Page 9 of Blood Coven

He realized she was right: he had been attacked one night, then shifted the next. The days that went by blurred together from beginning to end. From the attack to the shift, to crawling back to his mother’s doorstep, he had only a vague concept of time and a crisp awareness of danger and vulnerability.

He was still skeptical. “If others can live with this curse, why can’t I? If I were chained every full moon, I would not be a threat to anyone.”

“Chains would only hold you until the authorities found you. Your howls would not go unheard, and your disgruntled state for days after every full moon would not go unnoticed.”

“I’m sure others have succeeded—”

“It would take three months at best before they discovered you, and that is if you did not lose your mind by then.”

“There has to be a way.”

“You cannot take away a wolf’s basic needs.”

Juniper appeared before Matthias with a steaming mug, startling him. She watched him as he sipped at it, her forest-green eyes meeting his brown ones. “She speaks the truth, brother. While we have not encountered a werewolf here, I have traveled to nearby towns and witnessed the trials held for the afflicted. It’s horrific to witness; after torture, it usually ends with burning or beheading. I do not wish to see you torn apart for something you cannot control. I only just got you back. I cannot lose you again.”

Matthias wondered if Azalea told Juniper to say those words, their guilt-provoking effect making him ache to stay. To protect his sister at all costs, from the town…from their mother. No, Matthias thought. Juniper’s choice has been made. She is a witch, just like Azalea.

“How do I find someone? What do I look for?” He felt desperate for her council.

“Someone cruel. Someone who reeks of power. Look at the woman a man walks with; her demeanor will tell you everything if you have the eye for it. That will be the kind of man who wants such a curse,” Azalea suggested. “Go into town today and survey, but do not get too close. It may take some time before you find someone of this particular breed.”

“And then what?” Matthias sat down on the second stair, feeling defeated by the insurmountable task before him.

Juniper studied him before answering. “Tell him you have a business proposition and ask him to come here. We will take it from there.”

Matthias left for the market with a list of items Azalea needed and the determination to find someone to take on his curse. It seemed unfathomable that someone would want such a burden, but he hoped to find someone. His mind drifted to the pack that attacked him, how the wolf stared at him just like a human might have, watching his prey suffer. He wondered what kind of person was behind that wolf but couldn’t imagine the sort. That was, unfortunately, the exact kind of person he needed to find.

He carried a handful of items through the market as he studied the crowd. To his surprise, the townsfolk didn’t recognize him. His hair was shorter now, and he had grown out of his boyish features. His neatly trimmed beard certainly helped, as well. The tension knotted up in his neck and shoulders released. For now, he was safe to peruse.

He knew finding a candidate would not be easy, and to find the right man on the first day was far too optimistic. When he glanced up at the nearest cart of goods, he spotted an odd-looking crow; it was nearly double its regular size. His mother’s familiar peered down at him with beady black eyes. Aegidius, he recalled, was the creature’s name.

Distracted, he wandered through the market, his boots sinking into the muddy ground, trampled by dogs, children, and carts. The atmosphere was robust, especially for late autumn. The harvest must have been a good one this year, he thought. It brought back the few good memories Matthias had of growing up there.

Three young children raced after one another, slamming into him. The first child fell to the ground while the other two laughed and giggled, pointing at their friend, now covered in dirt.

Matthias extended his hand and assisted the skinny boy to his feet. “Watch where you are going now.”

The boy nodded and darted off to play with his friends.

When Matthias looked up again, he saw a woman staring at him. With big doe eyes and her brown hair neatly pinned back except for one strand that fell over her cheek, she looked more like a work of art or a statue than a real person. But it was her uncanny resemblance to someone Matthias once knew that froze him in place. He felt as though he was sinking into the mud. A basket hung in the crook of her arm, and her head tilted to the side as she studied him.

He was awestruck by the woman, a ghost from his past.

6

SILVANIA

THE YEAR OF THE MOON

RED

With a deep, restorative breath, Red entered her home. The door opened without a sound, despite the age of the house; it had been in the family for generations. Unlike her grandmother’s house, it remained well-kept from when the family had money. Her father took pride in maintaining the property and farm on his own, boasting to anyone who would listen about how he managed everything without a son to help. Red had her chores, but collecting eggs and milk was hardly difficult. Perhaps she would have offered to help him with other things if he was not such a sour man.

In her father’s eyes, women were only good for cooking and bearing children. She smiled when she thought of how Alina, Sorin, Tatiana, and Lilianna did so much more than that behind the backs of the townsfolk. They were taking back what was theirs. The power blooming in the Earth was for all, but many feared it. Its enticing lull beckoned to Red with a curling finger.

Only the fire greeted her with warmth. From the kitchen, she heard noises—a clatter following a gruff voice.

“It is our only option, Maria,” her father said to her mother. “Cristian Fischer has held the title of mayor for too long. What has he done for us? Imagine what I could do with that kind of power.”

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