by Martha Woods
“Help me! Please?”
“Sky? Skylar!”
Skylar’s eyes popped open. She flung herself into Liam’s arms as tears streamed down her face, and she sucked in lungs full of air.
“They reached me tonight. The evil figures finally caught me.” She cried against his bare chest.
Shh. It was a dream. I’ve got you.” Liam pulled her onto his lap and hugged her to his warm body. “Skylar, why don’t you return home tomorrow? We can do this without you.”
“No, you can’t. I have to be with you. I have to be there when you save Farah. Liam, we must help her. She isn’t going to last much longer.” Sky raised her head and found his eyes, pleading. She wouldn’t go home until her friend was safe.
Liam exhaled in frustration. “We’ll save her. Farah’s tougher than you think,” Liam assured her as he lay on the ground, placing her back on the foam. He curled into her and wrapped her tight within his arms.
Skylar didn’t expect going back to sleep after the nightmare, but to her surprise, she did without any problem or further dreams.
* * *
The next day was a repeat of the day before, except they hiked through six inches of snow. By the time they stopped for the night, Skylar fell asleep before Liam erected the tent. She soon found herself immersed in another dream.
When Skylar appeared in the room where they kept Farah, everything was different than before. The strange inscriptions were still on the walls, but the room looked clean compared to before. Instead of the candlelight pulsing and writhing, it flickered as a normal candle would. The main difference was Farah wasn’t chained to the ceiling and floor. Instead, she sat in the corner and smiled when she noticed Skylar.
“You’ve come, girl. Thank you.”
“Why is it different tonight? Where are the black figures, and why aren’t you chained?” Skylar asked as she moved closer to her friend.
“They sense you. The necklace I gave you is strong. They’re preparing. Are the wolves, witches, and hunters with you?” The woman stood and met Skylar, wrapping her in a warm embrace.
“They are.”
“Then we have nothing to fear. These witches are powerful, but they’re nothing compared to the power behind three enemies joined for good,” Farah said and pulled back, holding Skylar by the upper arms.
“How bad are you hurt, Farah? When we arrive, where—“
“You’ll know, child.” She looked at the ceiling and listened before she whispered, “You must go. They’ve returned. Go!”
Skylar turned from her friend and ran without looking back. The talk with Farah put her at ease, and she smiled as the put distance between them. They would save Farah.
Skylar woke and found herself curled next to a gray fur ball. She smiled and cuddled closer to the warm body. Liam lifted his furry head, and when she smiled at him, he lowered it. She closed her eyes and drifted back to sleep knowing they were less than a day from rescuing her friend.
* * *
“This is it. When we finish reciting the spell, be prepared for battle,” Hayley said and squeezed Skylar’s hand.
In the short time, she’d known the young witch, she’d grown to care for her as a sister. She didn’t know much about her, but she planned to change that when this was over. Skylar squeezed back. “My task is to find Farah. Please stay safe, Hayley.” She pulled her hand from Hayley’s and leaned in to hug her.
“Since the evil ones expect us, it won’t hurt to do this.” She touched Sky’s necklace and chanted, “Invisibilia.”
“What did you do?” Skylar asked, spinning around to find Liam. His wolf raced toward her and Hayley.
“Relax. I made you invisible. That way, when the battle begins, you can find your friend.”
“Where is she?” Liam growled, having shift back to his human.
“Skylar, can you reach out and touch Liam?”
Skylar ran her finger from his shoulder, down his arm, and intertwined her fingers with his.
“I made her invisible so she could find Farah without anyone attacking her.”
“Warn me next time. You came close to dying.”
“I’m fine, Liam. It’s time for the witches to break the enchantment.” She squeezed his hand but maintained her grip as Hayley joined the other witches. Once they joined hands, they began.
“Incantationem revelare.”
