She tried to push her way past Durant, but he wouldn’t budge. “Are you sure?” “I was able to bind one of the infected.” Everyone appeared stunned. “What did you learn?” “Those bitten aren’t suitable hosts. The wild magic is consuming their magic faster than they can gather more. Once it’s taken everything, it will jump to another host.” Heloise paled. “After which, rapid aging will kill them within a matter of hours.” The future for those who’d been bitten was bleak, unless they could figure out an alternative. “The cave is an incubation center. If the Prime just waits, you’ll all be infected or dead soon enough.” “Releasing the ancient magic would create a scourge over the earth.” “I could try to absorb as much magic as possible and fight the Prime.” The witches backed away, horrified at the prospect of losing their powers, even temporarily. Durant stepped closer until she was pinned between him and the wall. “You’d burn out.” “But maybe I could kill the Prime first.”
