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“Esme?” There was no response. I gave her hand another squeeze. “Auntie?”
But she still didn’t say a word.
Crap. Crap! She is theonlyperson who knows what this is. What am I supposed to do if she can’t even answer me? How am I supposed to get rid of this thing? Is there no cure at all?
I took a deep breath so I wouldn’t spiral. “Okay, Aunt Esme. I’m going to go to bed now. But if you need anything, just call, okay?”
She didn’t respond.
I sighed and kept my swirling thoughts on anything but the death mark as I returned to the master bedroom. Unfortunately, Fenris wasn’t in the room; he must’ve gone to speak to Walter or Lyka. Frustrated and out of ideas, I decided the best course of action right now was to get rest and try again tomorrow. I hoped Esme might be more lucid in the morning.
Night wasn’t falling, but the world around me was rapidly darkening. I glanced at the temple and realized the moon was already blotting out the sun, the star a simple outline over the ancient temple. My heart leapt into my throat as I glanced back down, realizing I’d been covered in silver—no…it was silver blood.
I gagged as the realization struck me. I must have followed Zyanya’s orders. I didn’t even realize I’d done it, but I must’ve…
I twitched and retched, my eyes burning as I turned and wiped my mouth on the back of my hand. “Fenris?!” I shouted, looking around for the man or the wolf. “Fenris! Please answer me!”
A tremendous roar shook my entire body, drowning out my shriek as I jumped. A massive golden dragon spread its wings from behind the temple and roared again, the entire world around me trembling with the power.
I backpedaled, but tripped on my own feet, falling back into the dirt as it turned its gaze upon me. Fear coursed through me as one great, golden eye looked me up and down.I knew that eye.
Zyanya was no witch. She was a dragon.
She must need the power of the eclipse to shift,I realized. What was it she’d said to me as she leveled me with an alpha command?“It hurts, doesn’t it? Imagine spending centuries like that, unable to take your true form.”When she’d trapped my wolf inside my human skin, this was what she meant—the dragon was trapped inside Zyanya’s human form.
As the realization struck me, the dragon turned, her neck coiling like a snake before she opened her great jaws, breathing a plume of fire downward. I followed the jet of flames, frozen to my spot, and realized she was torching people.People.
Screams and cries erupted. I knew those voices. I knew them intimately. “Abi!” I tried to scream, but I couldn’t make a sound. Tears streamed down my cheeks.
A tawny wolf howled in pain. Next to Keziah was Cody, whining and throwing his body to the ground as he tried to escape the onslaught. I wanted to get up, yet my hands felt cemented to the earth. I wanted to look away and couldn’t. The twins hissed and screamed, and I screamed with them, but my sobs were silent.
Other wolves ran in other directions, but it wasn’t fear plastered across their faces—they had the same feral look in their eyes I’d seen when I first came across Fenris’s wolf during the full moon. Then I knew…
I screamed again, choking on the smoke as acrid clouds billowed toward me. Tears clouded my vision. I screamed again, crying out for anyone who could hear me. The horror around me fell silent. I choked on a sob as I forced my eyes open, and though my tears still ran freely, I realized the air was free of smoke.
I blinked, and as my vision cleared, a woman stood before me. She motioned with one hand, smiling gently before she turned, slowly walking away from me.
Awestruck, I scrambled to my feet, suddenly able to move. “Wait!” I shouted, jogging after her. As she turned to look at me again, I noticed how similar our eyes were.
I almost tripped over my own feet. “Enora?” I asked, breathless. “Are you…is this real, or is it a dream?”
The woman didn’t answer me, only smiling serenely before continuing to walk. I realized belatedly that night had fallen, and a blanket of stars hung overhead, twinkling merrily as if all was right with the world.
“No curse is unbreakable,” the woman said, her voice so gentle, I barely heard it.
I glanced back at her.This must be Enora,I thought to myself. Nothing else made sense.
“Is this where witches go when they die?” I asked, glancing around again. If this was the place where I’d join her, I could find some peace in that.
The woman turned again, laughing as she tucked a dark strand of hair behind her ear. “You take after me, I see. Always bracing for the worst while working toward the best. So practical of you.” She shook her head. “I can’t say I know where every witch goes, but I’ve been graced with the honor of watching you grow from afar. I always knew you’d be a brilliant, wonderful person, and I haven’t been disappointed.” She looked downright playful. “The answers you seek will be found under the moon and stars.”
“What?! Wait—”
Enora suddenly approached, carefully wrapping her arms around me. I forgot every question I’d ever wanted to ask her, tears welling up in my eyes all over again as I threw my arms around her in return, hugging the witch as tight as I could.
“I love you,” she said into my cheek, “but this is the only time I’ll be able to visit. The dead aren’t meant to influence the world of the living.”
A sob ripped from me despite my smile. This was the only moment together we’d ever have, yet I was so grateful to share it at all. “I don’t know how true that is,” I said, nearly weeping. “I know some terribly chatty vampires.”
