Chapter25: Impossible Goodbyes

Maerilee I close my eyes, focusing on the magic coursing through my veins. The power is there, simmering beneath the surface, waiting for me to command it. I can feel the barrier beginning to take shape in my mind, a protective shell around this room, around my mother and family. But this time, I need more. It needs to be specific, targeted, able to allow some things in and keep others out. Food, water, air, those must pass through. But nothing else. Nothing that could harm them. The magic resists at first, slipping through my grasp like water. But I don’t give up. I take a deep breath, reaching deeper, pulling on the strength I know I have inside me. And not just my own strength, Akin’s, River’s, Brook’s, and even Permiton’s. Their magic intertwines with mine, amplifying it, making me stronger. With their power, I push through the resistance. Suddenly, I feel it solidify and obey. The barrier flares to life around us, invisible but undeniably there. It hums with energy, a quiet pulse