Chapter Fifty-One
Iclosed 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 is 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 stood strong against the gales battering my body.
I sent my power flying out into the sky, joining with the wind, dancing through the air.
Small cyclones of wind and power whipped around me, pulling my power from my fingertips and sucking it up into the sky.
“Piven din clo verta dom si vil.” The small dust devils that were around me converged.
The tiny power vortexes turned into a cyclone.
I felt my feet leave the ground, my body being sucked up into the spinning power vacuum.
I tried to breathe, but the air had been sucked from my lungs. The pressure in the spinning tower was crushing, but even when I wanted to panic, I knew I was safe.
Spread your arms. Uranus’s voice was deep. He chuckled, and it sounded like thunder. Lightning flashed around me, another thing I should have been afraid of, but I felt safe inside this storm. Fly with me, godling. Feel the wind beneath your wings. The power that comes from lording over the sky.
I opened my arms wide. I felt foolish. I have no wings. Uranus chuckled again, sending more lightning dancing.
Says who? His voice was coming from above, and I looked up through the spinning dirt and debris our tornado pulled from the ground.
Above it all, Uranus’s thunderbird form flew in a circle, urging the cyclone to spin faster and faster.
Come, godling, fly with me, be free with me.
Fly to my center and feel what it is like to be truly free.
I opened my arms again and pushed down, like a bird would, and I shot out of the side of the cyclone into the center.
The peaceful center was discombobulating compared to the crushing weight of the tornado’s wall.
I shot up and out of the storm, meeting the god above it all, and I took my first clear breath since the storm started.
I looked down. Wow. He laughed again, sending lightning dancing through the clouds. I stared down at the pack lands, and I could see the gathering people. I saw Lynn halfway to us frozen. Why isn’t she moving? I nodded to Lynn.
Time is frozen when you are with us. His voice was amused. Come godling. He spiraled away, and I followed.
Is this real? My question had Uranus looking back.
Reality is relative, isn’t it? He flew faster, pulling me along as we coasted through the air.
What you experience and what they experience are different.
He looked down at the group. Does it make it any less real?
Yes, they are watching you on the ground right now, but are you not with me, flying through the air? Is this not real to you?
I guess you’re right. I flew faster trying to catch him, and he laughed.
Come godling. His power pulled me, and together we flew towards a cloud.
Is this your center? I stared in awe. The cloud was situated so high in the sky that the blue sky was gone. The night sky, studying with diamond stars, hung over his domain. It’s breathtaking.
I needed a place worthy of my wife to rest. His voice held a hint of pride. Now. Focus on the land, and the people you need to protect.
I nodded and dove into the cloud. The cloud was pillowy as I landed.
I sighed as I sank hip-deep into the soft white layer.
I closed my eyes and pictured the map, and all the wolves I needed to save.
“Uranus, father of the sky, please hear my call.” I pulled the remaining power to myself.
I knew I would be spent after I closed this spell.
“Blow my power to the packs and allow sight to pass over them as if they weren’t there.
” My power whipped out of me like a hurricane, spinning off across the land, to help seal the spell.
Uranus pulled me from the cloud and created a jet stream to send me back. He called after me as I spiraled away. Once you land, quickly seal the spell so that your kin are safe. Be strong, godling.
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 open. Then everything moved in slow motion.
Cass was running towards me, her face a mask of hatred and death. I couldn’t understand what she was doing, but I had no time.
“Pota cint kor shin fi na tur din she kona.” I screamed the words.
Lynn screamed. “Amy!” Everyone turned, their eyes wide in horror as the knife in Cass’s hand came down. The blade glinted in the moonlight, aimed at my heart, and I couldn’t move. I couldn’t fight. I closed my eyes in acceptance.
“FORITUNA.” I screamed the last word. The spell was sealed. The power ripped from my chest in one agonizing second, and my eyes flew open.
I watched as the knife slid home, but not where it was intended.
Rowan was standing in front of me, eyes full of love, as the knife came through his chest. Blood splattered across my face, and he smiled. “I love you.” I shook my head at his words, they made no sense. His words made no sense.
This entire thing made zero sense.
Cass screamed. “No!” Her eyes blazed as she ripped the knife from Rowan’s chest and stabbed again. “It’s supposed to be you!” Her face rippled. With each blow of the tortuous blade Rowan’s chest heaved toward me, spraying fresh blood on my face.
My hand snapped out and wrapped around her neck.
I used my other hand to take the blade and threw it away.
My eyes blazing with molten rage as I felt Rowan’s body sag against mine.
“I give you everything I have.” His whispered words had a sob breaking from my lips.
Then, I felt a surge of power flow into me.
“Why?” I choked out. I couldn’t tell if I was asking my mate or my best friend.
“WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS?” I screamed as people finally started moving.
I bared my teeth as Cass started laughing.
“You are my best fucking friend. Why would you do this to me? To us?” My heart shattered the moment the knife sank into his heart.
“You are fucking pathetic.” Cass’s face shifted again. Her blonde hair shifted to a different shade. Familiar eyes turned cold, and her full lips thinned. I let out a choking noise, and she grinned. “Did you really think she fucking survived?”
Greyson dropped to his knees, and Lynn finally made it to us. “Oh, Goddess.” Her face paled as she saw what was going on. Greyson realized that the woman he had been taking care of, loving, wasn’t his mate. The heartbroken scream that exploded from him was deafening.
“Where’s my mate!?” The question was like a bomb, but she ignored him. Like he was nothing.
“Aurora.” I choked on the name and she grinned. She fucking grinned like this was exactly the reaction she craved.
“The one and only.” She leaned into Rowan’s back, bringing her face next to mine. “I killed your best friend and now I’ve killed your mate.” She pulled back and looked around maniacally. “The humans will be here in less than a minute. This entire pack is dead. I can’t wait to watch.”
I felt my lips tremble as I clutched Rowan to my chest. The wet rattling in his lungs told me enough.
I ignored the woman in my hand for a second as I looked down at his face pressed against me.
“You’re going to be fine.” I rubbed his back; his eyes flicked up, and all I saw was his acceptance. He was okay with this.
He smiled, blood coating his teeth. “I saved you.” He laughed and then grimaced.
“I can die a happy man knowing I saved you.” He coughed.
“You have been the best thing that has ever happened to me. I would have waited forever for you. And if this life wasn’t long enough, I would have found you in the next.
” He closed his eyes as he slid to his knees.
“I will always find you in the next life.”
I clutched him to my chest. “Baby?” I choked. “Baby?”