Autumn Storm (The Witchling #2)(55)

“N…no,” she said, looking up at him.

His features were torn between concern and anger. Autumn wanted to curl up in his warmth and sob. She needed her memories to help Decker. As much as she thought she’d mastered her mind, she wasn’t able to break through the barrier. If Decker truly did surrender to the Darkness, it was because she was too weak to help him.





Chapter Fifteen





“Decker, I warned you to stay away,” Beck said. His attention turned from the trembling girl to the unmoving form of his brother at one end of the bridge. He didn’t know what had happened between them that left the normally calm Autumn so distraught. Her mind was reeling too much for him to make sense of her thoughts.

Whatever passed between them, it hadn’t been good. He was too late, as usual. He had a good excuse this time; he’d been searching for Tanya. She hadn’t given off any warning that she was being threatened by magick, which made it nearly impossible for him to locate her, without help.

Fortunately, he had help. One of Dawn’s longtime friends had called him, concerned when a ranting Dawn stormed out of the dorm not an hour before. Beck was on his way to search for Tanya when his magick brought him to Autumn instead.

“I don’t need you to tell me what to do,” Decker growled.

“We made a deal.”

“And where did she stay last night?”

Beck gritted his teeth. “It’s not what you think. Look at her, Decker. You’re a train wreck. She’s shaking.”

“I’m fine,” Autumn said to him in a hushed voice. “He didn’t do anything.”

“It’s okay, Autumn.” Decker turned to face him. “My brother is right. I destroy everything good in the world, and I’d destroy you.”

“That’s not what I mean, Decker,” Beck said with a sigh. “You don’t mean to, but you will.”

“The great protector. Good luck with that.”

His face grew warm. “I might knock up girls, but I don’t knock them off cliffs.”

Anger flared in Decker’s eyes. He drew near, and Beck sensed the gathering of magick. Along with teaching him to travel as Decker did, their mother had showed him how to use his magick as a weapon. It made him sick. She hadn’t told him why she did it, but Beck suspected she’d felt Decker slipping. The bond between the former Dark Mistress and her son, the Dark Master, was strong.

Decker’s face flipped back and forth between him and the Darkness. He was almost gone.

Beck stepped up to Decker, toe-to-toe, willing to do whatever it took to protect the only person capable of saving them.

“I know you’re not challenging me, brother,” Decker hissed. “Is Autumn worth your life?”

“Absolutely,” Beck said without hesitation. “As lost as you almost are, you feel the same.”

Decker’s face shifted. It turned still enough to be a stone carving, and the black of his pupils swallowed his eyes. Cold fire shot through Beck. This magick was evil and powerful, Decker’s shadows multiplied several times over.

“Next time we meet, boy, will be the last.” This voice jarred Beck. The Darkness was talking just loudly enough for Beck to hear. “We’ll claim her, too.”

“Stop, please!” Autumn said, taking Beck’s arm. She reached up to Decker and touched his face.

Beck saw him shudder, and the presence disappeared, replaced by Decker again.

“Then take care of her,” Decker said, as if unaware of what the Darkness said. “I’ll be gone soon.” He turned and strode away.

Beck watched him, rattled by the strength of the Darkness and Decker’s acceptance of his fate. The few tools his mother taught him weren’t going to put a dent in what the Darkness would do, once released.

“No,” Autumn whispered, starting after Decker.

Taking her arm, Beck pulled her back. “Stay with me, Autumn.”

She faced him, her blue eyes tormented. Her body was tugging at his magick. He released it and hugged her hard, not wanting her to see his fear. He had no idea what to do when the Darkness came for her. She shook in his arms.

“It’ll be okay,” he said.

The air played with her hair. He smoothed it back down and rested his cheek against her head, thinking hard. She was struggling with her mind. The barrier his mother created was too strong for Autumn to break. Beck wanted desperately to remove it, so she’d remember.

He couldn’t protect her and he couldn’t reveal who she really was. When he made the promise to Sam, he never imagined how hard it would be to keep. Today was the first time he feared for his own soul.

“Cookies,” Autumn said.

Beck laughed. Did she hear the desperate note in his voice? He summoned his magick and took them away. Autumn wasn’t in any shape to deal with others.

His mother wasn’t in any shape to deal with Autumn or him. He winced as he recalled the texts she sent him the night before when she found Autumn in her house. Angry wasn’t the right word to describe her. Scared, maybe, like Beck now was.

He released Autumn when they reached the kitchen at the cabin. She’d stopped trembling, but her nose was bleeding. He stretched for a towel and handed it to her.

“You okay?” It was a dumb question, but he didn’t know what else to say.