A flash of light blinded Skylar, as Liam dropped her hand. She heard him shift, and the next thing she heard were growls and war cries. She blinked several times, and when her vision returned, it was somewhat blurry. The wolves dashed toward the witches, their muzzles curled back, exposing their razor-sharp fangs. Their hackles raised. Hayley and the other leather clad witches stalked forward, hands raised in front of them, as they recited some spell. When her eyes landed upon the hunters, she wasn’t the least surprised to see them swinging swords in beautiful, fluent movements.
Aidez moi, Skylar.
Skylar tore her eyes from the battle and searched the area for Farah. There was nothing here except forest. She took a step in the direction she thought she’d heard Farah call from, but she wasn’t sure. Instead, she grasped her necklace between her fingers, closed her eyes, and called for Farah in her mind. Where are you, Farah?
Aidez moi, Skylar.
Skylar’s eyes flew open. She was right. Her friend was in the direction she faced. She followed the unmarred snow deeper into the forest. Every few feet, she looked over her shoulder to ensure no one followed her. Despite the invisibility spell Hayley cast upon her, she still left tracks behind.
She climbed a small hill, and when she reached the top, a rickety old house came into sight. She raced forward, yelling, “I’m coming, Farah.” When she reached the porch, she didn’t bother slowing to check for traps or people. All she thought about was getting to Farah. As she pushed through the door, she heard her friend.
“I’m downstairs,” Farah called out.
“I’m coming. Please, hang on.” Skylar raced throughout the rooms, searching for a door that led to a basement. At last, she found the stairs in the kitchen. She wrenched the door open and dashed down the old, wooden stairs. At the bottom, she skidded to a stop. The room was identical to the one she’d seen in her dreams. She whipped her head toward Farah and asked, “How?”
“I projected what I saw into your dreams. I wanted you to know where they held me.”
Skylar’s hands shook as she grasped the chains holding Farah’s arms. “Where’s the key?” she asked as she raced to the nearby shelf and dumped the contents of a glass jar onto the floor, pushing the items around.
“It’s under the bottom step, but child, slow down. You act like it’s the end of the world.”
Sky bent down on her hands and knees and pressed her cheek to the floor. About a foot back, she saw the key and snaked her hand in to retrieve it. When her fingers touched the cool metal, she pulled it out and picked it up. With the key in hand, she raced back to Farah and inserted the key into the lock. With a twist, she freed the woman’s hand. She repeated the process on the other one before she focused on her ankles.
When Farah was free, she threw her arms around the woman and hugged her tight.
“Child, I’m happy to see you, too.”
Skylar stepped back, but Farah grabbed her arms, halting her. She studied Sky’s body from head to toe before she burst into laughter. “Who’d have thought?”
Skylar’s eyes narrowed. “What? Wait…how can you see me?”
“The minute you stepped into this house, the spell they cast voids any magic used on physical items.”
Skylar offered her arm. When Farah took it, she led her upstairs and out into the forest. As they made their way back to the battle, Farah stopped and dipped her hands into the snow. When she pulled them free, she wiped them against the nearest tree. Suddenly, Skylar’s body vibrated. Her eyes widened, and she looked around for the cause of the vibration.
Farah patted her arm and said, “Relax child. What
you’re feeling is my power returning. The others coated my hands with a herb and filled me with drugs that prevented me from using my magic. However, they didn’t know I was a dreamer until it was too late. Despite everything they tried, they couldn’t stop me from seeking help through my dreams.”
“I’ve been around other witches all week, but I never felt their power. How can I feel yours?”
Farah waved her hand toward the ground.
When Skylar lurched forward without moving her legs, she grabbed the old woman and held on. “What’s happening?”
“You need rest. Just think of this as riding an invisible escalator. It’ll give your body a few minutes before we’re in the midst of the battle. And to answer your question—I was born with a power much greater than those who took me. My destiny was to lead them, however, much like your mate, I had no desire to head the coven because I knew from an early age these witches were evil. So, when I was fifteen, I took advantage of being left alone during one of the annual coven meetings. When I was sure everyone was occupied and wouldn’t return, I bewitched myself to look as I do now. It wasn’t long after when I started working for your mate.”
