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I yelped as I hit the ground, wheezing as I tried to catch my breath. I could hear Fenris calling for me in the distance, but I realized everything else sounded…quiet.Is this just in my head, or is the battle slowing?I couldn’t trust anything anymore. It didn’t matter to me if the battle was won or lost. I had less than a minute before the death mark burned me up from inside out. I just had to stay away for another sixty seconds, and Fenris would be safe.
“Celeste!” I realized he was now closer.
No, no, no!
Panic surged through me again as I tried to pull myself to my feet, only to stumble and fall back down. My wolf, still trappedand weakened, at last tugged on me, wanting nothing more than to answer our fated mate’s call. He still hadn’t claimed me and completed the bond. My desire to go to him was as strong as my need to keep him safe. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I tried to push myself up again, only for someone to grab me by the elbows and pull me upward.
I gasped, able to recognize Fenris’s face even through my swimming vision and brimming tears. He was panting, pain written all over his features as he looked me up and down. “How do I fix this?” he begged, his fingertips digging into my elbows. “Celeste, I will do anything. Just tell me how I can help you.”
Before I could answer, several trees crashed down, flames licking their trunks. Zyanya stepped over the detritus, murder written all over her face.
Fenris let go of me, assuming his wolf form as he stood between me and the Solar Sovereign, but I knew he couldn’t win. He’d been fighting the entire duration of the eclipse with no chance to recover, and I’d just hurt him myself.
I tried to catch my breath, but each time I inhaled, the burning pain inside grew worse.I don’t have much time left, but I can’t let her have Fenris. I need to do this one more time.
Summoning up all the strength I had left, I threw everything I had at Zyanya. I didn’t know what it was—it didn’t matter. I was so dizzy, I couldn’t even see what happened the moment I released the spell to strike at her, only aware that Fenris was about to leave my side.
“No!” I cried out. “Come back to me!”
He had to bite me. Hehadto, or he’d never be free of his curse.
With one leap, he was back by my side, towering over me as I sank back to the earth. I barely felt the sting of his teeth on my neck as he leaned down to bite me. All I could feel was the awful, horrible burning as someone screamed. My throat washoarse, and I realized it wasme. All I could hear was the sound of my own voice as the fire crackled upward, and everything went black.
I woke up with a gasp, shaking as I realized how cold I was. Smoke filled the air, and I coughed as I sat up, regretting what a deep breath I’d taken. As I shivered and looked around, I realized I was sitting in the moon temple, or what was left of it. Sun shone down through the hole—or holes, I realized grimly—in the roof.
The eclipse is over.
I blinked and looked around.
The eclipse isover.
Reality dawned slowly as I realized I was still whole, and as I glanced down at my chest, I realized my skin was clear. The death mark was gone.
My gambit paid off.
I took another breath, more conscious of the smoke this time. I had no idea how much time had passed, but as I stood, I realized there was someone howling outside. I closed my eyes and reached for my wolf. Zyanya’s command had been so crushing for her…
Her presence surged forward, and when I opened my eyes, I was standing on four paws again. She practically vibrated with energy, bolting out of the door and down the hill. I realized I could still feel Fenris—his pain. Hisagony. I howled back to him, and I realized he must have really believed I’d died.I’m here!I thought frantically to him, willing my paws to carry me faster back to the jungle.
Celeste?!
The shock of hearing Fenris’s voice in my head made me trip. My jaw smarted when I hit the ground, but I scrambled back to my feet within seconds, galloping onward.
Moments later, his dark form burst out of the jungle foliage, and he nearly slammed into me as his tail wagged furiously. He nuzzled into me, and I licked at his muzzle, elated to see him in one piece. I shifted back to my human form without thinking about it, forgetting I was naked as Fenris shifted as well, wrapping his strong arms against me to pull me against his chest.
“Celeste,” he whispered, as if he couldn’t believe I was here. “Celeste. My Celeste.”
My hands were shaking when I reached up and cupped his jaw, pulling him close. In truth, I could scarcely believe that I was here, either. That I’d done it. “Fenris,” I said, laughing at the sound of my own voice. “You’re here. I’m here!”
“You are,” he said, squeezing me.
The trees rustled nearby, and I jumped, suddenly remembering exactly what had led up to this. I clutched Fenris’s mangled shirt. “Where’s Zyanya?” I whispered. It was only then that I realized I couldn’t hear her voice in my mind.
“I killed her,” he growled. “I thought…you burst into flames, Celeste,” he murmured, clutching me so close it was hard to breathe. “I thought I’d lost you. I thought…” He shook his head, seeming to realize just how tightly he was holding me, and relaxed his grip. “She’s gone.”
I shuddered, clinging to him, anyway. “I can barely believe it,” I said, pressing my lips together. “She’s really gone.”
“She’s really gone,” Fenris repeated. After a moment, he stood, scooping me into his arms and cradling me against his chest. Around us, the entire forest seemed to echo in cheers and hollering, a sense of freedom surging through me as I realized those sounds were from our allies. I was so euphoric that Icould have floated away, and I was glad for Fenris’s strength as he carried me back toward the camp, the racket only growing louder.
