Zahara fell to her knees, palms still raised toward Kalinda and Silva. She held one, even as the lightning shocked right next to her and the earth jerked hard enough to send them all to their asses. Zahara anchored it all, worked with it, and was one.
The storm faded, leaving behind a refreshing spray of a summer shower, the sun peeking out through the trees. It was deafening, the sudden silence when there had been so much before. But in the quiet, Giuliana picked out a beautiful sound.
Breathing.
Silva inhaled, her chest rising, and when she exhaled, Kalinda drew a breath. The worked in tandem, each slowly opening their eyes as one.
“Where … where am I?”
Cheers met Silva’s hesitant question. Never in a million years did Giuliana think Zahara would be able to save both of them. Silva sat up gingerly, and Giuliana pulled the Fae into her arms.
“You scared me to death, Tinker.”
“My head hurts too bad to punch you for that, so I’ll do it later. Ugh.” Silva gasped. “Kalinda.”
“I’m here. Oof. Romano, I can’t breathe.”
“You can talk, you can breathe, mate.”
“Okay. I can’t breathe well.”
“I thought I’d lost you.”
Kalinda wrapped her arms around her mate, pulling him close. “I’m here.”
They trembled, clutching to one another. Giuliana swallowed against emotions clogging her throat. They’d almost lost Kalinda and Silva, which would have also lost them Romano. But somehow, Zahara had saved them.
“Zahara?”
The witch doctor moaned before she sat up. Giuliana choked. Zahara was changed. Her headwrap fell to the side, leaving her hair wild around her face, but it was gray. Though still beautiful, she was older. There were deep lines on the sides of her mouth and feathers of crow’s feet out from the sides of her eyes.
Silva reached for her. “What did you do?”
Zahara only shook her head, gingerly rising to her knees. Her hips popped as she moved. “Just gave up some vitality.”
“Just gave up some vitality? Are you crazy?”
The witch doctor turned hard eyes on Romano. “I can still kick your ass, pup. Want to try it?”
Even her voice was different, thicker. Giuliana shook her head. “We thank you … but—”
“My great-grandbaby needs her aunt. I wasn’t going to let her go.”
Kalinda moaned. “Oh, Zahara.”
“I’ve lived for a very long time, Ales. Life eventually catches up. I couldn’t save my daughter, but I wasn’t going to watch anyone else be taken from Dominic. Not a single person I could help. It is done.”
“You can’t do that again.”
Zahara snorted at Romano. “I can do what I want.” She tried to stand, but her legs gave up. “Except stand, it seems.”
Romano stood his mate up before he went to Zahara. He lifted her off the ground and hugged her close. “Thank you, Zahara.”
“Always. Now I must rest. It’s going to take some time to get these energies all the way appeased. Take your mate home and let your Alpha know what has happened.”
“Come with us. We can keep an eye on your recovery,” Romano returned.
“I need this place. It’s close as to possible to untamed land.”
