I was frozen in my spot outside of the light. My words seemed to bounce back to me, almost as if to mock me. “What the fuck is going on here?” I couldn’t stop the words from leaving my mouth again. But I was invisible to those in front of me, so it didn’t matter. Another call went out, but being so close this time, now I understood. It was a normal howl. A call from a shifted wolf, that the walls bounced back, echoes layering onto it, making it sound like some deranged beast. But it was just wolves, a lot of wolves, in the circle of light. And now everything I knew about the dead caves, or thought I knew about the dead caves, seemed to be just the horror stories of a child. There were no dead here, no specters of the wronged flying around these caves. Just a pack of wolves, desecrating the land of the dead. Tombs were smashed open, robbed of anything good, the bones of the deceased thrown about. I walked closer to the light, and I saw one man drinking from a skull. I froze as som
“If I wanted to shatter the spell, I needed to shatter the necklace. But how do you shatter a talisman from so far away?”“Who says you’re too far away? You are right here…” My grandmother walked over. “You might not be able to touch anything, but you still have your power. It’s connected to your very soul.” Her hand came to rest on my shoulder. My power is connected to my soul. I turned away and headed away from the light. I needed to be alone to see if this would work. As I walked, I mentally scrolled to the page in the book I needed. A shatter spell. It was pretty simple. But it had rules attached. It could cause no physical harm. If it did, it would rebound three times stronger back to the caster. So practice was necessary. I picked a big rock, and with a flick of my hand and a quick mumbling of the spell, it violently shattered, sending shards everywhere. Well, that would kill Amara. I turned to the next, but someone had come running, and I froze. “What the hell was that?” The
I felt something move over my shoulder and I dove. “Come back, I’m so cold.” The woman’s whisper sent chills down my spine. I rolled and sprang back up, facing the woman, or the creature the woman had turned into. Her hair was stringy and matted, clumping together in long tendrils that were a mix of dreadlock and braid. Chunks were missing, leaving pale skin it the gaps. Her eyes were sunken down into dark pools of need. She knew nothing else, only need. Lips had pulled back, leaving her teeth exposed, giving her a perpetual manic grin. A dark dress body, once beautifully draped and stunningly jeweled, that now hung off her emaciated body. It was like her entire soul had whittled down to nothing while her dress stayed pristine. The thought was terrifying, knowing that she was looking to take over my body, my life. “Stay away.” I turned and ran as she started after me, moving surprisingly quick. She scrambled over rocks and dips as I ran, but somehow she was quicker than me, moving li
I ran until I felt another tug. Every time I worried I was heading in the wrong direction, or I would hear a howl behind me, I would get another tug and I would head straight towards it. Soon, the world melted away, as it did on the way towards Amara. The edges of my vision wavered. But through the entire time, the lost woman, the lost soul followed, desperate to find my body first.I was terrified. What if she got to my body first?What if I was left to wander this plane, to wither and moan while she walks around in my body like it is a suit to wear, a part to play? I shivered as I thought about what she looked like before she absorbed my life, my vitality. How could anyone live like that?But then the thought hit me: it wasn’t living. It was almost the exact opposite. Stuck waiting until you find an empty shell to take over like some kind of living hermit crab. But instead of just finding a new home, you become a new person. A new face, body, entire life. And do you get new wolves?
“Do you think she is going to be back soon?” Wendy’s voice was soft as she squeezed my hand.Toya started down at my body and raised her shoulder. “I don’t know.”“It’s been so long.” It felt like days had passed since I left my body and started down the black chain leading to Amara. Toya smiled. “It’s barely been an hour.”The truth hit my stomach. An hour. How was that possible? So much had happened in the short time. I stared at the lost soul, listen to her manic laughter as she faded. And my stomach dropped again. I cracked open my eyes to find the two women still clutching my hands. “Amy!” Wendy screamed and dove into my arms. “You’re back.”I smiled and nodded. But Toya, Toya seemed a little reserved. “I read the book while you were gone.” I turned to her and cleared my throat. It felt dry and painful.“And?”“Tell me something only Amy would know?” Her words were measured and her eyes stared into my soul. “Our fathers are still alive.”Toya seemed to glare at me, as if tryin
“Holy goddess.” Wendy’s fingers twitched in my hair.But Toya just nodded. “As I read more about spirit walking, I learned about the Mara.” Toya wiped my arm and caused me to hiss again. “The Mara?”“It means bitter soul. It’s like what you explained. A lost soul, whether they lost themselves while they were still alive, or after they died, and they wander, looking for a life to take over. If you had read more about it all, you would have been prepared.”“Hey now.” I pulled back, but she pushed me back down. “Lay down. I want to check your head.” Toya pushed again and Wendy helped her part my hair. “Amy.” She hissed as she saw the damage.I laid back down, but huffed out my breath. “I read that book, inside and out.” “There were a few pages stuck together. I don’t know why.” Toya tapped a page. “Wendy helped me figure it out.”“I had to use a tiny bit of water around the edges to release the pages from each other. Then I used a blow dryer to dry them again.”“Seriously?” I hissed a
