Spring Rain

by Lizzy Ford

  His twin crouched and peered into Morgan’s face. “Bartholomew,” he said, his gaze haunted. “I’ve been here before. She has to fight him.”

  Summer knelt beside them and took Morgan’s hand.

  “She needs her fire,” Beck said, his heart dropping into his stomach as he realized he’d damned his counterbalance to becoming a vessel for Bartholomew. Morgan was clutching the soul stone hard, even in her crippled state, and he pulled her into his body. “Decker – fire.”

  His twin nodded and reached for Morgan.

  “No,” Summer said and caught his hand. “The Dark is a drug, Beck. Bartholomew can’t ever be in contact with Decker again.”

  Beck hesitated, his urgency screaming at him to hurry, and thought fast. “Okay. Take her hand, Summer. Decker, feed the flames through Summer.”

  Summer obeyed quickly, though Decker appeared less than certain about torching his counterbalance.

  “I’ll be fine,” she told him with a smile. “Beck’s magick will protect me.”

  Decker wrapped an arm around her.

  Summer burst into flames – but didn’t burn. Beck felt her draw off her own earth magick as well as his and helped guide the flames into Morgan.

  “Come on, Morgan. Fight him,” he whispered. Closing his eyes, he loosened his restraint on the Light and sent bolts of lightning into her as well.

  Roaring filled his ears, the intense combination of ice cold and blazing hot ripping through him. He didn’t try to balance the two and instead, waited for Morgan to begin pulling on the combined magick of Light, Dark and fire to protect herself. His heart raced, and he refused to let himself think about what happened if he failed to bring her back or expel Bartholomew.

  Gradually, she began to tug at the lightning and Decker’s flames, to pull them into her. Beck felt the shift, but it was faint, and the cold was gaining ground.

  “Decker … spirit,” he said to his brother.

  Unable to hear any response above the roar of magick, Beck trusted his twin to help him and waited for the connection between Morgan’s spirit and his to form.

  Silence was followed by the sounds of someone crying.

  “Morgan?” Beck said. Everything was dark, cold, quiet. “Are you here?”

  “B… beck?”

  “I’m here,” he said, relieved. “What is this place?”

  “This is where Bartholomew sends you when he claims your body,” Decker’s whisper was faint, scared. “I spent so long here.”

  “How do we get out?” Beck asked.

  “You fight.”

  Morgan’s crying had stopped. Unable to see her in the darkness of her mind, Beck ached to touch her, to hold her and tell her everything would be okay. “I can’t leave. How do I fight?” she asked.

  “Magick. Burn the darkness away,” Decker replied.

  “Summer, you here, too?” Beck called.

  “Yeah,” was the soft response.

  “How did you help Decker when Bartholomew had him?”

  He felt a tingle of earth magick in response, the first magick he was able to identify in the confines of Morgan’s mind.

  “Move towards me, Morgan,” Summer said. “I can block the Dark in Decker. I might be able to do the same for you. Can you feel it?”

  “Yes.”

  “Now fight.”

  Silence fell, and Beck began to worry that Morgan wasn’t responding. A spark lit up one corner, and he was able to see they were trapped in a square room.

  “Decker,” he whispered.

  “Got it.”

  Morgan tried again, and this time, two sparks flickered and joined into a sickly flame.

  Earth magick surrounded the flame, protecting it. Summer’s air magick fed it, and the flame grew stronger and brighter.

  “It’s working,” Morgan breathed.

  “Burn, Morgan,” Beck whispered. “As hot as you can. I’ll focus you.”

  The flame turned colors, struggling in the darkness, but growing hotter and hotter until finally, it blazed brilliant white.

  “Release,” Beck directed her.

  Whitefire smashed into him. Beck caught it and turned it on the room trapping them. Morgan began to burn white, protected by Summer’s earth magick. Within seconds, the room exploded into rainbow colors.

  The connection with Morgan severed, Beck’s eyes opened, then closed when he was blinded by the fire consuming them. Morgan was awake and tense in his arms, and he sought to see what she did, to focus the wild fire against their enemy. He watched in awe as her magick chased Bartholomew’s Dark soul through her body. He took over guiding the magick.

