Chapter 207: Challenge Accepted
"Odette Dumont!" Mom's power rose, flooding her with light, driving the werewolves and vampires back from the circle of energy her magic created. "Your challenge is accepted."
Gram snarled her fury, holding back her magic by only a hair's breath.
Syd, Mom's mind touched mine, no matter what happens, I love you and always will.
She cut me off before I could answer, hold onto her, deny the message she'd sent.
"I demand the right of single combat." Mom's hair rippled as if a strong wind toyed with it. "No need to draw our covens into a war. Only we two need to decide this fight."
Odette's smile was feral, her real face showing through, though I was sure she allowed it to this time. "Agreed."
"Mother," Andre tried again, but Odette swung one hand, striking him across the face. He fell back, his resentment and anger clear.
"I accept!" Odette's magic rose as Mom's had, surrounding her in a pulsing column of lavender and blue.
Hands fell on me, pulled me away. I looked up at Dad in real panic.
"She'll be fine," he said, eyes locked on Mom. "Your mother is stronger than we both know."
I hoped he was right. But the Dumont coven was massive, their power ancient. I could see it in the towering column of writhing energy, their family magic a snarling, angry twister ready to destroy Mom and claim the rest of us. The clear blue of our power hovered around Mom, a quarter of the size, but shining so brightly I could barely look. Threads of white, amber and green magic flowed like rainbow ribbons through it, flickering and sparkling. It was so beautiful I found myself in tears as the intensity of it forced me to look away.
But not far. My eyes settled on Gram where she stood just outside the rising bubble of power enveloping Mom and Odette in a half circle dome of protection. I let my magic out, helped to feed it. We on the outside were the only thing between the real world and the massive amounts of power about to be expended inside the dome.
I clenched my hands at my sides and willed Mom to win. It would mean a massive shift in power. We Hayles would gain the entire magic core of the Dumont family along with the over four hundred witches who called that power home.
Of course there was the alternative. I swore to myself I'd never bow to Odette. If Mom lost, if something happened, I'd leave rather than call myself a Dumont.
Which meant Mom had to win.
Movement caught my attention. My gaze fell to Celeste. She stared with great intensity at the women inside the dome, for the first time her naked need showing on her face.
Purity, Gram's mind touched mine. Now you know.
She might as well have slapped me, I'd be less shocked. But it made total and complete sense. Of course. Celeste had been a Purity witch.
For the first time ever, I understood her. Didn't agree with her methods, but knew if I was in her position I would have done all I could to punish the one who destroyed my family.
Which made Celeste even more dangerous than ever.
I didn't have time to process it any further. The two columns of family magic were rising, both women buffeted by the elemental power they called. Odette spread her arms wide, the tornado of magic thrumming with power.
I watched Mom do the same. And received my second shock. Our magic, the center of who we are, answered her call. Had she held it back on purpose? I think she did. For as she summoned it to battle, the familiar magic I'd known all my life grew and grew.
And grew.
Massive and powerful, it overshadowed the best Odette could call up, a shimmering waterfall of pulsing light and sound. I could hear it singing as Mom set it free at last.
The look on Odette's face? Priceless.
Mom's laughter was so happy I thought she'd cracked up like Gram. "Confused, Odette? You shouldn't be. Did you really think I'd show you all that my power had to offer? For one witch?" The test. Quaid. My mom was sneaky.
Freaking awesome.
"You..." Odette sputtered and paled as her magic slowed its swirl. "It's impossible!"
"No," Mom said, "on the contrary. I have the love and respect of my coven, Odette." The family magic surged, its voice making me tingle, goose bumps rising, a smile wreathing my face as tears poured down from the sheer joy of it. "Your only have fear."
Gram did a jig, laughing so loudly her voice cracked into a harsh cackle.
"Miriam," she said, "you're the best daughter a mother could ever have."
Was that surprise of her own on Mom's face? A flush of happiness? It didn't matter. Not really. Because our power was surging forward, wrapping itself around the magic of the Dumonts. Odette shrieked wordlessly as her lavender magic began to retreat, pulling free in Mom's grip.
The old woman fell to her knees even as she fought, writhing and screaming until she was hoarse, clawing at the dirt, then the air, as the magic surrounding her thinned to a thread.
With barely an effort, hardly a fight, Mom was about to win.
A clap of magic with the weight of thunder in it staggered all of us. The dome surrounding Mom and Odette collapsed, the Dumont magic snapping free of Mom's grip and slamming back into the old woman.
Before I could act or think, still trapped in the world of what happened, a huge shimmering shield burst into life around the entire parking lot, trapping us inside.
My demon snarled. Shaylee screamed her protest. But my magic was still and silent. And from the looks on the faces of everyone around me, I wasn't the only one.
***
