Novels by I.L SPARKS

"Wait!" Mira's urgent voice stopped me before I could begin the ritual. "You can't just start reading – there are preparation steps. Specific positions, protective circles, timing sequences.""If we do this wrong, the backlash could kill everyone within a mile radius.""How long to set up properly?" Kael asked, his Alpha authority already coordinating defenders as the Shadowed Knights' assault intensified."At least fifteen minutes to do it safely," Mira said, her young face tight with stress. "And that's if we have no interruptions.""We don't have fifteen minutes," Axel called out. "The enemy will breach our inner perimeter in less than ten.""Then we do it in ten," I said, but Mira grabbed my arm with surprising strength."Aria, listen to me. My parents died protecting this knowledge – not just the book, but the understanding of how to use it safely.""They spent years studying ancient rituals, learning the proper techniques." Her brown eyes were fierce with determination and

The lull in battle gave us barely enough time to regroup before Mira appeared, running toward us with desperate urgency and something clutched against her chest."I found it!" She gasped, skidding to a halt in front of where Kael and I stood coordinating defenses. "The sealed book my parents died trying to protect. It was hidden in the old archives – I've been searching for months and it was there the whole time!"She thrust the ancient tome into my hands, and I felt power pulse through the leather binding the moment my fingers made contact. The book itself was responding to me, recognizing my bloodline, my newly integrated abilities."What is it?" Kael asked, his protective instincts immediately activated by the magical signature radiating from the artifact."It's the Codex Lunaris," Mira explained breathlessly, her historian's excitement barely contained despite our dire circumstances. "The original text documenting the splitting of supernatural society into Lumina and Umbra f

The champion's approach was cut short by an unexpected intervention."You'll have to get through us first," Stephan said, materializing between the corrupted behemoth and our position with vampire speed. Behind him, Elena and three other vampires from the Old Blood Houses formed a defensive line."The vampires stand with the Moon's Child," Elena declared, her starlight eyes blazing with determination."As do the Spirit Walkers," Kanaq added, appearing with his fellow skinwalkers. Spiritual energy crackled around them, creating wards that pushed back against the corruption radiating from the enemy champion."The Fire Courts protect their own," Zephyr announced, her phoenix flames erupting to create another barrier between me and the threat.I watched in amazement as supernatural beings from different factions – beings who'd maintained careful political distance until now – stepped forward to defend me. Not because of prophecy or political obligation, but because they'd chosen to

The Shadowed Knights poured through the breached inner perimeter like a dark tide, their corrupted supernatural energies making the air itself feel tainted. But this time, I didn't cower behind protective circles. This time, I stood and faced them. "Aria, wait—" Kael started, but I was already moving forward, newly integrated power flowing through me with purpose. The first wave of attackers hit our defensive line, and I raised my hands instinctively. Silver light exploded outward, but this time it was controlled, precise, targeted. The Lumina healing energy washed over our defenders, closing wounds and restoring stamina, while simultaneously burning through the corruption magic that clung to the attacking forces. Corrupted vampires screamed as the cleansing power stripped away the dark bindings controlling them. Several collapsed, freed from the Shadowed Knights' influence but too disoriented to continue fighting. "She can purify corruption," Morgana breathed with pro

The explosion of power that came with shattering the suppression spell should have felt like freedom. Instead, it felt like I was being torn apart from the inside. Every suppressed ability, every bound power, every locked-away piece of my nature surged forward simultaneously. Lumina healing energy mixed with Umbra shadow manipulation, fire magic collided with ice abilities I hadn't known I possessed, and underneath it all, the primordial force that predated all supernatural divisions roared through my system like a tidal wave. I screamed, falling to my knees as my body tried to contain power it had never been designed to hold all at once. 'Too much,' my wolf whimpered, her presence retreating in the face of overwhelming energy. 'Too much, too fast.' "Aria!" Kael's voice cut through the chaos, his strong arms wrapping around me as I convulsed with uncontrolled power. "Stay with me. You can do this." But I wasn't sure I could. The energy was burning through me like acid,

The moment I began reaching for my suppressed power, everything seemed to happen at once. "Breach at the northern perimeter!" Thane's mental warning came through Morgana's telepathic link. "They're pushing hard, using corruption magic to weaken our wards." "Southern defensive line is holding, but barely," Axel's voice crackled through the communication devices. "They've brought those howl suppressors online. Our wolf coordination is compromised." I tried to focus on the breakthrough, on reaching past the barriers to where my full power waited, but the sounds of battle kept pulling my attention away. Every scream, every howl of pain, every sign that my people were being hurt defending me made it harder to concentrate. "Stay focused," Morgana urged from her position maintaining the inner protective circle. "The spell is beginning to fracture, but you need to keep pushing." I reached deeper, feeling silver light begin to pour from my skin as Lumina energy responded to my call

