They said he had a destiny.
That one day he would face a great evil and all the world would hang in the balance.
This boy was loved.
And he loved in return. With everything he had.
And he remembered how it felt.
The magic that arced within him like lightning.
He thought, It isn’t fair.
It isn’t fair.
It isn’t fair.
And it wasn’t. Because the gods had taken his choice away from him.
So I did the only thing I could.
I took it back.
I raised my arm, palm skyward, even as I thought, No, no, no, this isn’t the way, this isn’t the way.
The corona that spun in my hand was brighter than anything I’d ever seen, like I held a star. The magic rushed through me and the corona began to cascade downward like a waterfall, the drops of light spreading along the ground, pulsating slowly.
They had taken from me. I would wipe them all out. Kill every single one of them and bring back my love while leaving nothing but ash in my wake.
The bird had come back.
Ryan would too.
They would die.
They would all die and—
If I could
have you remember one thing, it would be this: a wizard isn’t as strong as the magic he uses. It’s the magic he doesn’t use that’s a measure of true strength.
The star in my hand faded. I lowered my hand.
Myrin laughed. “You can’t even—”
I said, “Kevin. Fly.”
The dragon spread his wings as he reached out and snagged Dimitri.
I heard my best friends shout for me, but they faded away as Kevin rose into the sky.
I looked back at Myrin.
I felt his magic gathering, that fierce yellow infection mixed with homehomehome that never belonged to him.
He snarled, “You cannot defeat me.”
I rolled my eyes. “Dude, you’re such a godsdamn cliché. Fuck off and die.”