The Nix gasped. Her head flew back, eyes widening in shock. She whipped her head forward, lips twisting in a snarl. Her hands started for my throat, then stopped as her mouth opened and closed, gasping for breath. Her eyes met mine. I saw my daughter’s eyes, bulging, her lips turning blue. And I couldn’t do it. I stopped casting.

“No!” the voice whispered. “Keep going.”

I hesitated. I was going to kill my daughter. My daughter! No, I couldn’t do this. I couldn’t take the chance. What if—

“Close your eyes and cast. It’ll be okay.”

I gritted my teeth and forced my eyes closed. Then I restarted the cast. I could hear the Nix gasping. My daughter’s voice gasping. My daughter struggling to breathe, dying. I dug my nails into my palms and kept casting, every fiber in me tensed, waiting for that final breath.

Savannah collapsed onto me. She’d stopped breathing. I flipped her over, mouth going down to hers.

Then I saw the spirit-glow pulsing around her. The Nix. I had to stop her first. No! I had to save my daughter. I stopped, frozen, staring at Savannah and the yellowish aura leeching from her body.

Stop the Nix and you save Savannah.

I tore my gaze from my daughter and pushed to my feet. I put out my hands. My lips moved automatically in another unfamiliar incantation and the sword appeared. Hands trembling, I forced my fingers around the hilt. Then I stepped back, looked down at Savannah one last time, and swung the sword at the Nix.

I saw it connect. Saw it slice into her. Saw her throw back her head in a howl of rage. Footsteps raced down the steps. I looked up to see Lucas running down. I opened my mouth to call to him. Then everything went dark.

Chapter 51

51

“SAVANNAH!”

I jerked up my head to see the middle Fate standing at her wheel.

“Where’s—?” I began, rushing forward.

She held up a hand and I stopped as abruptly as if I’d hit a wall. With a wave of that hand, a circle of light appeared before me. In it I saw Savannah, sitting up, rubbing the back of her head, Lucas and Paige crouched beside her. The Fate motioned again, and the scene disappeared.

“Sh-she’s okay,” I said.

“She’s fine.”

“And the Nix. Did it work? Did I catch—”

“You did. She’s back where she belongs.”

I stood there a moment, struggling to take it in. When I did, I remembered the price I’d paid for this victory.

“I’m an angel now, aren’t I?” I whispered.

She nodded.

“And you can’t undo that, can you?”

A slow, sad shake of her head.