Page 80 of The Mating Frenzy
He dropped her hand. Ella pointed her finger at the sticky mess on the floor. White light ringed her hand, and power surged through her like thousands of electrical lines. It did not hurt, only felt right, as if she could take on the world. She thought of the white light engulfing Danica, and then the mess on the floor suddenly began tomove.
Surging upward. Taking shape. Horrified, she realized she was not destroying Danica. She was resurrectingher.
“Banish her Ella,” Kieran yelled. “Now! Give it all youhave!”
Ella threw a bolt of energy at the rising Danica. The gooey mess vanished, leaving nothing behind but a cleanfloor.
Darcy whistled. “Wow, that’s some magick,Ella.”
She beamed. “I did it. Now I can save mymom.”
Kieran shook his head. “Before you save your mother, you must eliminate the crystal. It cannot be done here, for you risk harming us. It is far too dangerous to leave in this world. Transport yourself and the crystal by thinking of the most inhospitable place you canimagine.”
She gazed at him uneasily. “How can I do this if you’re not there to guide me? I need you,Kieran.”
He drew in a breath. “Then I will go with you, Ella-mine.”
Palming the crystal in one hand, Ella took his other hand. She closed her eyes and thought of a desolate, barren desert where she could harm no living thing. Power engulfed her and she felt herself rushing through time andspace.
Opening her eyes, she saw a giant void, tawny sand dunes surrounding them. The great sand sea of northern Africa. Wind sent sand stinging into her eyes, lashing against herskin.
“This will hurt, Ella,” he yelled over the noise of the wind. “Summon the inner fire you have, and aim it at the crystal. You must throw everything you have at the crystal. It will burnyou.”
She had no desire to experience pain. But she knew he was right about destroying it. She could not allow it to fall into enemyhands.
Ella placed the crystal on the sand as Kieran stepped back. She thought of herself as pure energy, white-hot light that would shatter the strongest diamond. Power surged again inside her, so much that it felt like her skin burst. Suffocated with it, she gasped tobreathe.
“Now!” heyelled.
Ella pointed at the crystal, streaming all her energy at it. The crystal blew into thousands of shards of dust, and billowed with the wind sweeping over the dunes. A small burn mark appeared on her right palm. It stung as if she’d placed her hand on a flame. Tears threatened, but she willed themaside.
Kieran took her hand, turning it over gently. He kissed it, his mouth cool andsoothing.
“Fire and ice,” he murmured. “You are the fire and I am theice.”
He kissed her, his mouth soft and cooling the heat that hurt her. Then as they kissed, she thought of returning to the archives. When they broke apart, they were standing back where they’d beenbefore.
Darcy blinked. “You were gone only amoment.”
“It feels like hours,” shemurmured.
“Let’s awaken your mother.” Kieran gestured to the still form ofNellie.
“I don’t know if I can. I expended all my power in destroying the crystal.” Ella bit her lip, deeplyworried.
“No, you did not. But Gideon was wise. He knew this would happen, knew it would drain you enough to safely use your powers to warm your motherslowly.”
Kieran guided her over to Nellie. He placed her hands on her mother’schest.
The ice penetrated her skin, but soothing, warm magick chased itaway.
“Think of how much you love her. Let only love fill your thoughts, Ella-mine. See Nellie warming gently, as if she were immersed in a bath filled with bubbles and warm water. You will not harm her. You will healher.”
Letting the power surge, she realized it was coming all too quickly. Ella slammed it back as a runner would stop racing and switch tojogging.
Good thoughts.Gentle power, flow through me. Break the spell and bring my mother back tome.
A soft purple glow ringed Nellie’s body, the ice melting onto the table. Gentle warmth, as soft as Kieran’s kisses. As warm as her mother’slove.
