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“And killing us does what? Make it easier for Cipher?”
“Killing you? I’m trying to keep you safe. To ensure you survive. If you’re stripped of your magic, he’ll leave you alone.”
“Safe? Look around, Aunt Maeve, there’s nothing safe here, and stripping us of our magic only makes us an easier target. You and Cipher won’t win. We won’t let you.”
"We can stop Cipher," Phoenix said, her voice hard. "We will stop him."
Maeve shook her head, sadness flickering in her eyes. "No, you won’t. It’s already too late. Cipher has the power now. You have no idea what he’s capable of."
"Then why help him?" Savannah asked, her voice trembling with emotion. "Why betray us?"
Maeve’s expression softened, but there was a steel edge to her words. "I’m not betraying you. I’m trying to protectyou.” Catalina snorted. “This is the only way to survive what’s coming."
"No," Catalina said firmly, stepping closer to her aunt. "This is the only way to destroy everything we care about. Cipher is using you, Maeve. He doesn’t care about the fae or the human world. He only cares about power."
Maeve’s face tightened, and for a moment, Catalina thought she had reached her. But then, without warning, Maeve turned and fled, disappearing through the ruins of the mansion.
Catalina lunged forward, but it was too late. Maeve was gone.
The sisters stood there in silence, their hearts heavy with the weight of Maeve’s betrayal.
"We need to replace and reinstate the wards," Phoenix said after a long moment, her voice thick with emotion. "We can’t let her do this ever again."
For the rest of the day, they worked together, repairing the damage and strengthening the magical protections around their home. It was grueling work, but it had to be done. They couldn’t afford another attack. Not with Cipher’s plan already in motion.
By the time night fell, the wards were back in place, stronger than ever. But as the sisters stood in the quiet aftermath, they all felt it—the growing tension in the air, the sense that something terrible was coming.
Catalina’s phone buzzed in her pocket, pulling her out of her thoughts. She glanced at the screen—Riker.
"We need to move," he said without preamble when she answered. "The city’s going to hell. Some of the smaller demons are pouring in through the weakened barriers. It’s starting, Catalina."
Her heart skipped a beat. "I’ll be right there."
She hung up, turning to her sisters. "It’s time. We need to rally everyone we can. The barriers are weakening, and if we don’t act fast, we’ll lose the city."
Phoenix nodded, her eyes flashing with determination. "We’re with you."
The streets of New Orleans were chaos. The barriers between realms had weakened, and demons of all shapes and sizes were pouring through, wreaking havoc on the city. Humans, who were blissfully unaware of the supernatural world around them, fled in terror as buildings burned and the sky filled with the stench of sulfur.
Catalina and Riker moved through the chaos, fighting side by side as they rallied every magical being they could find. Shifters, fae, vampires—anyone with power was pulled into the fight. The city was under attack, and there was no time for old grudges or prejudices. They needed everyone to stand against the invasion.
Savannah and Geneva rallied with the wolf-shifters from Rivière du Loup—Gautier had called on his friends and with the help of two of the Duvall sisters and several other magical entities they knew, they had surrounded the city in order to ensure whatever demons got past those in New Orleans didn’t find their way out into the greater human world.
Riker’s massive bear form tore through a group of lesser demons, his claws slicing through them like butter. Catalina followed close behind, her lightning magic crackling through the air as she took down any stragglers.
"We need to get to the Crescent Nexus Tower," Catalina shouted over the roar of battle. "That’s where Cipher is. If we can stop him, we can stop this."
Riker shifted back into human form, his eyes blazing with determination. Catalina had him clothed in the blink of an eye. "Thanks. Lead the way."
They fought their way through the streets, gathering allies as they went. By the time they reached the tower, they had a small army at their backs. But as they approached, Catalina’s heart sank.
The building was no longer the sleek, modern structure it had once been. It was twisted now, corrupted by dark magic. A swirling vortex of energy surrounded it, distorting reality itself. To human eyes, it might still look normal, but to Catalina, it was a nightmare.
"This is it," she said, her voice filled with dread. "This is where we make our stand."
But before they could advance, a figure appeared from the shadows—a familiar figure. Maeve.
Catalina’s heart skipped a beat as she raised her hands. Maeve stopped but did nothing to thwart her niece’s implied threat. As she stepped forward, her aunt’s face was pale and drawn.
