MasukVioletAnother crack followed, and a burning heat spread across my skin. A vague flashback hit me, and I instantly remembered. I also remembered that I didn’t like the feeling of it.Lumia was right.This was her payback.A gasp escaped as my fingers curled. I couldn’t speak, couldn’t scream, and didn’t even have the time to because everything happened so fast.‘You are the one who is hurting herself. Just let go,’ Lumia purred. ‘Stop fighting and let me through.’Desperate for the pain to end, I finally gave in. My body stretched, and dark fur pushed through my skin. My jaw cracked, and bones shifted until they weren’t human anymore.Lumia surged, and my senses exploded open all at once.I heard and smelled everything. The dirt, the wind, the dark magic surrounding Esther. The beating of every raven wing as everyone continued to fight.I felt huge, strong, and alive in a way I had never felt before.Unlike before, Lumia and I moved as one. I had so much hope she wouldn’t try to overp
VioletWhat do I do?The question raced in my head over and over. I looked down at my palms, then back up at the shadow beast running toward us.I got my eyes to glow, great, but what now?The last time these hands had done anything useful, they’d stopped Chrystal, and I still had no clue how.Think, Violet.“What instructions did the Lycan give you?”Aelius asked. His voice was as calm as it could be.I swallowed, my throat feeling dry. “Go for the tails…the eyes, then the horns.”He let out a quiet hum and took a slow step back with Varius.What were they doing?Their eyes shifted from Valerius to me, then to Jason. I wasn’t sure if he’d missed the memo, but there was no way we could take down that shadow beast without their help.Jason stepped forward, his chin raised and eyes determined. He balled his fists, and once he opened them, his hands glowed with a blue light.“The three of you can take him,” Aelius spoke from behind. “I will save my strength for the real problem.”He would
VioletEverything happened all at once.My eyes were on Nate’s back as he shifted first, his bones snapping and reforming with a loud crack before a Lycan pushed out of him with a sharp growl.Lian followed, pushing out a Lycan with deadly eyes, and then Dylan and Trinity shifted into wolves. It was like they all knew what to do without even thinking about it.My gaze shifted to the side, and Kylan was next. One second, his eyes were on me, and the next, his bones shifted, body lengthened, and fur tore through.Valerius came through with a sound so deep it shook my own chest. He wasn’t just big…he was massive, towering over everyone in the circle. His fur was pitch black, and his bright, purple eyes glowed like they had been waiting to finally be unleashed.He had been hungry for it.He stood on two limbs, rising so high above me that for a moment I wasn’t even looking at his face, but just one thick, fur-covered leg. That was how huge he was.He was terrifying and beautiful at the sa
VioletEsther…I had never seen her like this before. Not through Adelaide’s eyes, and not even through my own. She looked so powerful in a way I could’ve never imagined.Her hair was tied up in her usual bun, but it was no longer gray. It was dark brown, the exact shade I had seen through Adelaide’s memories. Her face looked much younger, too.The woman in front of us didn’t look like Esther, yet she was. And she was much more real than those cloaked shadows standing behind her or that creepy raven.Lian’s voice broke the silence. “Do you know her?” she whispered to no one in particular. She must have felt the tension coming off us.Nate swallowed hard. “She’s a professor at Starlight.”Esther’s eyes landed on Mom. “Claire,” she greeted in the most casual tone.Mom’s face went pale, and she took a small step back without meaning to. I could tell she was trying to stay strong, but this had to be difficult, even for her. I remembered the way she was so fond of Esther back at Starlight.
VioletPrepare ourselves?How?Aelius gave the order so calmly, like we were all supposed to have any idea what that meant. Jason moved first. He grabbed Little Violet and Little Dylan’s hands, leading them to the center.Both children looked at him with big eyes. “It’s going to be okay,” Jason reassured with a smile. His eyes moved to Mom and Dad, who gave him a nod. Jason placed his hand on the boy’s shoulder, and Little Dylan’s eyes lit up with a bright glow.He jerked back in surprise. “What was that?”He was still trying to sound tough, but I knew that little boy was scared, and it was okay. We were all scared.Dylan was still like that, and I knew for a fact even the older version was shitting himself, but would never admit it out loud.“Don’t be scared, Dylan!” Little Violet said.“I’m not scared,” he muttered. “I was just asking, but I’m not scared.”“Good,” Jason exhaled. He raised both hands and created a shield around the two, a second one wrapping itself around Little Viol
VioletKill her?Kill me?I stared at Aelius, searching his face for something. Anger, sadness, or maybe even regret, but there was nothing.The worst thing was that he had said it as he had already come to terms with it. Like he had known this would always be the price. I suppose it was a good thing he could at least admit he didn’t want to do that, right?Mom straightened. “He will not get to her,” she stated. “We will make sure of it. We will protect her.”Her eyes softened as she looked at her nephew. “You too, Dylan. I promise.”The corner of my mouth twitched while I looked at my parents. These two had made it clear they were prepared to die. My eyes shifted to Little Violet.She was shaking her head, her eyes angry and glassy as she clutched onto Mom. She knew what would happen and had told me so herself. She knew exactly how tonight would go, and she was terrified.Something inside me cracked. Knowing my parents would risk everything, the same way they were prepared to risk ev







