Chapter 45 Ryder
Forty-Five
RYDER
Entering the town happens too easily to be a good sign, considering the magick coating it is meant to keep out all non-Highridge witches. The fact it let us pass through is surprising.
Just like the last time Carina walked us through the barrier, it washes over me in a cool wave reminiscent of her water magick. It’s the essence of my mate and something I might very well attempt to bottle before we leave because last night was a tease. I need a hit of her again.
Soon, I vow. Soon she’ll be back in my arms.
Behind me, Holly, who’s never felt the barrier before, visibly shivers. “That’s unnatural. How can they stand it?”
“Says the woman who turns into a wolf at will,” Conan remarks dryly. “I’m sure the witches say the same about us.”
“Both of you, shut it and stay alert.” We pass the town’s sign, with its lineup of tourists snapping photos, and then the first building—a motel.
It’s only a matter of time before someone from the coven appears.
“That barrier will have told them we’re here, and without Carina, doubt they’ll be friendly.
It shouldn’t have even let us in, which means they’re expecting us. ”
We make it another three steps, our eyes sweeping over the lineup of vehicles, when suddenly the area changes. Our steps go from sidewalk to road, the change in elevation throwing our balance.
In a blink, we’re in front of Carina’s house, standing in the centre of a circle of witches—most of the coven, if I had to guess. Their hands are a variety of glowing colours, though most being white.
Not only did they sense us, they prepared for us.
Xander growls and Conan’s feet shift into a defensive position. I gesture for them to stand down and remain behind me. “Do not fight. It’s the opening they’ll need and will happily take.”
Despite speaking low, Morgan overhears. She exits her place at the head of the circle. “Need? You have some nerve showing up here after Carina insisted on returning to you.”
It takes a lot to remind myself this is my mate’s mother, to not attack. Carina is who she is because she was kept alive by this woman—which makes her my greatest ally.
Morgan’s expression softens a beat as she glances over my shoulder, finally noting who isn’t present. “Where’s my daughter?”
“Taken. Twilight Grove came earlier this morning. Can we talk?” I make a show of looking around at the coven, landing on Jasper, Carina’s cousin. “Alone.”
“Not until you tell me why you dared show up here. Your pack is safe thanks to Carina. You’ve done enough.”
I haven’t done nearly enough.
“I’m going after Carina and want your help. Directions, mainly.”
Morgan blinks, glancing to the couple standing beside Jasper. Indecision flattens her mouth as she twists back. “It’s a coven matter. Why would you?”
Behind me, the others rumble because it’s no longer a coven matter. They kidnapped an Alpha’s mate, which makes Carina our business. I have to tell her so they understand. So they’ll be willing to work with us. But admitting this also gives Morgan power over me.
“I promised her I would.”
Even Jasper catches my eye. There’s a slight tilt of his head as if he suspects the truth, and although I don’t know him, he’s always had Carina’s best interests at heart. Because of him, she returned to me.
For her, I need to tell them the truth.
“Shifters have two kinds of mates,” I start, my topic instantly raising the confused murmurs of a few—Morgan included.
“Those we pick for ourselves and those we call our n?kak?stis. Essentially, it’s our fated mate.
The first time I met Carina, I didn’t understand my reaction to her; not until speaking with our elders did I learn that is what she is to me. My n?kak?stis.”
Cries echo through the coven, matched by my pack’s growls, but it’s nothing less than what’s expected, and honestly, would hope for. If I had a pup, and someone from another species was claiming ownership on them, fuck yeah, I’d protect them until my dying breath.
Morgan’s silent, a simmering rage combining with the uncertainty.
“Anyone with a n?kak?stis can technically ignore it, and that was always my intention. It’s why I insisted she come home. Why she was back last night.”
“But she returned to you,” Morgan whispers, her hands coming up to cover her mouth. “She insisted on saving you, and when I got home, she was gone.” She casts a dirty look at Jasper, who merely shrugs.
“I completed the bond last night. I did so because I care about her.” Saying all this to her family and not to her guts me. “It fused a connection that allows me to track her. Morgan…I feel her.” I rest my hand on my lower stomach. “She’s alive, that’s all I know. She’s not in pain.”
Disquieted murmurs go through the coven, but this time, it’s Morgan who lifts her hand to silence them.
“She’s mine and I failed when they arrived, but that doesn’t mean I’ll fail her again.
By life or death, I’ll get her out and bring her home.
