a shaky breath. “You can sacrifice my crow.” Who was the nut job now? “I’ll flip her to you, and you can offer her to the creek.”
“Alice, no. Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Ridiculous?” Her voice cracked. “You can sacrifice your life, but it’s ridiculous for me to offer my crow? Do you hear yourself?”
“I offered my life in a tantrum. I knew it wouldn’t be accepted.”
“Did you?”
He clenched his teeth. “No, not really.” He cut his gaze to Marty before returning to her eyes. “It’s my magic that must be sacrificed. The creek won’t accept yours.”
“It will. We’re connected, you and me. My crow has bonded with you, remember? She’s a part of you, as you’re a part of me.”
“Your crow is who you are.”
“It’s part of who I am, but it’s not all of me.”
He shook his head and moved toward her. “I won’t let you sacrifice yourself for my shortcomings.”
Alice fisted her hands on her hips. “You don’t get to make that decision, mister. I’m going to flip you my bird, and you’re going to give her to the creek. End of story.”
“Alice…”
“I can save the creek. Let me.” She straightened her spine. “Take my crow.”
Her chest burned, electricity shooting down to her toes as her crow magic broke free from her body. Donovan stiffened, and his aura sparkled green before he transformed into her crow right above the water.
She should have considered the fact Donovan hadn’t practiced using her wings like Megan had because, boy, oh boy, making him shift over the water was a mistake.
He flapped wildly, the wings picking up water as they slapped the surface, soaking the feathers through and weighing him down. If he thought flying dry was difficult, flying wet was like moving through a Jell-O mold. He went under, his beak breaking the surface and letting out a grating caw as he flailed.
“Crap on a cracker. I should’ve taught you to fly first.” Without its magical properties, the creek would drown him. Alice jumped into the water, her feet sinking into the gooey mud near the bank. “Ick!”
She sloshed her way to the center of the creek and plucked Donovan from the stream, holding him—her crow—in both her hands. He shook, sending droplets flying into her face.
Alice sputtered and lifted a shoulder to wipe her eye. “Give her to the creek.”
He looked at her, cocking his little head, and cawed.
“Please.”
With a nod, he used her hands as a springboard and dove beak-first into the water. Golden light flashed beneath the surface. A single, bowling ball-sized bubble rose to the top and popped. Silence.
Alice’s heart lodged in her throat, and she plunged her hands into the creek, frantically searching either for her crow or the man, whichever form Donovan was in.
“Where is he?” Marty called from the bank.
“I don’t know.” She spun in a circle and dropped to her knees, reaching her hands into the water all around her. “You better not have taken both my crow and my boyfriend! He didn’t mean it when he offered his life.”
Tears filled her eyes as she slipped on the muddy bottom, scrambling to her feet. “Please.”
The water in front of her pulled away as if one tiny section of the creek was shifting flow. Then it swirled in a glittering whirlpool of magic.
The surface broke, and Donovan shot up, gasping for breath as a wave rushed toward them. The impact knocked Alice off her feet. She went under, the force of the flow carrying her downstream until her back met a massive rock.
She fought to right herself, but the water flowing over her head held her down. She couldn’t breathe, and at this point, a normal person would have panicked. But a sense of calm washed over her instead. Yep, she’d definitely earned a place in the mixed nut jar.
As she gazed toward the surface above, she could just make out the light of the moon. Then, to add to the crazy, the water seemed to gather in the light, forming the image of a woman’s face.
This was it. The lack of oxygen to her brain was making her hallucinate. It wouldn’t be long now before she gave the bucket the boot. Please let me get out of this alive. Donovan and I will live as mundies for the rest of our lives if you’ll spare us and the town.
The woman’s face in the water smiled. “Your sacrifice has been accepted. A healing spell must be cast upon the creek, and all will be as it