Page 16 of Witch Queen

Anya’s voice trembled. “Is something wrong with Enrique?”

The sorcerer had told the witch about his past and how Mae and Nikolai had fixed his once broken core.

“I’m not sure yet,” Mae replied guardedly.

Cortes braced himself when she pressed her hand against his stomach. He blinked.

“Oh. It doesn’t hurt.”

Mae closed her eyes and directed her attention toward the source of his magic. Her breath stuttered a few seconds later.

We were right!Na Ri exclaimed.His magic has evolved.

CHAPTERSIX

The complex,golden runes that enveloped Cortes’s core no longer danced chaotically behind the white-magic-infused barrier that wasSoul Shield. Instead of imploding and regenerating frenziedly, they slithered smoothly in and out of view, like cogs in a well-oiled machine. And there were even more of them than before.

What is that, my witch?Brimstone asked curiously.

Intertwined amidst the glittering runes were faint crimson threads.

Mae’s stomach sank.Is that our magic?!

Yes, Na Ri replied.

Mae swallowed.Is that why Cortes didn’t feel any discomfort this time around?

Probably.

Mae realized her first incarnation did not seem particularly concerned by what they could see.This isn’t going to mess with his core, is it?

No,Na Ri replied. Our power is actually augmenting his Arcane Magic. It won’t harm him. But…it might bestow new abilities upon him.She grew pensive as she studied the bright, golden runes.I wonder if the same thing would happen if we touched the others’ cores.

Mae grimaced internally.How about we not experiment on our friends?

Nikolai’s voice reached them. “Mae?”

Mae opened her eyes. He was studying her with a worried frown.

“What’s the verdict?” Cortes said stiffly.

Mae hesitated.

“I don’t know how to tell you this, but your magic is changing,” she told the Colombian with a contrite look.

Cortes paled. Popo came over and perched on his shoulder, his claws sinking anxiously into his jacket.

“Changing?” Vlad lowered his brows. “Changing how?”

Mae scratched her cheek awkwardly. “It, er, looks like some of my power fused with his core when I was analyzing his Arcane Magic, that time at the warehouse.”

“What?” Cortes said leadenly in the hush that followed.

“Your magic is inside him?!” Nikolai gasped.

Anya’s face fell. “But—you said examining his core wouldn’t hurt him!”

“It hasn’t,” Mae reassured her hurriedly. “In fact, Na Ri believes it will make him stronger and give him new skills.”

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