Zira looked down at the dim glow of the crystal. The world around her seemed to disappear momentarily.
“Zira!”
She turned to see Percy and Isaiah running her way. They knelt beside her while keeping their eyes on Clary. They watched as Clary placed her hands on the ball. It shimmered and transformed until it formed into a demon. The same demon from the dream Zira saw when she first touched the crystal.
"This is it," Finnick said to her. "This is the power we've been waiting for.”
It stretched itself to the sky with a loud roar as Zira, Percy, and Isaiah watched in horror as it went inside Clary’s body. She screamed from the pain and slowly, inch by inch, the darkness started to disappear inside her.
“What the hell is that,” Isaiah asked, putting himself between it and Zira.
“I don’t have time to explain,” Zira said with tears running down her face, opening her hands to show them the broken necklace. “Niamh, she’s…she’s gone.”
Percy saw the fading light and quickly closed Zira’s hands with his. “No,” he said to her. “She’s not gone yet. I can still feel her. Close your eyes.” Zira looked at him a bit confused before following his instructions. She could feel Percy’s power within her. “Think of Niamh. Feel her through my connection and...”
Percy’s words drifted away as Zira found herself back in the white space. This time there were black spots appearing all around. Zira quickly searched for Niamh and found her near the fountain.
“Niamh!”
Niamh looked up and a surprised expression flashed across her face before a slight relief. She ran to Zira and pulled her into a hug.
“How? The crystal is broken,” Niamh said.
“I don’t really understand, but Percy is…”
“Using our bond to connect us,” Niamh finished for her as another spot blacked out. Niamh sighed. “This is all my fault, Zira. I should’ve taken him down before and all of this could’ve been avoided, but I was too weak. Full of guilt.”
“We still have a fighting chance. We can still do this,” Zira said with as much hope as she could give.
Niamh shook her head. “It's too late. I can already feel myself leaving.” More of the light disappeared around them.
“No,” Zira said. “There has to be another way, Niamh. Look at how far we’ve come already. We can’t give up. There are too many people counting on us. The dragons, the white wolves, Lana, Percy, Isaiah, and…my son. We have to fight for them. Please. Help me.”
Niamh couldn’t help but smile at Zira’s determination. More black spots began to show, to the point that Zira moved close to Niamh to stay in the light. A pain went through Zira as she touched the side of her neck. Her mark. Isaiah was hurting.
“We need to get back out there,” Zira said to Niamh.
Niamh grabbed Zira’s hands. “There is one thing I can do, and it will change a few things for you and Nina. So, I won’t do this if you don't both agree.”
Zira thought about it for a second, looking around and seeing they were running out of time.
“Nina?”
“Will it help save everyone,” Nina asked through Zira, surprising her. Niamh only thought for a second before nodding. “Then I’m all for it,” Nina said, with Zira agreeing.
“Once I do this, Zira, you will know exactly what to do. You almost did it earlier but it’s going to take a lot out of you.” Niamh hesitated to say something before she cupped Zira’s face with her hands. “I just want to say, I’m glad to have met you. Truly, it’s worth more than life itself.”
“You’re talking like you’re going away,” Zira said with a nervous laugh.
Niamh just smiled. “Stay brave and true to who you are, Zira. I admire the love you have for everyone in your life. When you get back out there, please take care of Percy. He is…truly a treasure.”
Before Zira could question her, Niamh pulled her into a tight hug. “There’s one more thing I want you to do, and you have to promise me,” Niamh said as she whispered her last request to Zira, then she placed a kiss on her head and sent Zira back.
Zira opened her eyes to see she was on the ground. The pain she felt earlier was still there as she sat up to look for Isaiah and Percy. She turned to see the demon had both of them in its clutches. In the middle was Clary, hanging like a ragdoll. She looked up and Zira could see tears streaming down her face.
“Help…me.” Her face twisted up before she started to laugh hysterically. The next time she spoke it sounded more like Finnick. “This is what I wanted. I will control them all.”
It dropped Isaiah and Percy to the ground as the platform descended. They both stood, looking at Zira with the same black eyes as Clary. She had the urge to move towards them when the platform hit the ground below. Zira noticed how quiet it was and turned to see all the werewolves in the same state as Isaiah and Percy. They even had Trixie and the pixies caged in a makeshift prison.
“Submit,” the demon said behind her.
She could feel the power of the Alpha’s command rushing over her. She felt Nina pushing her to submit, but something else was resisting it. Zira turned around to see Clary standing only a few feet away. Zira made a move towards her, only for Isaiah and Percy to block her way. She needed to get close to Clary for this to work.
“Is this really what you wanted, Clary? Hundreds dead at your feet. This kind of control,” Zira asked as she watched Clary’s eyes flickering and looking over the other wolves. “All of this is just repeating the past. You don’t have to do this. We can still save them.”
“Shut up,” Clary screamed while grabbing the side of her head. “I just wanted them to be safe. I just…No.” She started to laugh again before returning her eyes to Zira. Finnick’s voice came through clear and strong. “This is what we wanted, and I said submit.”
“Make me,” Zira growled at him.
Clary smiled and looked at Isaiah and Percy. They nodded and both grabbed one of Zira’s arms, forcing her to the ground. Zira could feel the tingles from her bond, moving through both of her arms. She could still reach them.
“Hmm,” Finnick said as Clary moved in front of Zira with a malicious grin. “I think I'd rather drain you of all this delicious power I can feel inside you. Just for fun.” Clary bent down in front of Zira as she struggled in the hold she was in. “If you resist me, it will be very painful. So please, for my pleasure, resist.”
The moment Clary placed her hands on Zira’s head, Zira screamed from the contact. It felt like her mind was being torn apart. The pain was far beyond what she expected, and she held on until she felt nothing.