The Earth responded, pulsing at my knees, then my toes. The staffs suddenly went crazy, lighting up and pulsing like strobe lights. I vaguely heard Logan call my name, but I tuned it all out. I focused on that pulsing, the Earth’s heartbeat, beating into Isaac through me. An orange and purple magical shell wrapped around Isaac, and that’s when the grass started todie.
Take what he needs from me if you have to,I told MotherEarth.
A ring of once lush green grass was turning brown and growing outward. I prayed that meant it was working. I was suddenly overcome with exhaustion. My legs felt weak and my ribs hurt with each breath, but I didn’t let up. I wouldn’t until Isaac was conscious andmoving.
‘Sloane!’Logan shouted, using ourbond.
‘It’s working,’I told him excitedly, pulling more and more magic from myself, going into the very depths of where ithid.
‘You’re swaying, like you’re about to fall over,’he shouted through the thick magic that surroundedme.
‘I’m fine.’My eyes flicked upward for a moment and I saw that most of the pack was gathered around, the circle of dead grass inching towardsthem.
A wave of dizziness came over me then, and I prayed that I wouldn’t pass out. Not before I could save him. The emotions of it all become too much; tears started rolling down mycheeks.
“Come on, Isaac! Get up!” I shouted as the magic swirled faster around him and I, creating a tornado of purple andorange.
Suddenly two strong hands clamped down on my shoulders, green magic shot down my arms, and energy zipped through my body, giving mestrength.
Logan…
Whenever I needed him, he was always there. My betterhalf.
Isaac rolled on his back, gasping for air, and stared up at me, eyes wide, drippingtears.
Relief poured through me as I unclenched my white-knuckled hands from the staffs, ceasing the magical wind tunnel, and fell on top of him, crying and hugginghim.
He chuckled and then winced. “I knew you could do it,” he told me, patting my back. “And also your hair is in mymouth.”
I burst into painful, broken-rib laughter, and pulled away to get a better look at him. His coloring was healthier and his eyes had more life. He was going to beokay.
I fell backward next to him, just allowing myself to relax and lie down, letting go for the first time since I’d fallen from that canyon. For once, I could be at peace with who I was. If I shifted, I wasn’t going to be hunted andkilled.
Logan wordlessly lay next to me, holding my hand, and the three of us looked up at the pristine whiteclouds.
“Ya’ll are crazy,” Danny said, hovering overus.
Keegan laid down his shotgun and plopped right on the ground next to Logan. “I guess I’m out of a job, huh?” he askedLogan.
Skyborn no longer needed protection. What an amazingfeeling.
Logan chuckled. “I think I’ll still keep youaround.”
“Yep. We’ll need security for our new Earth School,” I told them both, and that got me a pat on the hand fromIsaac.
We did it. We’d snuffed out the darkness. For once the good had come outvictorious.
OceanofPDF.com
Chapter 12
One Year Later…
“Oh my God,I can’t handle the cuteness!” Dannysquealed.
He looked dashing in his charcoal gray suit, complete with dark blue bow tie. Lily was one year old and walking. The little flower girl dress she wore was too adorable for words. Light pink, it cinched at the waist and belled out like a princessdress.
“Can you believe I’m getting married? Now I really regret not being wilder in my teenage years,” Danny said. Danny had wanted to get married right after Ireland but weddings took time to plan and we’d had more to deal with back home than wethought.
