Chapter 172 CHAPTER 172

Chapter 172 CHAPTER 172
Elara didn’t remember the moment the flare broke, or the light swallowed everything. All she knew was that the instant everything eased, she was already moving across the fractured stone toward the small, motionless body lying at the centre of the ruined circle.

“Talia!” Her voice tore from her throat, raw and desperate.

Talia lay crumpled on her side, her limbs slack, her hair fanned across the stone like a light halo. The glow that had consumed her moments before was gone, extinguished so completely that for one horrifying moment, Elara thought she wasn’t breathing.

She slid to her knees beside her, hands trembling as she lifted Talia into her arms. “Sweetheart… come on, open your eyes. Please.”

But Talia didn’t stir. Behind her, she heard movement, Saphira’s sharp gasp, Lyra’s hurried footsteps, Darius calling out to Raven, but she didn’t turn. She couldn’t. Her entire world had narrowed to the small, limp form in her arms.

“Talia,” she whispered again, brushing a strand of hair from her forehead. “I’m here. You’re safe. Wake up, please.”

A faint sound escaped Talia’s lips, a thin, fragile breath. Relief crashed through Elara so hard she nearly collapsed over her.

“Thank the gods,” she breathed.

But Talia didn’t cling to her, she didn’t speak, she didn’t even blink. Her eyes opened slowly, unfocused, staring past Elara as though she were looking through her rather than at her.

Elara’s heart clenched. “Talia… can you hear me?”

But she didn’t get an answer, nor a reaction. She just had an empty, distant stare.

Behind her, the Elders groaned as consciousness returned to them. Saphira and Lyra were already at their sides, checking for injuries, helping them sit upright. Raven knelt beside the silver‑haired witch, her hands glowing faintly as she assessed the lingering traces of magic.

“Elara,” Kaelan said, appearing at her side, his voice tight with worry. “Is she ok?”

“I don’t know,” Elara whispered, her throat tightening. “She’s breathing, but she’s not… she’s not here.”

Kaelan knelt beside her, his hand hovering over Talia’s back as though afraid to touch her. “Talia, little one… can you look at me?”

Talia didn’t move; she just simply stared ahead, her expression numb, hollow, as though something inside her had been carved out. And Elara feared the worst.

“Elara,” Raven called softly.

Elara looked up, her arms tightening protectively around Talia. Raven stood a few feet away, her face pale, her eyes shadowed with exhaustion. The Elders stood behind her, each of them touching their chests, their temples, their limbs with wonder and disbelief.

“It worked,” the witch Elder said, her voice trembling. “My magic… It’s back. Truly back.”

The wolf Elder flexed his hands, awe softening his features. “I feel whole again.”

The vampire Elder nodded slowly. “I feel free.”

They looked at one another, then at Elara, gratitude shining in their eyes.

“You saved us,” the witch Elder said. “All of you.”

The wolf Elder bowed his head. “We owe you our lives.”

The vampire Elder stepped closer, his voice gentle. “And you, child… You are braver than any of us.”

But just as before, Talia didn’t react to him; there wasn’t even a flicker.

“Something is wrong,” Elara said quietly.

Raven stepped closer, she knelt in front of Talia and raised her hands, scanning her with her magic. Raven took a few minutes, then her expression changed. “The seed is gone… But it’s taken everything with it.”

Elara’s breath caught as her worst fear came to light. “Everything?”

Raven nodded. “The magic… and her wolf.”

Talia blinked once, slow and empty. “I’m human,” she whispered, her voice flat and distant. “I’m just… human.”

Elara pulled her closer, pressing her cheek to Talia’s hair. “I’m so sorry, my darling. I’m so sorry.”

But Talia didn’t cling to her like she used to; there were no tears, no tremble in her body, nothing. She just sat there, limp in Elara’s arms, as though the world around her no longer reached her at all. And now Elara knew why… she had lost the one thing that made her who she was. 

Raven exhaled shakily. “We should check the chamber. If Circe’s magic is truly gone, we need to confirm it before we leave.”

Kaelan stiffened. “You want to go back in there now?”

“We have to,” Raven said. “If even a trace remains, it could reactivate. We need to be certain.”

Elara nodded. “She’s right. Let's make sure it is over, for good, then we can go home.”

Kaelan looked at her, torn, but he didn’t argue. He rose and offered his hand to help her stand. Elara shifted Talia carefully, lifting her into her arms. Talia didn’t resist; she just rested her head on Elara’s shoulder.

The group moved slowly toward the sanctuary. When they reached the entrance, the air felt different. The pulsing light that had once filled the chamber was gone. The symbols along the walls were dark, lifeless, as though the magic that had sustained them had evaporated entirely.

Raven stepped inside first, her eyes scanning every surface. She lifted her hand, letting her magic flow outward in a soft wave. And nothing responded.

The witch Elder closed her eyes, reaching out with her own magic. “I feel nothing.”

Raven lowered her hand, her shoulders relaxing for the first time in days. “It’s over… truly over.”

The Elders turned to them, gratitude shining in their eyes.

“This is where we part,” the witch Elder said softly. “We have families to return to. Lives to rebuild.”

The wolf Elder bowed. “May your path be safe.”

The vampire Elder offered a faint smile. “And may hers be gentle,” he said, nodding toward Talia.

Elara swallowed hard. “Thank you. For trusting us.”

The Elders left quietly, disappearing into the trees with a grace that spoke of freedom. Elara watched them go, then turned to her group.

“Let’s go home,” she said.

Kaelan stepped to her side, his hand brushing her back in silent support. Saphira moved to her other side, her expression soft with worry. Lyra and Darius gathered their supplies, their movements subdued.

And Talia lay silently in Elara’s arms, her eyes open but empty, her wolf gone, her future uncertain. They began the long walk back to the pack.

And even though the sanctuary was quiet now, Elara felt the weight of something far heavier settling over them, something that had nothing to do with Circe, or the Elders, or the seed. What Talia had lost was something that Elara feared she would never get over.

And she worried what that meant for Talia’s future.