Page 17 of The Worst Mate Ever

Brady

I resumed my focus on the books after Madie’s departure from the library, her taste still vividly lingering on my lips. It was just enough to ward off the worst of the denied bonds pains, but it was also not enough.

Her taste was intoxicating, leaving my mind in a haze, struggling to concentrate on anything beyond the memory of our kiss. The way her body felt beneath my hands. The sound of her moan as I explored her mouth.

I found myself both cursing and thanking The Fates for having intertwined our destinies so intricately. Had I understood as a boy the true nature of the pull between us, I would have taken back every word of rumor I had spread against her. A strong part of me longed to go back in time and kick my own ass for the way I had treated her all those years.

As I rested my hand against my face, the library was suddenly filled with familiar whispers of warning, breaking the silence. My head snapped up just as the power swept through me, and my vision blurred and blacked out.

As light returned to my vision, a dimly lit cavern had replaced the library. The ceilings peppered with jagged rocks that dripped water that glistened with dark magic as it fell to my feet. I stepped back as the black ooze reached out for me, craving a host for its addictive power.

Power surged from my hand, dispelling the darkness as harnessed sunlight radiated from my palm. I surveyed the cave, a chill running down my spine as I beheld ancient markings in a language long relegated to the annals of forgotten lore. I only recognized it from mentions in books. A language that all witches once knew. The language that was rumored to belong to the original holders of the power we all share now.

Goosebumps prickled my arms as I completed a full circle, revealing the cave opening into an even more expansive cavern. At the center sat a crypt with silver chains wrapped around the stone coffin.

I could feel the pulse of power emanating from the cavern. The darkness filling the air and rotating at the ceiling of the cavern above the coffin like a cyclone about to touch ground.

My body reacted instinctively, stepping back from the room as fear surged through me. I knew that whatever was in that coffin had to be stopped. I should step into the large room to find out more of the warning The Fates were giving me, yet my body refused to go anywhere near that much darkness.

Again, the vision faded, leaving me in darkness. When my sight returned, I found myself in a peculiar room where hanging herbs and neatly arranged decorative bottles of oils adorned the shelves.

Still, there was darkness in this room. That dark magic stirred around, though not quite as thick as the cave I had viewed in the previous vision. The air was filled with the distant sound of voices, causing me to instinctively turn my head towards the only door in the room. To my surprise, the door slowly opened on its own, producing a spine-chilling creak, and offering a glimpse of the hidden secrets within the structure.

I walked forward and followed the voices, finding myself in a cabin that seemed to belong more to a fairy tale meant to warn children of dangers than to the area we lived in. The stairs looked far too old, their creaks telling stories of ages past.

I continued to follow the enchanting voices down the stairs, my curiosity growing with each step, until I reached the front door. As I opened it, a breathtaking forest unfolded before my eyes. I watched as four individuals stood before me, completely unaware of my existence.

I recognized two of the people immediately. Minerva and Tristan, his face freshly burned and melted. I frowned as I realized that this was a vision of the past. Although not too long ago, it was evident that what I was witnessing had already occurred.

“Forget about your petty revenge,” Minerva scolded the strange woman. “You’re wasting your power on this pointless mission of yours.”

“I wouldn’t expect you to understand, Minnie,” the woman responded, her finger gently stroking the feathery chest of a fiery red bird perched on her arm. “You’ve never truly loved anyone. Not in the way that I love my Amun.”

Minerva looked aggravated as she crossed her arms and looked over at the other strange man. “That’s not true, Hathy. And it would be better for you and Amun if you came with us. We can restore him to full power and you both can help us with our goals. Why risk it all now? You can get your revenge more effectively with us.”

Hathy let out a dismissive scoff. “This is my revenge to take. And it’s with this revenge that I will restore my husband. I don’t need that old fool’s help.”

“How dare you call the father of all a fool,” the man beside Minerva shouted.

“Hush, John, you can’t speak to her in that tone,” Minerva pushed him back behind her as she turned back to the other woman. “Forgive him. He’s young, but he’s right. You know full well that he isn’t some old fool. Come with us.”

Hathy’s gaze sharpened as she looked towards the forest, her eyes narrowing and a sinister smile curling her lips. “I’ll join you when I am done here. As it is, my revenge will be complete soon. Now go, unless you all wish to be trapped here with me.”

Minerva sighed before flicking her wrist. A ball of black surrounded the three, leaving only the witch Hathy and her bird behind. The vision began to fade as the second dark witch turned around to enter her home and once more new surroundings appeared around me.

I was in yet another strange building, though this time more modern than before. Minerva stood around a caldron, Tristan pacing back and forth as he watched her mix her potion. The second man sat quietly at a table with a book opened as he read quietly.

“Will this shit work?” Tristan asked.

“It will work the way I said it will. Your injuries are magically made with the power of the strongest form of the fire element. They will never heal, but this will help ease the pain.”

“You can’t,” the man called out, his eyes never leaving the book he read. “We need all of the hybrids unharmed.”

“Don’t worry,” Minerva said before Tristan could respond. “You will get your revenge. I promised you that in exchange for your help, however, John is right. The hybrid must remain alive. They all are needed.”

Tristan growled again, but nodded. “Fine, but when?”

Minerva looked up at the window, her eyes seeming to see something not even I could see as I followed her gaze. “Soon. Very soon. Here, put this on your face.” She offered him a rag soaked in the potion she had been mixing.

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