Page 66 of The Night Burning

“Shane!” someone yelled.

I turned to the voice.

Roman ran to us.

I frowned. “What is it?”

He halted ten feet from us and inhaled deeply. “Just … I don’t even know how to explain it.”

“Just say it,” I said through gritted teeth.

“Lucille, Hugh, and Jena,” he said. “All of a sudden, the three of them fell to the ground, their bodies, shaking. When we touched them, they were burning up. And now their fingertips are black.”

My chest felt like it was being crushed by a boulder.

“No,” Raika whispered.

Killian zoomed back. His eyes met mine and I knew. “Tell me,” I said, my voice tight.

“It’s spreading, faster than before,” he said. “In the few seconds I was there, it advanced an entire foot.”

No, this couldn’t be happening.

The crystals hadn’t melted and disappeared into oblivion. They had melted into poison and it was now spreading and killing faster.

There was only one option left.

24

RAIKA

Even though time was ticking,we moved slow. First, Shane ordered the sick wolves to be brought to the infirmary. Jay, Lavinia, and Almae would look over them.

Second, Ash took Evelyn to the infirmary too—under her protests. Almae told her they would do a quick exam to make sure she was fine, that was all.

Third, Shane ordered everyone to remain calm and not tell the others what was going on just yet. He didn’t want to start a panic. He said he needed a moment to gather his thoughts and would make an announcement.

He retreated to his office in the town hall and I went with him. There was no one else in the building, so I didn’t bother closing the door.

Shane paced beside the desk, his face gaunt, his shoulders tense.

I stood by the door, giving him space. “Tell me what I can do for you?”

“Restore the crystals? Un-melt them? Recreate their magic?”

“Unfortunately, I can’t do anything of that. No one can.”

He groaned, halted, and looked at me. His hard eyes softened. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to dump that on you. It’s just …”

“I know. You’re disappointed, upset, angry, hopeless. I feel like that too.”

He nodded. “You were the alpha while I was gone. I know you care for the pack as much as I do, if not more.”

“Shane …” I bit my lip. I had promised not to hide anything from him again, so I had to tell him. “Since the dragon’s magic melted the crystals, I think it affected the others too, somehow.”

“Why do you think that?”

I brought my hands up. “Because I can feel my demon half stronger inside me.” I thought about it, and a swirl of shadow enveloped my fingers. Shane’s eyes widened. I closed my hands into fists and the shadow disappeared. “Didn’t the crystals keep the darkfire in check? When two were gone, I felt it awakening. Now I feel it even more.”