Mag-log inAurora laughed. “He saved nothing.” She tried to pull away, but I tightened my hand without looking at her. My eyes searched Rowan’s face, and my stomach dropped. His breathing was slower. My chest was soaked with something I don’t want to think about, but I already knew it was his blood coating my skin.I turned to Aurora, and her smile made me growl. “That spell I just finished.” Her eyes snapped to mine. “The one you tried so desperately to stop. It will shield ALL of the packs across the country, not just this one. The humans won’t be able to get on our pack lands, never mind see us. You failed.” I screamed at her, tightening my hand on her throat, causing her to struggle for air. “You failed.” She choked, hands prying at my fingers, and then laughed. The craziness in her eyes came blazing back. “You can only save the packs, but your mate…your mate is dead.” She hit his back, and Rowan barely moved, let alone reacted. “So I guess I didn’t completely fail.” She grinned, and I lost
I landed back on my knees, my curly hair a nest of tangles, and my father wide-eyed a few feet away. Everyone around was staring at me as I struggled to breathe. “Are you okay?” My father tried to reach for me but I waved him off. I needed to finish the spell, or all of this would have been for nothing. I pushed up, getting to my shaking feet, and took a breath. “Baby?” My father watched me from his knees, worry and awe etched on his face, but I held up a finger. “Alpha!” Lynn screamed, causing everyone to turn, but I needed to seal the spell. I raised my arms and pulled the last of my power to me. I closed my eyes as I gathered everything I had left. My wolves lay exhausted in the clearing, having given everything we had for this moment. “Sentra seal clin tre god forna exh cka.” I felt the words leave my lips, and my power whipped from me. Finish it. Gaia screamed. You have to seal it. Pontus cried. You are out of time. Uranus bellowed. “No!” Someone screamed, and my eyes flew
I closed my eyes as some murmuring started. Uranus was next. I took in a breath and I focused on the air filling my lungs. The life-saving grace of oxygen flowed through my body, nurturing my cells, and feeding my muscles. I felt the breeze flow through my hair, the swish of leaves blowing in the wind. “What it she doing?” Cass’s voice was loud enough to catch my ear, but my mother hushed her. “Amy is trying to save us.” My mother’s voice was low but annoyed. “Now hush. Don’t distract her.”I watched with amused distraction. Lynn came running from the house, clutching something, but I felt the tug in my chest once more and knew it was a warning. I needed to finish this. I raised my arms. Refocusing on Uranus. I pictured his giant form flying through the sky, using updrafts to fly higher and higher. Call my last son. You are cutting it too close. Gaia called to me. “Sen ta cun di for ple shorn.” I called out, and I felt my power rush to my fingertips. The wind picked up, and I sto
I stumbled as I burst back through the ground, my eyes flying open, and gasped for air. My father frowned at my reaction, and I could tell he wanted to ask, but I couldn’t stop. I waved him off before I took a cleansing breath before I started the next part. Pontus, I needed to connect to him. I focused on the water running under my feet, hidden deep in the earth. I closed my eyes and focused on the crash of waves outside the cabin. The mist that sprayed my face whenever I stepped to the edge with the vast sea under foot, the hidden veins of the world untouched by man. “Nei tok lo sin kipa.” I stretched my arms wide, flinging my power like water droplets from my hand. My power dropped through the ground, and I felt the water bubble up to meet me. Water flowed around my ankles, my knees, and I felt it rise higher. I pictured a shield over the entire pack land, and impenetrability shield that would allow us to move freely, but would repel humans. “Tosh hi fic nedit kan ya.” Water rush
I nodded. “Is there anything to say before we drop this?” I waved at the bubble. No one said anything, but then my father grabbed me. “You are going to be vulnerable when you are doing this, I assume.” I nodded. “You are probably right.” I looked around. “This is a huge spell.” I looked at the map. “I don’t know how much power it’s going to take, or how long it will take. The faster we get this started, the better.”My dad nodded. “I was just thinking of the spy. The person is still on our lands, and your having to do the spell out in the open will pull them to you.” He looked around. “We have to be on guard.” He rubbed the back of his neck, and I could see the exhaustion eating away at him. “We have all been running on fumes since before the cave-in. I just need you all to be extra alert. Amy needs to finish the spell. Or else we are all screwed.” One by one, everyone nodded. Once my father was sure everyone understood how serious he was, he dropped my hand. “Let’s go.”The bubble
Pontus jumped to his feet. “Hey.” He looked at me. “That’s not fair.” He looked back at his mother. “I didn’t know we could ask for favors.”I smiled. “If it is within my power, and it’s not downright evil, I would have done it anyway.” I pushed up, grabbing the map and handing it to my father. I turned back to the gods. “If any of you have need of me, I will agree as long as it follows those guidelines. Deal?” Gaia smiled. “You don’t have to.”I just smiled. “I know. Our line has worked with you for centuries. But this is extra.” She searched my face. “Only if you are sure.” She clasped her hand in mine, and I felt the deal seal. “I am.” I nodded once before she pulled me in and kissed my cheek.“You have grown to be such a strong woman.” She hugged me to her chest. “I am so proud of you.” Her voice held some emotion I couldn’t place, but her words made me smile. “Thank you for your guidance.” I pulled away, and she winked before she sank back down into the earth. The ground stop