Sky couldn’t believe what she heard. She turned away from Farah and studied their surroundings. They were in the midst of the battle, yet no sound resonated around them. No One seemed to notice them. She whipped her head back to Farah. “Did you do this?”
“Yes, because I know you have questions. We’ll finish this battle once I’ve answered them.”
“What do you really look like?” Sky asked, curious because the woman she’d grown to think of as a mother figure was her age.
Farah closed her eyes. Her lips moved, and when she passed her hand from head to chin, the woman transformed before Sky’s eyes. Farah’s graying black hair no longer held the gray. It was ebony black like Hayley’s and extended down her back in soft waves. Her dark brown eyes lightened to a golden brown, but her dark skin remained the same. The wrinkles and creases in her face smoothed, and her thin lips plumped. She had similarities as the older woman, yet she looked totally different.
“You’re beautiful. You’re my age.” Skylar laughed and ran her hand through her hair.
“If you prefer, I can wear the other face. I’ve grown accustomed to it.”
“No. You should live your life as the real you. It’ll just take a little time to get used to it. So, have you always known about Liam being a shifter?” She changed the subject to give herself some time to adjust to Farah’s new appearance.
“Yes, but he took me in and allowed me to work for him. He protected me unknowingly from my coven. In return, I owed him loyalty for that decision.”
“So, what happened while we were away in Paris? How did they capture you?”
“I was organizing the kitchen one evening when I felt a vast amount of energy in the area. Based on the way it caressed my skin, I knew it was an ancient spell. Even at a young age, the witches knew I was the most powerful in the coven. So, it didn’t surprise me they chose this spell. However, it takes years for the magic to build enough to subdue someone with my strength. Without it, they couldn’t have taken me. It’s why they didn’t come for me when I left.”
“So, the spell caressed you and subdued you with its touch?”
“Have mercy, no.” Farah laughed. “Because I felt the magic beforehand, I prepared myself to withstand the magic. However, I underestimated the strength of the spell and accidentally burst into flame. That’s when the house caught fire, and they managed to capture me. Afterward, they brought me back here. Like I told you before, despite having no power, I still had dreams. It was because of your necklace I was able to touch your dreams.”
“Wow. At first, I thought they were nightmares because I missed you so much, but there was something about them that made me think they might be a warning. I’m happy you didn’t stop trying.” She hugged the young witch to her, squeezing her briefly before letting her go.
“There’s one more thing. They thought if they abducted Liam, it would cause me to come back to the coven and work with them. So, they infiltrated the pack and took Lucas by accident. When they discovered they had the wrong person, they refused to let him go. They tortured him beside me until they moved him to another location. I’m not sure where he is, but I know he’s alive.”
“Thank you, Farah.”
“Anytime, child.” The women laughed, and then Farah’s face grew serious. “Hold tight to me, and whatever you do, don’t let go. I’m ending this battle now.”
Skylar stood behind her friend and wrapped her arms around her waist. Farah lifted her hands into the air. When she did, the sound of wolves growling and howling surrounded them, along with screams and metal clashing against flesh.
Farah stood erect. When she clasped her hands together, she yelled, “In nihilum redigere.” A light and wind wave began where they stood and spread outward like a nuclear bomb blast. The movement so sudden, it kicked Sky’s legs from beneath her and sucked her with it despite her hold on Farah. As her fingers slipped, Farah clasped her hands over Sky’s and held her for the split second it took the spell to annihilate the evil witches. When the blast ceased, Sky’s legs tumbled to the ground.
“Holy shit! What was that?”
“That, my friend, is a spell.”
When the others gathered around them, they found Skylar and an unrecognizable Farah sprawled on the ground laughing. Liam raced to Skylar and placed himself between her and the unknown woman.
