Alina, Mya, and Jada each took command over their designated sectors, preparing their groups for war. The air was tense, filled with the sounds of footsteps, barking orders, and weapons being readied.
Gunshots cracked through the stillness.
"Everyone, get down!" Alina shouted.
She turned to the group of witches behind her. "Witches, me and Zoey are going to hold a shield. When I give the signal, reverse the bullets. Send them back into the humans."
The witches nodded, standing tall and determined. Alina raised her hands beside Zoey, their powers intertwining into a shimmering dome of light. As bullets hit the shield, Alina's voice cut through the chaos: "Now!"
The bullets whipped back at the attackers. Ten hunters fell instantly.
But then—
Bang. Bang.
"Jace!" Zoey screamed, her eyes wide with horror. Blood bloomed across his shirt where the bullets had hit. "Nooo!"
Something inside Zoey snapped.
A rush of power exploded from her chest. Her feet lifted from the ground, and her pendant flared, casting a brilliant light. A radiant aura wrapped around her body bright, ancient, and unstoppable. With a cry of pain and rage, Zoey released a shockwave that ripped through the battlefield, disintegrating the remaining hunters in an instant.
Then everything went black.
"Zoey!" Sebastian flashed forward, catching her before she hit the ground. "Everyone, inside. Now!"
The girls rushed to Jace. Alina didn't hesitate she pressed her hands against his wounds, her magic pulling the bullets out. The wounds began to close slowly.
Jace looked past them, to Zoey's still body in her father's arms. "She hasn't woken up," he whispered.
"It's been hours," Alina murmured. "She's alive… but I think the power she used it drained her."
Weeks Later
Zoey still hadn't woken up.
Jace never left her side. His hair was unkempt, eyes red from lack of sleep and too many tears.
"Please wake up, Zoey," he whispered, his voice cracking. "I miss you. This is all my fault. If I hadn't gotten shot if I hadn't distracted you…"
He gently brushed her hair away from her face before getting up and walking out, broken.
Moments later, Elaine entered the room holding a stuffed animal tight to her chest. She climbed onto the bed beside her sister and curled up next to her.
"Hey, sis," she whispered. "I miss you. Even the girls who were mean to me are worried about you. I told you you're the best. You always have been." Her small voice shook. "Please don't leave me. I just got you back."
Tears slid down her cheeks. She clutched Zoey's hand, then kissed it gently.
Their parents came in next.
Sarah's hands trembled as she approached her daughter. "Hey, sweetie," she whispered. "Please... don't leave us. I can't lose you. Not again."
Sebastian stood behind her, his jaw clenched, eyes red. "If those hunters weren't already dead…" His voice was steel. "I'd hunt them all down myself."
They stayed a while, but eventually stepped out quietly, giving others a turn.
Then came the girls.
Mya, Alina, and Jada stood at the edge of Zoey's bed, all three crying.
"We're so sorry, Z," Mya said, her voice breaking. "We should've helped you. We should've had your back, like always."
"We love you, okay?" Alina added. "Jace does too. He's been a mess."
"He's been smoking, drinking… missing school," said Jada. "But he never leaves your side."
Mya reached out and held Zoey's hand. "Please, Zoey. Wake up. We need you."