Chapter 110

Harper’s POV

Lucas trusts Ms. Sage, which means I should too.

So why can’t I stop my hands from trembling?

Clutching at the sides of my pants, I dig my fingers into the scratchy material of the cargo pants. Lucas sits off to the side, staying close to offer his support. He offers a reassuring smile, making me want to reach out for him. His shirtless torso is still on display, but I can’t even admire his muscles because the dried blood on his skin as well as the new scars distract me.

My heart jumps again and climbs into my throat as Ms. Sage dips the end of an herb bundle into her small fire. Smoke rises and the sharp scent fills the air. The circle around me glows brighter, sparking with yellow light before it turns a deep purple.

Ms. Sage waves her herb bundle around, muttering in a strange, yet familiar language that doesn’t make any sense to me. It reminds me of my mother and of how she would whisper little enchantments over the animals we would heal.

My heart thunders in my chest, the sound growing louder and louder until I can barely hear her speaking. I’m torn between watching her, looking at Lucas, or closing my eyes as I force myself to sit here.

Erie shifts slightly, drawing my attention to her, and I watch as she flexes her front paws, her claws digging into the ground with the movement.

Something in the air grows heavier, tighter, and on instinct, I reach out for my wolf. Her soft fur beneath my palm centers me, the warmth entering my body through my fingers. I run my hand down her back. The slight rise and fall of her body, the low purr that vibrates through her, and the softness of her fur keep me from stopping the ritual.

The witch lays her herb bundle down, taking up a bottle filled with a dark liquid. Standing, she uncaps the bottle and sprinkles the liquid around the circle as her chanting becomes louder. She traces shapes along the edge of the circle, bringing them in and around Erie, and then around me when she gets to my side.

The lines cross and connect between me and Erie, flaring a brighter purple when she flings an unknown powder out.

Is this really going to work? I’d seen my mother do rituals before, but never anything like this.

“If you believe in me, I can help you,” Ms. Sage instructs, turning her eyes on me as if she can read my mind. Then, without waiting for me to respond, she continues, “Focus on the bond between you and Erie. Feel the place inside you where you feel you are not whole.”

Not whole.

Her words hit me square in the chest, touching that ache that planted itself deep within me.

Curling my hand into Erie’s fur, I close my eyes. It’s been so long since we’ve been together, and I’ve felt broken the entire time, that I don’t remember what it was like to have her with me. The thought makes my chest ache and my throat burn.

If… when we become one, I’ll never let anyone take Erie away from me again.

I let my mind clear, doing as Ms. Sage said and looking within.

The empty hollow that has filled me for over a year isn’t easy to forget. I remember the pain of loneliness I’ve been feeling. The ache has followed me like a predator sticking to the trail of an injured animal, never leaving me until I found her. Even then, having Erie here only slightly dulled the intense loneliness.

A quiet whine fills the air, and I stroke Erie’s fur, whispering, “We can do this together.”

Ms. Sage begins chanting again, and something flickers within me.

My breath catches in my chest as the sensation grows stronger. My head spins, my chest tightens, my stomach flops. The fluttering icy cold anxiety that coated my frayed nerves melts and pools in my chest.

It doesn’t hurt, but it’s strange. It’s an unfamiliar feeling, almost unnatural, like someone is trying to reach into me and move things around. The magic crawls through my body, warming me from the inside out and touching parts of me that I didn’t realize felt numb.

The thread weaves between my bones, past my nerves, and into my soul.

Slowly, the feeling changes to a sharper, more insistent pull, and I gasp. It tugs at me like an invisible thread, pulling against my ribs and making me a bit breathless. My body sways forward as if someone had physically tried to move me.

“Don’t fight it,” Ms. Sage instructs, her tone strained. “Welcome her back.”

I grit my teeth and clench my fists, trying to remember not to hurt Erie. Taking several deep breaths, I redirect my mind to focus on the hollow inside and bring Erie back.

Erie stands and circles me before crawling into my lap and leaning into me. Her golden eyes peer up at me, soft and warm, and achingly familiar. They’re eyes that I’d seen several times in the mirror when I was young, and I so badly want that again. She’s part of me and part of my soul that’s been missing, and it’s time for us to be one again.

Erie’s weight settles me, calming any nervousness or anxiety that remained. Something else touches me, and when I look up, Lucas is at my side, his hand gently brushing my arm in a slow, soothing rub.

His presence and Erie’s warmth settle over me, letting me relax fully as a familiar pressure fills my chest. It opens, uncurling, inside me and spreading through my body with a slight tingle.

The magic around me seeps through my skin and fills me, sending another wave of warmth through me. My body moves on its own, curling over Erie’s body as the new feeling fills me. I close my eyes to try and focus, but my mind buzzes and swirls.

One more sharp tug in my chest, and something clicks.

For a moment, everything is silent.

Whole.

It’s as if the door that opened a bright light into a dark, cold cavern. The bond of souls twining together flares. It fills the space with love and life, seeping into the fissures and repairing the damage done by my father.

Erie’s presence nudges at my mind, and my eyes begin to sting with unshed tears.

A flood of affection fills me, knocking the breath from my lungs in an overwhelming wave of love. My heart stutters at the wild, intense feeling, but something a little softer creeps along the edge of my mind.

“Erie,” I whisper, realizing the weight in my lap isn’t as heavy as before.

Opening my eyes, I look down to see Erie’s form flickering and fading. The soft light around her sparkles, and my stomach flips with worry. I try to touch her, but my hand phases right through her nearly invisible body.

“No… wait—”

Golden eyes connect with mind before they fully fade, leaving a soft puff of sparkles in the air. I reach, letting one of the tiny sparkles fall into my palm.

“Where…”

The fullness within me expands, filling me like a breath of fresh air in a smoky room, and I know it’s Erie.

“I’m here,” a voice whispers in my mind.

“It’s done,” Ms. Sage announces. “Your souls are one.”