Page 125 of A Bolt of Magic

“Lilith, please reconsider—” Seraphina begins.

She never gets to finish.

Lightning erupts from my mother’s hands, striking Seraphina in the chest and sending her flying backward to crash into the ground with a sickening thud. She lies motionless, her body smoking.

Horrified gasps and screams fill the air as several people rush to Seraphina’s side.

Cordelia gets down on her knees. “She’s barely breathing. Get her to the healer,” she instructs. Two villagers carefully lift her unconscious form and hurry toward her house.

The crowd looks terrified now, backing away from my mother as she stands there with magic still crackling around her fingers.

“Who else dares stand before me?” she asks, her voice deadly quiet. When no one responds, a conceited smile crosses her face. “I thought not. Because I won’t be so lenient next time.”

The seconds tick by. You would be able to hear a pin drop.

At first, my mother is frowning hard, her frame rigid, then she starts to relax, a smile forming on her face.

No!

I won’t allow it.

I step forward. I have to. I can’t let her win, even if it means my death.

“I do,” I say in a voice that is far stronger than I feel.

My mother laughs, the sound sharp and cruel. “Oh, McColl. Haven’t we already established that you’re not strong enough to stand against me? You’re all alone, child.” Her eyes narrow on me.

She raises her hands, magic building between her palms. “Stand down now, or I will strike you down. And I won’t go easy on you this time, daughter. I’ll finish you once and for all. You’ve been nothing but a disappointment to me your whole life. I thought that would change, but I see that I was wrong. You won’t be missed.” She looks pointedly at Kian.

I stand tall despite the terror coursing through my veins.

“Then that’s what you'll have to do,” I say quietly, pulling up my own magic. I can’t fight back in case an innocent is injured or killed. But I can attempt to protect myself. The odds are notin my favor. “I won’t stand aside and let you destroy everything. Even if it means dying, I’ll do what’s right.”

“Very well, then,” my mother snarls, power building to deadly levels around her hands.

But before she can strike, Lydia steps forward to stand beside me.

I’m so shocked I nearly fall over.

“She’s not alone,” Lydia says. “I agree with everything McColl said. I won’t back someone like you. I hate what you have done to Kian. This is wrong. Snow needs to be stopped. I’m with you, McColl.”

“How touching,” my mother sighs. “Fine. One, two, it makes no difference to me.”

“This is insanity, Lilith.” Cordelia moves to stand on my other side. “You can’t do this. I side with McColl. You’ve left me no choice.”

My mother’s mouth drops open. “You have to side with me.”

Cordelia shakes her head. “This has gone too far.”

Morgana is next, and I smile. I can’t believe this.

Blaise steps forward, along with several other Children of the Veil, and I throw out a shocked-sounding laugh when another of The Seven joins us.

I’m not alone.

Another member of The Circle joins us, and then villagers begin leaving the crowd to stand with us, too.

Within moments, we’re no longer a handful of rebels; we’re a united front against tyranny.

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