Chapter 4 #3
I squeak as Maz picks me up and spins me around. “I didn’t need convincing. I was yours the moment you walked through the wall.” He kisses the top of my head, and I chuckle. “Now, my smart little witch. Do you know any spells to shield yourself from fire?”
“Yeah, why?” I frown.
“Your dragons are going to cause a fire problem. Tell me the spell, and I’ll protect you.
” He winks. I tell him the spell quickly, and he repeats it, with his magic latching onto the words.
A shield of orange spreads around me just seconds before Kane, Black and Vale explode with fire.
The fire fills every inch of the room until I can’t see my dragons in the red-hot flames, but I know they are there.
The flames lick everywhere, bouncing off my shield and pushing against the magic locking them in here. The magic doesn’t stand a chance.
I wince as I try to shy away from the heat just as the wall explodes right on top of the line of witches outside.
A few of them try to get up, but Vale is like a storm.
He steps out of the fire, the flames dancing off his thick black cloak and dark clothes, completely untouched.
He snaps the neck of the nearest witch with one hand.
Black only has to touch a witch who crawls away, and they drop dead in seconds.
It was barely a fight at all. All that is left are the bodies of the shifters who died with their witches.
If the witch dies, the bonded die next. Sometimes they can fight to survive, but it’s rare.
“Let’s go find a bloodstone then.” Kane looks back at me as Maz’s spell disappears and I choke on the smoke in the air.
I nod, walking over the rubble and avoiding the fires to get to the steps.
Knowing we don’t have a lot of time before someone notices the explosion, we quickly escape the castle and head into the forest. There are still people screaming, but it’s quieter than earlier.
Only the trees watch us as we head past them on the forest paths.
My soon-to-be bonded follow behind me, and I don’t dare talk to them, just in case they suddenly change their minds about this.
I was worried the truth and the offer of freedom with me for the shifters wouldn’t be enough for them to push past who my mother is.
I haven’t even given myself a moment to think about all the horror stories I was taught as a kid about the enchantress.
How she destroyed the world, killed millions of humans and witches, turning them into the Mindless to make an army for herself.
Did she do all of that, or was it a lie?
I want to know and I want to meet her. Even if it is risky, even if I’m not certain she won’t use me like the Umbral Authority has.
She is my only family left. I plan to look for her as soon as it is safe.
It doesn’t take us long to find a bloodstone. The ancient stone is half-covered in mud and dirt. Dark ivy crawls across the stone, digging into the stone and lifting parts of the stone to make it uneven.
I pull the dagger from Lock and look at my dragons. “There’s no going back now.”
“There never was.” Kane locks his eyes with mine.
“Do it.” I nod, keeping my eyes on Kane as I cut a line straight across my palm and feel hardly any pain.
I don’t wince. I stare down at my hand, watching my blood bloom up before one line of it drops down my palm and off my hand.
Time slows as it falls and splashes onto the stone, and I gasp.
We all do. The power of my bonded slams into me, just like before, pulling me to my knees, but I don’t pass out.
I fight the urge to as my head spins and my teeth clench.
My magic comes back, feeling like an endless well of fire and darkness, and it’s perfect.
It’s ours; we share our power, just as it always was meant to be.
Vale is the only one still standing, but he is swaying like a leaf in the breeze. Kane, Black and Maz are on their knees, panting from the power. Kane barks out a laugh. “You’re one hell of a powerful witch, Juniper.”
“You only just realized that?” I chuckle, my laugh dying off as Black walks to me.
He leans down, tangles his hand in my hair and pulls me into a searing, shocking kiss.
He kisses me, not like it’s the first time, but something familiar.
I kiss him back, clutching his cloak and wanting so much more.
He groans, sensing my need and breaking the kiss. “Mine. I remember you, Juni. I remember everything from last year.”
“So do I.” I spin my head to Maz, who grins. “Sweetheart, thank fuck you came for us. I’m going to kill the Umbral Authority for taking you away.”
“Same.” Black strokes my cheek before touching my swollen lips thanks to his kiss. “They all die for hurting you and invading your mind. I don’t give a fuck who your mother is or any prophecy. I care only that you are safe.”
“What the fuck do you two remember?” Vale interrupts. “Are you in a relationship with a witch? It’s forbidden, you idiot—”
“Shut up,” Black growls at him. Vale doesn’t remember.
I look at Kane in hope, and he shakes his head.
I tell myself it’s okay; there must be a way to get their memories back if Black and Maz can remember now.
“You want her too, Vale. You always did, and she saved your life even when you were a dick to her. She almost died for you at the end of last year. Her heart stopped, and I watched you beg on your knees to the goddess to save her.”
Vale stares at Black in silence. He grits his teeth. “I would never kneel for any witch or beg for a witch’s life.”
“You did,” I bite at him. “And I begged the goddess for a chance to save you too. You are my bonded; I will never let you die. I walked through a room full of death magic to save your ass. You can thank me another time.”
He looks at me and glowers. “Why the fuck would I be in a room with death magic in the first place?”
“To save a witch you apparently hate,” I mutter, pinching the bridge of my nose.
We all go silent, Black and Maz standing at my side like they need to be as close to me as I want to be to them.
Kane and Vale stand together a few feet away, a clear divide between the dragons.
I don’t know what to say to them anymore; it’s so messy between us all.
Maz touches my hand with his, linking our pinkie fingers.
“Want to go and make a fuss? You show them the marks on your palms, and shit will hit the fan.” I smile.
I do want to do that. “We need to make up a good story for why we broke out and found each other.”
We walk back through the castle while discussing our lie, and they only leave me when we get to the ceremony hall and I join the line of witches waiting to be called up.
They can’t come up on the stage with me, but they leave to join the crowd looking up at the stage.
I really hope some of the Umbral Authority are in the audience for this.
To watch as their plan for this year begins to crumble into dust.
I walk up to the headmaster when it’s my turn, and he smiles, his red hair flashing. “Miss Daygan. I have heard much about you and your fiancée. Did you hear your foster sister Rue was called to the army earlier than usual? She passed all her exams, and the Umbral Authority found her ready.”
Rue isn’t here? My heart patters at the news. “I wasn’t told. I was looking forward to seeing her again. It’s been years.”
“A shame, but you will see her at the front lines of the war, without a doubt. Now, show me the mark from Aster.” He offers me his hand.
“I bonded to four dragons,” I announce loudly, showing Mentor Parker my marks on my palm.
The professor looks down at me in shock before surprising me with a smirk and a short laugh.
His voice lowers and his bonded hisses. “Well played, Juniper. Your mother will be proud. Watch your back; they will not be happy and they are done being nice to get their own way. They will want you dead.” He gently shoves me out to the crowd, who cheer and clap, but his words ring in my ear.
He knows who I am. Is the headmaster on my side?