Davina (Davy Harwood #3)(71)

“Stay back.”

A hand came to her shoulder and she was lifted once again and moved backwards. A growl ripped from her throat, and she turned, ready to fight, but it wasn’t who held her in place. It was the person beside who told her to stay back.

Lucan held her in place, but her eyes fell to the human beside him and she fell back in surprise. “The witch?”

Brown waved, smiling self-consciously. She tucked her hair behind her ears and grabbed her other hand in front of her, pulling and twisting at her sleeves. “Heya. You’re Tracey. I remember you.”

It was the human witch that Davy was friends with. Tracey said, “You were left behind. Lucas—”

“Lucas put her with Mavic to train her magic.”

“Your magic was locked to you.”

Brown nodded, dropping her voice to a whisper, “It was. Mavic helped unlock it, and he’s been helping me hone it more.”

“But why . . .” She wasn’t enough. Tracey knew it would take more than one Bright witch. She turned to Lucan. “Tell me there is more. Tell me you have a plan.”

Lucas’s twin brother glared at her, his forehead wrinkling and he narrowed his eyes at her. “I would ask you to stop being insulting to me. Right now, you can stop.”

Tracey didn’t dare hope. “There’s more than her?” There had to be, or all was lost. Davy was gone. Her niece was gone. “Lucan, tell me—” She grasped onto him with desperate hands.

“Tracey, stop.” Wren ran up to them and pulled her lover’s hands away. She held them in her own and said to her, “It’s not. There’s more. I promise.” She twisted back to Lucan. “Do it. Now. We can’t wait.”

But Lucan wasn’t paying attention. Brown and a man in a robe stood beside him. Tracey guessed this was Mavic. She had never heard of the sorcerer, but he was rumored to be the second most powerful, second to Jacith. Some of her dread lifted as she recognized him and hope flickered inside of her. It was small, so small, but it was there. Tears streamed freely from her eyes now. She must’ve looked as Suhnah had, but she would never relinquish to The Immortal. Never.

She held onto Wren’s hands now. “Wren,” she gasped.

“I know.” Wren pulled her close so their bodies touched. She rested her forehead against Tracey’s. “Just hold on. Hold on.”

“It’s not done.” More tears. She gave her lover a watery smile.

“It’s not done,” Wren soothed her. One of her hands released her and wrapped around Tracey’s shoulders. She held the blonde warrior to her chest and ran her hand down her hair. “It’s not done. I promise. There’s more to come, much, much more.”

And then, a new sudden burst of wind ripped across the lands.

Lucan let out a breath. “It’s time.”

Tracey watched from the crowd. The Mori allowed her to see now, knowing she wouldn’t rush in anymore. The Immortal reached for Lily. Both mother and daughter’s faces were wet. They were crying steadily, but Lily didn’t fight. It broke Tracey’s heart. She couldn’t imagine the fear her niece was experiencing, but the little girl wore a brave front. Despite the tears, her eyes gleamed with a fierce determination and her hands were balled into tight little fists. When The Immortal pulled her into her arms, Lily didn’t wrap her legs or arms around the other. She held limp, making her body dead weight for The Immortal. A twinge of pride tunneled deep into Tracey’s chest.

She brushed her own tears away and held onto Wren’s hand tighter.

Their roles switched in that moment. Tracey was the solid one. She had been their foundation and Wren was the feisty, more emotional one. Wren was her rock that day. She held her hand and as Tracey couldn’t look away from her niece, she continued to smooth a hand down Tracey’s hair and back. She was reassuring her, or trying, but the truth was that no one knew what was going to happen.

Even Lucan, who glanced to Mavic and Brown. Both nodded. Both were ready, but they still waited. Mavic felt the thread-holders arriving. He knew the entire line of sisters was going to show, and he felt another power traveling with them. He didn’t know who or what that was, and he refrained from telling Lucan. There’d be questions he could not answer, but when they were on the outskirts of the Mori, he lifted a hand to Lucan’s shoulder.

Lucan touched Wren’s shoulder, who was already touching Tracey. The Mori nearest Tracey touched her shoulder and one by one, a Mori would touch the shoulder of the next one and so forth. Tracey stopped crying. She stopped feeling so helpless, and her tears dried up. Her hope flared brighter. They were all going to fight. She realized that as all the Mori became connected to each other. When they were done, the only Mori who wasn’t touching another was Suhnah. It came full circle, rounding back until it was Brown’s turn. The last Mori placed his hand on her shoulder, and then they all began to chant.

We are.

We will be.

As one.

Together.

We will

cast out

the imposter.

They repeated those words softly under their breath.

Tracey couldn’t help herself. She called in her mind, “Lily, look at me.”

“I am.”

Tracey’s eyes snapped open. Her niece was staring right at her and there was no fear. There was only happiness. Her tears dried up too and she added to her aunt, “I’m going to see my momma. I am so excited, Tracey.”