Chapter 131

“If you have information, Faiza,” I snap, glaring hard at the Priestess. “Spit it out.”

Faiza rolls her eyes, clearly still frustrated with me. “June, you touched Life,” she bites out, taking another step towards me, clearly unafraid. “You used powers that the universe determined were hers and hers alone –“

“When did I do that!?” I shout, leaning against Anton a bit more, disbelieving and uncomfortable with that claim.

“Blythe,” Laila whispers, nodding, her fingertips pressed to her lips, looking between all of us and nodding. “You…turned him from a squirrel to a ghost again…that was Life’s magic…”

I scoff, dismissing the point and turning back to Faiza because that can’t be it. That took half a thought.

Faiza just shakes her head at me, still clearly pissed or frustrated or both. “Think about it Juniper. You told Life you’d go to war with her if she didn’t give you information and she gave you the information. Think deeply, deeply about what that means.” Faiza raises her eyebrows at me and waits, staring at me like it’s very obvious and I am very dumb.

Shame rolls in me as I clench my jaw because…I still just don’t get it.

“Figure. It. Out.” Faiza says, shaking her head. “Step into your power or else he will kill you. And everyone you love. You fool.”

I step towards Faiza, my mouth popping open in outrage –

But before I can say anything else she, too, vanishes.

I spin to Anton and Laila, my face falling now that my favorite opponent is gone. “Do you – are you – what the hell is she talking about!?”

Anton just shakes his head and puts his hands up, likewise at a loss. “I’m…processing my own insane information, June. I’m sorry, I’ve got nothing.”

I snap my head to Laila, who just bites her lip, her eyes moving between us.

“What?” I snap, moving towards her now, my hands snapping to my hips. “You know something! I can tell!”

“Whoa!” she says, putting out a hand toward me and giving me a stern little frown. “Easy, Juniper! I’m not the enemy here!”

I exhale, letting my head hang, realizing that my heart is pounding and that she’s right. I’m letting my stress get the better of me and taking it out on my friends. “I’m sorry,” I say, raising my hands to rub at my temples. “But – Laila – if you know something, or even suspect it – will you please help me? I’m so confused.”

“Junie,” Laila says softly. I raise my head when I feel her hand on my shoulder, pulling me in for a quick hug. I give into it, letting my friend comfort me for a moment. “Um, have you…have you ever considered that you might be…a Goddess?”

I go still in her arms, all the comfort draining from me.

My wolf lifts her nose in my soul and howls, the great sea of magic within me sparkling bright and true.

I pull back from Laila and stare into her face. “What?”

She smiles at me. “June, how else would you be able to get a Priestess?”

“But –“ I sputter, staring at my friend and then whipping my head to Anton, who just stares at me, unblinking and shocked. “But – everyone in my family is a demigod or a demigoddess – we all have magic –“

“Not like you,” Laila says, laughing a little. “Your sister can do the Goddess fire, right? And your mom can do healing, and your aunt the weather?”

I turn back to her, nodding.

“But Junie,” Laila says, laughing a little. “We’ve seen you do…all of that. And more.”

I just stare at her, completely overwhelmed by that suggestion. “That’s…impossible.”

“Juniper, none of this is possible,” Anton says, coming closer, wrapping an arm around me and Laila each, turning us into a weird little group hug in the forever-dark Underworld, standing outside the city of Life. “Why…why should that be the thing out of the realm of possibility?”

“Because it’s ridiculous!” I huff, giving my head a sharp shake. “I – I just have magic! That’s all! I can’t be…”

But even as I fail to say the word, my wolf turns eager circles in my soul, howling and singing. The power begins to rise, becoming a mist in the air, sweeping all around my wolf, all through me, my entire self.

“I like it,” Anton murmurs, dipping his head to press a kiss to my hair. “I think it fits. And even if it’s not…”

I turn my head up to him, my eyes wide and unblinking, completely overwhelmed by this idea.

