Page 36 of Whispers of the Magical Forest

Bas nodded as he studied the markings. He was supporting Fiona with one arm. Her wound pulsed with sickly purple light as it fought against the containment runes he'd placed around it. Even watching it made my magical senses recoil. She should have stayed at the B&B to recover, but none of us wanted to leave her alone. Not to mention, we would likely need her help.

"The stone has a strange resonance," Thanos observed as he ran his hand along the damp wall. His divine power sparked at the contact. "You can feel old magics worked into it. The ancient covens used these tunnels for something important because the limestone now naturally masks magical signatures."

"Brilliant for sneaking about," Fiona managed through gritted teeth. Despite her pain, her eyes sparked with familiar determination. "Though trekking through ancient tunnels makes my skin crawl. The gods know what creepy crawlies had made their home down there over the centuries."

"I still vote for Plan B," Thanos commented as he checked his weapons. His power sparked along the blades Bas had made for him. The hum they emitted calmed my racing heart. My mate was rarely with us on cases and I liked having him nearby for this one. The stakes were so much higher this time. "It’s quick, direct, and includes at least one explosion. That was my favorite addition, Fi."

"And alert every corrupted shifter in Hambledon?" I raised an eyebrow at my mate. "Let's save the fireworks for when we actually need them."

I reached for my phoenix power and letgolden flames dance around my hands as I began weaving dampening spells. The fire responded eagerly. The beast inside me wanted to burn everything and reduce this corruption to ash. It hadn’t taken over entirely because it wanted to find Aislinn as much as I did.

We found the tunnel entrance behind a false wall in one of the abandoned cellars. It looked exactly like something out of a gothic horror film. Damp stone walls disappeared into the darkness. Water dripped somewhere in the distance. The sound echoed ominously. Centuries of accumulated magic surrounded us.

"Remember," I whispered as we prepared to descend, "our masking spell should hide our magical signatures, but we need to stay close.”

Fiona nodded. “We can add illusions to handle visual concealment. Sound will still carry, so keep quiet. I can’t hide us completely while magical corruption is trying to eat me from the inside out."

“You don’t have to do any of it,” Bas told her. “We can kick their asses.”

Fiona shook her head. “Not without being injured or worse. They’re magically juiced up. We ran earlier. Stealth is the only way we survive.”

Bas nodded in agreement. We continued and my phoenix fire cast shifting shadows that made me antsy. I kept expecting one of them to jump out and sink toxic claws into me. The flames highlighted centuries of magical residue that coated the walls like invisible fingerprints. Each layer told a story. There were protection spells, concealment charms, and wards against various threats. Some were so old they barely registered as more than whispers of power.

"The corruption's getting stronger," Fiona murmured as we reached a junction. Purple light pulsed through cracks inthe stone. It created patterns that made my magical senses itch. "It's like the whole place is infected. It’s freaking vile."

She was right. What should have been a neutral magical space had been twisted into something that made my soul want to crawl out of my skin and run away screaming. The cult's influence had spread through the tunnels like a disease. It had tainted even the ancient protective magic woven into the stone.

"Hold still," I whispered. I laid my hand on Fiona's arm when she stumbled. Something felt wrong. My phoenix fire flared as I pushed my magic out, seeking what it was. When it encountered the corrupted power, I shoved harder. The shadow essence trying to reach for her through the wound sizzled away like water on a hot griddle. The effort made my head spin. It was like trying to empty the Thames with a teacup.

"Thanks," she breathed and leaned into Bas. "Though I think it's getting worse. The magic knows we're here. I swear it's trying to spread faster." A growl rumbled through Bas’s chest. Fiona ran a hand over him in a soothing manner.

She nodded and we continued. Argies took point as we navigated the sodding maze of passages. His dragon senses were sharper than ours. Heat rolled off him in waves that left scorch marks on the ancient stone. That kept us toasty as the temperature dropped when we got closer to pack territory proper. Eventually, frost formed on the walls despite Argies's heat. Our breath came out in visible puffs.

"Blimey, it's proper baltic down here," I muttered as I pulled my jacket tighter. The corruption was more concentrated. It felt like walking through invisible cobwebs made of ice and pain.

"This way," Argies growled softly. His eyes glowed with dragon fire as he followed a scent we couldn't detect. "I can smell her. And blood.Lots of blood."

My heart clenched at his words. We'd known they were preparing her as a vessel. Hearing it confirmed made everything more real. More urgent. The phoenix inside me stirred restlessly. It wanted to burn away everything in our path. It was so tempting. I held onto the hope she was still alive.

The tunnels opened into what I bet had once been a grand entrance hall. Now, it looked like an abandoned Victorian asylum left to decay for a century. Pack banners that should have displayed proud heraldry were rotting on the walls. Their symbols had been forgotten and left behind. They were no longer the family they had once been.

"Bloody hell," I breathed as we took in the scene. "What have they done to this place?"

They’d have to tear everything out and start over to make it remotely livable. The marble floors were cracked and seeping evil like a badly maintained council estate after a flood. Statues of pack ancestors had been smashed into grotesque shapes. They reminded me of the abstract art installations that always seemed to pop up in London's rougher areas. Gods, it was hard to breathe.

"Fiona," I whispered, "we need cover. These shadows are dodgy."

She nodded and gathered her power despite the obvious pain it caused. The illusion she wove made us meld in with our surroundings. We’d have to move slowly so we didn’t disrupt it. She’d done brilliant work. Especially considering the corruption trying to eat through her defenses. Watching her fight through it made my chest tight with worry.

Argies paused before walking out the doors. "The blood smells old. It’s not Aislinn’s,” he growled. “Her scent is also too faint for her to still be around. I don’t think she’s here.” His voice cracked at the end and his expression became a mix of anguish and rage.

“We might still be able to find something here," Thanostold Argies as he clapped a hand on his shoulder. “We need to find more information on what we are dealing with. Including any other properties they might have. If we can find their library, we might find something there.”

Argies sucked in a breath and nodded. “I smell parchment and leather this way," He replied. He gestured toward a corridor I hadn’t noticed before. "If there are answers here, that's where we'll find them."

“We’ll find her,” Fiona promised Argies.

We moved carefully through the hall. It was a challenge to avoid the thickest concentrations of shadow essence. The corruption had changed the very nature of the room. What had once been a proud pack house now felt like a temple to something ancient and hungry. It was like walking through the worst parts of the London Underground at 3 AM. Only there were more evil horrors here and less drunk tourists.

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