Torn Ivy (Thornfield Supernatural Academy #2)

10. Tate

10

TATE

Impressive isn’t quite the word I’d use for what we just witnessed and what we were drawn into. Terrifying, maybe. Awe-inspiring, definitely. The raw power Ivy possesses is beyond anything I’ve ever encountered, and as one of the most powerful warlocks in the realm, supposedly, that’s saying something.

“That was fucking intense,” Torin mutters, joining us. His clothes are slightly damp from helping the merpeople. “We need to talk about this.”

I shoot him a warning look. Now isn’t the time for one of his lectures about control and responsibility. Ivy needs rest and support, not criticism.

“Later,” I say firmly.

Once we get her settled on the sofa with a cup of tea, I join Torin and Bram in the kitchen, dried off with magick and looking around for something decidedly stronger than tea.

“This is bad,” Torin says without preamble. He looks pale from being out in direct sun and under that light show. It will have weakened him probably more than he is letting on. “That kind of power is not natural.”

“Nothing about this situation is natural,” I point out. “She’s literally a cosmic glitch.”

“A cosmic glitch who can tear holes in reality,” Bram adds. “Did you feel how easily she absorbed my magick? It was like throwing a match into a bonfire.”

I run a hand through my still-wet hair, frustrated. “What’s your point? We can’t exactly put the genie back in the bottle. The power’s part of her now.”

“The point is,” Torin says, lowering his voice, “we need to figure out how to help her control it before she accidentally reshapes reality or summons something we can’t handle.”

“You saw what happened out there,” I argue. “When we worked together, supported her instead of trying to contain her power, it responded to us, through her.”

“Yeah, this time,” Bram mutters. “But what about next time? What if we’re not there to help?”

The thought sends a chill down my spine. As much as I hate to admit it, he has a point. “Then we make sure we are there. All of us.”

“And Death?” Torin asks. “What happens when he finds out just how powerful she’s become? You think he’s going to let someone with that kind of power just walk around freely?”

“He already knows,” a voice says from the doorway. We turn to see Cathy standing there, her expression grim. “Why do you think he’s so desperate to either control her or take her soul? This power is beyond anything even he could’ve expected.”

“What do you mean?” I demand.

Cathy sighs, moving further into the kitchen. “We have learned from the texts Bram gave Josh that Death was once like Ivy. He rejected the power, but instead of making him safe from it, it chose him. The same is said for Ivy. Now, I believe that Death didn’t get this far. He failed before he could. Ivy is remarkable. She is something truly unique. She’s not just channelling chaos - she’s becoming chaos incarnate.”

“So you’re saying that Ivy has been chosen to become Death?” I venture.

“Yes.”

“And that she is chaos? Chaotic Death on the loose?”

“Potentially.”

The implications of that statement hang heavy in the air. I think about how natural it felt when our magick combined, how right it seemed. “Is that why our power helps stabilise hers? Because we’re her anchors somehow?”

“Possibly,” Cathy nods. “Your connection to her seems to help her focus on the chaos rather than being consumed by it.”

“So what do we do?” Bram asks.

“We can never leave her alone,” I mutter.

“But what if we aren’t enough?” Torin’s voice is quiet but intense. “What if she loses control again, and we can’t help her?”

I meet his gaze steadily. “Then we deal with that if it happens. But I won’t give up on her. I can’t.”

The fated mark on my chest flares hot in agreement. My connection to Ivy goes beyond logic or reason - it’s soul-deep, unshakeable.

“None of us will,” Bram says after a moment. “This is a lot, but it makes no difference to how we feel about her.”

Torin nods slowly. “Fine. But we need a better plan than just hoping for the best. We need to understand this power better.”

“Vex reckons he can help with that,” I grudgingly admit. “If he finds anything useful at MistHallow, then all good.”

“Speaking of Vex,” Bram states, eyes narrowed. “What is your beef with him?”

“He’s a dick,” I snap.

“Yeah, I’m not buying that. There’s more to this than you’re saying.”

Gritting my teeth, I glare at him, pushing aside the hatred I have for that man. “I have no idea what you are talking about.”

“Yeah, sure,” he mutters and sighs, irritated by my evasiveness.

“Never mind that,” Torin snaps. “What about Ivy becoming Death. What the hell does that mean? She has to go around collecting souls? Does she lose her life as she knows it? What about us?”

Cathy shrugs. “All of this is unchartered territory. We don’t know anything apart from what was in Bram’s family’s books and what we knew from our own limited research.”

“Talking about me?” Ivy asks, coming into the kitchen, making me realise we’ve left her alone for too long.

“Just getting up to speed,” I say with a smile.

She doesn’t return it. She is not in the mood to be swayed by charm by the looks of it.

Ivy’s eyes narrow as she looks between us. “Don’t give me that. I know you’re talking about what just happened and what it means. So spill it.”

I exchange glances with the others, unsure how much to reveal. Cathy steps in smoothly.

“We were discussing the nature of your powers and how we might help you control them better,” she says. It’s not a lie, but it’s not the whole truth either.

Ivy’s not buying it. “That’s not all of it.”

“We’re worried,” Torin admits. “That kind of power is dangerous, Ivy. For you and everyone around you.”

Her face hardens. “You think I don’t know that? You think I’m not terrified of what I might do if I lose control again?”

“That’s not what he meant,” I say quickly, moving towards her. But she takes a step back, her eyes flashing with hurt and anger.

“Isn’t it? Because it sounds like you’re all scared of me. Like you think I’m some kind of monster that needs to be contained.”

“No one thinks that,” Bram says firmly. “We’re just trying to figure out how to help you.”

Tears well up in her eyes, and I gather her to me, wrapping my arms tightly around her. “Ivy, we are here to help you however you want us to. Just tell us what you need, and we will deliver.”

She sniffles into my chest, and then a phone on the counter vibrates harshly, cutting through the silence.