Page 3 of Magic on the Prowl

“That’s one of the major worries. There’s something else,” Reed whispered. “There’s a weakness in the veil here. Part of the wards’ job is to keep the pull of the veil from drawing supernaturals of all kinds to it.”

Roarke gave a single nod. “If those barriers fail, Whispering Pines will be vulnerable to many outside threats.”

Reed nodded without comment. No words were needed to explain how dire the situation was.

Roarke leaned over the map of Whispering Pines, his brow furrowed in concentration as he studied the areas marked with glowing red pins. Each pin represented a point of weakness in the town’s magical defenses, a chink in the armor that could be exploited by those who sought to do harm.

“We need to prioritize the most vulnerable locations,” he said, his voice low and urgent. “If we can block the areas with the shifters’ physical presence. That should buy us some time to come up with a more permanent solution.”

Reed nodded, his own expression grave. “Agreed. I can mobilize my deputies to patrol the perimeter, keep an eye out for any suspicious activity. But we’ll need more than just manpower to fix this.”

Roarke’s mind raced, years of training and experience flashing through his thoughts like a rapid-fire slideshow. He’d faced countless challenges in his time as a supernatural ops agent, but nothing quite like this. The stakes were higher, the consequences of failure more dire than ever.

“What about the witches?” he asked, his gaze still fixed on the map. “Surely they have some way of bolstering the town’s defenses, some spell or ritual that could help.”

Reed sighed, running a hand through his hair. “It’s not that simple. Magic is a delicate thing, and messing with the barriers without cool, calm minds could just as easily make things worse. We need to be careful, take this one step at a time.”

Roarke knew that; that was a dumb question on his part. “We’ll start with the most critical areas and work our way out from there. But we can’t afford to wait too long. Every minute counts.”

The two men spent the next several minutes studying the map, discussing potential strategies and contingencies. Roarke’s mind whirred with possibilities, each one more complex than the last. There was no easy fix, no silver bullet that could solve all their problems in one fell swoop. But he was determined to find a way to use every tool at his disposal to keep Whispering Pines safe.

As Roarke sat across from Reed in the sheriff’s office, a knock at the door interrupted their conversation.

“Come in,” Reed called out.

The door opened, revealing an older woman with bright eyes.

“Ah, Luna Nightshade, meet Roarke Easton. I called him in to help with our security until this all is fixed.” Reed reached out to shake hands. “Luna is the town’s apothecary.”

She stepped inside, her violet eyes shimmering with a mix of wisdom and worry. “Glad to meet you, Roarke.” Her eyes narrowed on him. “You’re a shifter,” she said. “What do you know about witch magic?”

“Luna!” Reed gasped at the direct personal question.

Roarke raised a hand. “She has a legitimate point,” he replied. Roarke was used to this question and initial doubt about his skills. Whenever he was called in, those in trouble were weary of outsiders and strangers.

He started his usual spiel. “My mother was a witch and my father was a shifter. Though we didn’t live with the coven, she was innately strong with earth magic. She taught me more than the basics.”

Luna nodded, her expression changed to welcoming. “I apologize?—”

“Luna,” Reed said, trying to ease the awkwardness in the room, “what brings you here?”

“I come bearing information,” Luna replied, her gaze shifting between Reed and Roarke. “Information you both need to hear.”

Roarke leaned forward, his interest piqued. “What do you know, Luna?”

Luna took a seat beside Roarke, her presence radiating a calm energy that seemed to fill the room. “I feel a great disturbance in the balance of magic. I believe that large masses of dark magic wielders are headed our way. They know the wards are down. They feel the power of the veil. I’m especially worried about Shadowfall.”

“Shadowfall?” Roarke repeated, the name unfamiliar to him.

Reed’s jaw tightened. “It’s a town not too far from here, filled with those who practice dark magic and seek to create chaos wherever they go.”

Luna nodded, her expression grave. “For years, the inhabitants of Shadowfall have been forbidden from entering Whispering Pines. Our magic, our way of life - it’s everything they despise. They see us as a threat to their power, and they’ll stop at nothing to destroy us.”

Roarke’s mind raced with the implications of this new information. “So, these dark magic wielders - they’re from Shadowfall?”

“I believe so. They’re called Reapers because they bring death and destruction wherever they go,” Luna confirmed. “Their magic carries the same powerful taint, the same darkness that pervades Shadowfall. We must be vigilant. They will not rest until they see our town in ruins.”

Reed leaned back in his chair, his eyes hardening with determination. “We won’t let that happen. With Roarke’s help, we’ll fortify our defenses and drive any of these Reapers back to the shadows where they belong.”

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