Page 73 of Ruined Kingdom

“Oh, locket?” I called for it with a confused and questioning tone.

My mother threw her head back and laughed. It was the most magical thing I’d ever heard, even more beautiful than the voice of Helene—the laughter of my mother.

As a child, there had been many nights I would lie awake staring at her portrait, imagining what she would sound like.

I’d prayed fervently every night to hear her call out to me or laugh. I could never have predicted that my prayers would be answered like this.

“Not like that, dear! Call out to it with your spirit. The shifter in you will know what to do then,” she explained, but to me, it still sounded too vague to be of any practical help.

Still, I nodded and gave it a shot. I closed my eyes and focused my mind on the weighty piece of gold resting on my skin.

Locket of my ancestors—umm—I’m reaching out to you … with my soul.

An exasperated breath escaped my lungs when nothing happened.

That wasn’t right at all!

I was going to have to try harder if I was going to save everyone, including Kaine… My Kaine.

My throat was restricted again. Every second I wasted was precious.

This time, I refocused my will on the locket, determined to make it work.

Locket of my ancestors, help me. Give me the strength and guidance I need to save this realm from the darkness looking to possess it. Help me save the man I love.

A shudder ran from the base of my spine to the back of my neck. With it came a surge of power unlike anything I’d ever known.

My eyes snapped open in shock.

“You did it! You attuned!” My mother celebrated with a gentle clap.

The first thing I noticed with the warm glow of light on her face was that it hadn’t been there a moment ago. I thought it was strange until I looked down to find that I was actually the one glowing, that it was my light being cast onto her.

And it wasn’t just my hand or arm alight this time.

“Woah.” I moved my arm closer, finally getting a look at the way my skin looked like the top of a frozen lake if the sun was plunged into it.

The light flowed like a river through me, out of me, around me.

“Now give me your hands. I will use our combined power to channel our abilities,” she instructed, and I didn’t hesitate to do as I was told.

As soon as our hands connected, she began to glow once more. I could feel the power moving between the two of us.

Her power felt more calm and elegant like it was a wise old sage.

Mine was more erratic like a foal still trying to find its feet.

It made me wonder why she needed my help at all…

She began chanting in a language I couldn’t understand.

With every word, the powers surging around us became like lightning bouncing around a small room.

The light grew too bright to keep my eyes open any longer, but when I closed them, I didn’t see the normal darkness. Instead, I could see the spirit form of my mother holding my hands, and the bright light emanating from us was floating everywhere like shining stars between us.

How am I seeing this?

Without warning, there was an explosion of light between us, knocking me back.

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