We stayed at the battlefield that night, too exhausted to make the journey back to Shadow Ridge. Wolves from various packs set up camp, tended fires, and shared food while processing everything that had happened.I was helping Maya organize sleeping arrangements when Dominic approached with an urgent expression."Laila, there's someone here who says she has information about Damien. Information you need to hear before he's found.""Who?""One of the Council operatives we captured. A woman named Claire. She's asking to speak with you specifically."I followed Dominic to where the prisoners were being held under guard. Claire was young—maybe mid-twenties—with hollow eyes that spoke of deep regret."You wanted to talk to me?" I asked."I need to tell you the truth," Claire said. "About Damien Grey and what he's really been doing. Because if you don't know, you can't stop him.""What do you mean?"Claire took a deep breath. "Damien wasn't just working for the Council. He was planning

We stayed at the battlefield that night, too exhausted to make the journey back to Shadow Ridge. Wolves from various packs set up camp, tended fires, and shared food while processing everything that had happened.I was helping Maya organize sleeping arrangements when Dominic approached with an urgent expression."Laila, there's someone here who says she has information about Damien. Information you need to hear before he's found.""Who?""One of the Council operatives we captured. A woman named Claire. She's asking to speak with you specifically."I followed Dominic to where the prisoners were being held under guard. Claire was young—maybe mid-twenties—with hollow eyes that spoke of deep regret."You wanted to talk to me?" I asked."I need to tell you the truth," Claire said. "About Damien Grey and what he's really been doing. Because if you don't know, you can't stop him.""What do you mean?"Claire took a deep breath. "Damien wasn't just working for the Council. He was planning

We stayed at the battlefield that night, too exhausted to make the journey back to Shadow Ridge. Wolves from various packs set up camp, tended fires, and shared food while processing everything that had happened.I was helping Maya organize sleeping arrangements when Dominic approached with an urgent expression."Laila, there's someone here who says she has information about Damien. Information you need to hear before he's found.""Who?""One of the Council operatives we captured. A woman named Claire. She's asking to speak with you specifically."I followed Dominic to where the prisoners were being held under guard. Claire was young—maybe mid-twenties—with hollow eyes that spoke of deep regret."You wanted to talk to me?" I asked."I need to tell you the truth," Claire said. "About Damien Grey and what he's really been doing. Because if you don't know, you can't stop him.""What do you mean?"Claire took a deep breath. "Damien wasn't just working for the Council. He was planning

The cleanup after the battle took hours. The wounded needed healing, the prisoners needed securing, and the dead needed honoring—both ours and theirs.I spent much of that time using my healing abilities on our injured fighters. Each healing took energy, but I paced myself this time, remembering Maya's warnings about burning out.It was late afternoon when Marcus approached me with a grim expression."Laila, we found something in Theodore's belongings. Something you need to see."He led me to where they'd gathered the Council leaders' personal effects. Among Theodore's things was an old leather journal, similar to Seraphina's diary but more worn, more sinister."It's his record of kills," Marcus explained. "Every person he betrayed to the Council, every family he helped eliminate. But there's an entry about Seraphina that you need to read."I took the journal with trembling hands and opened to the page Marcus indicated. Theodore's handwriting was neat, clinical, recording murders

The clearing exploded into chaos.Council operatives shifted into their wolf forms and charged, but they were immediately met by our forces. Kieran led the charge, his massive black wolf tearing through enemies with brutal efficiency.I dove behind a fallen log as weapons fire erupted around me. Theodore and the five Council leaders had retreated to the center of their defensive circle, protected by their most skilled fighters."Laila!" Maya's voice called out. She appeared beside me in wolf form, then shifted back to human. "We need to separate the Council leaders from their operatives. As long as they're together, they're too well protected.""I have an idea," I said. "But I need to get close to Theodore.""That's suicide—""Trust me," I interrupted.I stood up and let my power flare, silver light exploding outward from me like a beacon. Every wolf in the clearing turned to look as I began walking toward the center of the fighting, my magic creating a shield around me that def

That night, I barely slept. Every hour felt like an eternity as I waited for dawn, knowing that everything I'd worked for would come down to the next few hours.The mate bond hummed with constant activity—Kieran was moving, organizing, preparing. I could feel his determination mixed with fear, his rage at what the Council had asked me to do, his desperate need to reach me before something went wrong.Around midnight, I heard footsteps approaching my cell. Not the regular guards—these were quieter, more purposeful.The door opened to reveal Marcus."How—" I started to ask."Theodore left to make preparations for tomorrow," Marcus said quietly, slipping inside and closing the door. "I convinced the guards I was here on official pack business. We don't have much time.""Kieran sent you.""He wanted to come himself, but we needed someone who could move through Theodore's territory without raising suspicion. As a visiting Beta, I have that access." He pulled out a small bag. "Suppli