The word came to my mind just as when River had told me about the blood moon.
The witch suddenly screamed, and I flinched, jerking my gaze up.
She seemed to crumble right before my eyes. Sunken cheeks, her body was shriveling, life stolen from her in seconds.
“What the hell’s going on?” Hendrix growled, throwing himself once more to our side, reaching for the witch.
“Don’t touch us,” I snapped. Deep inside, I knew whatever was going on with me was dangerous.
The witch suddenly fell, breaking my touch, and hit the ground like a bag of bones.
I gasped, slightly horrified. Stumbling backward, I hugged myself with one arm while staring at the completely red moon on my arm as it started to fade. The image reminded me of River’s words the other night when we were on the mansion rooftop.
The darker moon is associated with death, while the bright silvery moon is about rebirth.
Was that what I’d just witnessed? The lake had given me power?
The men rushed to me, checking me over, asking me if I was okay.
“You’re not even burnt,” Hendrix said, rubbing the tips of his fingertips across my collarbone where I’d been struck by the witch’s fire.
Appearing just as lost as I felt, I remembered the voice in my head under the water.
“You will always sense the truth in someone’s heart,” I murmured. “That’s what I heard while I was trapped underwater. And the thing on my arm.” I lifted it, though there were no markings. I stared at my men, slightly confused.
“The water gave you power,” Hendrix said the words I couldn’t get out. “Just like it did to the three of us.” He gingerly took my arm and ran a thumb across my forearm, his touch soft and warm. There was no reaction as it had done so with the witch.
“What you just did to the witch,” he twisted his head to look at the horrifying mess on the ground and back at me, “is a miracle.”
I blinked at him, wanting to cry that he’d call such a terrifying ability a miracle. “We all gained our power to make ourselves stronger in a world that wanted us dead. And you, my gorgeous little wolf, are no different from us. You’ve fought your entire life, and now you’ve been blessed with some kind of power that might assess the truth in someone’s heart and protect you no matter what.”
“It also seems to then inflict punishment if it doesn't like what it sees,” I answered, unsure how I felt about wielding such a power. Let alone, I was also unclear on how to even activate it. Evidently, having my life threatened was one trigger. But would it appear if I touched the guys too much?
“You’re badass, gorgeous,” Caspian added, moving in close to me, his grin dangerously sexy.
River ran a hand through my hair, and said, “I find it extremely hot.”
I nodded with a small smile, and then burst into tears. Apparently, thinking I’d lost my loves, defeating a horrible witch, being bestowed with a crazy strong ability, and saving my unborn child in one day was too much for me. I almost laughed at myself because when I worded it like that, I wanted to cry even more.
“We’re getting off this goddamn island,” Hendrix finally commanded, and there was no argument from any of us. We all rushed to collect anything we’d left behind and made a mad dash back through the jungle towards the beach.
Hendrix swept me up into his arms, insisting I wasn’t to run. I looped my arms around his neck as we moved with speed. I’d never get sick of being this loved, and when I glanced down at my inner forearm a sense of power filled me.
Gone was the fear.
Gone was the loneliness.
All that remained was pure love and a desire for a future I’d never felt before. I held onto Hendrix tighter, smiling to myself that maybe this time I’d finally been lucky enough to have found my very own happily ever after.