Chapter 34
WINDY
My thoughts keep circling back to Aiden and that damn flower—how close I was, how I could practically feel its magic in my hands.
Suddenly, an idea strikes me—wild, reckless, and dangerous. But it’s the only one that seems to make sense right now. I stop dead in my tracks, the words tumbling out of my mouth before I can even think them through.
“I have an idea,” I say, my voice filled with determination and desperation. Wallace, Warrick, and Willow all stop and turn to look at me, curiosity and concern written on their faces. “I’ll burn half of the forest,” I continue, the resolve in my voice surprising even me.
“It’s the only way to stop him from leaving with the flower.”
For a moment, there’s stunned silence. Then, Wallace’s eyes widen in shock, and he takes a step closer to me, his expression showing disbelief and alarm. “Windy, you can’t be serious,” he says, his voice urgent. “Burning the forest? Do you know what you’re saying?”
Warrick lets out a low whistle, shaking his head as if he can’t quite believe what he’s hearing. “That’s a bit extreme, even for you, Windy,” he says, trying to keep his tone light, but I can see the worry in his eyes. “I mean, setting fire to an entire forest? That’s not exactly the best idea you’ve ever had.”
I shake my head, my mind racing. “But don’t you see? It’s the only way. If I burn the forest, I’ll trap Aiden and his men. They won’t be able to escape, and I can get the flower back. It’s the only option we have left.”
Wallace looks at me, his brow furrowed in concern. “There has to be another way, Windy. We can track him down, find where he’s headed, and get the flower back without resorting to this. You’re better than this—you don’t need to destroy everything to win.”
Warrick crosses his arms over his chest, his expression serious. “Besides, what if it doesn’t work? What if Aiden escapes anyway, and all we’re left with is a charred wasteland? The risks are too high.”
“I have to do this,” I say, my voice trembling with intensity. “I can’t let Aiden get away with it. He took everything from me, and I won’t stand by and let him win. This forest… It's just trees. But that flower… it’s everything. It’s my chance to finally fix my magic, to stop being this… this mess.”
Wallace steps closer, his eyes locking onto mine with a fierce intensity. “Windy, listen to me. Burning down the forest won’t solve anything. It won’t bring back what you’ve lost, and it won’t give you the control you’re looking for. You’re angry, and you have every right to be, but this isn’t the way.”
Warrick nods in agreement, his tone gentle but firm. “Wallace’s right. You’re not thinking right now. You’re hurt, and you’re lashing out. But if you go through with this, you’ll regret it. And once it’s done, there’s no going back.”
Willow’s voice is soft, almost pleading. “Windy, please. Don’t do this. We’ll find another way, together. You don’t have to carry this burden alone.”
Their words begin to penetrate the haze of anger and frustration clouding my mind, but the thought of Aiden escaping, of him taking that flower and all its potential, is still gnawing at me. I bite my lip, torn between the logic they’re offering and the raw, burning desire to take action.
“What if I fail again?” I ask, my voice cracking with uncertainty. “What if we lose him, and the flower, for good? I can’t… I can’t let that happen.”
Wallace’s expression softens, and he reaches out to gently place a hand on my shoulder. “We won’t fail, Windy. I promise you, we won’t. But we have to be smart about this. Burning the forest might seem like a solution, but it’s not. It’s a reaction, not a plan. And you’re too powerful, too smart, to resort to something like that.”
Warrick steps closer, his usual teasing demeanor replaced by sincerity. “You’re stronger than you think, Windy. You’ve already come so far—don’t let this setback make you do something you’ll regret. We’re with you, every step of the way. But we have to do this right.”
Willow nods, his gaze steady and reassuring. “We’ll find Aiden, we’ll get that flower back, and you’ll master your magic. But not like this. Not by destroying everything around you.”
I shake my head, the decision forming in my mind like a burning ember that refuses to be extinguished. “You don’t understand, Wallace. If Aiden escapes with that flower, I’ll never get another chance like this. My magic will always be this chaotic, this uncontrollable. I can’t live like that.”
Without another word, I raise my hands, feeling the surge of magic pulsing through me, wild and untamed. The air around us crackles with energy, and I can hear Wallace shouting, pleading with me to stop, but it’s too late. The decision is made.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, though I’m not sure if it’s for them or myself. And then, with a flick of my wrists, I unleash the fire.
Flames erupt from my fingertips, spreading rapidly through the underbrush, licking at the trunks of the towering trees. The forest is old, and it burns quickly, the dry wood and leaves catching like tinder. The heat is intense, and the crackling of the fire fills the air, drowning out everything else.
“No!” Wallace’s voice is raw with panic, but I don’t look at him.
I can’t.
“Windy, stop!” Warrick’s usually calm tone is now frantic, as he reaches out as if he could somehow pull the flames back.
Willow stands frozen, horror etched on his face. “Windy, what have you done?”
I watch as the fire spreads, engulfing the trees, the shrubs, and everything in its path.
Half the forest is ablaze within moments, a wall of fire that no one—Aiden included—can cross. The heat sears my skin, but I don’t flinch. I did this. It’s the only way.
But as I stand there, watching the destruction I’ve wrought, a sickening realization washes over me. This fire isn’t controlled. It’s wild. I’ve set something in motion that I can’t stop.
Warrick grabs me by the shoulders, forcing me to turn and face him. His eyes are wide, desperate. “Windy, you need to stop this! You’re going to destroy everything! This isn’t what you wanted!”
“I… I had to,” I stammer, but my conviction is crumbling. The flames are spreading faster than I anticipated, eating through the forest with a hunger that mirrors my desperation.
Warrick leans in, pressing his mouth to mine in a deep kiss. I melt into him, pink light flashing for the third time behind my eyes, signaling he’s my mate. As the light fades, the horror of what I’ve done sinks in and I pull away.
What have I done?
“Windy, are you you again?” Warrick asks as he rubs my shoulders.
“I am, I think… what have I done?”
Wallace moves to my other side, his voice no longer teasing, but stern and urgent. “We need to contain this before it’s too late. You can’t let it burn everything down.”
Willow is already casting spells, trying to control the flames, to push them back, but it’s a losing battle. The fire is too strong, too fierce.
I look at the destruction, at the smoke billowing up into the sky, and for the first time, I feel the weight of what I’ve done. I’ve burned half the forest, and for what? There’s still no sign of Aiden or his men—just smoke and ash. I don’t even know if I’ve stopped them.
The full horror of my actions crashes over me, and I feel my knees start to give way.
Wallace pulls me close, his grip firm but gentle. “It’s not too late, Windy. We can still fix this. But we have to act fast.”
But I’m frozen, paralyzed by the sight of the flames, by the destruction I’ve caused. “I didn’t mean for it to be like this,” I say, my voice breaking. “I just wanted to stop him…”
Willow’s voice cuts through the chaos, calm but commanding. “Windy, focus. We need you to help us put this out. You’re the only one who can.”
I take a shaky breath, trying to summon the strength to do what needs to be done. It’s hard, grueling work, and every second feels like an eternity. But slowly, inch by inch, we manage to beat the fire back.
By the time the flames are finally extinguished, the forest is half gone, reduced to smoldering ruins. The air is thick with smoke, and the ground is blackened and charred.
There’s no sign of Aiden, no sign of the flower. I don’t know if my plan worked, or if I’ve just made everything worse.