I remain silent as an answer.
Yes, it is. That is one of the founding principles of magic. Witches need life force to make their spells, either their own or someone else's. Luna the Wolf was so desperate, she unconsciously used her friend's... and turned that spell into a dark one. However, Luna the Witch was about to do the right thing... She wanted to give her own life to bring the wolf she had killed back.
"Mara, no!" shouts Nora, falling on her knees next to me. "You want to sacrifice yourself? This isn't... Liam wouldn't want that!"
I take a deep breath and turn to her. It's strange, I want to cry, but... I'm also feeling stronger and calmer than ever. Nora's blue eyes show she's much more worried and panicked than I am, I can even see her lower lip twitching. She's cried a lot already today. Behind her, Selena is standing with a shocked expression too, but she doesn't say anything, her eyes going back and forth between her mate, Liam, and me.
"I know," I gasp, "but... Nora, this is my last chance to use the spell. I'm running out of Earth Magic, and... I'm sure Sylviana gave it to me for a reason in the first place. She loved him too. Moreover... I don't plan to die yet."
"B-but... then..."
I chuckle a bit nervously and exchange a look with his brothers. Damian and Nathaniel have been through hell too, and they stay silent. I know they probably miss their little brother so much too... I try to take a deep breath, but I realize how heavy my chest feels. I can barely fill my lungs, and I have this knot, still there and so painful.
"...I'll share with him, Nora. I have to use Light Magic, and willingly give Liam some of my own life force. I think I can handle that spell well enough to know when to stop."
"What does that mean?" asks Selena, frowning. "You'll be fine, then? You can heal afterwards, right?"
"I'll be fine," I nod, "but I won't heal, there will be nothing to heal. This is more of a... long-term thing. The life force I give Liam won't come back to me, ever. I will... probably sacrifice some of my own life span in the process. Maybe a few decades."
"...You're... going to give Liam years of your own life?" mutters Nora, shocked.
"...Yeah, in a way."
"Mara..."
A heavy silence follows my words, all of them looking conflicted, and I feel it inside too. I know what they are thinking. They don't want me to make that sacrifice, but... they all love Liam too much. They can't stop me knowing that it can bring him back. I turn to his brothers again.
"It... won't be the same," I warn them. "Liam will get more years, but... even if I give him an even share, he and I won't..."
“...You won't live to grow old,” mutters Damian.
"...No."
This is a hard decision to make, but this is why I am making it for them. This is my life and my mate. Compared to living and dying old alone, I would rather share what I have left with him. Even if we only get one or two decades together, it's okay.
"...I don't like this," cries Nora. "This is just... so unfair. I can't believe you will lose so much time, and... Liam too..."
"It wasn't fair for him to die either, Nora. But it's okay. A lot of people don't even get this chance, or as much time together as we will. This is... the last time this choice can be made. After that, I will no longer have all three powers, and no witch will be this powerful for a long while, either. Luna gifted me some of her Light Magic, and Sylviana left me some of hers too... just for this moment."
Nora is really crying now, and Selena has that conflicted expression on too. To my surprise, Damian is the one who turns to me next.
“Mara... I'm not sure Liam would be fine with this. He loved you.”
"I know," I chuckle. "That's why I'm making this decision for his stubborn ass. He can get mad at me later, this is... about me, and my selfishness. I will... tell him the details later, and explain everything to him, I promise. But... I want to do this, both for him and myself. I know I would... be okay, but... if I can genuinely make this choice, I want to. Not just for my own selfishness, but this is also... for Luna. This is the one life she took that I can bring back."
Nora bites her lower lip, and Selena shakes her head, visibly frustrated. I know they are sorry for me, but this won't change my decision. I take a deep breath, and gently take Liam's hand. Moon Goddess, it's so cold...
"...Can't we help, somehow?" suddenly asks Selena. "We have Light Magic too, right? Can't we do anything to... help out?"
...I didn't think of that. Nora turns her big blue eyes to me, full of hope after hearing Selena's words. ...Can they? This wouldn't be like the two Lunas' mistake, if they are willingly helping me with this spell. But still, I don't think I can just say yes like that! I shake my head.
"No, you guys have children and everything. I can't ask you to do that, this is about our lifespan we're talking about. What if I take too much?"
"You were sure you could control what you’d give Liam just ten seconds ago!"
"When it only includes my own life as a margin for errors! I know the spell but I have never actually done it before!"
"You can just take a little!" says Nora, looking all hopeful again. "Just a bit of mine, and a bit of Selena's. She and I are only Light Magic, and full of it too! Mara, you can just tap into it and get yourself and Liam a few more years!"