  The pulse of cold from the soul stone in her hand tickled the side of his mind. Joined with her still, he was able to feel what she did, and he urged her fire towards the soul stone, herding Bartholomew with it.

  Dark and Light swirled within Morgan, battling for control. He sensed Decker’s fire feeding Morgan, along with Summer helping stabilize her since Beck’s magick was concentrated in guiding Morgan’s.

  With nowhere else to go, Bartholomew escaped Morgan’s body and retreated into the soul stone. A flare of cold Dark magick passed through Morgan and Beck before it subsided.

  Gasping, Beck opened his eyes. Morgan was shaking, and her fire began to calm. He pushed soothing earth magick into her, and she relaxed against him. Summer withdrew and flung her arms around Decker, whose magick quieted instantly.

  Breathless and exhausted, the four sat in quiet for a moment, recovering from the battle with Bartholomew.

  Beck had Morgan’s closed fist in his and twisted her wrist over to gauge whether the soul stone was secure. Her white fire was concentrated on her hand.

  “Hey, Noah,” he called, twisting to see the two witchlings beside Dawn. “We need water to bind this.”

  Noah rose, his features tight, and knelt. He clasped both hands around Morgan and Beck’s and focused his cool water magick into the binding spell around the stone. He leaned back, and they both observed the flow of magick surrounding Morgan’s hand.

  “Summer!” Biji called. “Decker! You have to get Dawn to a hospital.”

  Morgan shifted in Beck’s arms. “Go.”

  His gaze went to Dawn. The woman was starting to seize.

  “I’m okay,” Morgan assured him. “Go save your baby.”

  The words terrified him. Beck released her, paused to ensure she was really okay, then crossed to Dawn. He picked her up carefully, allowing his healing magick to flow into her, and looked once more at Morgan.

  His counterbalance smiled. Summer was seated beside her, and Beck summoned his fog to sweep them away.

  Chapter Twenty Five

  Morgan watched him go and sagged when he had disappeared.

  “Is it holding?” Decker asked, eyeing her hand.

  She peered at the black stone visible through her fingers. It felt … alive. Knowing it contained a soul, she wasn’t about to let her magick settle, no matter how tired she was. “I think so. What happens now?”

  “No freakin’ idea,” he admitted. “Everyone all right?”

  Morgan blinked, aware of her surroundings once more. Biji and Noah held hands and stood a couple of feet away.

  “A few more Dark witchlings showed up. We detained them for you,” Noah pointed to several Dark witchlings pinned against the canyon wall by ice and air. “Without violence.” His gaze went to Biji.

  She grinned. “You can be trained, I suppose,” she allowed.

  Morgan smiled. Biji was blushing while Noah raised his eyebrows.

  “Decker, you need to fix this rain,” Summer murmured with a frown, gaze on the sky. The black fog had thinned out, but the clouds were still pouring down Dark-infused rain.

  “Biji, Noah, you guys wanna help?” Decker asked, looking up.

  “Yes!” both exclaimed.

  Morgan watched them step away. Summer appeared exhausted as well, and the two exchanged a long look.

  “So … this is what it’s like to be par
t of the family,” Morgan said somewhat awkwardly.

  “Yeah.” Summer smiled. “How does it feel to belong?”

  “Good.” Morgan’s throat felt tight. She cleared it. “You all were in my head.” She felt a little raw realizing other people might have seen parts of her even she didn’t know existed.

  “Don’t worry. We didn’t learn any secrets. We were trapped with you,” Summer said.

  A tornado of Darkness whipped the air of Miner’s Drop. They both turned to see the funnel created by Biji and Noah darting from the canyon into the sky. It began to suck in the clouds, swallowing them whole. Decker was at the center of the funnel, barely visible through the swirling Dark.

  “Is it always like this?” Morgan asked.

  “No. Well, sometimes,” Summer replied. “I think we should talk to Sam about the soul stone.” She pointed towards the ridgeline, where a flash of auburn stood out among the Dark and snow. “Can you walk?”

