Chapter 36
WINDY
As we are about to walk away from the smoldering remains of the forest, a heavy silence hangs between us. The relief of having saved Aiden and his men is short-lived, replaced by the weight of unfinished business.
Warrick and Willow walk ahead, their gazes focused on the path before them. Wallace lingers beside me, his presence a steadying force as we make our way back to camp. My mind races with thoughts of what lies ahead, but there’s an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach, a gnawing sense that something is wrong.
Just as I’m about to push the feeling aside, Aiden’s voice cuts through the silence. “Wait.”
I stop in my tracks, turning to face him. Aiden’s once defiant expression is now twisted with a strange mix of emotions—anxiety, anger, and something else I can’t quite place. He’s standing a few feet behind us, his men lingering with uncertainty at the edge of the clearing.
“What is it, Aiden?” I ask, trying to keep my voice steady. There’s no time for games, and I’m not in the mood for his usual bravado.
Aiden hesitates, his eyes darting between me and the others. Finally, he steps forward, and I notice for the first time how disheveled he looks—his clothes singed, his hair matted with soot. But despite his appearance, there’s a flicker of the old Aiden in his eyes, the one who would do anything to get what he wants.
“I need to know something,” Aiden says, his voice low and tense. “Why did you save us?”
I stare at him, taken aback by the question. “I already told you. It was the right thing to do.”
Aiden narrows his eyes as if searching for a lie in my words. “The right thing,” he repeats, his tone laced with disbelief. “You expect me to believe that?”
I feel a surge of frustration, the exhaustion from the fight, and the fire weighing heavily on me. “Believe what you want, Aiden. I’m not here to convince you.”
He takes another step closer, his gaze locked on mine. “You’re still after the flower, aren’t you?”
The question catches me off guard, but I don’t let it show. “Of course I am. It’s what I came for. It’s what you stole.”
Aiden’s lips curl into a bitter smile. “Stole? You were the one who wasn’t strong enough to protect it in the first place.”
My anger flares at his words, but I keep my voice calm. “We’re not doing this, Aiden. You know what’s at stake.”
“Do I?” he retorts, his eyes blazing. “Do you?”
Before I can respond, Aiden reaches into his coat and pulls out something that makes my heart stop—a small, glowing flower, its petals shimmering with an otherworldly light.
The very flower I thought he no longer had, the one I’ve been desperately searching for.
“You… you still have it,” I whisper, the realization crashing over me.
Aiden’s smile widens, and there’s a dangerous glint in his eyes. “Did you think I’d give it up so easily?”
Warrick, Willow, and Wallace all turn at the sound of my voice, their expressions darkening as they see what Aiden holds in his hand.
“You bastard,” Warrick snarls, taking a step toward Aiden. “Give it to her now, or?—”
“Or what?” Aiden snaps back, his voice dripping with mockery. “You’re going to kill me? After she just saved my life?”
Willow’s voice is cold, his gaze piercing. “You don’t know what you’re dealing with, Aiden. That flower has more power than you can comprehend.”
Aiden laughs, a harsh, bitter sound. “Power? Oh, I know exactly what kind of power it holds.”
There’s something in his tone that sends a chill down my spine. My eyes lock onto the flower, a terrible realization dawning on me. “Aiden… what are you planning to do?”
His gaze shifts back to me, and for the first time, I see the full extent of his desperation, his hunger for control. “You have no idea what this flower is capable of, do you, Windy?” he says softly, almost pityingly. “It’s not just about wishes or magic. It’s about stripping power, taking it away.”
The words hang in the air like a death sentence. My breath catches in my throat as the truth hits me like a physical blow. “No… you wouldn’t?—”
But before I can finish, Aiden raises the flower high, its glow intensifying, and in a flash of blinding light, I feel something wrench deep within me. It’s as if a part of my soul is being ripped away, torn from my very being. The pain is excruciating, a searing agony that spreads through every nerve in my body.
I fall to my knees, clutching at my chest, gasping for breath.
My magic—my lifeblood—is draining away, leaving me empty, and hollow.
I try to reach out, to grasp onto any remnant of the power that has defined me for so long, but it’s slipping through my fingers like sand.
Wallace’s voice is distant, frantic. “Windy! What’s happening?”
I can barely hear him over the roaring in my ears, the sound of my magic being torn from me. I try to speak, to tell them what’s happening, but no words come out. All I can do is stare up at Aiden, who is watching me with a mixture of triumph and something akin to regret.
“Why?” I manage to choke out, my voice barely a whisper. “Why are you doing this?”
Aiden’s expression flickers, and for a moment, I see a flash of something human in his eyes—guilt, perhaps, or doubt. But it’s gone as quickly as it appeared, replaced by cold determination. “Because I have to, Windy. George always said you were the strongest, the one with the power to stop us all. But now… now you’re just like the rest of us.”
“No,” I breathe, the word barely escaping my lips as the last of my magic fades, leaving me cold and powerless.
Aiden steps back, the flower’s glow dimming as he lowers it. “It’s done,” he says quietly, almost to himself.
Warrick lunges at him, fury blazing in his eyes, but Willow grabs his arm, holding him back. “No, Warrick. It’s too late. The damage is done.”
Aiden looks down at me, his expression unreadable. “I didn’t want it to come to this, but you left me no choice. You wouldn’t stop.”
I struggle to my feet, my body trembling with the effort. I feel like a shell of myself, the emptiness where my magic once was threatening to swallow me whole. “You’re wrong, Aiden,” I say, my voice stronger than I feel. “I’m not done. Not by a long shot.”
Aiden’s eyes narrow. “What are you talking about?”
“I may have lost my magic,” I continue, “but I haven’t lost my resolve. I will get that flower back, and when I do, you’ll regret ever crossing me.”
For a moment, we just stare at each other, the air between us crackling with tension.
Then Aiden’s expression hardens, and he pockets the flower with a determined look. “We’ll see about that, Windy. But don’t think I’ll make it easy for you.”
He turns and walks away, his men falling in behind him. I watch them go, my fists clenched at my sides, the weight of what I’ve lost pressing down on me. But even as the reality of my situation sinks in, I refuse to let despair take hold.
Wallace steps beside me, his expression filled with concern. “Windy… are you okay?”
I nod, though the truth is far more complicated. “I will be. But first, we have to get that flower back.”
Warrick approaches, his anger still simmering beneath the surface. “We’ll get him, Windy. I promise you that.”
Willow nods in agreement, his eyes burning with determination. “He won’t get away with this. We’re with you, every step of the way.”
I take a deep breath, drawing strength from their support. “Then let’s go. This fight isn’t over—not by a long shot.”
Aiden may have taken my magic, but he hasn’t taken my will to fight. And I won’t stop until I’ve taken back what’s mine.