Page 76 of Pixie Problems

Chapter Twenty-Two

RAIN

"Kill him!" Hawke roared, pushing past my shadow to hack at the man.

"Rain, cover us!" Keir demanded, joining him.

Their attacks kept the Huntsman occupied, giving me the chance to check on Aspen. "Are you ok?"

"No!" she said. "But only you can hurt him. Go, Rain. He knows I'm here!"

"I'm out of magic."

She set her jaw and rolled to her knees. "And I have plenty."

Thrusting both of her fists towards the ground, she encased the entire area in whiteness. The smell of roses was almost cloying, but I felt that thing inside me again. The darkness was growing, but in a good way, and then the bubble of Winter magic around us began to pull in, closing down right on me.

When it hit, I shoved, pushing all my own magic towards the Huntsman. Another hunter caught my eye, headed our way, so I sent a wolf at him. The beast emerged from my chest, running with all it had, darkened teeth matching its dark body.

Shadows. My power was shadows, and my magic was a gift. It didn't matter if I knew how to use it. This shit was wild, so I had to become fucking feral! Slinging my arms out, not caring about my swords, I releasedeverything I could think of. Hawks flew, inspired by the guy fighting with me. Monsters burst from the darkness under trees, lashing out at hunters with claws, tails, or anything else they had.

There, in the middle of the school grounds, I felt almost invincible, slinging magic in every direction I could, but none of it was working. Shadows were so thick now the crisp sunlight felt dim and faded. Everything I could use, I was using, burning through magic as fast as Aspen could give it to me.

Some of those shadows grabbed at hunters, passing right through them. Others attacked the hunters' shadows, and that seemed to work - but not enough. It tripped them, slowed them, or turned them around. My own silhouette yanked at the Huntsman's, trying to pull him off balance while Keir and Hawke fought with all they had.

None of it stopped them.

Then I heard, "Help!"

I turned, slinging darkness that way, only to see a guy bobbing off a large hunter's shoulder. The student was beating on the creature, but the hunter didn't even notice. He marched in the same direction the Huntsman had been carrying Aspen.

"He's got one!" I called out.

"And he'll get Aspen if we don't stop this one!" Hawke growled.

Which was when Torian showed up. A spear of ice slammed right between Hawke and Keir, impaling the Huntsman. The monster staggered back, his glazed eyes turning to find the bigger threat.

"Hit Rain!" Aspen screamed.

"She is mine!" the Huntsman snarled, pushing aside Keir so he could grab for Aspen again.

Without thinking, I hacked, slashing at the Huntsman's arm with both of my blades. Theeltamskipped off, but the steel cut deep. Something beneath cracked, and I sure hoped it was a bone.

"She ismine!" I barked into his face. "And I will not stop."

"Magic is not endless, little girl."

It was Torian who answered. "Hersis. Aspen, hit her."

My girlfriend cast at me, shoving one hand out, and pink petals rushed through the swirls of intense white. From further back, Torian was whipping out his own spells, yet his eyes were locked on Aspen, and he was moving closer.

"It's yours," he said to her. "Always yours."

When their hands met, white and green swirled around each other, turning into something else before rushing back into Aspen, but I didn't have time to watch. I was the fucking Morrigan! I had to do something to stop this.

"Leave!" I snarled, my eyes shooting black daggers at him.

They hit hard enough he was rocked back, but it still wasn't enough. My shadows weren't hurting these things! Still, they seemed to do more than either Summer or Winter magic. Mine at leasttouchedthem.