Page 29 of Sasquatch Love Spell

“Of course not. Who would be? It’s bad enough there are so many rules and sanctions on our kind to protect the humans. It’s been centuries since we mingled freely. Blood has suffered.”

“How do you mean?”

“Power is being lost. Mingling of human blood with magic is potent .” Coraliane sighed. “This is egregious. How did you find this out?”

“My half brother, who also is my great-great uncle, is a wraith.”

Coraliane grinned. “Cillian?”

“Yes. You know him?” Aoife asked, dryly.

“Oh yes.” There was a wistful expression on her face and Aoife really didn’t need to know why.

“He’s bound by blood to protect me…in his own way,” Aoife responded.

Coraliane nodded. “I told you. Blood is powerful. So, you’ve set enchantments to keep out the Tuatha Order.”

“Agreed.”

“So you’re calling me for help?”

“No .” Aoife sighed. “I’m telling you because I’m warning you and whoever else resides around here what is happening. Ivar is coming for me, but after me, he’s coming for the rest. I plan on protecting this forest the best I can, and fighting with my last breath. Cillian isn’t bound to tell the others of the realms about this. He knows I can work on my mother to get the truth. I’m sure that’s why he told me. NowI’m telling you, and you can decide to do what you want with that information.”

“You would protect these Sasquatches?” Coraliane asked.

"I would. Adam has kept me safe.”

Coraliane took a deep breath and wrinkled her nose. “The forest smells like rot. I never did like the smell of trees.”

Aoife tried not to roll her eyes. “Well, to each their own.”

“Yes,” Coraliane replied, quietly. “I will check out this unsecured portal and I will inform others of this plan of Ivar’s. I agree that Prince Ivar cannot take control of all the realms, and maybe it's time for the elves’ hold on the realms to end. The rules need to change.”

A shiver ran down Aoife’s spine, because what Coraliane said, it sounded a lot like a revolution, which is something she didn’t really want to incite, but here she was thrown right into the middle of it all. Again, not her choice.

“You do what you will,” Aoife said, clearly because she was not going to make a deal with this mermaid. Not again. “I won’t have any part of what you or others decide, but the point is, you have the power, the knowledge, now to make that decision.”

Coraliane nodded. “I will remember that you offered this up and I do appreciate it.”

Aoife watched as Coraliane walked back into the waters. She flipped her hair over her shoulder and then dove under the surface. As the water touched her, her legs transformed into a tail once more.

“Who was that?” Adam asked.

She spun around. “Where did you come from?”

“The woods.” A brief smile tugged at the corner of his lips. “Was that the mermaid?”

“Yes.” Aoife swallowed the lump in her throat.

“You told her?”

She nodded. “I didn’t make any deals with her. I’m not asking her to do anything. I just felt like the rest of the magical beings in the northwest needed to know what was happening. They needed to know about an unsanctioned portal. That’s a dangerous thing.”

“Knowledge is power,” Adam stated.

“I understand, but I’m tired of power being held by one. Especially if it’s going to be used to control.”

Adam smiled briefly and nodded, understanding her. “Well, the falls have always been a magical place for us and for the indigenous peoples who lived on this land before settlers. It’s not surprising that a portal manifested there.”

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