Chapter 45: Chapter 45

Fallon POV

Grace and a strange-looking bald man took me from my home. I hope Ryan is okay. I know Grace put a spell on him and me. I am supposed to be so powerful, but I cannot protect myself or my home. What good am I as a reaper?

"You still haven't tapped into all of your power. That is why you are weak," a voice growls at me.

I hear drops of water hitting metal. I look, hoping the ancestors are coming to rescue me, but it is water pouring in from above me. I am underground. That is why it is so cold.

"Who are you?" I ask the woman. She steps into the light so I can see her better. She is thin with long red hair. It is the girl from the gas station.

"I knew who you were the first time I saw you. You are here to screw up the life we have. You want to reap the ones who step out of line and kill Umbra. That is why you must die. I told mother you would never come over to our side," she says.

"I am sorry. Who are you?" I ask her.

She leans in close to me, smiling. "I am Jenny, daughter of Umbra and your worst nightmare, sweetie. I am here to kill you. After I kill you, then we will go after your family and that cute little husband too. I should have killed him when we took you, but there was no time," Jenny says.

I know she is trying to get a rise out of me, but I remain calm. I can tap into my power and get out of here. I can save my family. I can call the ancestors. I wonder why she is so confident in her ability to kill me.

"Why do you want to kill me? I thought Umbra needed me," I question Jenny.

A door opens, and Umbra appears. "I know you will never be with us, not now. You know I killed your parents and your birth parents, well, everyone except your real father, but no worries, he will be dead by dawn," Umbra says. She smiles at me and tilts her head. She is trying to make me angry, also. They need me mad so they can take my magic, but that will not happen.

The two of them charge at me and begin their assault. I remain silent, closing my eyes and thinking of Ryan. As my thoughts spin of Ryan and I, our wedding, the first time we made love, and our future, I hear his voice. Ryan is coming for me, and he has my family with him.

"She is not breaking," Jenny complains.

"She will," Umbra barks at Jenny.

Lucky for me the two back off and leave me alone. I feel as if my face might be swelling, but there is no way for me to look at or even touch my face. With my arms tied behind my back, I am an easy target for them. I am afraid to use my magic or tap into it at all. I cannot risk Umbra or Jenny draining my magic from me or killing me to get it.

I wonder if when my mother died, did she try to take her magic, only to find it was stored somewhere. My mother knew they were coming for her, but she did not fight either. She knew this would happen. My amulet is still around my neck, hanging low against my heart.

I close my eyes and imagine my mother's magic. Please, mother, I need your magic to survive this. The amulet breaks free from my body, and my mother's magic spills into me. As the magic begins to take over, my chains break, and I am free.

Jenny rushes into the room. "NO!" she screams.

"Yes," I say, smiling at her.

"I want that amulet," Jenny says. She walks toward me, but now I am more powerful than any witch in the city. I will kill them all and enjoy it for what they did to my family.

Jenny rushes toward me. I put out my hands and freeze her without saying a word. Jenny falls to the ground. "UMBRA!" I call out for her.

There is a commotion above me. Ryan and my family have arrived to save me. I rush up the steps and run into Umbra. "I am not chained this time, Umbra. Are you going to fight me now?" I ask her.

Umbra reaches into my chest and grabs my heart. "You will die. Even if I go with you, I want you dead," Umbra says.

I can feel her hand wrapped around my heart. I look over to see Ryan and Libby. There are dead witches everywhere, followers of Umbra. She will get away again. Ryan will not risk my life to kill Umbra, but I will.

I grab Umbra's hand. "We will die together," I say, pulling Umbra to me. I reach into her chest and hold her heart in my hand. We both will die. Ryan stands back, hoping this standoff with pass without death, but I know death is coming, and I am ready for it.

"I love you," I say to Ryan as I increase the pressure on Umbra.

The rain begins to fall, and the ancestors appear. It is about time they showed up. They stand behind Umbra for a moment, looking the situation over, and then Onya grabs Umbra's arm and pulls her arm out of my chest. As Onya pulls her back, I let go of Umbra. The Ancestors attack Umbra. I hear her screams as I lose my balance.

I fall to the ground. "Am I dying?" I ask as Ryan rushes to me and takes me into his arm.

I look around my Mother Agnes but do not see her anywhere. My chest hurts, and I want to talk to her. I want to tell her how much she means to me. I look into Ryan's eyes, and he is not crying or upset.

"Hold still. I can help you," Ryan says.

Ryan takes a rock, amulet, or something and pushes it into the hole Umbra made. My chest begins to burn, and I scream out in pain. "STOP IT MAKE IT STOP!" I scream.

Ryan holds me. I tune out the sounds of Umbra dying and focus on Ryan holding me. "Mother Agnes saved you," Ryan says.

"What?" I whisper.

"Rest," Ryan says. He picks me up and carries me out of the basement.