I closed my eyes in disbelief. “Is that bad?” Toya leaned over and whispered. I just nodded. “This isn’t the end. The goddess has a plan.” I told her and I hoped it helped a little with the pain of everything she was dealing with. “She wouldn’t do this to you unless there was a reason.”“I know. And I think this is the reason.” She whispered, her voice growing lower. “Why?”“Because everyday Vince commands me to come to the pack house. To sit next to him and Derek.”“What the fuck?” Wendy’s eye grew wide. “That’s torture.”Lynn sniffled and, for the first time, I could hear how much this was killing her. “It is. But only because he refuses to accept my rejection. Even though my wolf has accepted her fate and is trying her best to recoup, he won’t let the link die. He calls to us, every night. And makes us come stand next to him every day. The bond on my side is shattered, but my wolf is still in pain.” Lynn took a deep breath. “Anyway, I didn’t call you to complain.”“It’s okay if y
I opened my eyes to find Wendy and Toya staring at me expectantly. “What’s wrong?”Wendy glanced at Toya, and she turned back to me. “We just wanted to see if it worked?” I stared at her for a moment, and she smiled. “Your wolves? Are they okay?”I smiled and opened my mouth, but instead of words, a yawn large enough to crack my jaw hit. “Yes.” I smiled softly. “They are tired, but alive.”“Thank the goddess.” Toya sat back and went back to my hair. “Now, your wounds?”“The Mara. I didn’t know she could hurt me. But as I ran away from the caves, she grabbed my hair. She was dragging me back into the caves and I knew I couldn’t let her pull me too far back or else I would get lost. So, when my hand shifted to my claws, I sliced through my hair, but she had already done some damage.”“Some damage?” Wendy scoffed.“You are missing a huge chuck. And I know it will grow back fast, but you aren’t healing properly right now, so I don’t actually know that.” Toya paused with her fingers on a t
Toya leaned over and kissed my head. “Let’s stop talking about it.” She pulled back a little more and fluffed my hair. “Wendy, hand me the blow dryer.”Wendy got up and handed the cast aside dryer. But I turned. “You don’t have to.”Toya pulled me back like my mom used to do when I was little. “Sit still. You can’t go to bed with wet hair. And you can’t get sick. We have a long day ahead and need to be up in a few hours.” She clicked on the hair dryer and Wendy came over and whispered in Toya’s ear, then she slipped her shoes on and left.“Where is she going?” I yelled over the sound.Toya leaned closer and spoke directly in my ear as she continued to blow dry my hair. “She needed to grab some things from our place. She will be back in a minute.” I just nodded because I was too exhausted to ask. I leaned against my own knees with my eyes closed as Toya dried my soaked hair. It was the most peaceful feeling I have had since I was a child. I hadn’t realized how tired I was until Wendy
I opened my eyes to find Wendy and Toya staring at me expectantly. “What’s wrong?”Wendy glanced at Toya, and she turned back to me. “We just wanted to see if it worked?” I stared at her for a moment, and she smiled. “Your wolves? Are they okay?”I smiled and opened my mouth, but instead of words, a yawn large enough to crack my jaw hit. “Yes.” I smiled softly. “They are tired, but alive.”“Thank the goddess.” Toya sat back and went back to my hair. “Now, your wounds?”“The Mara. I didn’t know she could hurt me. But as I ran away from the caves, she grabbed my hair. She was dragging me back into the caves and I knew I couldn’t let her pull me too far back or else I would get lost. So, when my hand shifted to my claws, I sliced through my hair, but she had already done some damage.”“Some damage?” Wendy scoffed.“You are missing a huge chuck. And I know it will grow back fast, but you aren’t healing properly right now, so I don’t actually know that.” Toya paused with her fingers on a t
I closed my eyes in disbelief. “Is that bad?” Toya leaned over and whispered. I just nodded. “This isn’t the end. The goddess has a plan.” I told her and I hoped it helped a little with the pain of everything she was dealing with. “She wouldn’t do this to you unless there was a reason.”“I know. And I think this is the reason.” She whispered, her voice growing lower. “Why?”“Because everyday Vince commands me to come to the pack house. To sit next to him and Derek.”“What the fuck?” Wendy’s eye grew wide. “That’s torture.”Lynn sniffled and, for the first time, I could hear how much this was killing her. “It is. But only because he refuses to accept my rejection. Even though my wolf has accepted her fate and is trying her best to recoup, he won’t let the link die. He calls to us, every night. And makes us come stand next to him every day. The bond on my side is shattered, but my wolf is still in pain.” Lynn took a deep breath. “Anyway, I didn’t call you to complain.”“It’s okay if y
