Page 146 of Empowering the Wolf's Heart

My people took a collective step back as a lithe creature erupted from the trees beside us and burned the sky with her breath, painting it a flaming red and gold. Bones cracked and popped from beside me, then Lycus nudged me with his nose. I set my hand on his head, absentmindedly rubbing the itchy spot behind his ear that he couldn’t reach as he patted his back foot on the ground. Over the bond, I could sense him and how different he was from Shen. Lycus was a puppy at heart. Adangerous puppy who was content when he merely had a full belly and someone to curl up with beside a fire. He didn’t love death, but he could meet it better than any other warrior I’d known.

I loved him. The timeless being in my soul curled around me, a warmth growing over the bond I was just getting used to.

Ran stretched her wings out upon the flares of wind, her tail curling behind her and showing off every bit of her glorious form. She released a second cry as her flames dropped behind her, highlighting her pearlescent scales and massive, silver wings. She curled her body, shooting down from the sky with the speed of a hawk zoning in on its prey.

Ran was nothing if not dramatic.

With the grace of a gazelle but the power of an elephant, she landed by my side. I was flanked by an Alpha werewolf the size of a bear on my right and a dragon the size of an elephant on my left. I felt tiny.

Then a little pup scampered from the edge of the forest, screeching to a halt and ramming into Shen, who curled his tail around the pup. Fenbutt looked up at Shen with puppy worship and his tongue hanging out of his mouth.

What was he doing here? The pup was supposed to be with my family as they escaped through the hidden passageways. He released a pop that made Lycus gag.

“My people,” I began. “We have long fought for a world of peace. A world where dangers did not abound around the corner. We fought for a place where innocents could rest. We bore that burden so the next generations would not have to go through what we did. What we did not understand was that in our zealousness, we turned our ire on those who were also innocent. We failed. But at heart, we were still trying to do what was right. We only fell astray.

“Now, we have a chance. A chance to change the future. A chance to take our choices into our own hands. A chance to look past whatwasto embrace whatis. I will fight with my life to protect the innocents in this city and beyond. Will you, my people, my tribe, my very family, join me this day?”

A low beat began to build. My people pounded their fists to their chest in a steady salute. A commitment. A promise.

“My people!” I roared above the gaining beat that nearly drowned out my voice. “This day we fight! This day, we fight for humans, shifters, elves, and mages! This day, we take back the choices that were taken from us and wechoose. This day,this dayour lives become our own and we take back what was ours all along.FREEDOM!”

My shout was drowned out as the thumping was mixed with a steady chant.

“Power ab intus, tutela omnium.

“Power ab intus, tutela omnium.

“Power ab intus, tutela omnium.”

Power from within, protection for all.

It was repeated. And then they changed.

“Power ab intus, tutela omnium. Choices sunt potentiae quaeramus. Damnum potestate sui exitium honoris. Honor sui, honor arbitrium, honor Vita Fons, honor Auctorem, honor vita. Tutela omnium, fides tribui, vita magicis.”

"Tutela omnium, fides tribui, vita magicis.”

"Tutela omnium, fides tribui, vita magicis.”

I thumped my fist against my chest, raising my voice to match theirs. And if my eyes watered from the dust shaken from the earth by our voices, then the only ones who knew were an Alpha werewolf, a gassy puppy, and a unicorn-dragon.

I turned back to my grandmother. Her face was set in her stoney visage, her lips pursed in a thin line while disappointment was clear in her gray eyes. The sound of hervoice didn’t travel this far, but her eyes and mouth were easy to read.

“Kill them.”

The rogues were released.

CHAPTER 52

Kingpin

ALIA

Ipulled the blow gun from my bracer as Ran gathered the puppy gently in her paws to protect him.

Shen had foam flaking his muzzle. His lips were pulled back in a deathly smile. His eyes glowed golden and his claws curled into the ground. He lifted his mouth and a long, low howl echoed from his soul. I felt threads extend from him and track about, hitting other bonds within his entire pack. The thing that surprised me the most was the way those threads also came back to me.

Lycus turned his eyes to me.We are one, Star of my Skies. What is mine is yours, and yours is mine.

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