Chapter 5
Chapter
Five
K ade stood next to Liam and looked at the map. There were three medium-sized spirits within a thirty-minute hike from their current location. One was doing lazy circles while another zigzagged, and the third was a hazy cloud that floated over the paper.
“I picked the last one,” Liam said. “Your turn to choose.”
“Wanna try something bigger?” Kade asked, putting some innuendo in his tone. He jabbed at the hazy smudge. It was slightly larger than the spirit they’d just captured, but they’d managed that without much problem.
Liam side-eyed him. “Should we get this on the way?” He pointed to a smaller spirit that swirled in on itself, a tiny vortex.
The detour would take them off the most direct path to the ashy haze, adding ten minutes to their trek, but it sounded like a plan.
Before Liam could refold the map, the cracked spirit of drought began shrinking. Kade grinned when he realized what was happening. “We better get going if we want to beat them.”
“Then let’s go.” Liam was smiling too, a competitive spark in his eyes.
There was no way Kade was letting Victor and Elijah capture more of these things than he and Liam did. Turning this into a competition, even if Victor and Elijah weren’t aware they were playing, was perfect. If he concentrated on showing Victor up, he didn’t have to think about what the spirits were capable of.
He led Liam toward the smaller spirit. It’d be a good fifteen minutes before they’d get to it, and then the same again to the medium-sized one.
“Soooo.” Kade drew out the O, as he often liked to do. “What were you saying about metaphorical dicks?”
Liam groaned. “You really are like Aran, aren’t you? Fine. After the first ritual Elijah did for your pack, his magic was acting up, and Aran came up with this theory that Victor’s energy was working like—” He paused, then rushed forward. “Like a knot. Keeping Elijah… Well, you get the idea.”
He didn’t finish the sentence, but Kade was more than willing to. “Stretched and filled?”
There was the tiniest trace of heat in Liam’s cheeks, and Kade wanted to know if he could get more of that color.
“Yeah, that.” Liam wasn’t quite meeting his eyes.
That theory was too much fun to pass up.
“So in this metaphor of yours, when you channeled my energy to capture the spirit, you were taking my dick?”
“Just the metaphorical tip.” Liam winced with instant regret.
Kade laughed. “I take it mages getting knotted by shifter energy isn’t normal?”
“No. As far as I can tell, it happened because Elijah and Victor are freakishly compatible. Normally, actual sex is required, but the pair also have to want that connection. I’d never heard of a mage accidentally tethering themselves to a shifter before. I think they both subconsciously wanted it—or were interested, at least—though I doubt they’d ever admit as much.”
If that didn’t open up an entirely new line of teasing to use on Victor, Kade didn’t know what would.
“Sex alone isn’t enough?”
“No, otherwise mages and shifters could never do sex rituals without a connection forming. A sex ritual by itself wouldn’t create the kind of tether Elijah and Victor have. Sex magic is merely that—sex and magic, not permanent. It’s the same for bonds, isn’t it? You have sex when you’re bonding someone, but the sex isn’t the important part, right?”
“Yeah, you don’t accidentally give someone a mating bite; it has to be done with intention. There needs to be desire behind it, even if that desire is transactional.”
“Actually, Elijah and Victor reminded me. Once, years ago, I was… reading this book about sex rituals—”
“Reading, huh?”
“Purely for educational purposes.”
“Uh-huh. And I watch MateHub for the stellar acting and riveting plots.”
“Right. Richard Knotz is a legend, a god among shifters.” Before Kade could ask how Liam knew the name of his favorite porn star, Liam plowed ahead. “ Anyway , as I was saying, there was this line about how sex rituals were best suited for incompatible shifters and mages, but there was no explanation why. Maybe it’s unnecessary for compatible pairs to do those rituals, but it seemed like a warning to me. Like ‘don’t do these if there’s a chance you’re compatible.’ But if that’s the case, why?”
Liam’s face was lit up, his hands gesturing wildly as he spoke, and Kade couldn’t tear his eyes away. There was something both charming and cute about it, something that made it impossible for him not to wonder if Liam got this passionate and focused about other things he did.
“Sex rituals aren’t supposed to have any lingering effects, but this book warned about compatibility and sex magic. So what if you do a sex ritual with someone you’re compatible with? And how should we define compatibility? I hadn’t truly thought about it before Elijah and Victor, but if they ended up with a pseudo-tether from the ritual they did, what would have happened if they’d reset your wards with a full-on sex ritual instead?”