“Mr. Conway? Do you honestly think I’ll hurt your mate after what I went through to bring her here from Miami?”
“Farah?” Liam turned his head from her to Skylar and back again. The women burst into giggles once more.
When their laughter ceased, Farah said, “Yes, sir. I have a lot to explain, but we should get out of here.”
Liam nodded his head and reached down to help his mate to her feet. Once she was standing, Liam kissed her head and turned away from her when Hayley asked Farah a question.
Her friend moved forward and introduced herself to the other witches, and Liam stepped over to the pack to issue instructions for their journey home.
“Kill the Lady!” someone screamed from behind her. Skylar turned in time to see Lucas swing an axe down toward her head. Pain shot throughout her body, and everything around her ceased to exist.
Chapter 9
Skylar moaned when she opened her eyes and the bright light from above caused her eyes to water. She closed her eyelids and raised her hand to cover them. As she shielded them, she squinted, allowing a little light seep through at a time. When her eyes adjusted, she moved her hand and scanned the room. A couple of machines were attached to her hand via wires. Hayley and Michael sat in the chairs at the foot of her bed, and Cayden leaned against the window with his legs crossed at the ankles.
“Where’s Liam?” she asked, surprised he wasn’t here. “Is he okay?” She pushed her hands against the mattress and sat up.
“Sky, you need to lay back. You took a nasty hit to the head, and the doctors want you to remain as still as possible,” Hayley said, as she stood and made her way to the side of the bed.
“I’ll grab Liam.” Michael looked at her and squeezed her foot as he walked by to get his brother.
“Why isn’t Liam here?”
“He’s talking with the doctor, Sky. You should rest.” Cayden stood straight and came to the other side of the bed. He looked down at her and smoothed her hair back from her face. His fingers lingered for a moment before he said, “I should get going. I wanted to make sure you were okay. I’ll see you soon.”
“Thanks for everything, Cayden.”
He nodded and left the room.
“I’ll go so you and Liam can have some alone time. I’ll come check on you later.” Hayley left before Skylar had a chance to say anything. She spent the next couple of minutes thinking about the events at the evil witch coven. Farah finished the fight. Afterward, they were ready to head home
when Lucas came out of nowhere and? Had he hit her on the head? She raised her hands and gently massaged her scalp. Nothing hurt. There were no bandages. She lifted her head and ran her fingers across the back. ”Ouch.”
“Lie back, Sky. The doctor doesn’t want you moving too much. You hit your head pretty hard.” Liam grabbed the chair Hayley occupied and pulled it next to the bed. As he sat down, he grasped her hand between his.
“What happened, Liam? The last thing I remember is Lucas coming at me, but I don’t have any injuries other than the back of my head being sore.”
“Farah stopped him. The only thing we can figure out with you is you must’ve fainted and hit your head. Thankfully, Lucas didn’t touch you.” He stroked the back of her hand with the pad of his thumb.
“Why’d Lucas attempt to attack me?” She narrowed her eyes. The emotions that played across Liam’s face told her this wasn’t good.
“He thought if he killed the Lady of the Pack, the other wolves would support him as the new alpha so he could return the pack to its former glory.”
“Wow. Is he okay? How bad did Farah hurt him?”
“He died within a few minutes of her hitting him with the spell. He lived long enough to tell us why he attacked you.”
“Baby, I’m so sorry.” She squeezed his hand. She wanted nothing more than to hold and console him.
“I’d rather Lucas died than you. I couldn’t live without you. Especially now,” he whispered.
“Especially now?”
“Sky, you’re pregnant,” he said with no emotion.
Pregnant? How? Well, she knew how, but it didn’t matter. She was pregnant. She stared forward and absently rubbed her hands over her stomach. A life grew inside her. Was she happy? Did Liam want kids? She turned to him and smiled. “We’re pregnant, Liam.”