Chapter 285

I dumped everything into a bowl on the counter. What the hell was he talking about? I checked his other pockets to be safe before I hopped up. I grabbed the shovel, turning back to the man and the grave, but before I could fill it in, I felt a hand on my shoulder.

I turned and looked, and there was my grandma, sadness etched on her face. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.”

“I know, love, that’s why I’m here.” She leaned in and kissed my cheek. “Grab a handful of dirt.” She nodded toward the mound. I dropped the shovel and grabbed a handful before I turned to look at her expectantly. “Carl, or better known as Carlithaen, the Shaman of old, we lay you to rest to join the Moon Goddess. May her fields be bright and cool. May your wolf and you run together for eternity.” She nodded to me, and I went to drop the dirt, but something stopped me.

My grandmother turned to me, and I could see her confusion. “I-” I tried to explain, but she just gestured to me.

“Follow your instinct.”

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I opened myself to my magic, and it jumped to my fingertips. “Isla fo int ye per ta na shado.” My grandmother’s eyes widened.

“Why did you do that?”

“Do what?” I felt the magic rush into the dirt in my hands, and then I sprinkled the dirt over Carl.

“You protected his grave.” She tilted her head. “No, that isn’t right.”

“What?”

“You just said a spell.” I nodded.

“And…”

“And it wasn’t one before, just now.” Her voice was soft.

“Of course it was. I remembered it from the book.”

She shook her head. “I remember every spell in my book, my love. But that one, that one was new. You took my protection spell that my mother and I created long ago, and you twisted it.”

“What are you talking about?” I grabbed the shovel again and crouched by Carl’s head. “I’ll protect her with my life.” Then I stood and started to fill in the grave as my grandmother paced.

“My spell, or I should say, my mother’s spell, was created when I was a child. She created a protection spell, and when I came into my power, we perfected it together. But you, you took it, and created a shield.”

“How could I do that?”

“I don’t know.” She turned to me. “Wolves with magic have never been able to create new spells. Your father’s book—he has spent these last years finding spells for his book, not creating them. The three-headed goddess has never blessed a wolf as she has a witch.”

“Until now.” A voice called from the trees. Instantly, I was on edge. I looked behind at the fire, but no one was looking this way. “Don’t worry, wolf, the others will not see.” She stepped from the woods, the goddess I saw in my dream from the beginning. “I see you recognize my faces.” She shifted from an old woman to a young one. Every time my eyes landed on her face, it shifted: young, old, light-skinned, and dark. She was every woman and none, all at once. It was dizzying trying to track the changes, so I focused on her eyes—her eyes that seemed to be lit with the same light that I found years ago deep inside of myself: magic.

There was a crack, and another shape took form next to her. “I have shown her the way, sister.” My grandmother came to stand next to me. I could feel the tension in her body, even though she was just here in spirit.

The Moon Goddess and the Three-Headed Goddess both stood next to the oak. I looked between them and then at my grandmother. She bowed as she looked at the two goddesses. “Mother, Maiden, Crone, welcome. Moon Goddess, welcome.” Her eyes met mine, and there was a tiny spark of fear in her eyes.

“Merry met, my child.” The shifting goddess stepped closer, staring into my eyes, but I just placed the shovel down and faced them. Surprise flashed across her face. “You are not afraid of me?” Her voice held amusement as I looked up at her. She was a very tall woman.

“Should I be?” My voice was soft as I answered.

The Moon Goddess chuckled, but the witch goddess threw back her head and cackled. “No, my child, you shouldn’t. But even the most devoted of my followers hold a bit of fear.”

I looked back to the Moon Goddess, and she gave me a tiny nod. “I have walked with a goddess before.” She smirked back at me. “And the thing I have learned was that if she wanted me dead, then I would be dead. There is no changing my fate once it is set by a goddess. But my wolf, my Lycan, and my magic are all telling me the same thing.”

“And what is that?” Her face shifted to a motherly face.

“You need me for something.”