  Morgan stood shakily. Her legs were wobbly. The effort of maintaining fire magick around the soul stone was draining her quickly. She and Summer hiked out of the center of the ravine, away from the tornado gobbling up the clouds, and to the ridgeline where Sam awaited them.

  He offered a smile. You did it.

  Morgan sighed, and Summer nodded her head.

  Sam chortled.

  “What do we do with this?” Morgan asked and held out her hand.

  Bound by five elements, including a Light fire witchling on the equinox. The spell is extremely powerful. He observed it quietly for a moment before reaching out to take the stone. I feel it is better off with my kind than humans this time around. This binding is solid. It will likely anger my kind, but … He shrugged. … you all have earned peace. It is our turn to step up and help balance things.

  “You always help,” Morgan murmured.

  “We know you have rules, too,” Summer added.

  Rules are no excuse for watching people I care about suffer as you all have. Taking Bartholomew out of this world may be the only thing I can ever do to help you.

  “He’s hurt all of us,” Summer said.

  Your generation will determine the fate of Light and Dark and the witchlings as a whole. You have already exceeded our expectations. It is only fair we step up to help.

  Morgan smiled, touched by his concern. “If you change your mind, I’m here.”

  I will not. You deserve peace, fireball. He chuckled.

  It dawned on her what he was really doing: freeing her of the responsibility of the stone. Giving her the ability to be with Beck in every way, even working with him on the Light campus to help grow the Light.

  “I love you, Sam!” she said and flung her arms around him. His thick fur smelled of pine trees.

  Summer giggled.

  Go. Enjoy life. Tell the Masters to visit me when they have a moment.

  Morgan released him and stepped away, her emotions somersaulting within her at the thought of having a real life, a good life with the man she loved.

  “It might be a while,” Summer said, eyes on the cyclone at the center of Miner’s Drop.

  Morgan sank down onto a boulder, mesmerized by the scene and exhausted. Her heart ached to see Beck, to touch him so she knew he was safe and sound. Summer perched on the boulder beside her and together, they watched the Master of Dark suck every last Dark cloud out of the sky, until the rain that fell was normal.

  Chapter Twenty Six

  Beck paced in the hallway near the nursery, unable to leave the window where he could see his daughter yet pretty well freaked out by the notion he had a daughter at all.

  “Beck! You okay?” Morgan asked, appearing from the direction of the hospital interior. Her gorgeous eyes were lined with dark circles, and her fire magick was a whisper compared to its usual roar. Even her fiery red hair was wet and dripping from rain.

  He hugged her in response, and his earth magick swept into her, calming what remained of her fire. “Not really,” he whispered into her hair. “I don’t feel remotely ready for this.”

  Morgan pushed candy flames into him, and he melted against her, exhausted yet relieved to hold her again.

  “I’m so happy to see you, Morgan.”

  “Sorry it took so long. We had to wait for Decker to clean up the Dark.”

  Beck had spent a grueling four hours alone at the hospital. Dawn was taken into emergency surgery minutes after he arrived with news the baby was safe forty minutes later.

  “I thought I was going to lose both of you,” he said, unable to shake the terror at his core even though Morgan and his baby were safe.

  “I told you. I can take care of both of us.”

  He laughed.

  “Or … all three of us,” she added. Morgan pulled away from him and went to the window. “Which one is she?”

  He pointed to the little girl in a bed near the window lying on a pink blanket.

  “She’s glowing.” Morgan smiled. “We’re still protecting her.”

  Beck followed her gaze, aware of the faint glow of five elements around his daughter. “I’m so not ready for this,” he said.

  “I’ll help you.”

  “I can’t ask you to do that.”

  “You better. Who else would you ask?” she shot back, fire dancing to life in her eyes.

  Beck wrapped an arm around her, calming her agitated magick. In truth, he hadn’t thought about who was going to help him. His mother, he assumed. “It doesn’t seem right asking you to be with me when I have to raise a kid.”

