Page 35 of Destined to the Lycan
I launched into a casual conversation to help distract her from our cursed surroundings while also affording a reprieve to our horses by slowing our pace.
“What are your plans once you are healed?” I asked with feigned nonchalance.
Amara chewed her bottom lip, her eyes going out of focus for a brief instant as she reflected on her answer. I felt stupid for feeling hurt that she didn’t immediately answer that she would settle down with me. Before I could even squash that thought, my mate refocused on me so suddenly, I almost felt as if I’d gotten caught red handed doing something I shouldn’t. The strangest expression flitted over her features. Once more, I wondered if she had perceived my emotions or if I was overthinking things.
“I inherited a very nice house in Willow Grove. In truth, it is quite the gothic mansion,” my mate replied pensively. “It would be perfect for me to run my candles business, especially with so many witches and arcanists in the area. Since my arrival, I’ve gotten many new customers interested in enchanted candles as well as summoning ones.”
“I see,” I said in a non-committal fashion, my mind racing. “Your craft should indeed be very popular with the merchants in Charmers District.”
Willow Grove was a short distance away. If Amara welcomed me into her home, I could easily travel back to the mountain to hunt and perform my guide work.
She nodded even as she eyed me with an unreadable expression that seemed laced with a hint of taunting. Did she know what thoughts were crossing my mind?
“But I could live elsewhere as well,” she added with a shrug. “I would be fine going back to the house or the shop I want to set up once a week or so. I don’t need such a fancy home. Thankfully, I make a comfortable enough living with my craft. As I love being free to go where I want and to be able to unleash my creativity untethered, I’m open to go wherever the wind blows or Fate leads me.”
Each of her words had the most wondrous heat spreading through my chest. You didn’t have to be a genius to understand her underlying meaning. The intensity in her gaze when she spoke of Fate confirmed that she would be willing to follow me in my more nomadic life. What she failed to understand was that, as much as I also loved the freedom of roaming free in the wilderness, my circumstances forced me into that hermit life. I wanted to lay down my roots somewhere with someone who would love me as unconditionally as I would love them and raise together however many offspring we might be blessed with.
I was opening my mouth to respond when Amara jerked her head to the right, her eyes flicking this way and that. She appeared to look for someone while straining her ears to better listen to something.
She had finally heard the siren calls.
“Are you hearing this?” Amara asked, an air of uncertainty on her beautiful face.
I nodded with a serious but calm expression. “It is the alluring whispers of the evil spirits of the woods.”
Her eyes widened, and she gaped at me while further trying to discern the sounds that were still a bit too subtle for her human ears.
“Wow. How can such a pretty melody come from something evil? It really makes you want to get closer to better listen,” my mate said with a frown.
“That’s the whole purpose. Youmustresist,” I warned sternly.
The indulgent smile she gave me instantly silenced the fear blossoming within me.
“Don’t worry, Remus. I have no intention of becoming wood demon food,” she said teasingly. “It is definitely enticing. Had you not warned me, I very likely would have gone to investigate. But your words have not fallen on deaf ears. I didn’t embark on this crazy journey to be healed by a demon wolf only to hand myself over to be devoured by some mystifier.”
“Good girl,” I said approvingly.
I tried to resume our small talk, namely prying about her life with her mother in their old town, but my woman became increasingly distracted. It wasn’t the enticing melody that had her on edge, but the growing intensity of the dark magic permeating the area. It clung to us like dirt on sweaty skin. Even the air seemed too thick to easily breathe it in.
Amara gasped and pulled on her horse’s reins so suddenly it reared back. For half a beat, I feared it was going to knock her off. Thankfully, I had chosen for her one of the most experienced and best trained horses from the stables. It had ventured often enough in similar areas not to be easily spooked or angered.
My mate pointed a finger towards something ahead to the left side of the road. I glanced in that direction, and anger instantly surged within me upon seeing a beautiful little boy sitting on a large rock only centimeters away from the road. His fancy clothes were torn as if he had run through a forest of thorns. Hugging his knees to his chest, he was rocking back and forth, weeping discreetly.
“Do not be fooled, my mate,” I said in an imperious tone. “This is not a real boy, but a dark forest spirit. This is an illusion meant to lure you into the woods. A clear giveaway is the fact that none of their limbs or any part of them actually touches theroad. The mystifier who created this illusion is only projecting the appearance of one of its former victims.”
My woman gasped. “A doppelganger?!”
I shook my head. “No. Doppelgangers rarely venture in these parts. They stick closer to inns and populated areas. Prey is a lot more abundant there. As they take the appearance of their victims, on top of acquiring all of their knowledge, doppelgangers prefer to feed on people.”
“Right. There isn’t much to gain from devouring a mindless monster that people would avoid on sight,” Amara replied with a shudder. “Whereas a human, especially an attractive one, will make it easier for them to attract another victim.”
I nodded, glad that she understood so well, even as I hated that she should be exposed to this disturbing side of the otherwise wondrous mountains that I called home since birth.
As we rode past the evil spirit, his weeping turned into a heart wrenching wailing that almost even had me wanting to go to the “boy” and console him. But I picked up the pace, my mate gladly following with an air of relief. Seconds later, the sound stopped abruptly. I glanced over my shoulder to find the spot where the illusion had been sitting now completely empty.
Over the next hour, nearly two dozen such spirits manifested themselves. The weeping child, pregnant woman, confused elderly, and even wounded pet each made an appearance in various forms. Some of them followed us, running alongside us in the forest while calling out for help. Instead of breaking my female, each appearance only seemed to reinforce her resolve and even immunity to their allure.
“Seriously?!” Amara exclaimed with an air of disgusted disbelief.
