It’s too heavy! Elara cries, her mental voice a terrified shriek. Mama, it’s eating the cabin!
No, it’s not! Kade roars, throwing his entire consciousness into the merge. I feel his soul fracture, a sharp, agonizing tear, as he pushes his own life force into the walls of the cabin, reinforcing them with his Alpha strength. I am the Shield! It doesn't get past me!
I drop to my knees in the physical world, blood pouring from my nose, my ears, my eyes. The physical toll of channeling the Anchor’s power to stabilize the merge is tearing my nervous system apart. But I don't let go. I grab the frayed edges of the cabin walls in my mind, weaving my own magic into Kade’s, binding the wood with the deep, unyielding strength of the earth itself.
Weave the song, Elara! I project, my mental voice a
