Chapter Sixteen

Skye raised a pale blue crystal to the moon and watched as the world faded away. She arrived in a field far away from Corona, landing on a rock and tripping. She clenched her ankle. “Ow…”

She snapped her fingers, and one of her wolves turned into a male human about her age, with black hair and mismatched brown-and-blue eyes. “Yes ma’am?” he said.

“Contact the mistress, Aiden,” she ordered through clenched teeth, ripping another crystal-like necklace, this one purple, off her kneck, and handed it to him. The shapeshifter held it up to the moon, and the image of a small girl appeared in the beam.

“Skye? Report,” she ordered.

“Madeline is getting stronger,” she said. “She was able to summon my blade with no nightmares whatsoever.”

The childlike being nodded. “That is good.”

“Good?” Skye laughed bitterly. “She’s against us and everything we stand for.”

“Unless we can get her on our side…”

“Is that really going to happen?”

“Watch your tongue, Skye,” the girl commanded with the authority of an empress. “Remember who gave you your powers… and who can take them away.” Skye gritted her teeth as a flash of pain spiked through her leg. “Ah. Was that injury inflicted by your sister?”

“No,” Skye admitted, for it was far more dangerous to lie to this person, “I tripped on a rock after teleporting.”

The girl let out a demonic giggle. “Pathetic,” she said, “but no matter.” She snapped her fingers, and the pain faded from her leg. “I dearly wish I could keep that injury to teach you to be careful… but I’m afraid I must use my magic this time. I have a special delivery I need for you to take to Corona…”