Fallon’s hands flexing in the ruff of my fur was distracting in the best way until she pulled rather hard.
Yes, Honey?
“Are you getting bigger?” she asked.
I looked down at the trail and I was, in fact, further away from the ground. Ned had to look up at me. I flexed my paws and found the Old Magic swirling around them, teasing. If nothing else worked out, at least I had done this. I missed this, the feeling of it eddying around us. When I left, I didn’t think I would miss it. Like a pup, I didn’t realize what I had until it was gone. I was still a shifter, but I wasn’t this. I wondered if my family felt the same.
Oh yeah, don't worry. The Old Magic is just curious about my return.
“You talk about it like it's alive.”
It used to be for everyone, but now only in places like this. With the Godds banished, monsters moved away from anything tied to them, including Old Magic. They lost its wisdom and whimsy too.
“You’re just going to let it…”
It can’t do anything I’m not fated to do, Honey.
Her legs squeezed my sides harder. “You’re fated to be the size of a prison cart?”
I laughed at her, shaking all over.Just think of the game I can hunt!
“Now I see what you mean by those guys.” She pointed her chin at my brother.
I was easily twice the size of my siblings now that the Old Magic filled my well again. They grew a bit too. Their coats shone glossier, nails cut sharper. Old Magic mainly made you more yourself.
“Are you going to cough up magic fireballs or something?”
Did you want me to? I can try.
I heaved like my life depended on it, just to make her laugh, but sadly no fire was forthcoming.
“Okay, okay. No fire. Got it. Are you going to get much bigger?” Her voice tilted to a higher pitch. “Have I mentioned I'm afraid of heights?”
Shrugging her into a better position, I said,I won't let you fall, Honey.
Her quick inhale struck my heart as it hastened its pace. She squirmed a bit on my back. I worked to keep my gait even, fearing to startle her, because perhaps she finally grasped I meant it.
Chapter 6
Declan
The family cabin grew out of the thick stand of stately trees. The Old Magic had supplied my parents with a sturdy, living pine for each of the four corners of the house. Fallen tree logs wove through the anchor trees to reuse what the Old Magic provided to us. The small porch was Cosomo’s addition, and I had added the swing dangling from an ancient pine that made up the left corner of the shelter. We all pushed into the large, two-room cabin in our human skin. I threw clothes at my siblings with emphasis and lit the lamps, and a fire in the stone fireplace.
“Thank Godds it’s warmer.” I noted the longing in my mate’s voice. Winter travel wasn’t easy and I was glad she could rest. My Momma’s cheery checkered curtains still hung in the window over the trough sink. In fact, nothing had changed about the cabin at all. Nostalgia warred withthe recognition that I was a completely different wolf than when I last walked in here. Fallon poked around the cabin as we tallied supplies. At least mice hadn’t eaten all the stores and the wood remained dry. I went to open the bedroom.
“Declan, what’s this?” Fallon’s voice filled with laughter as she held up a phallic-looking object attached to a bunch of leather straps.
Oh. No.
Cosomo burst out laughing, pointing at my childhood obsession. My cheeks burned. Fallon didn’t need to know everything about me. I strode over to take it out of her hands and ended up wrestling her for it when she stubbornly refused to let go.
“It’s not what you’re thinking.” I tried to be gentle but that meant her fingers kept a firm grip, tangled in the leather.
“What am I thinking, Declan!?” Her eyes grew sly.
“It’s not a strap-on!” I blurted out.
The whole cabin burst out laughing as I finally pried it out of her hands. I eyed the fireplace that Briggs blocked with her body.
