Warwick barely had time to react as I lunged toward him, the wolf within me surging forward with a vengeance. The remnants of his spell cracked and dissolved around me, the oppressive magic that had held me captive moments ago now shattered by my defiance. His golden-green eyes widened, the flicker of fear I’d seen earlier blooming into full-blown panic.
“Stay back!” he barked, his hands crackling with magic as he raised them defensively.
But I didn’t stay back. I pushed forward, slamming into him with a force that sent him skidding across the stone floor. The orb wobbled precariously on the altar, its glow sputtering as if caught between Warwick’s control and something else-something wilder.
He scrambled to his feet, his lips pulling back in a snarl as he unleashed a wave of dark energy toward me. I ducked and rolled, the magic skimming just past my shoulder and crashing into the wall behind me. The force of it shook the chamber, but I refused to let it slow me down. The wolf inside me growled in agreement, its presence sharp and electric, filling my veins with a strength I’d never felt before.
“You think this will stop me?” Warwick growled, straightening himself and summoning another orb of energy between his hands. “You have no idea what you’re fighting against, Audrey. I have the Nexus. I have everything.”
I advanced on him slowly, my every step deliberate, my eyes locked on his. “The Nexus was never yours. You stole it, Warwick, and now it’s rejecting you.”
“You know nothing,” he spat, his voice shaking as he unleashed another attack, this one a jagged beam of energy that scorched the air.
But I was ready. Drawing on the wolf’s power, I leaped into the air, dodging the beam with ease, landing mere feet away from him. I could feel the runes in the room shifting their attention. Their hum changed pitch, resonating with a power Warwick hadn’t anticipated. He glanced toward the glowing orb on the altar, unease shadowing his features as the light pulsing from it grew erratic.
“You can feel it, can’t you?” I said, advancing again. “It doesn’t want you. It’s resisting you.”
“That’s a lie!” he shouted, though the tremor in his voice betrayed him. His magic flared again, but this time it fizzled as he tried to focus on the orb, his control slipping further with every passing second.
I pressed the advantage, circling him like the wolf I now was. “You think you’re invincible, but you’re not. You can’t bind the Nexus. It’s alive, Warwick, and it’s breaking free.”
As if in answer, the orb erupted in a burst of light, a crack splitting down its surface. Warwick stumbled back, staring at it in horror. The green glow shifted, twisting into tendrils of pure energy that began spiraling upward, filling the room with a deafening hum.
“No,” Warwick breathed, shaking his head as the energy lashed out, wrapping around his wrists, then his arms. He fought to break free, but the tendrils only tightened, pulling him toward the altar.
I watched as his arrogance crumbled, leaving nothing but desperation in its wake. He looked at me, his eyes pleading, as if I might save him. “Audrey, wait-”
But I didn’t wait. This was his doing. His hubris, his greed. And now, the Nexus was taking back what it was owed.
With a final roar, I stepped forward and placed my hands on the altar, focusing all the power I had into the runes glowing beneath my fingertips. The magic responded instantly, surging up through me and into the orb. The tendrils holding Warwick grew stronger, their glow blinding, until with a crack like thunder, the orb shattered, releasing a shockwave that shook the ground beneath us.
Warwick screamed as the energy consumed him, his form dissolving into the light. And then, just as suddenly as it began, it was over. The chamber fell silent, the runes dimming until only faint traces of their glow remained.
I staggered back, my knees weak but my resolve unbroken. The wolf inside me was quiet now, a comforting presence that lingered as I surveyed the altar. The orb was gone, its power dispersed, and Warwick… Warwick was no more.
For the first time in what felt like forever, I was free. But this wasn’t over. Not yet.
I turned toward the entrance of the chamber, the faint sounds of footsteps echoing down the stone corridor. Logan and Mal were close. And this time, I would meet them on my terms, stronger than ever.
The footsteps grew louder, their rhythm frantic, echoing against the cold stone walls. I steadied myself, my hands gripping the altar for support as I caught my breath. The destruction of the orb had drained me, my limbs trembling from the raw magic still coursing through my veins. But despite my exhaustion, I felt stronger-different.
Logan’s voice rang out before I saw him. “Audrey! Are you-” He appeared in the doorway, his eyes wide and frantic. His dark hair was disheveled, and his usual cocky demeanor was replaced with sheer panic as he took in the scene. Mal followed close behind, her short figure shadowed by Logan’s frame, her face a mask of determination.
Logan’s gaze locked on me, taking in the destroyed altar, the shattered runes, and my weakened form. His jaw tightened as he strode forward, his hazel eyes flashing with anger.
“What the hell happened? Are you okay?” he demanded, gripping my shoulders as if to make sure I was real.
I managed a tired smile, shaking my head. “I’m fine. Warwick… he’s gone. The Nexus-he tried to take it, but it rejected him. It’s over.”
Mal stepped around us, surveying the wreckage. She let out a low whistle as she crouched near the remains of the orb. “Looks like you handled yourself just fine, Audrey. Gotta say, I didn’t expect Warwick to fold so quickly.”
“He didn’t,” I murmured, meeting Logan’s concerned gaze. “He put up a fight. A hell of one. But the Nexus… it had other plans. It didn’t belong to him, and it knew.”
Logan frowned, his protective instincts warring with his curiosity. “And what about you? You didn’t-” He hesitated, his voice dropping. “You didn’t take its power, did you?”
“No,” I said firmly, stepping back from his hold. “It’s not mine to take, either. I just… I helped it fight back. It’s free now.”
Logan exhaled, relief softening the lines of his face. But Mal was less convinced.
“Free?” she repeated skeptically, her piercing gaze meeting mine. “Magic like that doesn’t just fade into the void. It’s got to go somewhere. So where is it?”
I hesitated, the weight of her question pressing down on me. She was right-the power from the Nexus hadn’t simply disappeared. I could still feel it, humming faintly in the air, like the lingering notes of a song that wouldn’t quite end.
“I don’t know,” I admitted. “But I felt it let go. It’s not bound to Warwick anymore. That has to mean something.”
Mal stood, crossing her arms as she studied me. “Yeah, and maybe that something means it found a new host. Someone who fought harder than Warwick could.”
I didn’t respond. I couldn’t. Because deep down, I felt it too-a quiet resonance within me, as if the Nexus had left a piece of itself behind.
Logan noticed my silence, his expression hardening. “We need answers,” he said, his tone brooking no argument. “If there’s still a connection between you and the Nexus, we need to figure out what it means-now. Before anyone else tries to use it.”
“And before it consumes you,” Mal added bluntly, her sharp tone cutting through the haze in my mind.
I looked between them, their worried faces a stark reminder of what was at stake. They were right-this wasn’t over. Warwick’s death might have been the end of his plans, but the Nexus wasn’t done.
“I’m not going to let it control me,” I said, my voice firm despite the doubt gnawing at the edges of my resolve. “But we have to move fast. Warwick might be gone, but he wasn’t working alone. If someone else gets wind of this…”
“Then we fight,” Logan interrupted, his hand brushing against mine. His touch was grounding, his confidence steadying. “We’ve faced worse. And whatever happens next, we’ll handle it together.”
I nodded, drawing strength from his words. But deep in my heart, I knew