Deserted (Shadow Beast Shifters Book 4)

For many minutes the sands rose up and blocked all light, and even the two strong moons were unable to break through what felt like the land mourning Reece. When the dust settled, I found myself alone, the black sands smooth and calm with no sign of gods, bones, or… my mate. All that remained in this clearing, outside of my broken soul, was the glass pillar, which was now huge, as large as the two in the valley. It was also a shimmering red, a memorial to the Desertlandian god who’d sacrificed everything to save the worlds.

‘Reece.’ My whisper was harsh as I dragged myself toward the pillar.

When I pressed my hand against the shiny surface, I felt his energy, and I crumbled forward and sobbed my guts out, all but vomiting the empty contents of my stomach. As I heaved and coughed, our bond twanged weakly in my chest, and I wondered why death had not severed our connection.

Would I keep that part of him? Or was it only because I carried another part of him at the moment? A part he would never know.

Tilting my head back, I let out a long, mournful cry, and with it, I sent my energy out to my world. It was a similar call to the one I’d made for Alistair, only this time, no ghosts joined my mourning as I lay in the sands, staring up into a world I wasn’t sure I wanted to be in.

Above, the twin moons were wavering, their strong energy starting to fade. It was almost over now, the power moons, the gods… my mate. Needing something in my moment of grief, I drew on the power of the Honor Meadows, the layers my only hope of not fading under the sands with Reece. As much as I wanted to, I had to be strong for more than myself now.

Normally, this deep into the Delfora, there’d be no chance of ever touching another world, but in this circle of ancients, with Reece’s essence coating everything and the final rays of the moons above, I could feel every layer. My family… my sister… my heritage.

The layers came to me, surrounding my body, and as I opened my eyes and sobbed into the heavens, a few grains of red sand landed on my cheek.

Reece’s energy was still so strong… He was still here.

My mate was all but a god, with eternal energy, and while he’d sacrificed his vessel, his power remained in the valley. I sat up suddenly.

Vessels could be repaired, and if I got to his soul before he passed to the next realm…

If the Nexus had taught me anything, it’s that rebirth is possible for all, if enough power was involved. At that thought, the two red moons moved together, narrowing my window of opportunity to attempt this crazy-ass plan. Without thought, I opened my well of power and sucked in every layer of the meadows. Thousands rushed into my center, until I was literally spilling energy all over the sand. Only this time, it wasn’t just gold that sprinkled my skin, but also silver.

When my sister’s layers moved into the collective, followed by my parents, I whispered goodbye, while thanking them for everything they’d done in my life. This was the last time I’d feel them, but I had to give it a shot. The ironic full circle of my last time in this land.

Reece would never face his battles alone, not while I had power to share.

By the time I was done, all that remained in the meadows was one final layer, my forest home, and it was only to ensure that I wasn’t dragged into the afterlife by expelling all my power. My plan was a longshot, and it would fundamentally change every part of me. My recovery would take centuries, but if it saved Reece, it would all be worth it.

Under the waning energy of the merging moons, I sent the world-destroying level of power from my body in one bundle, forcing it to swirl into a giant sandstorm above my head. The fire of my Nexus side tried to leave as well, but I held it back. This moon I needed restoration, not destruction.

Closing my eyes, my hair whipping all over my face in the onslaught, I released my hold on the storm. It whirled from me in a rage, gathering up every last speck of red sand, Reece’s essence, to bring my mate back to me. As the power detached, I fell to my knees, empty and cold, the warmth of my family no longer mine to hold. The storm was a physical entity, swirling, perfect, and deadly as the final bright bursts of moonlight washed over the clearing.

Weakened, I closed my eyes and prayed that this was enough to save him. I’d given everything I could, and if I’d had more, I’d have given that as well.

When I landed in the sands, everything felt heavy and empty, and the next time I closed my eyes, I couldn’t force them open again. But I could have sworn, just as I succumbed to the weakness of my energy, a shadow stepped out of the swirling storm built of the meadows and the deserts. A ray of hope sparked in my chest.

Reece.