“And, the stronger you get, the weaker I get. It’s the Moreau way.”
Enola dropped to her knees and grabbed her grandmother’s hand. Her eyes welled with tears as she looked into her gran’s eyes. She began to sob.
“So…so, what you’re saying is, I…I’m killing you?” Enola hiccuped.
Marie reached out and caressed Enola’s face. The warmth of her gentle touch should have been soothing, but Enola felt like she was dying inside.
“Nola, baby, old age is killing me. You getting yo gifts aren’t the reason why I’m dying. It’s the reason why I’m allowed to die.”
“Gran,” Margo sobbed.
“That’s enough!” Marie snapped. “Girls, close your eyes and listen.”
Enola and Margo shared looks of confusion.
“Listen!” Marie implored.
Enola closed her eyes. At first, all she could hear was her own heavy breathing, but after a few seconds of listening, she could hear what her gran was hearing.
Chanting!
“It’s witches. They’re penetrating our protection spell. You gotta go now.”
“Gran?”
“Now, Nola! Go! Save our family!”
Enola stood. She caressed her grandmother’s face and kissed her lips. “I love you, Gran.”
“And I love you, baby. Now go.”
Enola ran to the balcony, giving Margo a moment with their gran. She helped Ruby climb over the banister before climbing down behind her. Margo soon joined them. Once their feet touched the soft grass, they took off running. As they ran towards the fishing creek, Ruby started screaming for help.
“Scream,” Ruby told them. “We need them to hear us.”
Enola did as she was told and screamed, “Help!”
They were near the creek when they suddenly ran into a wall that was unseen. Nola bounced off the wall and fell back on her rear. She hurried to her feet and reached out to feel for the wall. She punched it, kicked it, but it was impenetrable.
Enola placed her palms on the invisible barrier and squinted at something in the distance. Whatever it was, it was fast.
“Nola, we gotta break this containment spell. If we don’t, we’re done,” Ruby informed before shouting, “Hands!”
Enola, Margo, and Ruby joined hands. Ruby began to chant and, once they caught on, Enola and Margo joined in. But before their chanting could make an impact, something that felt like a bomb exploded in Enola’s head. She screamed and grabbed her head before falling to the ground. She rolled to her side, still clutching her skull, paralyzed from pain, praying that she would pass out.
Behind her, she could hear Margo and Ruby screaming. She needed to do something to help her family, but she was in agony.
Enola forced herself to her knees and used the wall to help her stand. It was then that she noticed that the fast-moving figure in the distance had gotten a lot closer.
Gideon!
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
As soon as he and his pack crossed the creek, Gideon spotted Enola and her family. Seeing Enola gave him hope that he’d be able to get to her. But when she clutched her head and fell to the ground in pain, Gideon’s heart nearly stopped. The thought of Enola in pain gave Gideon the ability to run faster than he’d ever run before. He shifted mid sprint and rocketed towards his mate.
Once Gideon was within a few feet of Enola, she stood on shaky legs before falling to her knees. Gideon tried to leap over her and kill any and every threat. Unfortunately, Gideon bounced off of an invisible wall. He heard his brother’s yelp as he hit the ground. Gabriel had obviously run into the same obstacle. Witches from every direction had closed in on Enola and her family. They were chanting spells that were rendering the Roux women powerless.
Gideon watched helplessly as Enola screamed out in pain. When she reached out for him, and he couldn’t get to her, his heart nearly shattered.
