Page 5 of His Spellbound Mate

“Who would do this?” she whispered to herself, her voice trembling.

The clearing was silent, the forest around her eerily still, as if holding its breath. Tamzyn felt a presence, cold and ancient, watching her from the shadows. She resisted the urge to flee, knowing that turning her back now would only make her a target. Instead, she straightened, drawing on the strength she had once wielded with confidence, and took the salt from her pouch, tracing a circle around the scorched earth.

“I know you’re there,” she said, her voice firm. “Show yourself.”

The air in the circle thickened, growing colder as the presence pressed in around her. Tamzyn braced herself, every instinct screaming at her to run, but she stood her ground. A flicker of movement caught her eye, and she focused her attention on the shadowy figure coalescing at the edge of the circle.

It was a man—or at least, it had once been a man. His form was vague, more shadow than substance, and his eyes glowed with an unnatural light. He hovered just beyond the circle, unable to cross the barrier she had set in place.

“Who are you?” Tamzyn demanded, forcing herself to meet his gaze.

The shadow man tilted his head as if considering her question. His voice, when it came, was a low, sibilant whisper that sent chills down her spine. “Who I am is of no consequence. What matters is the task I was summoned for.”

Tamzyn’s heart raced. “What task is that?”

What passed for the figure’s smile was a cruel twist of malevolence splashed across his face. “To find you, little witch. My master has been searching for you.”

Panic surged through Tamzyn, but she forced it down. “I don’t know who your master is, and I don’t care. You’re not going to find me. Not here.”

The shadow man chuckled, a sound like dry leaves rustling in the wind. “Oh, but I already have. And now that I’ve found you, we will work to neutralize you. You will not triumph over us. In the end, my master will prevail.”

Tamzyn’s mind raced. She had to get out of here, had to warn the others—no, not the others. She was alone now, banished from the coven. There was no one to help her.

Except…

Her thoughts flashed to Neville Lawless, the alpha of the Silver Ridge pack—although she wasn’t supposed to know that about him or even that shifters existed. He was powerful, strong enough to fend off this creature, perhaps even destroy it. But asking for his help would mean revealing her true nature, and she couldn’t afford that.

Still, the shadow man was a threat, not just to her but to everyone in Silver Ridge. She couldn’t let him escape, couldn’t let him report back to whoever had sent him. With a steely resolve, she drew on the magic that pulsed within her, weaving a binding spell that would trap the shadow man within the circle.

He hissed as the spell took hold, his form flickering as he fought against it. “You cannot hold me forever, witch.”

“No,” Tamzyn agreed, her voice calm. “But I can hold you long enough.”

She closed her eyes, focusing on the energy coursing through her, strengthening the spell until the air around the shadow-man shimmered with power. He struggled, his form flickering more violently, but the spell held fast.

With the creature contained, Tamzyn allowed herself a moment of relief. She had done it. But the victory was hollow. She had used her magic, breaking the vow she had made to herself when she left the coven. Worse, the use of such power would send ripples through the supernatural world, alerting both her former coven and whatever dark entity had sent this thing to her presence in Silver Ridge.

She had to act quickly. Tamzyn knew she couldn’t maintain the spell indefinitely, and the longer she stayed in the clearing, the more vulnerable she became. She turned and fled, racing through the woods, the underbrush tearing at her clothes and scratching her skin. She didn’t stop until she burst out of the trees and into the open, the bright sunlight of midday blinding her.

Breathing heavily, she leaned against a tree, trying to calm her racing heart. She needed a plan, and she needed it fast. The shadow man’s words echoed in her mind: ‘My master will never stop.’

Whoever this master was, they were powerful enough to send a creature like that after her, and they wouldn’t rest until they had her. Her quiet life in Silver Ridge had just been shattered, and she had no choice but to deal with the consequences.

As the adrenaline began to fade, Tamzyn’s thoughts turned back to the missing child. The shadow man’s appearance couldn’t be a coincidence. There was something else going on in these woods, something connected to the dark magic she had sensed. She couldn’t ignore it, not now.

Tamzyn straightened, her resolve hardening. She had to find the child, had to uncover the truth behind the dark magic before it was too late. And if that meant seeking out Neville Lawless, then so be it. She would face him and whatever consequences came with it head-on.

With a final, steadying breath, Tamzyn began to search for the child. She found him by a stream, playing in the water, seemingly unaware that people were looking for him.

“Jacob?” she called.

The little boy turned to look at her. “Yes. I’m Jacob.”

“I know. Your mother sent me to find you.” She held her hand out to the child. “Why don’t we go back to your house. I’ll bet your mother has snickerdoodles.”

“Snickerdoodles?” he asked, running to take her hand. “They’re my favorite.”

“I know. Your mother told me. Come on.”

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