Honor yipped in protest. ‘He’s a douche?’ He inspected Julian’s handsome face and then let his tongue loll out in a wolfish grin. ‘But he’s a good-looking one, right?’
Smiling, I nodded.‘Definitely.’
Julian was more a preppy bro-bro type but, overall, not a bad choice. Especially since we couldn’t really be choosy at this point. I’d explained everything to my crew, but all they could do was support me; this was a one-woman show. Rage came up behind me and massaged my shoulders. “You’ve got this, babe.”
Yeah, put a wolf in a dead high magewithout any guidance. No big deal.
Then an epiphany hit me, and I grinned. Gramps couldn’t come to help because he was bound to the Realm of the Dead. But I could still call on my other ancestors. I still had all of their soul stones.
“Zia, Than, Lucia, Raiden, Aine,” I shouted, closing my eyes as I sent my call out to the ethers.
One by one, they popped in around my bewildered-looking friends. My spirit relatives clustered around me, smiling and patting my back.
‘Well done, Nai, that portal was a fantastic idea,’Lucia said.
‘And your mate is much cuter than you let on,’Zia added, doing a full circle around Rage, giving me a thumbs up.
I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help but smile. “Focus!I need help putting that wolf”—I pointed at Honor—“into that body!” I pointed to Julian. “Gramps said it’s possible.”
“Who is she talking to?” Fiona asked, wide-eyed. Nell and Rue muttered something akin to agreement, but everyone else just shushed them. They knew my crazy.
Zia bent down and got her face right up to Julian’s and sucked in a deep whiff. ‘Freshly dead.’
Than stepped over to Honor and waved a hand over his wolf. ‘Soul is secure but untethered without a body. If you had some valerian root and selenite, you can easily do the transfer.’
Hope sprung in my chest, and my attention shot to Rage. “Valerian root and selenite, quick! And we need healing elixir or mage wine so I can make some!”
Rage glanced at Noble, who nodded and took off running.
I sat down next to Julian and looked at Honor.‘You want a body, right? This is your chance.’
He stared back at me, wide-eyed.‘Hell yes, I want a body again. I just didn’t think I’d look like the son of our arch-nemesis.’
I snickered.‘He doesn’t look like old-Honor, but we need to get over that if you want two arms and two legs.’
Honor nodded, his tongue lolling out of his mouth.‘Already over it. Let’s do this.’
Noble returned a few minutes later with the valerian root and a giant wand of opaque selenite. I accepted the valerian root and the selenite and then looked up at my elders. “Now what?”
Zia pointed to Honor.‘Have him chew the root to help him relax. We want him in a calm and trancelike state.’Her attention jumped to Julian’s body.‘And pull the dagger out and pour healing elixir all over that wound, but save about half the bottle. He’ll need it as soon as his body and soul merge.’
I gave Honor the root, and he gobbled it down as I took care of Julian’s body. As the elixir hit the open wound, the flesh sealed up like there’d been no blade.
Than crouched beside me. ‘Good job.Now, lay the selenite wand over the chest of the dead boy.’
I winced. “His name is Julian. Er, it was.”
Zia waved her hand. ‘Now isn’t the time for political correctness, dear. Time is ticking.’
I lay the wand on Julian’s chest and looked at Zia.
‘Now, let your spirit slip free and scan Honor for his spirit. Tell me when you see it,’ she instructed.
I gulped. I was tired, I wanted to cry, and shower, and eat, and sleep, but now was not the time for a breakdown.
Taking in a deep breath, I let my soul slip free and glided over to Honor. Staring at him, I zoned in on myothersight. There, within the body of the wolf, was his soul. I gasped. It looked like a human man folded into a ball.
‘She sees it,’Than offered.
