Page 70 of A Trial of Two Worlds
“Are we sure there’s any Magnus left in there, Sky?”
“I’m positive there is,”I spat back.
“Really? ’Cause the Magnus I knew would never harm you or Neera. And he just tried to kill you.”
“Tried,”I corrected as I joined Shaw along the riverbank.
“Skylar,”he warned.
“I’ve got this,”I answered, patting his shoulder as I entered the river.“Stay here,”I commanded this time, using my alpha powers.
His ears twitched. I could tell he was not pleased, but he would obey. He had no choice but to follow my command as his alpha.
“Magnus,” I said aloud, searching for the well of power I used to force Gilen to submit, when I forced the basilisk to bend to my will.
The bear’s jade eyes locked with mine, and I swear I saw a flash of something sparking in them. A lifeline. A sign that there was more to this creature, that there was a human soul buried beneath the animal standing before me.
“Magnus,” I boomed, power laced with my words. “Shift.”
The bear staggered, trying to fight against my command. I boldly stepped closer to the creature, pushing a wave of power around him. “Shift,” I commanded once more.
There was a green shimmer of magic hovering over the back of the bear’s shoulder hump. It trickled along its forelegs and across the rest of its body. Magnus was fighting me, but it wouldn’t last. I was the true alpha of the Solace pack, and I was going to bring my uncle back.
“Magnus. Shift!” I roared, putting everything I had into this command.
The bear moved onto the opposing riverbank, collapsing onto the ground. The animal roared, the ground shook, and the waters rippled out in waves with a burst of magic. Its stare locked with mine, and then, I felt it.
In a flash, the body of a man appeared across the riverbank.
“Release Neera,”I told Talon and Rhea.
“Father!” Neera screamed as she raced past me through the river, unhooking a cloak from around her shoulders and draping it over Magnus.
Rhea and Talon joined Shaw behind me as I slowly crossed the shallow river. Wading through the water, my heart raced as fast as a hummingbird’s wings, and my limbs felt like they were jolted with a bolt of lightning from the sky. The power humming through me was remarkable yet foreign. I would need to learn to control this magic, and with time, I knew I would.
But, like always, time never seemed to be on my side.
“Father?” Neera said between sobs. “It’s us. Neera and Sky.” Her gentle touch migrated in soft circles across Magnus’s back as he sat up and clutched the cloak around him.
“Magnus,” I said as I knelt before my uncle.
His eyes snapped open to meet my gaze. The forest-green tint was vivid and sparkling with a storm ofemotions. I could feel the depths of his sorrow through his stare, and it stole the breath from my lungs. The agonizing pain of losing his mate threatened to swallow him whole, yet… another emotion began to take hold.
A swell of pride breathed life into his features as his stare softened at the corners, a sheen of wetness coating his eyes as he blinked. He granted me a hint of a smile as he tilted his head and lowered his gaze.
“Alpha,” Magnus said before raising his head to meet me.
“You can still just call me Sky,” I teased as a beaming smile crossed my face.
“Sky,” Magnus whispered as he smiled.
Neera and I leaped into his embrace, his arms encircling and pulling us tightly to his chest. I could barely breathe, but I didn’t care. Magnus was back. I’d brought my uncle back.
“My daughters,” Magnus said softly, keeping his hold tight around us. “Thank you for never giving up on me. And thank you for saving me.”
I pulled back, tilting my head to look upon the face of the male who raised me. “You would never give up on me.” I sighed. “So, I would never give up on you. I love you, Magnus.”
“I love you, Skylar.” He closed his eyes and reached out to give me another hug. “And you, Neera,” he said, kissing her brow. “I love you both so much.”
