chapter 84

Imogen’s POV

Theo's grip on my wrist made me realise what I was about to do. Giving Tobias enough time to

reach me. Tobias gripping my wrist along with him but, the darkness was stronger as it surged

through me. Sparks moving up my arm from their touch, and I could feel Tobias and Theo lending

me their strength through the bond as I fought against the darkness. Encouraging me to fight

against it, to fight for them.

“You don't want to do this Imogen,” Tobias said his grip tight on my arm. I felt like I was stuck,

not able to move, frozen in time, when I felt the fog rush over me. Only this time I didn't shake it off,

I let it move over me, letting it relax me and I throw all my focus on the feeling of the fog calming

and muting my thoughts that were racing. I relaxed and took a deep breath concentrating on my

breathing and I felt my hand release Theo and I fell backwards on the grass. Theo panting as he

caught his breath, Tobias laying flat on his back, and I knew he could feel the pain Theo was in.

Yet I could still feel the darkness trying to force its way back, force its control over me as the

storm above us raged to magnitude levels. Theo regaining his strength sat up and brushed his hand

over mine, but I pulled mine away, I feared what I could have done to him. I did this, and I finally

understood what Theo meant. I was addicted to the power, addicted to the feeling it gave me. And

when I was like this, I forgot who I was, forgot what they mean to me.

“I'm okay Imogen,” he said trying to reassure me. I shook my head. Guilt eating away at me, I

could have killed him, and destroyed Tobias because I let my emotions get the better of me, let the

magic have the control it wanted. But most of all, I was losing who I was to something that was

going to destroy me and those I loved. I felt Tobias brush his hand down my back as Theo crouched

in front of me. Torn between what I knew I needed to do and what I craved. I craved the power that

was within me, like a drug. A drug I didn’t want to admit was a problem

Yet my love for them outweighed it. I know if I let the magic have control, if I give in to it. I

wasn't only going to lose myself; I knew I was going to lose them too. That wasn't a sacrifice I was

willing to make.

Everyone has a breaking point, and I knew I reached mine already, and I know they weren't far

off from theirs. I know the decision they would make, and it would be the same for me if our roles

were reversed. I would turn my back on them for the sake of our son. Thinking of Thaddeus, I felt

tears run down my face; I was angry with myself and what I allowed myself to become.

“We are going to work this out Imogen,” Theo said. Making me look at him. Theo was drenched

in blood and I did that to him, and he was still here trying to make me feel better even though I hurt

them. He was right, we were going to work this out, but in this moment, I was a danger to them, a

danger to myself. Theo and Tobias must have sensed my guilt as they both tried to reach for me,

but I shook them off.

“Run” I don't know what made them move, Theo and Tobias were suddenly gone from my side.

I wouldn't risk it taking over. I won't risk losing them when they are all I have left.

Feeling it running over me white hot and angry, the storm reacting to my emotions as I felt it

hit me. The pain rippling through me as I felt it strike me down. Pulling all the energy from the

storm, I directed it to where I stood. I screamed when I felt it zap through me. The pain wasn't like

anything I had felt before. The sort of pain where you wished for death just so it would be over with.

Every muscle in my body tensed and spasmed. Pain shooting down my neck as I felt the power

burning up and sizzling, burning hot like lava. The pain crippled me, as I felt the magic leave me.

Forcing it back into the broken bracelet that sat on my wrist. Now I know why Witches have

talismans.

Sometimes the power is more than we can handle and as much as I want it. I can't control it.

My magic wasn't worth losing everything. Wasn't worth losing them. When I felt the last remnants

of my magic travel down my arm and creep out my fingertips. I felt this emptiness before I felt my

body give in to the pain radiating throughout me. I felt like my soul was being sucked out of my

body. My magic had become such a big part of me, and now it was gone, I felt my fight go with it. I

could live without my magic; I couldn't live without them.

