Rachel ran back to the park as fast as she could. Natalie and Gwen were right alongside her, though the girl was unusually quiet. I guess even she realizes just how bad this is, Rachel thought bitterly.

  They'd failed. She'd failed. She'd caused the cataclysm that swept through the town like a freak tornado. Jackson hadn't done this. It's all my fault.

  For a brief second, Rachel found herself agreeing with Omega. Who would want to let a force like this into the world? If this was what they could accomplish after only a year of magic, what horrors could she inadvertently unleash after decades or centuries? Magic didn't exist anywhere else. If she turned the tables, she could eliminate it entirely. This sort of widespread destruction and murder from so few would never occur again.

  One look at Natalie was enough to remind Rachel what was also possible. Natalie, riding atop her wolf with an eagle perched on her shoulder, represented a branch of magic wholly removed from the violence and chaos they'd been fighting. Beyond that, there was Cinza's experimental farm, her light shows, or even Rachel's own self-improvement that had nothing to do with fighting. There were still good uses for magic. The world could use those. She had to fight for those.

  Rachel emerged into the field at the same time as the trio of Greycloaks, coming out from much further down the wall of trees marking Rallsburg's border. They all reached the small outcrop of trees just as Kendra emerged, grim-faced.

  She held a limp Cinza in her arms.

  The adrenaline already pumping through Rachel's veins seemed to double up. She was at Kendra's side instantly. Cinza's face was bloody and bruised. "Is she—"

  "She's alive," Kendra reported, prompting a relieved sigh from Rufus. "The backlash was significant."

  "Home, please," Cinza mumbled feebly, twisting slightly in Kendra's arms. Her eyes were closed, but to Rachel's surprise she still maintained her echoing voice.

  Kendra noticed it too. "I believe she's performing the spell unconsciously. It's not unheard of, and I can't imagine it requires much energy. We certainly keep more than a few things active through sleep every night."

  "Is she going to be okay?" asked Yusuf.

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  "She just channeled more magic through herself than any single person has ever experienced," Kendra replied. "I have no way of knowing."

  "John, no. Come back home… They'll understand… I'll make them understand," murmured Cinza, totally delirious.

  "Was she the one keeping your home hidden?" Rachel asked Cinza's older lieutenant.

  Rufus shook his head. "She designed the magic, but any of us can keep it going if we have to."

  "Get her out of here. Take her home. She was confident Omega couldn't find it."

  "What about—"

  "She's done all she can," Rachel snapped. "Keep her safe."

  Rufus hesitated. He glanced at Aaron, who nodded in agreement. Kendra passed her over. Rufus held her very carefully, as if she were made of the most fragile glass. "I'm sorry," he murmured.

  "Go," she added impatiently. Without another word, the trio fled back into the woods, bearing their leader to safety. Rachel turned back to Kendra. "What about the rest?"

  Kendra sighed. "Hector fled as soon as he saw Omega. That broke the ritual. I could feel in the final moments that Cinza was attempting to redirect the target. She was still aiming for where we'd agreed upon, but as soon as we felt the effect expanding, she tried to push it as far away as possible. I believe she was targeting well outside of town, but the area of effect was so wide that it still managed… well, this." She looked over her shoulder, where the nearest building was perforated with holes, some as large as a car. "Dreadful."

  "Then what?"

  "Miss Winscombe and her friend attacked him. They seemed to be doing well, but as soon as they gained any advantage, he simply sped away. He tried that three times, coming back from odd angles, but we were able to spot him out every time. After that, he just disappeared."

  "Where's Hailey?" Rachel asked, looking around. They didn't seem to be anywhere nearby.

  "Ran off to help the wounded, I believe. They went straight into town while I kept watch over Cinza."

  The sound of a helicopter drew their attention. "I thought he already left?" Rachel muttered, shading her eyes from the sunlight as she tried to spot it. The sound only lasted a few minutes before it faded away.

  "Can we call in any assistance? At this point, I'd feel emergency response would be beneficial," Kendra suggested. "People are going to be needing shelter, food and water, depending on how much was just destroyed. It's not as though we can hide this anymore."

  Rachel shook her head. "Check your phone." As she'd expected, Kendra's phone was totally unresponsive.

  "Hm."

  "The cell tower was destroyed."

  Another scream from the town, much closer than before. Natalie looked worried, which had Rachel even more concerned. The girl hadn't said a word since they'd reunited back in the forest, and she wasn't normally so quiet. Something had happened out there, but Rachel didn't have time to find out what—as the loud scrape and crunch of a collapsing building reminded her.

  She took off toward the sound with Natalie hot on her heels. No matter what she might be feeling and heedless of the potential danger, Rachel was still going to try and save the people of Rallsburg.