With a final, wary look at the two men standing protectively behind Trent, I closed my eyes. Stealing myself, I reached out and touched my will to the line.

Power, heady with intent, surged into me. My pulse leapt, and I think I staggered. Breath fast and shallow, I held up a hand to keep Edden from touching me. I had heard him stand. As he shot hushed questions at Nick, I hung my head and did nothing, riding the surges of power rising through me in ever stronger pulses. They backwashed at my extremities, my head throbbing in hurt as they rebounded and crashed into the continuing inflow. I felt a moment of panic as it grew, and grew, and continued to grow. Just how strong was this thing?

I felt like an overinflated balloon and it seemed I was going to burst or go insane. This, I thought, almost panting, was why ley line witches have familiars. Their animal companions filtered the raw energy, their simpler minds better able to handle the strain. I wouldn’t make Nick take my risk. I had to take it all. And I had yet to actually step into the line. How much more potent it would be then was anyone’s guess.

Slowly, the demanding influx ebbed, becoming almost bearable. Tingling from the inside, I took a breath that sounded suspiciously like a sob. The balance of energy finally seemed to have equalized. I could feel the wisps of my hair that had escaped my braid tickle my neck as the wind from the ever-after lifted past and through me.

“My God …” I heard Edden breathe, and I hoped I hadn’t just lost his trust. I don’t think he truly understood how different we were until that moment, seeing my hair move in the breeze that only I could feel.

“Not much of a witch,” I heard Jonathan say, “staggering in a power drunk at noon.”

“It would be if she were tapping it like most people,” came Quen’s throaty whisper, and I strained to hear him. “She’s not using a familiar, Sa’han. She’s channeling the entire bloody line by herself.”

Jonathan’s intake of alarm sent a surge of vindication through me—until he followed it up with an urgent, “Kill her. Tonight. She’s not worth the risk anymore.”

My eyes almost flew open, but I held them shut so they wouldn’t know I had heard. My wildly pounding heart sounded loud in my ears, adding to the slow swelling of ley line force still trickling in. “Jonathan,” Trent said, sounding tired. “You don’t kill something because it’s stronger than you. You find a way to use it.”

Use me? I thought bitterly. Over my dead body. Hoping it wasn’t a premonition, I lifted my head, crossed my fingers for luck, prayed I wasn’t making a mistake, and entered the ley line.

My knees buckled as the power swelling in me vanished with a painful suddenness. It was gone. The uncomfortable influx of ever-after was gone. Not believing it, I stood, realizing I had fallen to one knee. I forced my eyes to remain shut lest I lose my second sight, slapping away Edden’s hand gripping my shoulder.