Page 40 of Loving Amari

I look at her, seeing the exhaustion in her eyes. “I’m all for carrying you back home to Medina Shadow, but could we teleport this time?”

Carla smirks and opens a portal with her web magic, the pink strands forming a doorway through space.

“I’ll reach out as soon as I find something,” Angie calls out, already lost in her research.

We walk through the portal together, stepping into the large foyer of our coven. The familiar scent of home washes over me.

Immediately, Moria and Kemnebi skitter toward us, sending images of Nathaniel getting away. The mental pictures flash through our minds—the blue orb escaping, the door slamming shut, their frustration at failing to catch him.

Carla notices something in the images and looks at me. “Nathaniel—he’s really scared of Verto.”

“Hmm, we’ll need to check that out,” I say, filing that information away. Our biggest spider child might be more valuable than we thought.

“I’m going to have to go back into limbo,” she says. “The more I’m away from the void, the easier it is for him to plan. Me being there means I can stall him longer.”

“But...” I start to protest, every instinct screaming to keep her safe, keep her here.

Carla runs a hand over my chest, soothing. “I’ll stay with you until a plan is formulated. But remember what Aya said. The children holding back the lost souls—it’s not sustainable.”

She looks down at her hands, pink magic sparking between her fingers like tiny lightning. “I don’t know how I’m supposed to stop this.”

“I’m thinking about reaching out to Tabatha,” she admits quietly.

I furrow my brow. “You can do that?”

She shrugs, uncertainty clouding her features. “I don’t know, but it’s worth a try. If we don’t figure out something soon, we’re going to lose Wintermoon.”

I pull her into my arms and plant a soft kiss against her lips. I can feel the worry in her, the weight of responsibility crushing down on her shoulders.

“I’m not going to let that happen,” I tell her when we break apart, my hands framing her face. “I swear it to you.”

14

CARLA

Istand outside the castle, looking back at the window where Amari and Bobby strategize about the new security system. Their silhouettes move behind the glass, heads bent together over the projection screens.

The remaining soldiers of Medina Shadow bow to me as they walk over to a truck, loading into it as they prepare to depart for the Royal Island. They’re going to offer King Amir and Queen Anora some extra protection.

I start to walk into the forest, thinking about how to channel that kind of energy. My feet find the well-worn path without conscious thought.

I find myself stopping in a clearing within the forest. It’s clear of my children—they’re all in limbo, protecting Wintermoon as much as possible. The absence of their comforting presence makes the space feel too empty, too quiet.

I look up when I feel a burst of energy crackling through the air. Anora suddenly steps out of the shadows, lifting the hood of her cloak from her head. Her dark hair spills around her shoulders.

“Is everything okay?” I ask, already knowing the answer.

Anora narrows her eyes at me. She starts to circle me like a predator, and I can see the darkness swirling in her eyes. The power radiating off her makes the air thick and heavy.

“Why isn’t this handled?” she demands.

I glare at her. “Excuse me?”

“Something in your little void is trying to take my son away from me. Do we need to fight again?” Her voice carries a dangerous edge.

Magic trickles from my fingers, pink webs sparking to life. “Let me remind you, Blackwoods have sent their own magic into limbo. So let that be a confirmation of what I can do to you.”

“Do you not understand the weight of what I’m dealing with?” I continue, frustration bleeding into my voice. “The fate of Wintermoon rests on my shoulders.”