Chapter 49
ISLA
Isla was falling. Falling and falling and falling. At least, it felt that way until she snapped back into her senses.
She righted herself, blinking her eyes against the soft glow of a lantern on a vanity she’d never seen before. Her body felt… unfamiliar. Her hips were narrow, as was her waist, and her arms and legs felt weaker than they should.
“Saoirse!”
Isla spun.
No, no… she didn’t spin. But she saw it happening through another’s eyes, felt it through their bones and blood.
Saoirse.
Saoirse glanced back at the mirror, checking over her appearance. Her night-dark hair gobbled up the light, and chestnut eyes with a rim of gold reminded Isla of the sun.
Saoirse.
Not the white-haired, violet-eyed woman.
But, Saoirse, the Luna of Phobos.
“Warrior Heart.”
“What the hell?” Isla whispered into the chasm of darkness from which she watched life unfold through Saoirse’s eyes. Her ire flared. “Where are you?”
“Play the part,” the violet-eyed woman crooned. “Make it to me, and you will see.”
Isla couldn’t be here, couldn’t do this now. Her family was in trouble. That howl rang and rang and rang in her head. One of them was hurt. One of them could be dead.
“Where’s Kai?” Her voice echoed. “You said this involved both of us.”
“You will find him. As we always have.”
So, he was also caught in this spell. Relief and dread crashed through her. Their family was facing the witch and her army without them.
Sebastian, Ameera, Rhydian, Magnus…
“I can’t do this now!” Isla shouted through the darkness, desperation scratching her voice. “I need to get back, and then I’ll listen to whatever you—”
“Play your part, and they will be fine. If you do not learn, if you do not see and understand, then they will all fall to ruin.”
Isla didn’t know how much she could believe her, but she didn’t have much of a choice. She’d have to follow along or try to find a way to break out. The latter could waste too much time.
Something was pulling her arm. No, not her arm—Saoirse’s arm. And not something, someone.
The person doing so had their face turned away; their entire figure seemed to shimmer… blur.
Saoirse sighed, running her hands over the many skirts of her gown. “I don’t know, Eva.”
“Oh, come now,” Eva drawled, turning and pushing back her tawny locks that had fallen from her intricate coronet. Still, an aura seemed to shine around her. “We’ve been waiting for this day.”
“You have,” Saoirse corrected. “You dragged me here.”
Eva heaved a breath. “Every she-wolf of age dreams of being invited to this ball. The whole purpose is to find your mate, and we both know you need one.” She sidled closer as she forced Saoirse into step, and the two of them exited the cramped powder room.
Plucking thoughts as they flew by, Isla tried to gather what she could about where they were and who Saoirse was as a person.
There had been nothing notable about her bloodline, and, though she was putting on a jaded facade, Isla could feel the eagerness powering her blood.
But she hadn’t been able to shake her nerves, sneaking off to this room hidden away on one of the upper floors of the Pack Hall after sweet-talking a guard to let her by to escape the madness below.
And madness it was.
Isla couldn’t help but marvel along with Saoirse as she took in the grandeur of Phobos’s Pack Hall in all its glory.
Not yet a victim of dark magic, the halls were littered with finely dressed pack members, their gowns and suits more embellished than anything Isla had ever seen anyone wear.
Five hundred years might do that, she supposed.
A symphony of joyous, resplendent music rang out from the ballroom they approached as they descended a broad stone staircase, pine winter garland twined around the rock.
“You know…” Eva leaned close to her ear, and Isla could practically feel the energy rippling off her. It emanated from no one else. “I also heard that Alpha Heir Aneurin is seeking his mate.”
Isla could feel something within Saoirse tremble, as if a part of her had already known where her future lay.
You will find him. As we always have.
“He’s courting someone, isn’t he?” Saoirse asked, trying to sound indifferent.
“Only until he finds his fated.” Eva waved her off before craning her neck to see over the masses once they’d reached the bottom of the stairs. “I don’t want to fall to the end of the line to meet him. He may get bored and leave before he gets to us.”
Saoirse scoffed. “Well, that already makes him sound like quite a charmer.”
Eva poked her side as they spilled into the mingling ballroom crowd, and from within, Isla was awestruck by the beauty of the stained-glass window.
She couldn’t help but wonder why Deimos’s window was so high up and away from everyone else.
The aura that this window cast over the ball’s guests, a rippling sea of night, was nothing short of magical.
“Keep that scowling look on your face, my dear,” Eva said. “I’m sure you’ll dazzle him.”