ancient stones of Moonhaven Grove sparked with energy, casting ethereal p

ying to keep her voice steady despite the strange flutter in her chest. Hi

He opened his mouth to respond, but before he could speak, his legs buc

Empress and the stranger. "It could be a trap," he warned, his voice

nd his breathing came in sharp gasps. She rushed forward, catching him before he hit the ground. Up close,

paused only a moment before joining her. Together, they dropped Lucas gently to the grass.

his forearms-symbols unlike an

t his wound. Warm blood pulsed between her fingers, each beat of his he

t welcome an outsider in our territory," he reminded her sof

ng the conflict in his face. "I'm st

n. It wasn't the sound of any thing Empress knew-it seemed to come from ev

his protective instincts overwhelming

orms that made no sense. Empress's wolf stirred beneath

Empress's arm with shocking power. "They're coming," he whispered, his voice hoarse. Th

d, fighting the desire to cradle hi

to sleep. The strange symbols on his arms flare

The moonlight seemed to dim, as if something wa

Empress made her choic

reath warm against her neck. That unexplained pull tugged at her heart again, stronger now

bers knew. The shadows followed them, bringing an unnatural cold that didn'

, followed by heavy footfall

anted, his eyes moving to her face. The unspoken question hun

she ordered. "Get him to the doctors.

nation-and something deeper that made he

him, her voice carrying the weight

fe, and for one breathtaking moment, she saw flashes of memory that weren't her own-a dark figure wieldi

But now she knew with bone-deep certainty-Lucas ha

son, meeting the pain in his eye

o protect her and to keep her from this stranger who already commanded so much of

ickly, ready for battle. Power thrummed through her veins-the strength of her

ly humanoid shape. Red eyes gle

d, cold as midwinter frost. "

stood proudly between the shadow creature and the way J

by her fierce need to protect a guy s

king glass. "Brave words. But you have no

rom its fingers like water. The temperatu

split the night-a sound of pure

so

my workers have found your friends. What will y

o stay and fight-to protect her area from this thre

the darkness, more de

e spun and ran toward Jason's cries. The shadow creat

"But you can't protect them forever. The h

d. She burst into a small opening and skidded to

sed to Jason's chest, the other raised toward a circle of shadow creatures circling them. The symbol

with power and despair. Something passed between t

onger," he gasped, his wo

faced a decision that would change everything-retreat to safety, or risk everything for

t really a c

on Goddess that her strength would be enough. As she leapt, one thought burned in her mind: she would protect them