Chapter 20
Marcus, fully understanding the weight of her words, nodded without hesitation. “I promise. Nothing will happen to Sorcia. I won’t let her put herself in danger again.” He turned to Sorcia, his expression a mix of protectiveness and frustration. “Like you did this morning.”
Sorcia met his gaze, her heart skipping at the intensity she found there. She should have been angry at his commanding tone, at his presumption that he could dictate her actions. But beneath his words was something deeper, a silent message she couldn’t quite decipher but felt all the same.
“Do you agree, Sorcia?” Zelda pressed, her tone softening but not losing its edge. “You’re not just our High Priestess. You’re our friend. If something happens to you, our coven will be vulnerable. No one else has the power you do. You’re the force that protects us all.”
The crystal orb trembled, its smoky gray hue deepening as though reflecting Zelda’s words. It gave a low hum, almost like a warning.
Sorcia swallowed the lump forming in her throat, then nodded.
“I agree.” She felt the warmth of Marcus’ hand on her back, a touch so unexpected that it startled her.
She hadn’t realized he was standing so close.
When she looked up at him, his presence beside her—not in front, not behind—was oddly comforting.
He was there as her equal, not her shadow or her shield, but her partner.
She turned back to Jane and Zelda, her voice firm. “Make sure every witch understands they are not to be alone. Not for any reason. If they see Birchsmire, even if he’s within arm’s reach, they are NOT to go after him without backup.”
“Agreed,” Jane and Zelda said in unison, nodding emphatically.
“We’ll start the grid search again,” Zelda added, her tone clipped with determination. “He’s likely moved to a new location, but we’ll find him.”
Sorcia nodded. “And this time, search everywhere—not just crowded areas. We assumed he’d stay where people gather, but we found him near a group of abandoned warehouses. Leave no stone unturned, and send updates through the sphaera immediately if anything feels off.”
“Understood,” Jane said, her eyes fierce with resolve.
Zelda and Jane left through their respective doors, their footsteps fading into the silence of the room.
Sorcia remained, her fingers still brushing the orb, its glow softening as the room grew quiet.
She turned to find Marcus watching her, his expression unreadable but unwavering.
For a moment, neither of them spoke, the tension between them humming as loudly as the orb’s faint vibrations.
Despite the roiling thoughts and emotions, Sorcia continued to watch Marcus. He looked down at her, his face devoid of any emotion she could interpret.
But she didn’t care. Right now, she was running on pure instinct. She walked closer, grabbed the sides of his jacket and tugged him down. She watched as confusion flitted over his features, but she didn’t have to explain much after she started kissing him.
It took Marcus perhaps half a second to understand what was happening.
After that, he took over the kiss. He picked her up and planted her butt onto the table, tilting her backwards slightly by spreading her legs with his hands under her knees and his chest against her breasts.
The only way Sorcia didn’t fall hard onto the table was because her arms were wrapped around his neck as they kissed, every emotion, all the anger, confusion, and frustration… and love…poured out into that kiss.
Marcus lifted his mouth from hers and stared into her eyes. Neither of them moved for a long moment, both of them breathing heavily.
It was the soft humming and gentle vibrations that broke through the charged silence. Marcus furrowed his brow and glanced around, trying to locate the source of the sound. Sorcia noticed his confusion and followed his gaze, her eyes landing on the crystal orb.
The orb.
It was vibrating.
“Is your crystal orb…humming?” Marcus asked, his voice tinged with disbelief. He squinted at it as though it were some sort of alien device.
Sorcia sighed, her lips pressing into a firm line as she fought to maintain her composure. “Apparently.”
Marcus pulled away slightly, staring at the orb as its vibrations intensified. “Is it…is it trying to seduce us?”
The sheer absurdity of his words made Sorcia snort, an uncharacteristic and entirely involuntary sound. “No, Marcus, it’s not trying to seduce us.” But as soon as she said it, she wasn’t so sure. The thing was glowing now—a rosy pink hue that hadn’t been there before.
“Right,” Marcus replied, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Because vibrating and glowing pink is totally normal. Maybe it’s just lonely?”
Sorcia pinched the bridge of her nose. “It’s not lonely. It’s just… reacting. Crystals respond to energy.”
“Uh-huh,” Marcus said, stepping closer to the orb and giving it a skeptical glance. “Seems like it’s responding to more than energy. Maybe it senses us?”
Sorcia let out an exasperated groan. “It’s a crystal orb, not a fanfiction writer.”
He grinned, leaning in conspiratorially. “You sure about that? It’s looking pretty invested in our unresolved sexual tension.”
Sorcia glared at him, though the corner of her mouth twitched. “If you’re done anthropomorphizing my crystal, maybe we can focus on finding Bethany?”
Marcus held up his hands in mock surrender, though his grin didn’t fade. “Fine. But if it starts playing Barry White, I’m leaving.”
Sorcia rolled her eyes. The thing had the audacity to give one last hum, almost like a sigh of disappointment, before settling into a soft, steady glow. She swore it was pouting.
“Stop playing matchmaker!” she hissed to the crystal orb, glowering at it.
A moment later, it was startlingly clear—absolutely no color at all. The humming had stopped entirely. The obnoxious orb was doing the magical equivalent of a toddler’s wide-eyed “Not me!” act after being caught with cookie crumbs on their face.
She arched an eyebrow and looked back up at Marcus, who was shaking his head, his lips twitching with amusement. “Your crystal is very… demonstrative,” he remarked dryly.
Sorcia turned her attention back to the orb, her brow furrowed. “What does your crystal do?” she asked, genuinely curious.
Marcus’s smug smile grew as he tilted his head slightly.
“Flashes colors, of course. It’s always in tune with my…
” He paused, his gaze snapping back to Sorcia’s orb.
It glowed soft pink now, with little bursts of shimmering stars floating in its center, as if it couldn’t help but betray the mood swirling in the room.
When Marcus’s eyes returned to hers, his expression was downright insufferable. “Your orb is reflecting your mood,” he teased, his voice low. “Apparently, it’s a fan of our… teamwork.”
Sorcia’s cheeks warmed, but she refused to let him see how flustered she felt. “Doesn’t mean anything,” she countered, lifting her chin.
His grin turned wolfish, and he didn’t answer, which only made her cheeks burn hotter.
Quickly, Marcus stepped back, giving her space, and extended a hand to help her off the table. His touch lingered just a moment too long. “What’s our plan?” he asked, his tone back to business but with a flicker of amusement still in his eyes.
Sorcia glanced at her phone, grounding herself in the task at hand. “Let’s head out to the forest,” she suggested. “Jace and his pack won’t start their search until tonight, but we can scout the area during the day and get a better sense of what’s out there.”
“Sounds like a perfect plan,” he replied, his voice steady and calm.
As they left, Sorcia shot one last glare at the orb. It shimmered innocently, but she swore it was laughing at her.