Page 80 of Torn Ivy
Chaos is never meant to be in one place, Tate Blackwell. It cannot be contained.
I roll my eyes as Death’s voice resounds in my head. “Right. Fine. This has to be a combination of things, then. All of the things we did made this timeline. So we have to undo it all. I have to die; Ivy has to stay torn apart…” I shake my head. “It’s not an option!” I coil my magick again and throw it with the feeling of utter rage that has descended over me.
The magick bolt flies from my hand, crackling with uncontrolled power. For a moment, I think it will miss the wall entirely. But at the last second, it curves impossibly, slamming into the smallest target dead centre.
The impact is explosive. The entire wall shatters, and chunks of concrete fly in all directions. I quickly throw up a hasty shield to deflect the debris.
As the dust settles, I stare in shock at the destruction. That single bolt held more power than anything I’ve ever channelled before.
“What the fuck?” I mutter.
My magick isn’t weaker or unpredictable. It’s raw, untamed. Without the emotional core I sacrificed, there’s nothing holding it back.
I look down at my hands, still crackling with energy. For the first time since waking up after the ritual, I feel a flicker of real fear.
This power, unchecked by conscience, as morally grey as that was, is dangerous. I’m dangerous.
Death’s words echo in my mind.Fight for what you’ve lost. Reclaim your soul.
I clench my fists, extinguishing the magick. As much as I hate to admit it, the bony bastard is right. I can’t go on like this; a hollow shell with more power than control.
I need to find a way back to who I was. For my own sake, and for Ivy’s. Even if that means I have to die, I know I can’t live like this.
39
IVY
I strokethe smooth scales of my new companion, feeling a sense of calm wash over me. The snake coils tighter around my neck. Its presence is oddly comforting.
“Ivy, please,” Bram says, his voice tight with worry. “That thing could be dangerous.”
I tear my gaze away from the serpent to look at him. The concern in his eyes should move me, but I feel oddly detached. “It’s not dangerous,” I say softly. “Not to me.”
Torin takes a step closer, his fangs peeking out as he speaks. “You don’t know that. This snake came from Ancient Fae magick. It’s unpredictable.”
I ignore him as Cathy frowns at me, lowering her hook slightly. “Ivy, honey, I know everything feels confusing right now. But we’re just trying to help.”
“I don’t need help,” I snap, surprising myself with the vehemence in my tone. “I need you all to back off and let me figure this out.”
The snake hisses softly, as if in agreement. I stroke its head, marvelling at how its scales shimmer under the dim light of the darkened room.
I glance out of the window and see the snow falling. It’s pretty. I remember snow. I may not remember the people around me, but I remember things and places. I remember snow. Getting up unsteadily, my legs still feeling like jelly, I hobble to the window, hissing at anyone who comes near me to help me. Staring out over the pure white landscape, I shiver. I don’t know what, but something doesn’t feel right about this.
I press my hand against the cold glass, watching my breath fog the window. The snow falls silently outside, blanketing everything in white. It’s beautiful but eerie. Something about it feels off, unnatural.
“It’s never snowed this early before,” I murmur, more to myself than the others.
I can feel the tension ratchet up a notch behind me, but no one says anything. I turn back to face them, the snake tightening its coils around my neck. “What exactly did you do to bring me back?”
They exchange uneasy glances. Torin draws in a deep breath, his expression grim. “We tapped into some very dark, very old magick. It was dangerous and probably illegal.”
“Probably?” Cathy snorts. “Try definitely. We’re lucky we didn’t blow up half the realm.”
I frown, trying to piece together the fragments of memory floating in my mind. “I was scattered across different dimensions.”
Bram nods. “Your essence was torn apart. We had to pull you back together.”
“Why?”
