Ty was so focused on her, watching her breathe as she prepared to begin the spell, that he made a mistake.
He didn’t hear the person’s approach until it was too late.
All of a sudden, the world around him began to move slowly—Ena opened her mouth to speak, but it was barely moving, like she was stuck in molasses.
Ty, finally sensing something was wrong, turned to look at the other witches. They, too, were so still they appeared to be frozen. Standing up, he looked to the edge of the grove to see Greya standing there, looking like she was carved from stone.
That’s when he saw her.
The matriarch of the Auster Coven emerged from the dark woods, her wrinkled face screwed up in effort as she held her hands outstretched towards them.
The matriarch’s Gift wastempus—the power to slow down time—and from the looks of it, the way she held all four witches at once, she was very powerful.
Ty’s stomach plummeted. This was the very thing he’d feared. The thing he’d dreaded—and like a fool he thought they’d avoided it.
His heart began to race, and he looked around frantically until his eyes locked with Turner’s. As daemons, they were the only ones unaffected by the matriarch’s magic, and he didn’t need to speak to know they were on the same page about what needed to happen next.
He couldn’t let her stop this. They were so close—finally. Everything he’d worked for. Everything his mother had set in motion. Everything Ena had bled for.
He wouldn’t let her take it all away, no matter who she was.
Without thinking, he moved, pulling his dagger from his belt as he stalked towards Heran.
“Stay back, daemon!” she shouted, her voice full of mettle and venom. “You will not triumph on this day.”
“Release them,” Ty said, menace in his voice. “I don’t want to have to hurt you.”
Maybe he would be able to intimidate her enough that she would drop her magic and let Ena speak to her. Maybe she could convince her. But if she’d already alerted the rest of the Coven…
“Never,” she said, her voice sounding strained. Was the use of her Gift wearing on her already? “You can never hurt me. Gaia is with me, and she will not let you descend this world into chaos.”
“This is Gaia’s will, witch. Release them and let Ena explain,” Ty said, his voice coming out angrier than intended. He felt his rage boiling inside him. He did not want to hurt her, but he couldn’t let her ruin this. This was their only chance tofixeverything.
“I don’t know what you’ve done to twist my dear Ena’s mind into believing you, but I swear to Gaia, if you—”
Ty moved closer, meaning to threaten her with his physical presence, maybe grab her and hold her arms down, when suddenly the old woman doubled over.
She cried out in pain, clutching her left arm as if it hurt, but Ty hadn’t even touched her yet.
Then everything happened quickly.
The old woman released the other witches from hertempus, and Ty heard Ena begin speaking once more.
“Wha—?” She looked around, confused at Ty’s apparent disappearance from their circle. Then her eyes landed on Heran at the same time Greya’s voice rang out.
“Heran!”
Greya rushed towards the old woman as she collapsed. She looked pale as death, her face screwed up in agony.
“Ena, help!” Greya called, her voice choked with a sob.
Ena rushed toward her sister and the matriarch, falling to her knees beside them. “What happened?” she asked frantically as she ran her hands over Heran’s face. “How did she get here? I was about to start the spell and then all of a sudden, Ty was over here.”
“She used her Gift,” Ty said, trying to explain while the old woman struggled to breathe. “She tried to stop us, and I told her to let you go, but then she collapsed.”
“I think it’s her heart,” Greya said in panic. “She’s been slowing down the last few months and I—we need to do something.”
“Run back to the house and get some herbs. Do you have any hawthorn tincture?” Ena asked Greya. Her voice shook but she spoke clearly and decisively.
