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Elan’s hand went into a claw, and he sent a missile of magick into my dad. It struck his shoulder, and he reared back with a grunt. Then he straightened like something from a zombie movie.
“Do I make myself clear?”
“Leave her alone,” Tye snarled in anger, skidding to a stop in front of me and facing off against his father.
Elan snarled in disgust. “I should have killed you when I had the chance. Or better yet, I should’ve let you die alongside your mother.”
Tye screamed his rage, and they exchanged blasts of magick, locked in a battle that had been brewing for years.
Go,Tye gritted.I’ll keep him distracted. Get to your dad. This may be your only chance.
There wasn’t time for hesitation. I took off in a sprint, angling for my father. The shade inside him hissed when he saw me coming. I was almost there. Just a few more steps.
A class four shade entered my path. I didn’t have time to fight him, so I laced my magick around him and dropped into the veil. It was a temporary solution, but if it got him the fuck out of my way so I could reach my dad, then the shade was future Lorn’s problem. Fully mated, the transition only took me seconds, but when I came back to my body, a masked stranger stood on the ridge above, protecting my body from anyone or anything that got too close.
I locked eyes with him, and he raised his mask to reveal a face that was identical to my fathers.
Carlisle. My adoptive father’s twin brother. The man my mother had spoken about being in love with. My biological father. I hadn’t had a lot of time to process everything in my mother’s letter, but I’d read it dozens of times and knew I’d made the correct assumption. A silent beat of understanding passed between us. A gentle knowing settled over me that someday we’d actually meet. Someday he’d explain why he kept his distance for all these years. Why he’d given me to his brother to raise. For now, knowing he was here protecting me was enough.
The sting of being abandoned as a child had lessened so much these past few months. I had a feeling finding my own family, the one I had chosen, had something to do with that. And sometimes love was shown in many different ways. If he couldn’t take care of me himself, he’d given me the next best thing: Cardoc, the man who’d always be my dad, despite who’s blood ran in my veins.
A man I wasnotgoing to let die.
The sounds of the battle seeped back in, and I moved for my father. The shade hissed at me as I rushed him. My palm made contact with Cardoc’s chest, and together we careened to the ground. I pinned myself on top of him, using my considerable strength, and dug a knee into his abdomen. I chanted the word the grimoire provided. “Recanten” The shade thrashed and fought, and I gritted my teeth as I pulled, refusing to lose my hold on the creature. “Recanten,” I repeated, feeling the hold the shade had on my dad’s soul loosen. The chant continued to fall from my lips like a prayer until finally I dragged the ugly thing from its host.
I summoned another demon blade and stabbed it through the heart, watching its wispy body writhe, then still. Ash fell from my fingers to sprinkle around my father and me like confetti.
“L-Lorn.” His voice was rough, like he had swallowed glass. But he knew who I was.
Crying, I threw my arms around him and hugged him tightly.
“Dad.” That word fortified my heart, and a shudder wracked through me.
A portal swirled open, and I went into a crouch over my father, prepared to fight. Spotting Darbonne and Em, I stood quickly.
“We got him,” Em promised. “We’ll get him away from the fighting.”
I nodded and backed up, trying to pry my eyes off my father’s form. He was alive. He was okay.
And now I could finish what I’d started.
Tye’s scream had my heart dropping to my feet, and I turned my back on the portal as it swirled closed.
Where are you?I demanded in a panic.
Lorn,Jolon cried hoarsely.You need to hurry.
I pushed myself harder than I’d ever run. My feet pounded into the ground, and my wolf's spirit rose to the forefront. Before I knew what was happening, she forced a shift and took over, weaving us between shades and around pools of their burning orange blood. She leapt over a bloody body, and I belatedly realized it was Klah’s. Hell rained around us while she raced me to my injured mate.
Lorn, Tye’s voice grew weaker, and I frantically searched for him. Reaching for our mate bond, I realized how dim it appeared.No!I cried. This couldn’t be happening.
I’d just gotten my father back only to lose a mate? My heart was shattering.
I’d do anything for you. No… no matter the cost,he promised.
Don’t do this, Tye. I just got you. I’m not about to lose you.
Dason sprung from the melee to land at my side, guiding me to my mate.
