Chapter 1 #2
I want to believe that. “You don’t know that. I’ve read through every text and tome we have on the mythical forge, and there’s nothing about where it goes or how to get it back.”
"She's fine," he says again, with the calm certainty he deploys when he actually believes something rather than when he's trying to make me feel better. "The forge accepted her. That means she's in. Whatever happens in there is by design, not by accident."
"How can you be so sure?"
"I know Mica." He sets his glass down. "All the years you were robbed of being here, Mica and I were in the coven together. I know her. She’s smart and strong, and her metal affinity is incredible. The forge chose her for her awesomeness, and it’s lucky to have her.”
I take another drink. “Yeah, she’s pretty awesome.”
“She is. And while you’re here worrying yourself sick, she’s out there somewhere learning how to work a mythical and also mystical piece of equipment she’d dreamt about. She’s living her best life."
I exhale. "Okay, you're probably right.”
"I'm definitely right. There’s no need to borrow trouble. We’ve got enough of that to go around.”
The candlelight flickers between us, and I know he’s right. Tharuzel. Laurel. The mental, physical, and magical recoveries of my sisters and the other witches who were siphoned…
The list goes on.
But of that list, only one seems overwhelming.
Tharuzel. He’s on the physical plane, escaped our wards, and we have no idea where he is or what he’s doing.
There’s been three weeks of silence, and he’s a living unnatural disaster.
It feels like we’re trapped in that moment before a storm breaks—the pressure in the air building toward detonation.
"What do you think he’s doing?" I ask.
Wylder's jaw tightens. "I honestly have no idea, and that's what keeps me up at night.”
Yeah, me too. I reach across the table and touch his wrist. "If he was unleashing Hell on Earth, we’d be hearing about it. So, until we hear, all we can do is get ready.”
Although I have no idea how one gets ready to take on a major demon who escaped from the Hell Realm.
"How are your sisters?" he asks, not so subtly changing the subject.
Our server appears with two plates of chocolate tart, thin and glossy, garnished with something involving candied orange peel. We both lean back to make room, and I wait until he's gone.
"Good days and bad, I suppose." I pull the plate toward me. "Which, considering what they went through, is about as good as we could hope for. They're a little stronger every day, and Violet's getting excited."
"Excited?”
I break into the tart with the edge of my fork.
"Garrison’s healers have had the powers of all the siphoned witches blocked to stabilize since the rescue, but she’s counting down the days until they remove it.
She keeps asking me what I think her affinity might be like we’re back being kids snooping around the Christmas tree shaking presents. "
Wylder smiles properly at that. "I love that for you both."
Yeah, me too. "She's nervous, I can tell, but she's not letting it stop her. Sadly, Lily is at the other end of the scale."
He sets his fork down and stills, letting me have the space to find my words.
“I don’t think she’s against magic as a concept, but after what happened… she just wants no part of it. She’s grieving the death of our parents, the loss of five years, and the fact that she’s the victim of such a horrible abuse of power. She just wants to hide in her room and cry.”
Saying it out loud breaks my heart, and I have to blink quickly to keep my tears from taking over.
Wylder reaches across the table and squeezes my hand. "She's seventeen and survived something most witches wouldn't walk away from. It’s understandable that she’s questioning whether magic is worth all it cost her.”
"I just don't know how to help her. She’s so sad.”
“She’ll be all right. I was her age when my mom was killed, and Laurel pinned everything on your mom and Sebastian. I went through a period when the pain was so big and consuming that I hated everything about magic and what it stole from me. She’ll work through it. Give her time.”
My chest tightens in the best possible way. “Thank you.”
He squeezes my hand. “As someone who has no family, it’s easy to see how close your family was. The three of you will rebound from this. You’ll see.”
I draw a deep breath and nod. “Yeah, we will.”
We focus on our desserts for a few moments, and I let the reality of his words really sink in.
As someone who has no family…
That hurts my heart. Wylder is a good guy and has no one. Laurel betrayed his trust in so many ways, and yet he’s still kind, a devoted practitioner, and works his very fine butt off to pay for a room in a shared house.
He deserves so much more.
"Is your blood bond still quiet?"
His question jars me out of my thoughts, and I turn my fork over. "It's been quiet since he broke through the last time. No dark pull, no invasions into my dreams, nothing."
“Why don’t you sound happier about that?”
"Guilt? Sure, I’m happy to not have him pulling at me, but our connection could help us find him and figure out what he’s doing. I feel like I should want our bond to be active… but I don’t.”
I focus on my final forkful. Chocolate and bitter orange dissolve together, and I’m about to lift my gaze when my phone buzzes in my purse.
I fish it out and look at the screen.
Asher: sorry to interrupt ur hot date (wylder looked SEXY HOT when he picked u up btw ) but theres someone from the Order here?? He wants to talk to you and is doing the impatient thing. pls come home when you can. love u. also tell wylder I’m sorry to be a cockblock
Wylder is studying my expression as I read.
"Someone from the Order is at the house. Apparently, they're doing ‘the impatient thing’, and Asher needs us to come home. He also apologizes for cockblocking you.”
Wylder arches a brow and signals to our server for the check. “I understand I’m dating the most in-demand witch in Emberwood. And who says I’ve been cockblocked? You’ll find I’m not put off that easily.”
“That’s the spirit,” Asher bends down beside me and scoops up the last bite of my dessert. “Sorry, I couldn’t stand the pressure of entertaining that man. Then I remembered I could just portal over and get you. How cray-cray is that?”
I blink. “You want to portal? With me?”
Asher sobers. “What’s that face, P? Seriously. You know I’ve been practicing.”
“Yeah, practicing, I know, but…”
He frowns and all the Asher-ness joy drains from his expression. “Do you honestly think I’d offer to portal you if I wasn’t sure I could keep you safe?”
I give myself an inward shake and toss my napkin onto the table. “I know you wouldn’t. Okay. We’ll take the Asher Express back to Emberwood. I just need to claim my jacket at the coat check, and we’ll find a quiet corner so you can do your thing.”
When Asher eases my chair back, I stand, grab my purse, and meet Wylder’s gaze. “Sorry to abandon you. Dinner was amazing. Will you stop by the house so we can continue our date?”
He winks. “I’ll be there in thirty minutes. Take care of whatever is going on, and I’ll see you soon.”