Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 90897 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 454(@200wpm)___ 364(@250wpm)___ 303(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90897 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 454(@200wpm)___ 364(@250wpm)___ 303(@300wpm)
Astra appeared in the middle of the standing stones. Her hair blazed behind her with unnatural wind, her dress fluttering against the curves of her body.
Her eyes were bright gold.
“They’re coming,” Astra announced with a smug smile.
The air crackled around them, the hair on the back of Echo’s neck rising in response. Suspecting Astra would assume Echo would attack her again, Echo vamp-sped over to Kiyo instead and yanked the silver blade out of his back.
He shot her a dark look of thanks before he transformed into a wolf more quickly than Echo had ever seen a were invoke his beast. It was too fast. Then, of course, Kiyo was no ordinary wolf. Wolves had the gift of long life … but not immortality. Yet, Kiyo did. Kiyo was the world’s only immortal werewolf. Clearly, that came with perks.
Like Conall, he had thick black shining fur, and he was huge. He bared his teeth at Astra, but the fae female just grinned viciously at him.
“Now, now, it’s a little too late for that.”
Before Kiyo had time to charge at her, Conall and Thea appeared with Rose out of thin air. Rose held them, having brought them here by traveling. Then Fionn appeared. And then Elijah, whose gaze darted around the cliff top. Echo felt his relief as he spotted her. He followed her eyes as she gestured with her chin to Odette, Nancy, and Bill, who had come to in the last few seconds.
Elijah’s expression softened with more relief—until he saw Margaret. His head whipped to Echo. His sorrow mingled with hers.
Astra scowled at the supernaturals. “Where is my sister?” she shrieked.
Niamh.
Kiyo growled low in his throat.
Then Astra’s eyes widened as she looked beyond them to where the hill sloped downward.
Niamh’s voice carried up toward them. “Looking for me, you psychotic fae feces?”
Echo might have laughed if she’d been capable of it.
Astra’s paling features had Echo turning toward Niamh, and she drew in a breath at the sight before them.
A bitter smirk curled Echo’s lips as she realized Astra was shocked. “Ah, you didn’t see that coming, did you?”
36
For months, Niamh had been burdened with visions of what could be. Not just one possible outcome to the fight to save the freaking world, but many possibilities. With that burden came the realization that to achieve the ending she desired, she would have to move everyone like chess pieces. Not just Astra. But even the people she loved and cared about.
Even her mate.
It was a path she couldn’t deviate from, but she knew Kiyo would forgive her for keeping the truth to herself.
Astra had to believe Niamh was confused by the visions she was being shown.
Astra had to believe that they were all too sentimental and emotional to care they were walking into a trap.
So, behind the scenes, using every ounce of her magic, Niamh had hidden her intentions from Astra and kept them hidden from those who didn’t need to know until the very last minute. Coordinating. Fostering relationships. Explaining what was at stake. Conall had been pivotal in bringing it all together too.
Which was why, standing at Niamh’s back, was not only the entirety of Pack MacLennan but three large wolf packs from around the world, allies of Pack MacLennan, who had stepped up to fight.
Hundreds of werewolves.
They were all in wolf form and ready to stop Astra from opening the gate to Faerie.
Not just to stop Astra, though.
On Niamh’s left flank were five of the world’s most powerful witches and warlocks. Three warlocks and two witches, all members of the North American High Council, who oversaw the covens of North America and upheld their laws. For too long, the Blackwood Coven had gotten away with atrocities in the name of opening the gate to Faerie.
At last, Niamh had convinced the council members to bear witness to the Blackwoods’ treachery.
Because the Blackwood Coven was on its way to make sure Astra failed, but only so they could succeed.
Just as she thought it, the Blackwood Coven breached Astra’s barriers with their collective magic, popping onto the grass one after another in a formation of four lines—a wall of witches and warlocks between the wolves, Niamh, the council members, the standing stones, and the rest of Niamh’s companions.
“Believe me now?” Niamh asked the council members.
Their answering dismay and wrath was palpable.
“Ready?”
They nodded.
“Charge!” Niamh screamed her order.
As the wolves rushed across the grass, Niamh ran with them. The sound of their pounding paws across Arthur’s Seat echoed around her, but not beyond the barrier Astra had killed Margaret to create. Sorrow scored across Niamh’s chest, but she pushed it aside to focus. Kiyo and the others battled Astra who popped in and out of existence, evading them within the stone circle, evading them. Niamh had to get to them. She had to fight to end the fae who could destroy them all.