Page 20 of A Second Roar for Love

She had done it. The seal was stronger than ever, fortified by her magic and the legacy of her bloodline.

She only hoped this was the correct thing to do.

ELEVEN

Reed leaned over his desk at the sheriff’s office, sifting through a stack of reports and witness statements. The pieces of the puzzle were slowly coming together, forming a picture that sent a chill down his spine.

There was a network of individuals working to unleash the dark force that once threatened Whispering Pines. The one Ellie’s grandmother and others managed to stop somehow.

He rubbed his eyes, the long hours of investigation taking their toll. But he couldn’t rest, not when the safety of the town, and Ellie, hung in the balance.

With a determined set to his jaw, Reed pushed back from his desk. It was time to get some answers, and he knew just where to start.

The town jail was a small, unassuming building, but as Reed stepped inside, he could feel the crackle of dark magic in the air. The captured warlock sat in his bewitched cell, his eyes glinting with a malevolent light.

“Well, well, if it isn’t the sheriff,” the warlock sneered, his voice dripping with disdain. “Come to interrogate me?”

Reed pulled up a chair, settling himself just outside the cell. “I want answers. Who are you working with? What’s your endgame?”

The warlock laughed, a harsh, grating sound. “You have no idea what you’re up against, do you? We are the Cult of the Unsealed, dedicated to reviving the great entity that your little witch’s ancestors so foolishly locked away.”

Reed’s heart clenched at the mention of Ellie, but he kept his face impassive. “And you think you can control this entity? Use its power for your own gain?”

“Control it?” The warlock’s eyes gleamed with a fanatic light. “We will serve it, bask in its glorious darkness. And when it rises, Whispering Pines will be the first to fall.”

Reed had heard enough. He stood abruptly, the chair scraping against the concrete floor. “Not on my watch.”

Leaving the warlock to his ravings, Reed strode out of the jail, his mind racing. He needed advice, someone who understood the depths of magical threats.

His feet carried him to Town Hall, to Cedric’s office. The mayor looked up as Reed entered, his golden eyes glinting with a knowing light.

“Reed,” Cedric greeted, his deep voice resonating. “I take it your investigation has taken a troubling turn?”

Reed sank into the chair opposite Cedric, running a hand through his hair. “Cults, ancient entities, dark rituals... it’s a lot, even for Whispering Pines.”

Cedric steepled his fingers, his gaze distant. “Cults are tricky, Reed. They’re driven by a fervor that defies reason, a belief in something greater than themselves. They’ll stop at nothing to achieve their goals.”

“So how do we stop them?” Reed asked, leaning forward.

“We stay one step ahead,” Cedric replied, his eyes hardening. “We anticipate their moves, disrupt their plans. And most importantly, we protect what matters most.”

An image of Ellie flashed through Reed’s mind, her hazel eyes bright with power. He nodded, resolve settling in his chest. “I won’t let them win, Cedric. I can’t.”

Cedric smiled, a glint of pride in his gaze. “I know you won’t, Reed. You’re the shield this town needs.”

As Reed left Town Hall, his phone buzzed with a message from one of his deputies. A tip about suspicious activity just outside the town limits, figures in dark robes gathering under the cover of night.

Reed wasted no time gathering a team, a mix of his most trusted officers both human and supernatural. They set out into the woods, the moon casting a silvery glow through the leaves.

As they trekked deeper into the forest, Reed felt a prickling along his skin, the telltale sign of magic. He held up a hand, signaling his team to stop. “Magical traps ahead. Proceed with caution.”

They advanced slowly, eyes scanning the underbrush. Suddenly, Vincent Shaw, the gnome mechanic, let out a low whistle. “Sheriff, over here. Got a nasty little enchantment on this one.”

Reed crouched beside Vincent, examining the shimmering thread of magic stretched between two trees. His instincts screamed at him to stay back, to avoid the trap, but he knew they had to press on.

“Can you disarm it?” Reed asked, his voice low.

Vincent grinned, the gesture transforming his grizzled face. “Can a troll smell? Just give me a minute.”

---