  “Counterbalance. You have no choice. I’m helping you, whether you like it or not.”

  He laughed. “This coming from the girl who denied being my counterbalance a week or so ago?”

  “Everything is different now,” she murmured. “Sam took the soul stone back to his people. I can be with you now.”

  “Decker texted me. You have no idea how awesome that sounds.”

  They gazed at each other. Desire stirred despite his exhaustion, and Morgan’s cheeks turned pink.

  “So we’ll raise her together,” Morgan said. “You and me. Right?”

  “And us,” Summer said as she approached, hand-in-hand with Decker. The two were as fatigued in expression as Beck felt. “We’re a family.”

  Any fear he had of how he was going to cope began to fade. “I love you guys,” Beck said with a grin.

  “You have a name picked out?” Morgan asked.

  Beck met Decker’s gaze. “I was thinking of Nora.”

  “I like that,” Decker said. “I wish we could’ve met her.”

  Morgan gave him a questioning look. “I’ll explain later.”

  “Could we talk, Beck?”

  Beck tried not to tense. He already knew what Decker was going to ask. He squeezed Morgan then shifted away to talk to his brother.

  “Dawn’s in a coma, and you need to make a decision,” Decker said.

  Beck’s gaze went from his twin towards his daughter. Noah and Biji had joined Summer and Morgan. The three girls were talking while Noah was at the glass, gazing at his niece. As angry as he was about Dawn risking their child and trying to kill Morgan, there was a part of Beck that still didn’t like the idea of killing – or asking Decker to kill – the mother of his child. He was the Protector of Light and all that was good.

  “I can’t,” he said quietly.

  Decker didn’t appear surprised. “She’s broken every Law there is.”

  “I know and you have every right to ignore me and do what you do.”

  “You’re my brother, Beck. I’m not going to do this if you don’t want me to.”

  Beck met Decker’s gaze. “I don’t want you to.”

  “I respect that.”

  The two stood in comfortable silence. Decker cocked his head to the side suddenly.

  “I think you won’t have to worry about it anyway,” he said.

  Beck’s eyes went in the direction of Dawn’s room. Several nurses were hurrying towards it. She’d been in bad s
hape when he brought her there, barely clinging to life. He had done what he could in the short time he was in contact with her.

  A short time later, a doctor approached the four gathered at the window of the nursery.

  “Noah?” he asked, approaching the bald witchling. “Could we talk in private?”

  Beck and Decker watched. The two spoke briefly. Noah blanched, his mouth hanging open in shock as he received the news.

  Beck sneaked a glance at his brother. There had been several times when he thought he was going to lose Decker, and it tore him up. He didn’t want to know what Noah was going through at the moment, but he pitied the water witchling.

  Noah regained his composure and nodded at something the doctor said. The physician retreated down the hallway, and Noah caught himself against the wall. Biji hugged him tight.

  Morgan caught Beck’s gaze. He crossed to her, uncertain what exactly he was feeling, but aware that none of his emotions were rejoicing at the idea of losing Dawn. Tears were in Morgan’s eyes, along with pain as she gazed at Noah. Beck touched her to keep her fire from agitating him.

  Noah went back to the window to gaze at his niece. Summer took Beck’s other hand, and he glanced down at her with a tight smile.

  “She was helping me fight Bartholomew in the end,” Morgan whispered. “She wanted to save Nora.”

  “Good,” Noah managed. “I know this is for … the best. Nora’s safe now. From Dawn, from Bartholomew.”

  “She has all of us to protect her,” Beck added.

  “And the soul stone can’t hurt anyone else,” Morgan said firmly. She slid her free hand into Noah’s. “She has a good family, Noah.”

  He forced a smile. “I know.” He met Beck’s gaze.

  “That includes you,” Beck said. “We want you in her life, Noah.”

  “Thanks. I plan to be there.”

  The six of them gazed at baby Nora in silence. With mixed feelings, Beck released Summer’s hand and wrapped his arms around Morgan, grateful for those he cared about to have survived his transition to the Master of Light.

  “Hey,” Decker said.