Page 65 of Dark Witch: Entangled Fates

"So, Jasmine," Amanda said, leaning forward with a conspiratorial grin. "Tell me more about your Wiccan practices."

"I'm a beginner witch myself, and I learned what I know from the internet, other practitioners on social media, and books. So far, I like that Wicca is all about honoring the cycles of nature and the interconnectedness of all things. I believe that by attuning myself to the rhythms of the universe, I can tap into a deeper wisdom and power that can guide me." She looked at Amanda from under lowered lashes. "Does that sound like a load of crap to you?"

"Not at all. That's how I feel as well."

Jasmine looked relieved and then glanced around to check who was listening to their conversation before leaning closer to Amanda. "One of my favorite rituals is the Drawing Down the Moon," she said. "It's a powerful invocation of the Goddess's energy, a way of connecting with the divine feminine and bringing her wisdom and guidance into our lives." She continued to describe a few more rituals, but her main tool of divination seemed to be tarot cards.

Amanda nodded along. "I've never paid much attention to tarot reading, but you mentioned that the cards have been pointing to a prince in your future. Can you tell me more about that?"

"It started with a simple three-card spread," Jasmine said in a near whisper. "The first card was The Six of Cups, which represents innocence, nostalgia, and the promise of a new beginning. The second was The Lovers, which speaks of a deep, soulful connection blessed by the divine. And the third was The Knight of Cups, the embodiment of romance, chivalry, and the arrival of a suitor."

She paused, letting the significance of the cards sink in before continuing, but since Amanda wasn't all that familiar with tarot, it was all pretty meaningless to her. The few times she had gone for a reading, she paid more attention to the lady interpreting the cards than to the cards themselves.

"Together, they painted a picture of a profound, fated love and a connection that would transform my life. If it was a one-time occurrence, I would have dismissed it, but the same cards continued to come up."

Jasmine's excitement was contagious, and Amanda felt a flicker of it in her own heart. "Was that it, or did you get any more clues from the cards?"

"Not yet," she admitted. "The cards are frustratingly vague on that point. But I trust that when the time is right, he will reveal himself to me. Until then, I just have to keep my heart open and my eyes peeled."

Amanda shifted her gaze to the men who were heading back with loaded plates.

"Could the prince be Edgar?" she asked quickly.

"Maybe." Jasmine shrugged. "Maybe the card meant it metaphorically." She chuckled. "Instead of the knight in shining armor arriving on a noble steed, my knight arrived in a shining helicopter and brought along two noble saviors."

As the guys put the plates down, Amanda smiled at Edgar. "Are you planning on inviting Jasmine as your date to the wedding tonight?"

Edgar's face split into a wide, boyish grin as he trained his eyes on Jasmine. "Of course. That was the main reason Jasmine wanted to be allowed on the upper decks."

The smile slid off Amanda's face as she remembered that Jasmine was not allowed full disclosure. "Just as a reminder, Jasmine will have to wait to come in until after the ceremony." She looked apologetically at the woman. "I know it's disappointing, but that's the way it has to be."

"Why is that?" Jasmine leaned forward with a quizzical frown. "If you're practicing some kind of witchy ritual, you know that I'm totally on board. I love learning about new traditions and practices."

Amanda shook her head. "We have other reasons for the secrecy that I'm not at liberty to disclose. It's nothing personal, and you are not the only one who has to wait until after the ceremony to be allowed inside. Marina and Larissa will also be waiting in the bar for their boyfriends to escort them into the dining hall, so the three of you can keep each other company."

48

YAMANU

Yamanu sprawled on a lounge chair and surveyed the group of males gathered around him with a contented smile playing on his lips. The balcony of his cabin was filled with the rich aroma of cigars, laughter, and, most importantly, camaraderie.

Looking at the faces of the males who had stood by his side through countless missions, he felt a surge of gratitude. Arwel, Bhathian, Anandur, and Brundar were like brothers to him, and Kri a sister, and it was a damn shame that she had bowed out, saying that she didn't really belong with the boys. She was the youngest Head Guardian, and he was so damn proud of her.

She should have been here.

Then there was Onegus, the chief, and Kian, the big boss. The Clan Mother's son was a good leader, fair and just, and no less importantly, the guy had an uncanny knack for business, which had them all living in style and armed with the best weaponry money could buy and William could produce.

Julian was the odd one out in the group. The young doctor wasn't a Guardian, but he had joined the force on several missions and had proven himself to be coolheaded and capable under fire, which was admirable for a civilian.

Yamanu had befriended Bridget's son when he had started volunteering at the halfway house for the survivors of trafficking, running the weekly karaoke night. Julian was charged with managing the place, and he did that remarkably well considering that he had never managed anything before. Having a mate who had been a victim of trafficking herself probably made Julian better suited for the position than most.

Yamanu had found himself looking forward to those karaoke nights. Bringing the girls joy through singing was a different path for him to make the world a slightly better place. As a Guardian, he protected his clan and saved victims of trafficking when not running missions against the clan's enemies. His singing was just something he enjoyed doing, while his powerful thralling and shrouding abilities were weapons in the clan's arsenal that he had spent centuries honing and developing through great personal sacrifice.

Celibacy had enabled him to channel all of his energy into his massive thralls and shrouds, diverting hordes of marauders away from his people and enabling countless missions that would have been impossible to pull off without it.

And yet, the Clan Mother had been willing to give up that protection just so he could find happiness in the arms of the female he loved. As it turned out, his abilities had not disappeared when he had broken his vow of celibacy, but the goddess couldn't have known that, and he would be forever grateful to her for encouraging him to mate Mey.

He had never expected to find love, had never even dared to dream of it, but the moment he'd seen Mey for the first time, Yamanu had known that she was the one, the missing piece of his soul.

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