Page 2 of Spirit Rites

A hand slips into the crook of my arm as Farrah links her arm through mine. She tugs me towards the door a moment and then stops. “What is he doing?”

I stare at the jaguars. “Mating, I guess.”

Farrah’s wide eyes meet mine. “Really?”

“That’s what Veyra said.”

“Veyra? Aw, that’s such a gorgeous name.” She absently reaches out and touches the top of Solace’s head. Solace is a gorgeous wolf and also Farrah's spirit animal, that also happens to be fully corporal. Solace is mated to Shade, Rysden’s wolf. I watch the two of them a moment and hope I can become close like that to Veyra. I turn to face her and squint my eyes when I see Jespar is laying on the ground underneath her now.

“Okay, I think it’s time to leave them,” Farah says.

“Yeah.” I turn away quickly.

“Are they...like right here?” Harper asks with a raised eyebrow.

“Pretty sure,” Farrah says.

Harper glances at me. “You’re still looking a little green.” She glances over her shoulder and then back at me. “What exactly is your plan here?” Her voice is quiet, but it’s still too loud.

“Shh.”

Harper gives me her infamous look again. “Kinsley, he’s going to figure out that it’s not me.”

“Not if we don’t tell him.”

“And what, I’m just going to pretend to be bonded to your jaguar?” she asks.

I nod desperately. “Yes. That would be awesome. Will you do it?”

“Sure. No problem.”

Hope blooms in my chest. “Really?”

“No.” Just like that, my hope deflates.

“Come on,” Farrah says gently. “Let’s go inside.”

I glance around and notice that it’s just the three of us left out here. The other guys must have gone inside. I glance over my shoulder to make sure Veyra is okay, but I squeeze my eyes tight and turn back around. “I’m going to have that image burned into my eyeballs,” I mutter as I follow Farrah and Harper. “Wait,” I say right before Farrah opens the door. “What’s the plan?” Harper and Farrah both give me blank looks. “Come on, Farrah. You always have a plan.”

“I don’t know, Kinsley. This just happened so fast. One minute, I’m in bed with Rysden—”

I throw my hand up. “Stop. I don’t want to know.”

Farrah laughs. “I’m just saying. One minute, everything was good. Rysden told me now that he is King, he’s already passed a law that those who fail to produce a spirit animal during the trials don’t have to be banished. I was so excited because you both can stay in the Wolf Kingdom with me. He was going to tell Kaldar not to bother taking you back to his kingdom. And then this happened. You produced a spirit animal.”

“Fully corporal,” Harper mutters under her breath, like I need to be reminded.

“And now, Kaldar is here. Rysden was going to tell him that you both can stay now because of the new law, but now, well...” she motions towards the jaguars behind me.

I drop my hands to my hips. “This is all your fault,” I say to both of them.

“Our fault?” Farrah asks. “How do you figure?”

“Last night.” I check to make sure the front door is fully closed. “You both kept going on and on about him,” I whisper fiercely. “Saying I was in love with him when I’ve never even talked to him!”

“You were the one going on about his muscles and broad shoulders,” Harper argues.

“And the hair. Don’t forget the hair. You said you wanted to run your fingers—” I clap my hand over Farrah’s mouth.