Page 71 of Magic Hunted
The curtain at the window moved, and I glimpsed a female with auburn hair before the front door flew open. Three massive alphas piled through the door after her, but my focus locked on her as she pushed past the wolves.
“Haera!” Anise paused on the top stair before she flew down toward me. She stopped an arm’s length from Ashir, her gaze bouncing between my mates. She yelled over her shoulder. “Someone bring some clothes, for the gods’ sake. And stop arguing with her. I wouldn’t be standing here alive if it wasn’t for her.”
One of the elves had our clothing, but Taredd had held them all back. The largest male of the three who followed Anise onto the veranda strode after her. I knew who he was; knew who they all were. It didn’t stop my heart from pounding its way out of my chest the closer he drew. The dragon alpha’s reputation wasn’t anything to ignore. He was as lethal as he was cuttingly handsome, and could back up his reputation. I thanked the gods Titan hadn’t sent me to infiltrate the dragons. The wolves had been terrifying enough.
He placed his large hands on Anise’s shoulders and his wood-smoke scent intensified when he pinned me with a dark stare. “This is the female to which we owe our thanks?”
Anise leaned into Damon’s massive form. She put her hand over his, so small and slender compared to his. Her eyes glowed white and a warmth caressed me. Golden light poured over me and sank into my skin. The grimoire tugged on its tether, recognizing the magic. A pull tugged me toward Anise.
I gaped at her when she swayed toward me. “I felt magic…did you?”
A warbug stomped on the ground, coming up beside us. “We’ve found another Chosen,” Shanyirra said, looking at Anise from atop the bug.
“Who is this?” Damon said. The huge forms of his bond brothers Naet and Callan strode over the clearing to stand either side of Damon and Anise. I tensed as the distinct scent of dragon fire and alpha pheromones carried in the air.
“Shanyirra is a mage. An elven mage. She, and the rest of the elves here, lived underground in the Wastelands since the portal opened. They’ve been there for millennia.” I hoped my explanation would go a long way to reduce the tension thickening around me. “They…helped me. Helped us when we were running from Titan.”
“You are one of our Chosen. You and the female wolf who has remained inside. The mate to the wolf alphas,” Shanyirra said, almost to herself, then a slow smile spread on her lined lips. She glanced at Taredd perched on the warbug in front of her. “We’ve finally found them.”
“What are you talking about? Speak plainly because your lives depend on it,” Damon rasped, an edge of fire in his voice.
“Be at ease, dragon. We’re all here for the same purpose; to release the grimoire, defeat the imposters and right the wrong done to both worlds and all our peoples,” Shanyirra said.
A growl rose in Alerick’s throat. Fur sprouted on his arms. Damon’s eyes turned dark, the pupils elongating and I stared into the eyes of his scary, scary dragon.
Shanyirra slid from the warbug, her smooth movements no match for her age. Her eyes glowed as she approached the alphas. “We know the grimoire was split. We know your mate and the female inside are strong enough to hide the grimoire and also wield its magic. Do not waste your anger on this child. It’s misplaced. If you want to rage at someone, make me your target. She’s innocent of the crimes you’re accusing her of.”
“Haeraisinnocent.” A quiet voice floated from the cabin. Jarom and Eike sprang toward the petite woman who looked too frail to put up with three wolf alphas.
I hadn’t noticed Serafine step out from inside the cabin. I recognized her too because Titan had also sent me to spy on Esoti’s stronghold. She was as skilled at staying in the shadows as me. And she was clearly the wolf’s mate by the way they moved so fast to protect her. Their true mate.
A smile curved my lips. Eike and Jarom were as possessive as my mates. Eike wound a tattooed arm about Serafine’s waist. It was then I noticed she held an armful of clothing. Another woman with red hair exited the door after her, holding coats in her arms. Her eyes were pure white and I thought for a moment she might be a mage, but when she looked into the distance and showed no reaction to the warbugs, I understood that her milky eyes were blind.
“The witch speaks the truth. Haera holds another piece of the grimoire,” Anise whispered.
“Not witch, child. I’m a mage. As you are. As the wolf female is. As is Haera. Natural magic has been bred into all of you to be a match to wield the Fae magic of the grimoire because you are our saviors,” Shanyirra said. “Fae and shifter combined. The true Chosen.”
A stunned silence rang throughout the clearing as all eyes locked on me. Muscles rippled along Ashir’s back and tension throbbed from both Dias and Savvas.
“We were the ones responsible for splitting it up and appointing Keepers,” Taredd said. “They worked with us to keep the grimoire safe from the imposters and our presence in your world undetected.”
“Until…that day,” Anise said, her voice breaking, and I knew she spoke about the day The Six had somehow discovered the Keepers’ secret. The day six of us had become orphans and carried the burden all our lives.
Taredd inclined his head, his silver hair falling across his face. “We came too late to help. The imposters worked quickly. Your parents enacted our failsafe plan, to keep the grimoire safe at all costs. When they put the grimoire inside you, you became invisible for your own safety. It also meant we were unable to track you down. We looked for you. We tried, for years. As did your imposters.” His voice dropped and when he spoke it was so quiet the wind almost took it away. “You have suffered and that is my deepest regret. We didn’t plan for that. We could only hope that we found the grimoire again in our lifetime because it is the only way back to our home.”
“So now we know how we were created,” Serafine said. “And why.”
“We’ve released two sections of the grimoire and killed two of the Six,” Anise said.
I drew in a sharp breath, hardly daring to believe. I knew Esoti was dead. “Is that why the dragons are here? Drisella is dead too?”
Anise’s lips twisted, her eyes narrowed, and a look of vengeful pleasure crossed her face. “She had it coming. She tried to kill my mates.”
I couldn’t contain a stunned laugh. “Good. I hope you made it hurt. I hated that bitch.”
“Give me those, Gilda. I’ll take them down,” Serafine said to the blind female. She crossed the clearing to us and handed me a robe, leaving Gilda clutching the door frame, a slight frown on her face.
I reached between Ashir and Savvas and gave Serafine a smile of thanks. Wolf territory was cold. Not as cold as the snowy mountains of dragon territory, but it was close enough for me. I preferred the heat and humidity of the jungle.
