Chapter 18
EIGHTEEN
T he shop’s interior assaulted Thora’s senses. Shelves crammed with bottles of glowing potions lined the walls, interspersed with floating feathers, half-written sigils pinned to corkboards, and jars containing what appeared to be miniature thunderstorms. The air smelled of cinnamon, ozone, and something distinctly foxlike.
“Kalyna!” Artair called.
From behind a beaded curtain emerged a slender woman with copper-red hair cascading in waves past her shoulders. Warm brown eyes took in the scene before her—Thora standing awkwardly near the door, Artair’s imposing presence beside her, the golden tether connecting them—and lit with undisguised delight.
“Artair Maxen, twice in one week? To what do I owe the—” Her gaze landed on Thora, and she smiled warmly. “Ah, a new face! Welcome to Enchanted Falls, and specifically to my humble establishment.”
The fox shifter circled them, studying the tether with professional interest. “I’m Kalyna Foxworthy, magical mishap specialist and part-time librarian.” She extended a delicate hand to Thora. “And you are?”
“Thora Halliwell,” she replied, accepting the handshake after a moment’s hesitation. “Bounty hunter.”
“Who mistook me for her target,” Artair added, irritation evident in his tone.
Kalyna’s smile grew mischievous. “Oh my. That’s certainly a novel way to introduce yourself to the town’s most eligible bachelor.”
Thora’s cheeks warmed. “Can you remove this?” She lifted her wrist, causing the tether to shimmer.
“Hmm.” Kalyna circled them again, examining the magical connection from different angles. She produced a magnifying glass from her pocket—one that appeared to show the magic’s aura rather than simply enlarging it.
“Fascinating,” she murmured. “It’s a binding spell activated by the disruption of your cuff’s original enchantment. I read about something like this in the library’s archives.”
She peered closer at the point where the tether connected to Thora’s wrist, then did the same with Artair’s. Her eyebrows rose slightly.
“Oh, now that’s interesting,” she said, more to herself than to them.
“What’s interesting?” Artair demanded.
Kalyna straightened, tucking the magnifying glass away. “The spell is responding to both of you on multiple levels. There’s the primary connection from the broken cuff, but there’s also a... well, let’s call it a resonance between your magical signatures.”
“What does that mean?” Thora asked, not liking the speculative gleam in the fox shifter’s eyes.
“It means you’re compatible,” Kalyna replied simply. “Magically speaking.”
“That’s impossible,” Artair stated flatly. “Bears and tigers are natural rivals.”
Kalyna shrugged, unfazed by his denial. “Magic has its own logic. Speaking of which—the good news is, I can help. The bad news is it won’t be instant.”
“Define ‘not instant,’“ Thora pressed.
“Well, magical bindings typically resolve after completing their purpose or after a set duration.” Kalyna tapped the golden cord, causing it to emit musical notes. “This seems to be the latter type. Based on the resonance pattern... I’d estimate twelve to twenty-four hours.”
“A whole day?” Thora’s voice rose in disbelief. “I can’t be tethered to him that long!”
Her sabertooth disagreed vehemently, practically purring at the prospect of extended proximity to Artair. Long time with strong mate. Good start.
“I’m not exactly thrilled about it either,” Artair growled, though his scent told a more complex story—irritation mixed with resignation and, underneath it all, that persistent note of attraction that refused to fade.
Kalyna’s eyes gleamed with mischief. “I could attempt to dissolve it faster, but it would be experimental. Fair warning—magical tethers can be quite stubborn.”
“Try,” they said in unison, then glared at each other for the unintentional harmony.
“Wonderful!” Kalyna clapped her hands together. “Let me gather a few things.” She disappeared behind the beaded curtain, humming cheerfully.
Left alone with Artair, Thora took the opportunity to reassess him. Up close, she could see a faint scar above his right eyebrow and the golden flecks in his dark eyes—eyes that studied her with equal intensity. Power radiated from him in waves, but it wasn’t the chaotic, dangerous energy she associated with her usual bounties. This was controlled strength, banked like embers waiting to ignite.
His scent should have repelled her feline instincts. Instead, her sabertooth lounged contentedly in her consciousness, thoroughly approving of their proximity.
“So,” she began awkwardly, “you run this town?”
“Not exactly.” His deep voice sent an involuntary shiver down her spine. “My family helped found it. I run Maxen Enterprises—the largest employer in the region.”
“And you’re not harboring a fugitive named Ajax Blackwater?”
His brow furrowed. “No. Though the name sounds vaguely familiar...” He studied her face with renewed interest. “You’re a sabertooth.”
It wasn’t a question. “What gave it away?” she asked dryly. “The eyes or the attitude?”
The corner of his mouth twitched, almost a smile. “Both. Sabertooths are rare around here.” He leaned slightly closer, nostrils flaring as he intentionally scented her. “Especially ones who smell like...”
He trailed off, confusion crossing his features. Whatever he’d detected in her scent had surprised him.
Before he could continue, Kalyna returned with an armful of bottles, crystals, and what appeared to be a taxidermied crow.
“First attempt: the Static Separator!” she announced, arranging items on the counter. “Stand about three feet apart, please.”
They complied, though the tether hummed with dissatisfaction at the increased distance.
Kalyna uncorked a bottle of iridescent liquid and poured it in a circle around them, murmuring words in a language Thora didn’t recognize. The shop’s ambient sounds—the ticking of mismatched clocks, the gentle bubbling of potions—faded as the spell took effect. The fox shifter then held a green crystal between them, directly in the tether’s path.
“On the count of three, both jump backward. One... two... three!”
They leaped in opposite directions. For a split second, Thora thought it worked—then a blast of magical energy surged through the tether, shooting up through her arm and into her scalp. Her hair stood on end, crackling with static electricity. Across from her, Artair’s normally immaculate dark hair had transformed into a wild, electrified mane.