Page 71 of Faeheart
“Speaking of which,” Atlas said, finally setting down the weapon he’d been examining, “we should probably discuss tactics. If they’re bringing something powerful enough to concern the mansion as a whole, we need to be ready for anything.”
“Dispelling magic?” Elias offered. “That feels like a good place to start.”
“Maybe we should learn some blood magic too,” I countered. Everyone in the entire room turned to look at me at once, fear on their faces. I held up my hands. “I’m not saying we sacrifice one another or anything like that. I’m just saying maybe we shouldlearnhow blood magic works so we can disrupt their rituals.”
“That’s... actually not a bad idea,” Elias admitted reluctantly, his mind already calculating possibilities. “If we understand the mechanics of their rituals, we might be able to create targeted counter-spells.”
Atlas growled low in his throat, his golden eyes flashing with displeasure. “Blood magic isn’t something to mess with, Wild. Even researching it carries risks. Some things are hard to let go of once you know them. And some… are far too tempting.”
“I know that,” I said, trying to keep the frustration out of my voice. “But we’re already at a disadvantage. They know what they’re bringing and we’re justguessing. If we can at leastrecognize their ritual patterns, we might have a fighting chance. But right now, we’re sitting ducks.”
Caden set down his book and came to stand beside me, his nature magic reaching through our bond with calming energy. “There are some texts in the library that mention blood magic without actually teaching the practice itself. Maybe we could start there?”
Elias nodded, already moving toward one of the towering bookshelves. “I remember seeing something in the higher sections when we first arrived. A grimoire bound in white leather with silver clasps.”
“The one that hummed when you got near it?” I asked, following him through the stacks.
“That’s the one. It’s a defensive treatise on magical disruption. If I remember correctly, there’s an entire chapter on recognizing and countering sacrificial rituals.”
“How do you know that?” I asked, lifting an eyebrow.
Elias’s cheeks turned pink. “I… I might’ve snuck up here and thumbed through it in the middle of the night.”
“When?!”
“When we first got here,” he said, giving me a wink. “You’re a heavy sleeper.”
I shook my head in disbelief, following him as we wound our way through the labyrinth of bookshelves. I couldn’t help but marvel at his determination and how quickly we’d fallen into sync with each other. Even something as simple as navigating the library felt effortless, our movements coordinated through the tetrad bond without conscious thought. And Elias was always prepared, whether I knew it or not. I had to admire his hunger for knowledge and the skill it took to sneak around without a fae knowing. That was no small feat.
“Here,” Elias said, stopping before a locked glass case at the top floor. Inside sat a pristine white tome, its silver claspsgleaming despite the dust on the case itself. “The Grimoire of Countermeasures.”
“Fancy name,” I quipped, reaching for the case, only to jerk my hand back when it shocked me. “Ouch! Rude.”
“Let me,” Caden said, his dryad magic flowing like gentle water over the case. The lock clicked open without resistance. “The mansion recognizes my nature magic as non-threatening.”
“Are you saying I’m threatening?” I asked, mock-offended.
“Your fae magic is chaotic by nature,” Elias explained, carefully lifting the book from its resting place. “The grimoire is designed to maintain magical balance. It probably sensed your disruptive energy.”
“I’m notdisruptive,” I protested, even as Atlas snorted behind me.
“Wild, you’re the definition of disruptive,” the werewolf said, his voice carrying a hint of fondness that softened the words.
The book opened easily in Elias’s hands, its pages rustling with an almost eager sound. The text was written in elegant script that seemed to shift and flow across the parchment, adapting to each reader’s comprehension level. I leaned closer, breathing in the scent of old magic and preserved knowledge.
“Chapter Seven,” Elias murmured, flipping through the pages. “Identification and Disruption of Sacrificial Magics.” He paused, his brown eyes scanning the text. “This is... comprehensive. Almost too comprehensive.”
Through our bond, I felt his unease as he read. The grimoire wasn’t just describing how to counter blood magic, it was explaining the fundamental principles behind it, the reasons it was so powerful, so seductive to those who sought quick results.
“What does it say?” Atlas asked, moving closer despite his earlier reservations.
“Blood magic draws its power from life force,” Elias read aloud. “The willing sacrifice of one’s own blood creates aminor enhancement, but the unwilling sacrifice of another’s life force...” He trailed off, his face pale.
“Creates exponential power,” I finished, remembering fragments from my fae education. “That’s why it’s forbidden in most realms. The temptation to escalate becomes overwhelming. With blood magic, almost anything is possible.”
Caden’s magic flickered with distress. “How many people do you think they’ve killed to power whatever they’re bringing?”
The question hung heavy in the air between us. Through our tetrad bond, I felt each of their reactions. Elias was filled with horror as he calculated possibilities, Atlas’s mind filled with a protective rage, and Caden’s was filled with gentle grief for the unknown victims.
