“I’m there,” I said, my voice quavering. “I can’t… hold… much longer…”
“You can, Gray. And you must,” he said firmly, leaving no room for argument. “Actually, you must take even more. Push past your perceived limitations, Gray. Emilio’s life depends on it.”
I obeyed without question, drawing more magic toward my center, pulling it up through my chest, pushing it into my heart and lungs, my veins, filling myself beyond capacity. Brightness surged before my eyes, and I didn’t have to open them to know that the light was coming from my own skin, barely able to contain this much power. My heart was now beating so rapidly it sounded like a snare drum in my ears, but I kept my breathing steady. Calm. Balanced. Even as every inch of me wanted to explode—to scream, to tear, to burst apart at the seams and unleash this magic.
But still, I held on.
Still, I drew more. I drank it in deep, fraying my nerves, grating my bones, squeezing my cells.
“You are almost there, Gray. Hold on.”
I nodded, too afraid that opening my mouth now would let loose some of the magic.
“Okay,” he continued. “When I give you the signal, I want you to open your eyes, smash the moonglass, and channel all of that magic into sending Emilio’s soul back to his earthly vessel—just like we talked about. Can you do that?”
I nodded again, despite the dizziness making my head swim. My entire body was simply humming with magic, buzzy like a live wire after a rainstorm.
“Now, Gray!” Liam shouted. “Now!”
My eyes flew open, and I smashed the moonglass on the ground beside me. Emilio’s soul spiraled outward, the purest silver-white I’d ever seen, so beautiful and breathtaking it brought tears to my eyes.
“Reach out for him, Gray. You must let him know you’re here.”
I blinked rapidly, refocusing, corralling the wild magic inside me. Lifting my hands, I sent out a concentrated pulse, guiding it around the silvery mist of his soul, urging the two energetic forces to connect. At first, I felt nothing—saw nothing—and a flare of panic rose in my chest.
But I ushered it out, quickly re-centering myself. This magic was mine. I could bend it to my will, direct it to my ends, guide it to bring back the man I loved. I had faith in myself, just as Liam had in me.
I relaxed, slowly increasing the pulse of my magic. It was a struggle to control it, but I held on. Familiar blue flames engulfed my hands again, surging bright, and I extended those flames, guiding them around his soul. At first, the mist recoiled, but then it finally stilled.
“Emilio,” I said, pushing past the tremor in my voice. “It’s me. Gray. Yourbrujita.I love you so, so much. Please come back to me. Follow the sound of my voice, and come back to yourself.”
“Good,” Liam said. “Keep talking.”
“You have nothing to fear,” I told Emilio. “I will guide you every step of the way. But you need to want this,El Lobo.You need to want to come to your family. Me, Ronan, Asher, Darius, and Liam, too. Elena and her partners. The witches we saved from the prison. All of us are waiting for you at home. Your sister is already preparing a big feast. Empanadas, I’m told.” I kept talking, reminding him of all the guys, of the things we’d done together, the things we’d yet to do, the jokes we’d shared. Only good things. The sweetest moments, the happiest times, the love and camaraderie we’d all been building together. The moments, both big and small, that had bonded us together and made us a found family in the truest sense.
“You and the others foundme,” I reminded him. “Twice—when I’d first arrived in Blackmoon Bay, scared and alone. And more recently, after I’d lost Sophie. You helped me put the pieces back together, Emilio. You’ve healed my heart in ways you can’t even imagine. Well, now it’s my turn to come out and findyou. To bring you home to us where you belong. So please don’t make my job harder,El Lobo. Or you’re going to owe me twice as many brownies later.”
I didn’t stop, not even to take a breath. For what felt like hours, I spoke to my beloved wolf, weaving a story of love and hope and friendship, of family and laughter, of joy, each shared memory a breadcrumb for him to pick up and follow home.
I spoke until my body was numb from lack of movement. And then, finally, when my voice was cracking and my tongue thick, I felt the change.
The magic inside me heated, and the air stirred, lifting the loose curls from my face and enveloping me in the familiar scents of trees and fresh-baked sweetness that could only belong to one man.
Tears spilled down my cheeks, and the words of my stories turned into a spell, coming to me unbidden, but absolutely welcome.
I am your guide
And you are my love
In body and spirit
Below and above
Blood follows heart
And heart follows soul
What was once torn apart
