Page 143 of The Unbound Witch

“I love you,” I said, moving to kiss his lips. “More today than yesterday, and even more tomorrow.”

He shook his head, giving me a warning. “Don’t do that.”

“I’m not.”

That tingling in the back of my throat began again as I stepped in front of Torryn and took the book he held.

When he hugged me, lifting me off the ground, he whispered into my ear. “If you intend to break my heart right now, Raven Moonstone, you better warn me.”

I didn’t reply, just hugged the gentle giant back, placing my hand on his cheek for just a moment as I swallowed audibly. Fighting back the torrent of tears I could not shed.

Next was Atlas with two books. He pulled me into a hug, too. “I’ll take care of him. I promise you, Rave. If this goes to shit, I’ve got him.”

I couldn’t help the struggled sigh, that tiny lump in my throat now a dagger.

Moving on to Nym, taking more books, I leaned in to hug her.

She turned her face into my curls and let out a sob. Her journey these past days had been full of heartache and hard truths, and still she stood here, a constant in this battle. A brilliant witch, never wavering in her love for Kirsi, though they still had the hardest moment to face together. Because the second Kirsi forgave her, she would likely vanish. And in true Kirsi fashion, she was brooding. Watching us, even now. As if the rest of us hadn’t noticed the longing gazes and sadness in her eyes.

I took the final two books from Kir’s luminous hands, grateful they weren’t giant tomes.

She didn’t try to hug me, only stared into my face. “I meant what I said, Rave.”

I’ll come with you.

Another tear fell as I nodded, forcing a smile. “You always do.”

I made a step toward the center of the circle, but Bastian cleared his throat. I turned just in time to see him staring up at the night sky, mumbling a prayer to the goddess. I waited. Closing my eyes and wishing for his peace before spinning back. Each step toward the pedestal with the books in my hands was drenched in foreboding. My skin crawled, heart thundering, begging me not to move forward.

Pushing away the thoughts of self-preservation ringing in my mind, every ounce of me wanting to just run back to Bastian’s arms, come what may, I knew I couldn’t. If I let the books sit, they would die and so would I. We were bound. One. I had too much fight in me to give up if I had even a sliver of a chance at life.

I placed the first book. Moon Coven. The one I felt most connected to. A searing pain ripped down my spine and I fought like hell to hold myself upright. To keep that king at bay. Storm next. The coven with silent witches that had been so kind to a stranger. Another wave of excruciating pain. I stumbled.

“Raven!” Bastian barked, but he did not move.

Knowing that I could not sustain the pain and remain standing, placing each book individually, I dropped the rest of them on the pile, reaching for the Fire Coven stone in my pocket.

We are one,the books hissed.

White light blinded me. The pain coursed through my veins like a volcano eruption within my weak body. Everything that followed happened in slow motion. Like a dream. A nightmare.

I spun, placing myself behind the pillar facing the others. Before they could react at all, or race for me, though I would cast them away, if needed, I lifted my hand and shot death over the stack of powerful Grimoires.

The absolutely heart-wrenching devastation on Bastian’s face as he screamed my name shattered my soul to pieces. We’d said our goodbye without saying goodbye and, as I released the sob I’d been holding back, he lunged for me, but was swiftly caught in the fighting arms of Torryn and Atlas.

I poured and poured that death spell into those books, waiting for the explosion to break the world as my life began to slip away. Drawing and pushing. That pillar took and took from me, digging into Bastian’s mother’s gifted power and then my own. She’d known this would happen, had known that my natural power would never be enough. But even now, beneath the kiss of the full moon, I nearly fell to my knees when I realized it still wouldn’t be.

I reached forward, placing my hand on the pillar, giving what would be taken from me anyway. Praying that it would somehow save the rest of them. It didn’t help my aching heart, though. Not when I looked at their faces and saw my own betrayal upon them.

Kirsi swept forward, passing through the wall of magic radiating from the power of the Grimoires.

Setting her hand on mine, she shouted to the heavens. “If there’s anything you can take from me, you take it. Do you fucking hear me? She doesn’t go alone.”

My best friend. My sister.

Atlas screamed Kirsi’s name at the same time Nym did. One pause from him, a brief distraction, and Bastian was freed, running for his life as he too broke through the magical wall and shoved his trembling hand on top of the pile.

“You go, I go,” he shouted through tears of rage. “You take me, too.” He commanded the goddess in the sky.