Page 105 of Visions of You

She'd never get him to drink it now.

"Why does it matter that Casca and Fei are powerful?" Jaron asked, still trying to process the fact that Malkira and his parents had worked together at some point.

"They carry the virus too," Malkira said. "And it's mutated inside of them. I never accounted for that."

"It's mutated?"

While Jaron's mind was still reeling, Keegan dug his fingers into his shoulder. "All this time," he muttered, "I thought the other seer was threatening the future with this ritual… but I got it all wrong, didn't I? It's the children."

"What?" Jaron whirled to him. "My brothers are innocent!"

Keegan winced. "I know that."

"The virus inside them is drawing magic out of the atmosphere around them and growing stronger," Malkira said. "It's going to keep eating and eating, and with its ability to link to other people, it's going to destabilize the balance of the world before long."

"No," Jaron said, refusing to believe that. "That isn't happening. My brothers never hurt anyone."

"It's not up to them." Malkira's expression was pained, but there was a steely resolve in her eyes. "I wish it was different, but this is the only way to undo my mistakes."

"By undoing them?"

How could that be her conclusion?

How could she think Jaron would stand here and let her hurt his baby brothers?

He didn't care what virus lived inside of them. He'd find another way to excise it.

"If what you're saying is true," Keegan said, "why did you have to drag all these other people into your ritual? Wouldn't it be enough to… focus on the children?"

He said 'focus,' but Jaron knew he meant 'kill.'

His stomach drew tight.

Keegan had a point, though, when Jaron let himself think about this. Why this whole ass ritual?

"Simply killing them would just release the virus," Malkira said, not mincing her words. "I'm going to need all the energy gathered here to contain it when the deed is done."

The deed.

How could she talk about it like that? Like his brothers were pests to be eliminated. They weren't. Jaron glanced at his unconscious siblings, remembering the day Casca had taken his first steps, arms outstretched and legs wobbling as he made his way toward him with the biggest smile on his face. He remembered Fei drawing pictures of their family.In this picture, you can breathe fire too, he'd told Jaron proudly.

Jaron returned his attention to Malkira, anger burning through him.

The witch's gaze hardened. "Sometimes, to save the many, we must sacrifice the few."

Jaron shook his head vehemently. He wasn't going to let her do this. The next second, he lunged for the glowing sphere,intent on stopping the ritual, but Malkira threw out a hand, a blast of magic sending Jaron flying back.

He hit the ground hard, the breath knocked out of him. Keegan was at his side in an instant, helping him up.

"Are you alright?"

Jaron nodded, his gaze locked on Malkira. She was watching them, her hands poised over the sphere, ready to continue the ritual at any moment.

She had been like a mother to him. How could she do this?

"Is this why you took me in?" he demanded, guts twisting. "So you could keep an eye on my family? So you could get access to my brothers?"

Malkira's expression softened, and for a moment, Jaron saw her the way he used to see her, as a kind old witch. The woman who'd gifted him that scarf, who'd told him to believe in himself. "Oh, Jaron," she said, shaking her head. "I truly wish I did not have to do this to you. I did come to care for you."