Page 108 of The Witch and The Blood Oath

Silence stretched between Mara and me. Her obsidian eyes studied me for a long time, no doubt taking in the dirty clothes, unkempt hair, and, honestly, the scent of my unwashed body. I let her see just how far I had fallen.

Desperation made witches dangerous.

I was very, very dangerous.

“I see,” Mara crooned. “Her rules are harder to swallow when it’s those you love she’s asking you to sacrifice to uphold them.”

“She took my mate,” Ryder snapped. “Do you know how to find her or not?”

Mara tilted her head and examined him closer.

“Now that,” she said and tapped a finger against her lips, “is interesting.”

“Do witches ever answer a question directly?” Walker muttered.

Mara tutted. “So impatient. Honey, you’ll need to learn a bit more decorum if you’re going to be a warlock.”

I balked. “You know about warlocks?”

Mara strutted forward.

“Shouldn’tyou?” she said and inhaled sharply through her nose. A toothy grin stretched her lips. “You’ve been to the Warlock Cave. It’s where you learned you can share.”

She licked her lips and gestured between Walker and me.

“Gross,” Cady muttered.

I swallowed my revulsion for the dark witch and considered the significance of her words. In the craziness of our hunt for Elle, I hadn’t taken much time to consider what we had learned in the cave—the Warlock Cave. The magical place had painted a picture of warlocks and witches working together. It had shown how they couldsharetheir power.

“That’s what an Anchor bond is,” I realized, “that’s why Walker’s and my magic respond to each other—they’re connected. We can share our power.”

All coven members had some affinity to share magic, but I had never been able to wield another’s element before. Even now, Walker’s lightning simmered like liquid fire in my veins.

“Sure,” Mara said and rolled her eyes. “That’s all there is to an Anchor bond.”

I wanted to question her further, but Ryder grew impatient.

“Do you know how to get into the court?” Ryder barked. “Or were your plans in the spring all talk and no follow-through?”

Mara’s gaze flicked to Ryder then slithered to Walker. Down and up, she studied the cowboy’s tall, broad form. Her leer stirred my anger.

“Magic suits you,” Mara purred and looked at me. “I see why you’ve lost all your morals, Redfern. He’s…electric.”

With pure speed and strength and outright will, Ryder leaped upon the Coven Mother of the dark witches and gripped her by the throat. Alpha power—stuffy and thick—clogged my throat and dulled the very magic in my veins.

All Alphas wielded an innate control over less dominate wolves, but I had never heard of one being able to control magic.

Well, maybeonecan, but that’s impossible…

Mara’s ragged breaths pulled me from the thoughts. Though I thought seeing the mighty Coven Mother at Ryder’s mercy would be gratifying, it unsettled me.

“Tell me how to find her,” Ryder demanded, “now.”

Careful to avoid the claws gripping her throat, Mara offered the barest of nods. As Ryder set her down, his Alpha magic dissipated, and we took a collective breath.

“Come inside,” Mara ordered and turned on her heel. “Voices carry on the wind.”

Ryder followed her without another word. Walker hesitated, but Cadence tugged on his hand pulled him closer to the dark witches.

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