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And when the minions paused to lift the casket’s lid, my suspicion was confirmed. Kayleigh’s eerily still figure lay there in the bloody evening gown she’d worn when murdered. Her expression oddly peaceful and her eyes now permanently closed.
Except if this spell actually worked as intended—and I proved able to cast it—that need not be the case. I could save her. My baby sister could live again.
And shadows, was it ever tempting to give in to that desperate desire to see her breathing again. To restore the life that was so unfairly stolen and return her to my beloved nieces. They deserved their parents back. If I could give at least their mother back, shouldn’t I do that? Shouldn’t I be willing to risk anything for that?
I’d gladly give my own life to accomplish that. But the problem was, my life was not the only one on the line here. And Kayleigh had been dedicated to her duties as a Beacon. She wouldn’t want me to risk destroying the Pack and this city just to bring her back.
But Mother Moon and Father Sun, I so very desperately wanted to ignore that fact!
And that’s when I realized this was what Alexander had planned all along. He didn’t give a damn about taking over the St. Louis Pack like Victoria Blythe’s splinter group did. He’d helped them assassinate Maddox and Kayleigh so he could put me in this position. Force me to prove that I could perform this spell by killing someone I cherished before then manipulating me into bringing back his father.
But as much as it hurt, I would not do what he wanted. Kayleigh had lived a short but vibrant life. And I wouldn’t go against everything she’d stood for to bring her back at the expense of so many others.
“You truly are a bastard, Alexander. And I’m not talking about how your parents weren’t married.” His lips tightened slightly, but he simply kept staring at me, certain I wouldn’t be able to resist the chance to get my sister back. Which was why I couldn’t resist a small smile as I said, “You can rot in hell for all I care. I will never resurrect anyone for you!”
Oddly enough, his smugness only returned. “I was worried you might say that, niece. Which is why I always have a Plan B.”
He gestured to that same damn minion, who shouted to someone down the hall. Magic flared from that direction. From the bedroom where my bonded wolves and I had lovingly tucked Rory and Sorsha in to sleep just the night before. Moments later a woman’s keening scream became a wolf’s angry snarl as I realized Marie must have given in to grief when the unthinkable happened.
Something confirmed when the wolf let out a loud yip and then fell silent. Hopefully magically subdued rather than killed. But then my concern for Marie faded when another of Alexander’s minions stepped out of that bedroom carrying my other niece.
No. Carrying Rory’s no-longer-breathing body…
* * *
Ava
Shock quickly gave way to incandescent fury, which swept among the allies on our side of the room. Curses and growls rang out around the foyer and edge of the family room where we stood, but all I could do was simply stare at the lifeless body splayed in the arms of some stranger who had willingly carried out Alexander’s terrible order. I didn’t recognize the Beacon who held my niece. But it had undoubtedly been here to snuff the life out of clever, adorable, effervescent Rory. Of a fucking 6-year-old child.
As a strategy on Alexander’s part, it was both cruel and diabolically effective.
Because while I might have managed to remain steadfast in the refusal to resurrect my sister, who’d been in her 30s, there was no way I could bear to let Rory go. And despite the fact he hadn’t been around when I’d grown up, my sadistic uncle damned well knew that.
“Give her to us now, you son of a bitch!” I snarled at the Beacon who’d murdered my niece.
He glanced at Alexander, who nodded. The Beacon handed Rory to Finn, who’d stalked a few steps forward for that very purpose and then gently lay her on the foyer rug before me. My gaze moved from Kayleigh’s body laid out in the nearby casket back to her daughter’s lifeless form, and grief threatened to overwhelm me. But I couldn’t let it. Rory only got one shot at resurrection, according to Alexander. I had to make this count.
Only then could I unleash this mindless rage seething inside.
Finn, Connor, and Shea knelt down next to Rory’s body when I did the same. Everyone else in our group spread out to shield us from the enemies ranged against us. I had to trust them to cover our backs while I cast this spell, because it would make me completely vulnerable. And I’d need to draw deeply upon my tethers to have a chance at success.
Shea, despite the angry sorrow etched on every line of his face, remained his usual responsible self. “Are you sure you want to do this, Blondie?”
My chest rose and fell rapidly as I bit back angry words. I knew he just wanted to make sure I’d considered all the repercussions and was confident in my decision. “I am, Shea. I can’t just let Rory die. Not like this. We’re bringing her back, and then we’re taking Alexander and his minions down.”
“Damn right,” Finn snarled out as Connor growled, “Hell yes.”
Shea nodded. “Then do what you need to do. We’re here to support you.”
Something for which I could only thank all the shadows, sun, Mother Moon, and Father Sun. They’d most certainly chosen the correct bonded wolves for me.
The correct mates!my inner wolf insisted. A sentiment I wasn’t yet ready to echo but suspected would prove true. For now I had to focus on Rory.
I tapped into the tethers tying me to both my bonded wolves and, through them, the entire St. Louis Pack. Visualizing the resurrection spell my grandmother had copied into her journal, I summoned every ounce of Radiant energy I could before allowing myself to do something I’d never allowed before. Open myself to the shadowy magic lurking within the Radiant power that thrummed all around. I allowed it to edge the Radiant magic I channeled, sweeping through my body with a chaotic force that set my teeth on edge.
Gasps echoed around as a voice muttered, “Look at her eyes! They’re swirling with shadows!”
I forced myself to ignore their mixed shock and fear, focusing only on shaping the maelstrom of Shadowed Radiance swirling in and around me into the patterns imprinted upon my mind. Only when they perfectly matched that internal image did I send the seething force directly into Rory’s body. Holding my breath as I waited to see whether I succeeded or failed. Whether my precious niece remained dead—or lived again.
