Page 78 of The Witch and The Blood Oath

Freya ignored her question and slipped the pendant back into her pocket.

“So it’s confirmed,” she said. “You’re the chimera.”

“And mymate,”Ryder grumbled.

Freya said nothing, and the lapping of waves filled the silence.

“Um,” Cadence began awkwardly, “where exactly are we going?”

“There is a cluster of islands straight ahead,” Freya said. “We can stop there for the night.”

“There,” Ryder agreed.

I squinted, and the barest hint of land came into view. I tried to will my magic to enhance my vision, but after wrangling the kelpie and battling a dozen wolves, I was low on fuel.

“Must be nice to have wolf vision,” I mumbled.

Not so nice to have wolf instincts,I thought and eyed Elle.

Though she hated him, handing Elle over to the High Witch when she was Ryder’s mate complicated things. I wasn’t always Ryder’s biggest fan, but surely the other half of his soul wasn’t totally evil.

As we reached the island’s shores, my thoughts slipped away, and I basked in the paradise before us. White sand gave way to a lush tropical forest. Rocky cliffs, decorated with clusters of ivy, loomed in the distance. Birds cawed and animals scurried from its depths. Even the water had stilled and was a brilliant, clear turquoise.

“Wow,” Cady said.

I nodded in agreement. Ryder shut off the gas, found a couple anchors in the compartment next to the pilot’s seat, and handed one to me. Together, we dropped them into the water. Familiar magic shimmered in the air.

“An invisibility spell,” Freya explained, “in case our new friends come searching for us.”

I jumped into the water and offered a hand to Freya, which she refused. She turned to my sister.

“Care for a ride?” she asked.

Grinning, Cadence hopped on her back. With Arion in her arms, Freya flew to the beach on a summoned breeze. I sighed and lowered my hand, but Elle grabbed it.

“You’re polite,” she said and delicately hopped into the water. “It’s appreciated.”

Ryder growled and jumped in himself. From the beach, Freya frowned and quickly turned away. I grimaced.

“It’s not appreciated by everyone,” I mumbled and walked to the sand.

“Might as well make camp,” Freya said. Ryder grunted in agreement. “Walker, would you mind assisting me in gathering some firewood? Ryder, could you put those hunting skills to use and find us some fish?”

“I’m a wolf,” he grumbled, “not a damn shark, but sure.”

It was the first thing he had said since finding Elle that sounded like himself.

“What am I supposed to do?” Cady asked.

“Help Arion keep watch,” Freya answered with a pointed look at Elle.

More like scream if she tries to run.

Cady nodded in understanding. Freya and I trekked into the beckoning forest. Soon, rough soil and rich plant life replaced the white sand of the beach. As Freya led us farther from the others, I pushed vines and branches out of the way. When sunlight filtered through towering trees, and the forest was abuzz with insects and birds, Freya paused and faced me.

“We need to contact the High Witch,” she whispered.

Dread coiled in my stomach, and Freya was quick to identify it.

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