“You think any compatible pair would form a connection during a sex ritual, whether intended or not?” Kade mentally ran through their family history and the mages who had bonded into their pack, the ways they’d found their mates. He hadn’t heard of anything of the sort, but he also didn’t know the whole story of the ones further back in their pack’s history, hundreds of years in the past.
Liam rubbed a hand over his buzzed hair and made a frustrated noise. “That’s what I’m trying to figure out. Why include that warning otherwise?”
“If that’s something you have to worry about, wouldn’t there be more warnings?”
“I’m not so sure. Think about it. We’ve segregated ourselves into our own communities, and not just mages and shifters. Almost all supernatural beings stick to their own kind. Even different types of shifters don’t mix much. Obviously there’s no chance for real relationships to develop. Transactionally bonded pack mages aside, the only mages that regularly interact with shifters are the ones who run shops and, to a lesser extent, teachers and apprentices, but it’s very controlled. And when our interactions are limited to brief periods, nothing’s going to occur while we’re so wary of each other. I mean, how often are shifters around mages enough to get past the scent of our magic? That alone has to have a distancing effect. I can’t imagine we smell good to many shifters, if what I understand is correct.”
“Fair point. Most shifters never get desensitized to its scent, and even then, there’s a sharpness to it that can be unpleasant.”
The sole exception was pack magic. When mages were bonded into a pack, the edges got shaved off, leaving their magic softer and more welcoming. For mages and shifters to enter transactional bonds, the shifter had to ignore what their nose was telling them for the sake of bonding a mage to their pack. Those pairs frequently couldn’t stand each other; their relationships were nothing but a mutually beneficial business arrangement.
“There has to be something there, and if I could get my hands on better records from before the abductions, I might be able to prove it.”
“The library doesn’t have records from that time?”
“A few. It was long enough ago that books from that period are rare to begin with. The oldest books in our collection are over a thousand years old. There are a handful of grimoires from the Early Middle Ages, but most are damaged, which is to be expected with books that old. Even with protection spells, these are spellbooks that were meant to be used, not kept in pristine condition.”
“None of them mention bonds or tethers?”
“See, that’s the thing. We have grimoires from that time with detailed information on what was known about the magical properties of stones and herbs, charms and spells, and basically everything else. However, when it comes to relationships with shifters, it’s impossible to find anything concrete. Only the vaguest mentions remain. But some of those books are missing entire sections.”
Kade frowned. “You think it was covered up?”
“Maybe? It’s too suspicious. I’ve seen multiple books that have missing or unreadable sections. Yes, they’re old, but the rest of the book will be in semi-decent condition with only that chunk of pages gone. What if those pages were about bonds? Maybe it was the council, but it might not have been a concerted effort to hide it. We were at war for generations; the worst of the fighting lasted over a hundred years. Even if there were mage families that previously had amicable relationships with packs, they might have destroyed those records during that time.”
“Would it change anything? If tomorrow someone gave you a book that proves things were different back then, would that affect anything now?”
“It probably wouldn’t. I realize that. But either way, it’s something we need to figure out. Look at Elijah and Victor. I don’t know if you’re able to sense how perfect the magic Elijah can do with Victor’s energy is, but you must feel how much stronger they are together.”
There was no denying that. Kade felt Victor’s strength in the pack connections. Their bond had caused Victor’s energy to skyrocket, infusing the pack with power, and this was only the beginning of their relationship. As it grew and developed, as their bond solidified, it would strengthen the pack further, and from what he understood, Elijah’s magic would increase with it.
Liam continued, his brown eyes intense and sparkling in the light filtering through the trees. “You can’t tell me magic like that wouldn’t have been written about in more detail outside folktales and legends. If what inspired the original abductions was jealousy over the power those bonds hold, it seems logical that there were more than just a few of them. If we’re talking one or two true-bonded mage-shifter pairs, if they were a fluke, why would anyone think they were entitled to that level of power?”
“Versus them being commonplace, and some asshole alpha feeling they deserved a mage of their own because the neighboring packs all had one?”
“Exactly. If I can prove that, if I can show it was a thing, that it happened—that it was more accepted and that exquisitely beautiful magic can come from it—maybe it’ll become more common again. Maybe transactional bonds won’t be the only way we do things. More mages and shifters might find something like what Elijah and Victor have. The magic Elijah creates with Victor’s energy is stunning. The wards he put around these boxes? They’re priceless. Even I can tell that. It’s right . Balanced. It transcends everything I’ve ever seen. What could a mage with that amount of magic at their disposal accomplish? What could they learn and discover? What advancements could they make? Elijah could double or triple the prices he charges for the spells he does at his shop, and people would pay for it. At least, anyone who can properly sense the quality. This kind of magic lasts centuries, if not longer.”
