Page 42 of Villainous Greed
August’s yellow essence burst to life around us once more. The pain in my stomach and joints eased instantly. Relief flooded me. Their powers returned. August would be okay.
But August looked paler.
It seemed I had forgotten what the fear of death felt like. For so long, I wished for and welcomed death, like it was an old friend that I waited for. I forgot how badly the heart twisted, ached, and raced when confronted with it. The agony,the absolute horror that traveled up my body when I witnessed someone I loved die. I swore I’d kill August when I saw him again. I realized I must be a liar, because the thought felt like claws ripping into my chest.
“Why isn’t he healing?” I asked. “I sensed his power returning.”
“Move,” August’s mom said as she shoved one of her kids aside.
“Release me, Nova!” Joy yelled in the distance, no longer in her dragon form. “I need to help my mom heal August.”
“Quick.” August’s mom gripped my hand and squeezed it. “Despite our powers being back, he’s been without it for too long in this state.”
I released Joy, and she appeared beside me in a second. A green and white glow emanated from their palms as they held it over August’s chest. As soon as August’s wound stitched itself together, he sucked in a large breath and sat up. His mother clutched his missing limb and fussed. August Reaper wasn’t paying attention to a word she said. His stare bore into me. With his remaining hand, he reached out for me, letting his fingers graze my bare wrists. He smiled, eyes glistening, and little shocks burst through me.
The tension left my shoulders, but when I realized how relieved I was, they stiffened again. August must have noticed because he placed his palm on one, squeezing gently.
“It’s not growing back,” Melanie murmured as she stared at her son’s arm.
“I told you it wouldn’t. He would have died from the blood loss if I hadn’t frozen him,” Melinda added.
“Couldn’t you have made another healing elixir?” I butted in.
“Have you ever made one before?” Melinda stared at me with a blank expression.
I shook my head, feeling slightly heated to have to admit I hardly knew any spells besides the one causing destruction.
“Witches have limitations on what they can do. Not all of us are a bottomless well of magic, like you. Besides, my strength comes from what I can see. EvenifI had the opportunity, I wasn’t meant to make two.”
So, the witch was basically telling me she could but chose not to.
Maureen glared. “You mean—”
“If Nova didn’t see the lengths August would go to save her, we might be dead this day,” Melinda finished.
There was a thickening silence in the air.
My chest tightened uncomfortably the longer the witch stared. Was she saying I would have killed them? Bile rose in my throat as I realized I would have. The hatred inside me still burned bright. But something must be a little brighter inside me. I didn’t kill August or his family. I’d imagined hurting August in so many ways. And yet, I had been terrified of him dying.
August lifted my chin, and I smacked his hand away. “Careful. That’s the only one I have left.”
I tensed, and the sharp twists of discomfort hit my stomach. Was I feeling guilty? When he reached out for me again, I honestly didn’t know what to think.
A large crack pierced the air. I turned, then erected a barrier around us as the debris blew from Harvest’s chamber.
“You don’t need the barrier. Harvest is gone,” August said. “I don’t sense him anymore.”
Hades, I forgot about Harvest. But then I remembered Isabella and the youngest sister. Those two were in the most danger. “Where is the youngest one?” I asked.
Joy frowned. “Youngest?”
“Your little sister,Kara.”
“Do you think he’ll go after Kitty?” August asked.
I searched through those gathered until I found Sebastian and Isabella. “Yes, he will. If given a chance, he’ll steal Isabella too.” Sebastian hugged Isabella to him as his jaw tightened.
“Kitty should be inside with the others,” Barron stated, but his parents had left when I mentioned her. He disappeared as soon as he finished talking.