Chapter 15: Mother’s Warning

Just as I was about to reach the heart of the spell, a powerful force flung me back more than thirty feet. It took me a while to recover.

Mother’s shadow appeared in the air.

“Zoe, after a thousand years apart, you’ve grown so much.”

My nose stung. This was the first time in a thousand years I’d seen Mother. I spoke urgently:

“Mother, I want to reclaim my power.”

“Foster has been destroyed, Big Ben is dead too.”

After I told Mother everything that had happened, she first sighed deeply, then shook her head at me:

“It is time. It is fate.”

“Zoe, this is the fate of the unicorn.”

“It cannot be changed.”

“Zoe, listen to Mother—go back.”

“Don’t come again.”

“Mother cannot return your power to you.”

“This world has only enjoyed a few days of peace; it can’t withstand another war.”

“Zoe, Quincy is a good man. He was just confused this time; he’ll come around.”

I stared at Mother in shock and anger, wanting to say more. But an even stronger force expelled me from the Foster River.

The world spun, my scream lost beneath the roaring water as I was tossed back onto the muddy bank, lungs burning, heart shattered.