Kade remembered Victor’s father grumbling about how little their grandmother charged for her spells. If it had been up to him, she would have been charging more, but she’d been firmly against it. According to her, they were making more than enough money to support the pack; they didn’t need to fleece the people who came to her for help.
“I might be imagining things,” Liam said, “but I swear there’s something there. Especially now that I’ve seen Elijah and Victor together, seen how his magic has changed. I can’t shake the feeling. There’s that saying—history doesn’t repeat, but it often rhymes. If true bonds were common, if there was more trust between us before everything fell apart, wouldn’t it be amazing if Elijah and Victor were the start of a new cycle?”
Kade would have been lying if he claimed Liam hadn’t sparked his interest, that he wasn’t curious about the answer. He’d never been particularly invested in any of the research papers he’d done during school, but this? This was more fascinating than any of the topics he’d been assigned.
“We’ve had a lot of mages in our pack over the generations. All true bonds,” Kade said, and Liam looked over in surprise. “Elijah didn’t tell you?”
Liam cocked an eyebrow in question.
“Our grandmother—Victor’s and mine—she was a mage. But before her, we always had one, sometimes more. She told stories that mentioned the time before the abductions. How different things were then. She never gave specific details, but it sounded better. I thought it was just our pack, but you might be right. Maybe there used to be more packs like ours. Maybe it used to be more common.”
The conversation faded as they walked on.
“Would you want that?” Kade asked after a few minutes.
Liam squinted at him for a beat before realizing what Kade meant.
“Oh, no. I have zero desire to be bound to a pack.” Liam waved the thought away—an automatic no that he didn’t need to consider. “Even if it gave me access to extra energy, if it made me stronger, it’s not what I want in life.” He groaned. “I sound like Elijah, but seriously, getting involved with shifters is not on my to-do—”
He pulled to a sharp stop. “Didn’t we already pass that?” he asked as he gestured to a fallen tree.
Kade blinked at it. “We… did. Huh.” He’d thought they’d been traveling in a straight line, but they’d made a giant loop.
Liam opened his map, frowning at it. “We’re heading in the right direction. It should be just up ahead, if I’m reading this correctly.” He looked at Kade for confirmation, and Kade nodded.
But when Liam started to walk, he pitched to the right, away from the spirit.
“Liam,” Kade called after him, and Liam glanced back. “The spirit is this way.”
“No, it’s not. It’s…” He checked the map, trailing off. “Huh.”
Kade took a few steps forward. He wanted to go right too. He knew the spirit was in front of them, but that felt wrong.
The spirit was to the north of them. They just needed to keep going north.
Which direction was north?
He gazed at the sky, squinting. “Is the sun in the… south?”
“That can’t be…” Liam looked up as well. “What the hell?” He spun in a circle, searching for anything to indicate direction. “Which way did we come from? Where’s the pack house?”
Those were good questions. Kade had no fucking idea. He was lost in the forest where he’d grown up. In the forest that was mapped on his soul.
He forced himself to focus. “Disorientation? Can that be a spirit?”
“I didn’t think anger and terror could be spirits either, so why not?”
“Can you make a sigil for it?”
“You bet your ass I can.”
“If we’re making wagers, sure. But does that mean I get yours if you can’t?”
Liam’s head jerked up from where he was pulling his massive book out of his bag. There was color in his cheeks again. “Here, hold this.”
Evil spirits aside, this wasn’t a bad way to spend a day.
The sigil Liam sketched would have made M. C. Escher proud. Kade tried to follow its lines but kept getting lost.
“Okay,” Liam said after transferring the sigil into a box. “Is the map any help?”
Kade doubted it. He had no clue which way was which.
Liam’s brow furrowed. “Maybe if we go in the direction we don’t want to go? It seems to be misdirecting us, possibly as a protective measure? So if we use that as a guide?”
That made sense. Kade stepped forward. He immediately wanted to veer to his left. When he took another step, he drifted off track, but Liam was there, straightening his path.
It was a slog, but they pushed ahead.
“Elijah owes me so much for this,” Liam gritted out as Kade hauled him back in line, only to have Liam do the same to him a moment later.
“It’s appreciated,” Kade said, then stopped at the sight in front of him.
