Page 72 of Her Forbidden Shifters
And despite me not uttering a single word regarding my thoughts, he nodded.
Soon, this case was going to be over, and then Liam had a rude awakening coming. Because I refused to back off and let Savannah be his. Not on his life or anyone else’s.
I shook my head and returned my attention to the space in front of me. I could see why Savannah loved this place so much.
Just when I was wondering when the ritual would begin, Noah joined us on the patio, standing off to the side with his arms crossed, appearing rather pleased with himself. A pang of jealousy entered my gut as what he had just gotten done doing with Savannah set in.
I wanted to shove my fist into his face repeatedly. It was like he was rubbing it in that he had sex with her.
I took a step closer to Noah, fists clenched tightly at my sides.
More movement caught my attention. I shifted my attention to Savannah as she moved to stand in the center of the circle, just in front of the altar. She held her ceremonial knife—her athame—in one hand and a small, white candle in the other. She kept her gaze focused on a hidden spot in front of her, head held high.
I wished she would look at me. Share a small glance to let me know she knew I was there, but she was all focus and determination. It was probably for the best. We really couldn’t afford any distractions. And that’s what I would be. But when his was done and over with, I was going to be all the distraction she could handle.
I couldn’t stand the idea that she slept with Liam or Noah, regardless of the reasons or circumstances.
Whatever the reasons, it no longer mattered. I made my intentions known to her. The decision was up to her now. I would respect her choice, even if it wasn’t me. Though I really hoped she would choose me. And if she didn’t… I wasn’t sure what I would do. Probably resign from the task force, sell my house, move to the middle of nowhere, and spend the rest of my life alone.
More movement caught my attention, and I settled my gaze on a line of women, clad in grey robes, as they walked onto the circle. A breeze kicked up, blowing one of the robes open, showing me that they wore only the grey robes. Nothing else. The breeze continued to dance around the women. Their robes billowed freely around their bodies, allowing what their goddess gave them to remain uncovered.
“It’s beginning,” Noah said.
I snorted.
“Quiet,” Liam said, keeping his voice low. “We don’t want to break their concentration.”
I shook my head.
Noah shrugged.
Once the women were in their positions, the true start of the ritual began. Magic prickled my skin and the witches surrounding Savannah slipped out of their robes, letting them fall to the ground at their feet.
Savannah started chanting in a low, deep voice. I couldn’t pick out the exact words. She was about a good fifty feet away from me. But I caught the gist. She was beckoning the elements to reveal to her the location of her lost friend.
Glowing magic encircled the women in bright blue, purple, pink, and green. The sisters joined hands and started to sway from side to side, repeating the chant. And much like how the chanting was in the dining room, everyone spoke in their own cadence.
The candle in Savannah’s hand flickered and sparked before a flame appeared. It burned bright white with a life of its own, and the wax began to melt, dripping onto her fingers. If the wax bothered her, she didn’t show a lick of the pain. She kept her focus glued to the same spot, chanting her spell.
It was hard not to look away from her. The way Savannah commanded the elements, and her own magic was as enchanting as it was beautiful and awe-inspiring. I fell in love with her a little more as I watched her.
The wax dripped to her feet like drops of water, collecting in a pool before stretching into a thin river that surrounded her. Once the ring thickened and solidified, a soft blue light emanated from the ring of wax, stretching above her, encapsulating her in the magic.
Savannah’s chanting stopped as her eyes closed. A chilled breeze blew in from the northeast. Savannah turned to face the direction. Her robe pressed against her form, outlining her curves. I sucked in a breath as the direction of the wind changed and eased.
I caught her mouth moving. She was speaking to something or someone. I couldn’t tell. Maybe she was chanting again. For the longest time, it felt like she was in the middle of a conversation.
When she was done, she returned to her original starting position. Minutes later, we had our location, judging by the smile on her face. She flicked her gaze to me. I smiled back.
Soon, Noah would leave the picture, leaving only Liam standing between me and the woman I loved.
Liam started to turn and leave. I caught him by his arm. When his gaze met mine, I said, “It’s not over yet.”
He shrugged his arm away from my hand. “I’ve seen enough.”
I watched him head back inside and then turned my attention to Noah. He met my gaze. His lips formed a thin line. There was a light of worry hidden in his eyes and I almost wanted to bask in the enjoyment of his pain, but it wasn’t worth it. Rather, he wasn’t worth it.
He nodded. “It’s almost done.”
