Chapter 296

I watched her face fade away, back into the trees, before I turned and faced the glass. I pressed my hands against it, and instead of a solid wall that I thought I was going to find, I felt an inrush, almost as if it was a bubble. I forced myself deeper, pushing farther in, causing the bubble to cave in.

Every step I took, the harder the bubble pushed back against me. It was fighting back, refusing to let me enter, and that just made me question what the hell was going on. This made no sense. Toya’s defenses were blocking my entry, but that made zero sense. I wasn’t here to hurt her, and even though something was attacking her, her mind should know I was safe to allow in. That Urbi was safe to allow in.

I pulled back, gathering my strength and my magic to me, and then I slammed against the bubble. It fought back, pushing me back, but I used my magic like a knife, slicing through the force field and finally stumbling out of the trees. I turned back and I could see the edge of the invisible bubble; it was torn and snapping with energy. “What the fuck is going on?”

Urbi slipped from the trees. “You did it, you got through.” I just nodded. “Hurry, Toya is fighting it, her, but she is losing.”

“What do you mean?”

Urbi tilted her head. “Can’t you hear her screaming?”

I stilled, and then I heard it. “No, you’re wrong. She isn’t like that.” Toya’s voice was ragged, like she had been yelling for a while.

I turned towards the voice and nodded. “I hear her.” I started running towards the screaming. “I’m coming,” I called out, hoping that Toya could hear me, feel me here, coming for her. I ran for what felt like forever. Her screaming got louder until I rounded a dune and there she was.

But she wasn’t alone.

I stumbled over a small dune that I didn’t see and I ended up rolling down into the basin that the two women were in. I rolled to a stop and hopped up. Toya and the other woman whirled to face me. “You can’t be here.” The unknown woman’s face was hidden. She was covered head to toes with a dark cloak, but she stepped back as I moved closer. “How did you get in here?”

Toya staggered over to me. “You came for me.” She nearly collapsed into my arms. “I was praying to the goddess that you would hear me.” She looked up into my face, her eyes filled with tears. “You finally came.”

I rubbed the hair from her face, wiping a tear away with it. “I’m sorry it took me so long.” I leaned down and kissed her forehead. I looked up at the other woman. “Who is she?”

Toya’s breath sobbed out. “I don’t know. She trapped me here.” She pulled away, strengthening her spine. “She’s like a cancer. She’s kept me here, eating away at me, whispering to me.”

I stepped in front of Toya. “What was she whispering?”

Toya looked away. “That you were evil. That you were using your magic to steal our power, draining us to make yourself queen?”

I choked out a laugh. “And you believed her?” I looked at Toya, a smile covering the hurt.

“Not at first, but she is doing something else. The more she whispered, the more I believed her,” Toya looked away. “I’m sorry.” She looked ashamed.

“It’s okay. Magic does that.”

“No, it isn’t okay. I should have been stronger.” She met my eyes again. “You are my sister and I have never doubted you before this.”

“I know.” I smiled, for real this time, and I turned to focus on the woman still backing away from us. “Who are you?”

She shook her head. “This is impossible.”

“Is it?” I stepped closer, and I felt my foot cross over another barrier. “You can throw down as many shields as you want, but it will not help.”

She stomped her foot. “This shouldn’t be possible. You aren’t this strong.”

I laughed, tilting my head and lifting my brow. “Who did you hear that from?” I walked closer. “Few people know I have magic, nor my full power level. But you seemed so sure just a second ago, as if you knew me and my powers before I came here.” I felt my eyes narrow. “Who are you?”

She backpedaled again. “No one you know.” She raised her hands.

“Absolutely not.” One second I was back near Toya and the next I had my hand wrapped around the person’s throat. “You don’t get to run away to try this again.”

Deep in the shadows of the cloak, I saw the whites of her eyes. She feared me. Good. “How did you do that?” Her voice trembled.

“Magic.” Then I pulled down the cloak.