Page 77 of The Stolen Bride

The same power must have hit Juniper. She reactedsimilarly, the torn skin across her neck knitting back together. Our lights drew together and snapped into place like two lost puzzle pieces finally connected. A ball of light formed around us, lifting us both off our feet and blurring out the rest of the world.

My sister and I hovered mere inches apart, eye to eye. Health and vitality had returned to her cheeks. Locks of dark hair with hints of red floated around her.

“Hi,” she said.

“Hi,” I replied.

We shared a tentative smile. When we both reached out, offering the other our hands, a little laugh escaped me. We linked fingers.

“Any idea what’s happening right now?” she asked.

“If one is good, two is better?”

Like me, she gave a little laugh, and oh, it did my heart good, seeing her happy. But she sobered all too swiftly.

The gravity of the situation sobered me as well. “I want to get to know you more than anything—except saving my future husband. Help me dial down our, um, whatever this is, so I can jump back into the fight.” No telling what was going on out there right now.

“Maybe if we separate?” she suggested.

Excellent idea. Though I hated to do it, I released her, then flapped my arm and kicked my legs, as if swimming in air. I must look ridiculous, but I didn’t care. As the distance between us widened, we floated to the stone floor. By the time we stood upon the foundation, the bubble of light faded completely. The chamber came back into view, and my jaw nearly unhinged.Oh, Great Dane!

Everyone else laid strewn upon the ground, either unconscious or—No! I rushed to Viktor’s side and pressed two fingers into the hollow ofhis neck.

Relief washed over me. He was alive and well.

Juniper glanced at Deco before hurrying to Bodi to check him over.

“He still lives,” she called.

How long until everyone woke up? “Let’s get Mommy Dearest and her fiend into the cage.” They might be able to pass through the bars for reasons I didn’t yet know, but they’d have a hard time getting out of their bonds.

We worked together to drag both Valkara and Deco inside a cell, shackled both, and anchored their bonds to the hooks hanging from the ceiling.

When we finished, we looked at each other and grinned at a job well done. I almost threw my arms around Juniper and hated that I couldn’t. What did this mean for our relationship?

I returned to Viktor and patted his cheek. “Wake up, baby. It’s time to celebrate. Your firebrand and her twin saved the day.” No response. I patted with a bit more force. “Pudding pop. Come on now. Wake up and kiss me.”

Again, no response. Apprehension prickled my skin. “Viktor, I mean it. Wake up.”

Juniper stood off to the side, her arms wrapped around her middle, watching. “What do you want me to do?”

I didn’t know. No images flashed over the walls, so this wasn’t a sleep caused by the vargbane root. Plus, no one else had awakened, either.

“Viktor.” I hit him hard enough to jolt.

Still nothing.

A lump grew in my throat. What had we done to everyone?

Valkara’s words whispered through my mind.You think you can win because you haven’t yet read the writing on the wall. It spells doom.

Something about her tone. In the heat of the moment, I’d missed it but now…My gaze flipped to the walls. The scratches I’d believed were tick marks…did they resemble letters?

I popped to my feet and raced over, intensifying my study. When the message breached my understanding, I sucked air between my teeth. On the stone, the Valkara had carved the words:

To awaken all, a twin must fall.

This deed you’ll do, if goodness you eschew.

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