Spring Rain (The Witchling #4)(29)

Her family was chosen by the Masters in a distant era, Sam confirmed. They are special. Their fire magick is unusually strong. It offers them a defense against the soul stone.

“So it’s not just fire keeping the soul stone from freezing them. It’s more.”

Yes. They do not fall prey to its evil and are not corrupted by the Dark the way Dawn has been by Bartholomew.

Beck’s heart and hope began to sink. “So only she can do it,” he murmured. “The others in her family who are Dark, it is natural Darkness stemming from their trials and not the soul stone pulling them in?”

Natural Darkness, correct.

“Sam …” Beck rubbed his goatee and leaned forward, elbows on knees. “This means we can’t be together.”

Unless she is a Light witchling. But she would be the first fire witchling to go Light in five hundred years and the most powerful since your ancestor, Tranin-the-Restorer.

“If she chooses Light in her trial, then what?”

Fire is a purifier. A Light fire witchling is the most powerful of all purifiers. She can cage the stone.

“Cage. Explain.”

Light can become a weapon and fire has the potential burn away Darkness. Sam motioned to the ground, where the Light source was.

“I used Light magick against Decker when he was stuck in the Darkness. I’ve been having trouble yielding it that way again, though,” he said in frustration. “So if she goes Light, she can bind the stone? Its Darkness?”

Sam nodded. Yes. With fire that burns hotter than anything known to man. This ability has a name from a long passed era: Whitefire. Whitefire purifies the Dark and can hide the stone from the Dark and Dark witchlings, including your brother. It cannot be near the Light source still as a precaution, but there is less of a chance it will corrupt the Light if she can bind it.

“Interesting.” But … not as useful as he had hoped. Morgan had to turn Light first then learn to use Whitefire. He knew better than to question Sam about Morgan’s trial; it was forbidden for anyone, even a Master, to interfere with the trial of a witchling. That no fire witchling in five hundred years had chosen Light was a bad omen. His gaze went to the ground and he traced the line separating the Light from the rest of the forest with his eyes. “Dawn wants me, and the Light, gone.”

Dawn is under the influence of Bartholomew. He can only be fully freed if there is no Light.

“If Morgan chooses Dark, we can’t be together. If she passes, she helps me with the Light.”

Correct.

The chances weren’t good. The reality hurt as much as losing her. Beck stood, agitated. “My hands are tied until Morgan finishes her trial. What if it takes too long or Dawn captures the stone? How do I protect the Light?”

The Light can defend itself as well. You can build a shield around the Light source. It is risky and will require my help.

Beck looked up, startled by the creature volunteering to help. “If you’re willing to do that, then this is worse than we think, isn’t it?”

It is. And … you need the help. My community does not like us to be involved with human struggles, but I feel it is sometimes necessary to interfere.

“Like you did with Summer the night she jumped into Miner’s Drop.”

Yes. You all are so young for such trials. Sam’s voice was sad. Decker is stabilized by Summer, but even he can be knocked off balance if he possesses the stone. Its ability to corrupt will trump the Light in anyone except for you and a fire witchling born into Morgan’s family.

“That’s really bad. And Bartholomew is loose. Decker needs to rein him in, and I need to keep the stone and Light safe.”

Yes.

“Decker … I don’t think he can tolerate Bartholomew again.”

I have begun to suspect such as well. I’m seeking out alternatives. Morgan is the key. Bartholomew will know she has the potential to become a threat. She needs to be safeguarded until she completes her trial.

Beck’s heart sped up as he considered how powerful Morgan could potentially become, strong enough to help him expand the Light, drive away Bartholomew and purify Darkness. While he didn’t fully understand Whitefire or how it worked, the concept amazed him. The girl who thought she was flawed and alone was the most incredible witchling born in at least five hundred years.

And she’s mine. His earth magick stirred at the resolve in his thoughts.

The balance between Light and Dark had been off for more than the twenty years where there was no Master or Mistress of Dark. It had been off almost since the beginning, when Bartholomew unleashed such evil as had never been known before, only to be slayed by his son, a Master of Light who happened to be a fire witchling. The pool of Light had failed to grow in a thousand years and then, with no one to safeguard it for a quarter of a century, began to shrink.

“I want her to choose Light so badly,” he whispered, stricken by the bleak fate Sam painted of their future, should any of them fail. But it wasn’t just his duty that made him want her by his side. It was the instinct of belonging, the sense she was destined to be beside him and together, they were meant to right the shortage of Light in the world. “More than anything, Sam.”

I know, young Master. But it is her choice.

Desolation crept through him. There was no timetable for her trial, either. She could spend years running from Dawn and then face her trial or happen upon it tomorrow. The trial for every witchling was different and for Morgan, unusual in every way. Like Summer standing between Decker and the Darkness, Morgan was going to effect the fate of every witchling in existence.