“Holy goddess.” Wendy’s fingers twitched in my hair.But Toya just nodded. “As I read more about spirit walking, I learned about the Mara.” Toya wiped my arm and caused me to hiss again. “The Mara?”“It means bitter soul. It’s like what you explained. A lost soul, whether they lost themselves while they were still alive, or after they died, and they wander, looking for a life to take over. If you had read more about it all, you would have been prepared.”“Hey now.” I pulled back, but she pushed me back down. “Lay down. I want to check your head.” Toya pushed again and Wendy helped her part my hair. “Amy.” She hissed as she saw the damage.I laid back down, but huffed out my breath. “I read that book, inside and out.” “There were a few pages stuck together. I don’t know why.” Toya tapped a page. “Wendy helped me figure it out.”“I had to use a tiny bit of water around the edges to release the pages from each other. Then I used a blow dryer to dry them again.”“Seriously?” I hissed a
“Do you think she is going to be back soon?” Wendy’s voice was soft as she squeezed my hand.Toya started down at my body and raised her shoulder. “I don’t know.”“It’s been so long.” It felt like days had passed since I left my body and started down the black chain leading to Amara. Toya smiled. “It’s barely been an hour.”The truth hit my stomach. An hour. How was that possible? So much had happened in the short time. I stared at the lost soul, listen to her manic laughter as she faded. And my stomach dropped again. I cracked open my eyes to find the two women still clutching my hands. “Amy!” Wendy screamed and dove into my arms. “You’re back.”I smiled and nodded. But Toya, Toya seemed a little reserved. “I read the book while you were gone.” I turned to her and cleared my throat. It felt dry and painful.“And?”“Tell me something only Amy would know?” Her words were measured and her eyes stared into my soul. “Our fathers are still alive.”Toya seemed to glare at me, as if tryin
I ran until I felt another tug. Every time I worried I was heading in the wrong direction, or I would hear a howl behind me, I would get another tug and I would head straight towards it. Soon, the world melted away, as it did on the way towards Amara. The edges of my vision wavered. But through the entire time, the lost woman, the lost soul followed, desperate to find my body first.I was terrified. What if she got to my body first?What if I was left to wander this plane, to wither and moan while she walks around in my body like it is a suit to wear, a part to play? I shivered as I thought about what she looked like before she absorbed my life, my vitality. How could anyone live like that?But then the thought hit me: it wasn’t living. It was almost the exact opposite. Stuck waiting until you find an empty shell to take over like some kind of living hermit crab. But instead of just finding a new home, you become a new person. A new face, body, entire life. And do you get new wolves?
I felt something move over my shoulder and I dove. “Come back, I’m so cold.” The woman’s whisper sent chills down my spine. I rolled and sprang back up, facing the woman, or the creature the woman had turned into. Her hair was stringy and matted, clumping together in long tendrils that were a mix of dreadlock and braid. Chunks were missing, leaving pale skin it the gaps. Her eyes were sunken down into dark pools of need. She knew nothing else, only need. Lips had pulled back, leaving her teeth exposed, giving her a perpetual manic grin. A dark dress body, once beautifully draped and stunningly jeweled, that now hung off her emaciated body. It was like her entire soul had whittled down to nothing while her dress stayed pristine. The thought was terrifying, knowing that she was looking to take over my body, my life. “Stay away.” I turned and ran as she started after me, moving surprisingly quick. She scrambled over rocks and dips as I ran, but somehow she was quicker than me, moving li
“If I wanted to shatter the spell, I needed to shatter the necklace. But how do you shatter a talisman from so far away?”“Who says you’re too far away? You are right here…” My grandmother walked over. “You might not be able to touch anything, but you still have your power. It’s connected to your very soul.” Her hand came to rest on my shoulder. My power is connected to my soul. I turned away and headed away from the light. I needed to be alone to see if this would work. As I walked, I mentally scrolled to the page in the book I needed. A shatter spell. It was pretty simple. But it had rules attached. It could cause no physical harm. If it did, it would rebound three times stronger back to the caster. So practice was necessary. I picked a big rock, and with a flick of my hand and a quick mumbling of the spell, it violently shattered, sending shards everywhere. Well, that would kill Amara. I turned to the next, but someone had come running, and I froze. “What the hell was that?” The
I was frozen in my spot outside of the light. My words seemed to bounce back to me, almost as if to mock me. “What the fuck is going on here?” I couldn’t stop the words from leaving my mouth again. But I was invisible to those in front of me, so it didn’t matter. Another call went out, but being so close this time, now I understood. It was a normal howl. A call from a shifted wolf, that the walls bounced back, echoes layering onto it, making it sound like some deranged beast. But it was just wolves, a lot of wolves, in the circle of light. And now everything I knew about the dead caves, or thought I knew about the dead caves, seemed to be just the horror stories of a child. There were no dead here, no specters of the wronged flying around these caves. Just a pack of wolves, desecrating the land of the dead. Tombs were smashed open, robbed of anything good, the bones of the deceased thrown about. I walked closer to the light, and I saw one man drinking from a skull. I froze as som