“Well, even if it’s just a theory, and we can get better answers from your Grandmother later…it can’t hurt, can it?” he whispers, tightening his arm around me. “To go into this war believing it true? That you have Goddess powers - that you’re equal in strength to Death? Or…beyond him?”

“But I’m a mortal,” I whisper, shaking my head. “I’m…just a person. Just a girl.”

“Oh, as if there’s no power in that,” Laila says, laughing a little. I turn my eyes to her, shocked. “Who taught you that mortality and girlhood had no relationship to power? Whoever it was…did you a great disservice.”

I just stare at my friend for a long moment.

Then I close my eyes again, exhaling a long breath, turning to my wolf, studying her. She pants eagerly, excited, the mists of my power clinging to her fur in a thousand drops like water, each a tiny prism, a diamond reflecting the light.

I lose my breath, seeing her there like that because…

God, but she does look unearthly, doesn’t see. Beyond life, beyond mortality.

Eternal.

I open my eyes, shock still running through me, though it’s chased by power now.

The smile falls from Laila’s face as she stares at me. I stare back for a second and then whip my head up to look at Anton, surprised to see that his expression matches hers.

“What?” I ask, suddenly wary. “What’s wrong?”

“Just…your eyes, June,” Laila whispers, leaning close to peer at me. “They’re…shining. Like…a whole galaxy of stars is in them…”

I gulp, looking between both of them, even as I feel my power begin to grow. “Does it look….bad?”

A laugh bursts from Anton at that and I turn my face back up to him, my eyes going wide, worried.

“It’s beautiful, June,” Anton murmurs, lifting his hand from my back to stroke it over my hair. “It suits you. Incredible, just as you are.”

I take a deep breath, trusting him, trying to believe it, willing myself to the task.

And suddenly, quite suddenly…I do.

I accept my magic, all of it. I stop containing it to just a sea of power tucked away in my soul and instead…let it flow all through me. One with my body, with myself.

Energy and joy rush through my veins.

“Okay,” I say, laughing a little. “Okay…um. Let’s do this, yes? Go get our Orion, go get our girls?”

Laila and Anton burst into smiles, believing in me utterly now. My boyfriend and my priestess. My best friends.

“I’m ready when you are, Junepiper,” Anton murmurs, smirking down at me with a great deal of joy and pride. I beam back at him, loving him a great deal.

“Okay,” Laila says, her voice suddenly as practical as it is cheerful. Anton and I both turn to her, a bit confused. She steps back a bit, studying us, a finger curling around her chin. “I mean, I think we should go too but…if we’re going to go…shouldn’t we come up with a plan? And think about how we’re presenting ourselves?”

I grin suddenly, delighted with my friend who always considers these kinds of details. “You’re the one with the best taste, Laila,” I say, holding my hands out to the side and giving a shrug. “What do you have in mind?”

“Hey,” Anton says, frowning down at me. “I have great taste.”

“Yes, darling,” I murmur, reaching up and patting his cheek patronizingly. “You’re a very close second.”

“You have looked great every day in this Underworld, Juniper. And I’ve picked out everything you’ve worn.”

I frown at him. “Not true! I picked out this!” I gesture down at my leggings and black sweater.

He just raises his eyebrows. “Yes Juniper. You did.”

“Whatever,” I say, laughing and smacking him on the arm. “I look cute.”

He laughs and pulls me close, pressing a series of swift kisses to my hair, confirming that he agrees with my claim. I burst into a smile, loving that he thinks I look cute even though I’m sure I’m deeply disheveled after all this travel.

He grins at me, looking gorgeous as he always does. I glare a little, jealous that ghosts don’t get rumpled by travel. His grin deepens, sensing my jealousy and its source.

“Yes,” Laila says, her voice humming with consideration, bringing Anton and I back to the moment. We both turn our attention to her. “But if we’re going to show up for a battle with an army of three,” she says, her eyes moving between us. “Perhaps we should do it…in style.”

I grin at my friend, delighted, eager to see what she’s got in store.