Page 123 of This Witch Is Not Wicked

Nevan clutched my hand tighter as a much smaller portal appeared before us in a swirling circle of blue.

There was no time to hesitate or think this over. I knew what I had to do. We jumped in and stepped out behind the Fair Folk as the brotherhood ran through the bog, straight for us. We were the last defense.

Nevan wobbled on his feet. “It feels like my body is made of water right now. Same as last time.”

I winced. It always felt like that. He’d get used to it. We had to stop the brotherhood, and there was only one way to do it. I swallowed and pinched my amulet between my fingers, my blood heating and sparking with its magic.

Thick, ropey stalks shot upward from the earth, and some of the brotherhood faltered.

“What are you doing?” Nevan asked. “Enid, you’re going to drain the rest of your magic.”

“I know,” I gritted out as I commanded more vines to rise.

The brotherhood charged now, the ground quaking as hundreds of them stampeded toward us and let out battle cries.

Nevan turned toward me. “You’ll never be able to create anything again. You won’t ever be able to join your family in the Otherworld. You’ll be . . . human.”

“Good,” I said between heavy breaths, this immense use of magic draining me. “I want to be human. I’ve been planning on it, anyway. Didn’t I tell you?”

“No,” Nevan said, “you forgot to mention that.”

More vines broke through the marsh, twisting together and sprouting black thorns.

We hadn’t discussed it, but I’d hoped to travel to Kiln Mountain and use my remaining magic to create new plants, new seeds. That wouldn’t be possible now.

“You don’t have to do this,” Nevan said. “You don’t have to make this kind of sacrifice, Enid. You’re already one of us.”

“That’s . . . why I’m . . . doing this.”

The brotherhood roared in unison, so close now that I could see their varied faces, skin tones, and hair color under their maroon hoods.

My legs trembled and my arms quaked. Sweat dripped down the sides of my face.

“I need you to hold me upright,” I said. “I’m getting weaker.”

Nevan put his arms around my waist while I commanded more. More vines. Taller. Thicker. Thornier.

Pain throbbed in my temples, and my whole body squeezed tight like it was a wet rag, wringing out every last drop of magic I had. My bones felt like they could crumble to dust.

The brotherhood were a few paces from the wall of vines, but I could still see them clearly, which meant they’d be able to squeeze through. If they breached my wall, they’d follow Fairwitch through that portal.

“I can do this,” I gritted out.

“You are doing it,” Nevan said in awe. “Your magic is saving us all.”

“Nevan, stop this,” a voice shouted, and Nevan jolted next to me as I concentrated on filling the holes of the wall.

“Lor?” he asked, body stiff.

If the man responded, I couldn’t hear. A ringing filled my ears, my vision almost entirely black, but Nevan’s grip on me was strong. I wasn’t alone. Nevan was here, literally holding me up, facing this head-on by my side.

I let out a scream, and the earth shook under our feet. Nevan’s grip stayed steady, grounding me. I couldn’t see or hear, and I wasn’t sure if I’d survive this, but I knew I would save Fairwitch Isle and Nevan, and that was all that mattered.

My magic was near its end, my blood no longer singing, my body no longer vibrating. All that was left were little pinpricks of power dancing over my skin, the touch featherlight. It no longer felt like lightning flowing through my veins.

My head lolled back, and I was dipping in and out of consciousness. I swallowed and gave one final command: tear the earth apart. And then my legs gave out completely.

Nevan and I tumbled to the ground together, and I had no idea what was happening. My brain was foggy, my body fatigued beyond measure. Still, Nevan held me tight, and somehow, his arms, his body pressed to mine, his hands stroking my hair, helped me cling to consciousness.