My body becoming heavy as I couldn't hang on to consciousness no longer and I didn’t want

to. The pain becoming unbearable. I just hope that when I wake up, it doesn’t hurt anymore, and I

can't hurt them anymore. The last thing I remember is feeling slight relief as I felt familiar sparks of

the bond travel over my body as I felt I was being lifted before I see the darkness of

unconsciousness.

Tobias's POV

I watched as she lost control, one minute she was fine, the next I could feel the darkness

swirling within her. She was a ticking time bomb about to explode. Theo knows firsthand what the

darkness is capable of, and I could feel his fear coming through to me as he watched as her eyes

blazed. The entire house shaking and the power flickering. It worried me that the entire place was

going to come down around us as the house rocked violently. Theo glanced at me and I knew what

he was going to do, although I was anxious about him being close to her while she was like this.

Thaddeus screamed loudly from the noise, stirring in my arms, Theo reacting quickly as he

grabbed her, a blur flying past as he ran her outside. Dad and Mum looking on helplessly, unsure of

what was going on. They knew she had dark magic but hadn't seen the destruction she could cause.

Handing Thaddeus off to my mother, I ran to help Theo, knowing he would be the first one to cop

the brunt of her anger. What I wasn't expecting to find as I ran out was that Imogen had her hand in

his chest, about to rip his heart out. I watched horrified as the two people I loved most in this world

were on the verge of destroying each other. Imogen glanced toward me as we came out, my

mother screaming as she witnesses Imogen lose control.

Theo noticing her distraction grips her wrist, giving me enough time to reach her. The power

surging through her was stronger than both of us put together. I could feel through the bond she

trying to fight against it, it was losing battle. Panic seizing me as I watch her fight herself.

“You don't want to do this, Imogen” I tell her, and I could feel she didn't want to do it. I pulled

against her, but it was like pulling on a brick wall and I don't even think it was her anymore but the

magic drawing energy from Theo feeding into her magic. I could feel her trying not to give in, feel

Theo's agony through the bond. When I felt his grip slip slightly, I watch as his eyes glaze over and I

watch as he tries to compel her.

She notices the fog and I could feel it breaking down her barriers. Not because he was stronger,

but because she was letting it. Imogen didn't want to hurt him and when I felt her relax, I knew he

had her. She let go, and we both fell backwards. I watch her become plagued with guilt, feel it rush

over her, and I feared what she would do next as I felt her slip into an overwhelming depression.

We both tried to reassure her, tried to let her know we could help her. Something shifted inside

her. Something that scared me. I never felt her this sad and lost, yet there was also a determination

in her and I couldn't understand the intention behind it until it was too late. Theo flicking through

her thoughts before realization dawned on him at the same time, she whispered one word. “Run.”

I wanted to stop her, wanted to help her find another way, but Theo stood up and shoved me

back just as the lightning struck her. Pinning her in place, I watched as it wrapped itself around her

like a lasso spreading over her skin. Her eyes glowing brightly as she screamed in agony. Her pain

overwhelming her, and I felt Theo drop through the bond. Imogen'’s pain bringing us to our knees

as we watched her suffer. The electricity burning her skin and wrapping around her before I see the

bracelet on her wrist glow angrily and I figured out what she was doing. She was sending it back.

Letting it go, even though it was destroying her to do so.

I couldn't catch my breath. Feeling her agony through the bond made it hard to breathe, like

she was tearing a piece of herself away. Finally, it fizzled out the sky cleared and the gold in her eyes

was gone. She was slipping into unconsciousness and Theo got to her in time as she collapsed. We

watched a smile slip onto her face before her eyes fluttered shut, only they weren't the gold of her

magic anymore but the deep electric blue that we both loved.

My parents watched as we brought her inside. No one said anything. We didn’t have to. We all

knew what she gave up. We all know how much magic means to a witch. She may not have known

what she was for these years, but we knew that losing it would take a huge toll on her. Imogen did

it, anyway, knowing full well what she was going to lose. She did it for us, for her son.0