Chapter 232

“Do you think she is going to be back soon?” Wendy’s voice was soft as she squeezed my hand.

Toya stared down at my body and raised her shoulder. “I don’t know.”

“It’s been so long.” It felt like days had passed since I left my body and started down the black chain leading to Amara.

Toya smiled. “It’s barely been an hour.”

The truth hit my stomach. An hour. How was that possible? So much had happened in that short time. I stared at the lost soul, listening to her manic laughter as she faded. And my stomach dropped again.

I cracked open my eyes to find the two women still clutching my hands. “Amy!” Wendy screamed and dove into my arms. “You’re back.”

I smiled and nodded. But Toya seemed a little reserved. “I read the book while you were gone.” I turned to her and cleared my throat. It felt dry and painful.

“And?”

“Tell me something only Amy would know.” Her words were measured, and her eyes stared into my soul.

“Our fathers are still alive.”

Toya seemed to glare at me, as if trying to think if it was enough. “More.” I guess she deemed it too little.

“I am descended from the goddess. From her power, her blood, her body. I’m half wolf, half Lycan. I also have witch’s blood, which gives me power—”

“Okay.” Toya waved me off and then pulled me into her arms but froze when I hissed. Pain radiated up my spine, from my head, and my arm, and I realized that the lost soul, the woman, had somehow hurt my shell, my body. Everything she did to my soul transferred to my body. “What’s wrong?” I watched as she pulled away from me and realized I was dripping blood. “Fuck. Wendy, go get the first aid kit.”

“What, why?” Wendy stood and ran out of the room, coming back with the kit.

“She’s bleeding.” Toya pulled my long sleeve off my body and looked at my arm. “What the hell happened, and why aren’t you healing?”

I leaned over my knees, but Toya grabbed a pillow from the couch. “No, I’ll bleed on it.” She smacked my hand away.

“I’ll buy you a fucking new one. Lay down on your stomach.” I stared at her for a moment before I listened. I slid my legs under me and laid down on the pillow, pointing my face towards Toya.

“Happy?”

“Very.” Toya smirked, but Wendy grew pale.

“What happened, Amy?” She knelt near my head, and Toya began pulling things out of the kit. “You were fine before you left.”

Before I opened my mouth, Toya poured liquid onto my back, and it felt like fire. I gritted my teeth. “Tell us what happened after your soul left here. It will distract you from the pain.”

I gave a tiny nod. “When I pulled away, I thought I failed until I turned and saw you two over my body. There was this black chain that was coming out of my chest, so I followed it.”

“Followed it where?” Wendy petted my hair, running her hands through it, and then she froze. “Oh, Amy.”

I could feel her sadness. “It’s okay.” I closed my eyes to focus on the story and not on the burning in my back. “I followed the chain all the way to my father’s pack lands.”

“Holy shit.” Toya’s hands wiped my back, and I hissed.

“The world seemed to blur. I was moving so fast until I came to the caves.” I felt my back cramp, and the pain that I was doing my best to ignore kicked up as the muscles danced.

“Caves.” Toya redirected me as I hissed.

“The caves by my father’s house that were used for the dead. We thought they were haunted. My father told me to stay away from them. But the chain trailed in, so I followed it.”

“Was it haunted?” Wendy almost whispered as she picked through my hair.

“No. It was the rogues.” Both their hands froze on my skin.

“What did you say?”

“Rogues, they made a camp in the caves. I don’t know if that is all of them, but the encampment was big.” I winced as she taped up my back. “I found Amara. The wolf who tried to take over my father’s pack, she was the one that hexed me. I was able to break the spell, but then she found me.”

“Amara? How?” Toya moved to my arm and started over, pouring pure fire onto my arm.

“No.” I gritted my teeth so hard I could hear them grind. “I don’t know who she was. I just know what she was. She was like me, gifted with power, probably an ancestor of mine. But she spirit walked without anchors, and she lost her shell, her body.”

“What? That’s possible?” Wendy gripped the pillow under my head.

“Yeah, and she was left to wither in the dark until she saw me and decided to take my body instead.”