Page 75 of Faeheart
“Beautiful,” Thorne breathed, his voice growing fainter as more of his essence poured into the work. “Your love for yourmates creates such precise magical patterns. Lydia would have been impressed.”
Through our connection, I could feel the mansion itself responding to our efforts. The ancient stones seemed to pulse with renewed purpose as the hidden defenses integrated seamlessly with the existing architecture. Doorways that would seal themselves, corridors that would rearrange their layout, rooms that would become prisons at a moment’s notice.
“How much longer?” I asked, sweat beading on my forehead despite the cool energy flowing through me.
“Almost finished,” Thorne replied, though his form was noticeably more translucent than before. “Just the activation triggers now. What conditions do you want to set?”
I thought quickly, my mind racing through tactical scenarios. “Multiple hostile magical signatures crossing the threshold simultaneously. Detection of blood magic artifacts. And...” I paused, considering. “If any of us are seriously injured or killed.”
“A dead man’s switch,” Thorne nodded approvingly. “Clever. The mansion will avenge you even if you cannot.”
The final threads of magic locked into place with an almost audible click. The surrounding walls hummed with barely contained power, ready to transform from sanctuary to death trap at a moment’s notice. But when I turned to thank Thorne, my heart clenched.
The dryad’s form was barely visible now, little more than a faint outline of silver light. He’d poured too much of himself into the spell, given too much to ensure our protection, just like he said.
“Thorne,” I whispered, reaching out toward his fading presence.
“It was worth it,” he said, his voice like wind through distant leaves. “Tell them... tell them I was proud to help. That the sanctuary will remember what you’ve done here.”
“I will,” I promised, tears stinging my eyes as the last traces of his form dissolved into nothingness. I’d never gotten a chance to learn about him, or about his bond with Lydia and Sorrel. And now it was too late.
The silence that followed felt profound, weighted with loss and possibility in equal measure. But there was no time to grieve properly. Through our tetrad bond, I felt my mates’ growing urgency as they put the finishing touches on their illusions.
I pushed myself away from the wall, surprised to find that I wasn’t completely drained as I’d expected. Thorne’s sacrifice had ensured that the ward restructuring drew from the mansion’s own reserves rather than mine alone. I was tired, yes, but still functional. And as soon as my hand left the wall, I could no longer sense the magic of the mansion.
All its barely contained power had been suppressed. Now it felt like little more than a normal house, completely average and lifeless. The Purity Front would never sense the trap before it was sprung.
Elias,Wild’s voice echoed through our soul bond, tight with concern.The outer sensors are going crazy. They’re here.
Wiping my eyes, I headed down the hall to join my mates. The time had come to face our destiny.
Chapter 29
Wild
“We need to get out of sight,” Caden said, his voice full of fear as Atlas grabbed him by the hand. “The Purity Front can’t see us when they arrive. We have to hide our signatures.”
“The second-floor gallery,” Atlas said, heading toward the stairs. “It overlooks the foyer. We can stay behind the plants as they come inside. They’ll never see us.”
“You two go,” I replied, standing to face the illusory wreckage of the mansion’s front doors. “I’m not leaving without Elias.”
“He can find us,” Atlas urged. “Come on!”
“No.” I stood my ground. “We go together or not at all.”
I felt Elias’s presence through our bond before I saw him, his magic a steady pulse that calmed my racing heart. He appeared from the eastern corridor, looking surprisingly composed for someone who’d just rewired an entire magical mansion’s defense system.
“Wild,” he breathed, relief flooding through our connection as our eyes met across the illusory debris.
“You’re okay,” I said, moving toward him without thinking. Our combined efforts had created a perfect scene of destruction, crumbling walls, shattered furniture, and scorch marks on theceiling. But Elias navigated it effortlessly, knowing exactly which obstacles were real and which were mere projections.
“I told you I would be,” he said, reaching for my hand. “We need to go. Now.”
Atlas’s growl of frustration echoed from the staircase. “Both of you, move your asses. They’re at the outer boundary.”
I pulled Elias close for a brief, desperate kiss before dragging him toward the stairs. Through our soul bond, I felt his exhaustion despite his brave face, the way his magic had been stretched thin by whatever he’d done with the wards. There was something else there too, a sharp grief that felt fresh and raw.
“What happened?” I whispered as we climbed.