A twisting green mass whirled before them. When he attempted to look at it, his eyes slid off it and an inexplicable urge to wander away tried to take over.
For one heartbeat, he was in polluted water, unable to breathe as corruption filled his lungs.
Liam gripped his arm tight, his fingers digging into Kade’s bicep, dragging him back to reality. Without being asked, Kade placed his hands on Liam’s wrist and neck. His skin was warm under Kade’s palms, and the buzz of magic kept the memory at bay.
He inhaled shakily as Liam activated the seal on the box and drew on his energy. Something in him opened for Liam, and his energy rushed out, eager to fill Liam again. The heady thrill of magic surged through him in exchange, giving him an anchor to latch on to in the churning disorientation of his mind.
It was so different from what he’d felt with Elijah. Their energy and magic mixed, making everything around him jump into sudden sharp clarity. The world grounded itself. He knew where he was.
The seal sucked the spirit into the box, and they stared as it churned in the most disconcerting manner. Liam shut the lid, Elijah’s wards trapping it inside.
Liam labeled the box with a press of his fingers, exhaling a sigh of relief. Kade glanced up. The sun was where it was supposed to be. He could point to the pack house with his eyes closed.
“We need to be more careful,” Liam said. “That could have been bad. We have to stay vigilant for anything that seems remotely out of place.”
“Absolutely. But I think we’ve got this.”
“On to the next one?”
As they headed toward the spirit, Liam continued. “So, what I was saying before. I really do believe true bonds and tethers might have developed more naturally in the past, or at least have been more common. There are hints there, but it doesn’t add up. I need to do more research.”
“What kind of research?” Kade asked with a leer.
There was that slight blush on Liam’s cheeks. A human wouldn’t have even noticed it, but it was there, and he liked it more than he should have.
“Not that kind.” Liam wasn’t able to hide his amusement.
Kade didn’t ask if Liam had done anything like that, some sex ritual with a shifter or anyone else. It wasn’t his business, but that didn’t mean he had to be completely well-behaved.
“If you do decide you want to get in a bit of research while you’re here…” He left the invitation hanging in the air.
Liam shook his head, but it wasn’t a no.
“Though…” Kade paused like he was thinking. “I’ve heard once you’ve had sex with a shifter, you’ll be ruined for anyone else.”
Liam snorted. “I doubt that.”
“Only one way to find out.”
“I’ll have to survive with my curiosity unslaked.”
“What sort of life would that be?”
“Sex with you is life-changing?”
“Like I said, only one way to find out.”
Liam scoffed, but his gaze traveled down Kade’s body, stroking over him.
Elijah had given Kade a clear warning to leave his friends alone, but now that Kade thought about it, how often did he listen when Victor told him what to do? If he didn’t follow his alpha’s orders, no one in their right mind would expect him to follow Elijah’s.
Besides, Liam seemed to be showing signs of interest. Why not take full advantage of that?
Liam would never want someone like Kade. Not long-term. But then, Liam wouldn’t be there long-term.
“You know,” Kade said, this time with more than a hint of flirtation in his tone. “The shop’s quite a drive, and you’ll be here for a few days while we get these spirits trapped. Seems like a waste for you to commute back and forth every day.”
Liam wasn’t his mate; it was too soon, and given how quickly he’d dismissed the idea of bonding into a pack, he didn’t want to be. But they could still have a little fun.
Kade was hit by a visceral image of Liam under him, tight heat wrapped around his dick. His wolf pushed toward the surface, sitting up with interest.
A drop of sweat slid down his neck. It was too hot in this forest for fall.
Could the next spirit be similar to the one causing a heatwave?
He held up a tree branch for Liam to pass under. The path was narrow, and Liam had to press against Kade as he went by. He didn’t shy away from the contact. “Are you offering a bed here?”
“We could find you one, if you’re interested.”
Liam studied him, the quirk of his lips saying he had a good idea which bed he’d end up in if he accepted the offer.
Instead of responding, he glanced at the map. Kade looked at it over his shoulder, standing closer than was necessary or polite.
Even though he knew he wouldn’t get anything from it, he inhaled, trying to get some of Liam’s scent. The instinct was too ingrained not to. When he exhaled, his breath ghosted over the bare skin of Liam’s neck.
Liam shivered, but steeled himself. “Considering the size of the spirit and the range they seem to contaminate, we have about five minutes before we start to feel its effects. We have to be careful.”
Kade nodded and turned down another trail. “It’s this way.”