement of her lips, or what I can make out of it.

"You damn dogs... Always barking for nothing..."

So, it's a “no” with the werewolves. I exchange a glance with Liam, and she seems to notice it. Her stare is on me now. I'm not sure how brave I am supposed to be at the moment... I don't step forward, as Kelsi is still holding on to me, and she's probably not completely wrong either. I am tired as hell. It's really the worst timing to pick a fight with another witch, I'll admit that much.

For a second, I think she is going to talk, ask me something above the ruckus, but in a fraction of a second, I see her expression change into a haughty smile. I can almost tell what's going to happen.

She suddenly moves her hand, and the wave brutally falls on us. It's not just a little splash; the wave falls on us like a dead weight, and I'm brutally smashed against the diner's window. I hear a thump sound right next to me, and I find Kelsi a fraction of a second later. I don't feel her holding my hand anymore. My head, my shoulder, and my right flank hurts. I need to gather my thoughts and get back up. I'm down on my knees, and completely disoriented. The wave retreated as fast as it came, but I see it standing above us again, ready for another strike.

Holy shit...

It happens again before I can do anything. It's like getting a hundred-pound rug dumped on your whole body, except that it breaks apart a second later. Plus, the water gets into my nose and my mouth, and I start throwing up violently as soon as I get my head out of the water, on all fours. The worst part is, I hear a laugh somewhere farther, from a feminine voice.

That. Damn. Bitch!

"What is it, little one? Tired already? Or did I go too easy on you?"

So I'm the target? I gather my senses, and whatever is left of my stomach. I get back up, wiping my mouth. I glance around, only to see two dozen wolves spread all around, most lying down, half-conscious or looking groggy. She fucking struck all the werewolves…?

I find Liam, and thank Moon Goddess, it looks like he's getting back on his feet too, probably in the best shape out of all of us.

Kelsi! I had almost forgotten her. She's unconscious right next to me, her body lying against the diner. She's got blood on her temple too, she must have hit that wall hard. Damn it... I spot Ben as he gets back on his feet, like the other wolves, and stumbles back to come stand next to me. Poor Ben, it's not like he can perform a miracle against that kind of attack!

"What the fuck do you want?!" I yell with a raspy voice, mad as hell.

She suddenly pulls her wave to come closer, but, very strangely, she seems to hit something. The barrier! So she isn't able to get in after all, she can only attack from afar. How is her magic coming in, though, I thought we were fine! Or did I miss something? The sea... She's just using natural waves and making them bigger before they get in the barrier! I'm no expert, but you don't need magic to make a fucking big wave. Although, the good news is, that's probably all she can do for now. From Liam's injury, the other Water Witch, Nephera, could do much worse than that. I hate to say it, but those big scary waves are probably all she can do... I mean, she can send as many waves as she wants, perhaps rinse the people on the shore a hundred times with those, but there's all of Silver City left... She makes a grimace, annoyed by the barrier, and stops smiling to glare at me.

"I want this city. You don't deserve the power... How is a child like you even able to maintain a barrier like this?"

She thinks I'm the one maintaining the barrier? Moreover, what power is she talking about now? Is this about Sylviana's tree, or the Royal werewolves? I'm lost. Liam slowly retreats to stand in front of me, but I don't think the Witch Hunter will be useful in this case. She can't get in, but we can't do much to physically get to her either. ...Or, actually, the werewolves can't.

I take a deep breath, clearing my thoughts and ignoring everything that hurts right now to focus on my inner flame. I bring it out, showing my flames in my hands. Liam frowns.

"Mara..."

I know. I know I'm probably going to regret exhausting the very last supply of magic and energy I have left, but this bitch isn't going anywhere, and she needs a lesson about washing people out.