” Or the pack behind me will if this goes badly.
“I can trace the bond, but for now, it’s directionless.
Other than knowing Northern Ontario, I won’t know where we’re headed until closer—and it could be too late by then.
I want everything you have on them, location included. That’s why we’re here.”
The coven falls silent, everyone looking to Morgan. More than one person shifts in anticipation, expecting permission to attack. Behind me, my wolves bristle with the unknown.
But me…I remain calm. I stare at Morgan, leader to leader, both here because of Carina.
“If you don’t, I’m going after her regardless.”
Morgan’s eyes shift to the sky. “Goddess, you have things to answer for. It should be impossible what you’re describing, but if you mean it…alright. I’ll tell you all I know about them.”
Jasper steps forward and says, “I’ll go with them.”
“No,” Morgan shuts him down firmly. “Carina’s plan keeps us separate from them.
Until Twilight Grove acts, we’re setting ourselves up for a fight we won’t win.
” Her gaze travels her coven, tone bitter when she adds, “The Dark magick each of them now use will crush us. Carina’s aware—it’s why she wanted to go.
If the pack goes, it’s a problem between them, and we remain out of it. ”
“Coward,” Conan mutters by my shoulder.
“Outskirts of Thunder Bay.” Morgan waves her hand, and like the spell used to form the memory she showed Carina of the night she’d come here as a baby, a similar image forms a map of Ontario, zoomed into where she’s gesturing to.
“Up here, there’s a small town much like this one not inhabited by humans.
They built it themselves centuries ago and blocked it from maps.
Only Otherworldly beings can find it. It’s crawling with witches and warlocks, all from a different backgrounds of elemental powers, which makes them diverse and formidable.
They’ve always been one of the largest covens.
As for now, it’s been decades since we’ve seen them, so I can’t say how large they’ve gotten.
Sloane herself lives in a mansion charmed to appear as a tree. ”
“Will I be able to see it?”
She grimaces. “You’ll feel it. That much power…it’s not like here. Sloane doesn’t live like us—like humans.”
She murmurs to Jasper who jogs into the house and returns a moment later with a small glass vial which she lowers a fingertip into. A streak of blue magick flicks into the vial, filling it two-thirds of the way. She plugs it with the rubber piece and carries the glowing vial to me.
“Magick calls to magick. With this, you should be able to see through the barrier that blocks the town to outsiders. Find the barrier and slip inside. Once there, she’ll sense you.
And I…I don’t know what she’ll do.” Morgan casts a heavy stare to the three behind me, her lips folding down in the corners.
“It’d be a shame to lose more after your father. ”
Xander makes a noise in his throat because the pack has a different perspective. Not to say walking in with my family sits well, but with Carina as my mate, their loyalty has transferred to her.
“We’ll be fine.”
Doubtful, she gestures for Conan to hand her the bag on his back, who after a look my way, does. She gives it to Jasper, murmurs a few more instructions, and he disappears inside the house. “He’s getting things you might need.”
“Thank you.” Maybe Freya was right in coming here.
A couple moments later, he returns with the bag still unzipped to let her peek inside.
She brings out a handful of granola and protein bars.
“Food, in case you have trouble finding prey.” She lowers those and returns with a glass vial, similar to the one her magick is in.
“A strengthening potion for Carina. Who knows what state she’ll be in.
She’ll know what to do with this.” She zips up the bag and hands it back to Conan.
“Thank you,” I repeat, dipping my head in respect to the High Priestess. “If you have nothing else, we should get going.” Ontario is a far run, even with our speeds, and hanging around Highridge—though vital—is killing much-needed time.
“Besides, you might find some extra help there. Even at your speeds, you’re looking at minimum a week of running, but probably longer.”
Morgan reaches a hand forward to shake, but it’s not without hesitation on my part. Carina is the only witch I’ve touched, and I’d prefer to keep it that way. She’ll be a happier mate if her mother is comfortable with the idea of us, however, so I take her hand in mine.
“Blessed Be, Ryder. Good luck to you all. Bring my daughter home.”
“I’m bringing my mate home. But I think I’m supposed to ask you for one more favour. Would one of you mind helping us get closer to Ontario?”
Jasper steps forward, white magick lighting up his palms and a grin that looks a bit psychotic. “If I’m forbidden from going with you to save her, then you bet your ass I’ll help with this. Follow me.”
I’m coming, kamahki.