Feeling utterly defeated, I, too, sink to the ground, not caring about the dirt that stains my clothes. 'I can't go back like this. I just can't,' I express, frustration lacing my voice as I clench my fists tightly.
‘We will leave here at sunrise and travel back to Gravehaven so we make it back to your world before the holiday ends,’ Xander says assertively.
The overwhelming emotions threaten to consume me. I want to scream, to cry, to disappear into the depths of oblivion. Lying back on the ground, covered in dirt, I gaze up at the stars, a sense of hopelessness engulfing my being.
Suddenly, a familiar deep voice breaks through the tension. 'I can find one,' Warrick asserts, his words resonating in the air. 'A blossom fox,' he adds, filling the space with a glimmer of hope.
Startled, I sit up, facing my friends, yet keeping my back to Warrick. Xander's laughter cuts through the moment. 'You, find a blossom fox? You're bound where you are, wolf, or have you already lost your mind from your mate's rejection?' he taunts.
Warrick conceals his anger from Xander's provocation. 'I've encountered many blossom foxes in my time. I know their scent and the places they like to hide,' he retorts confidently. 'And as for my chains, you can remove them,' he adds a flicker of determination in his voice.
Xander shakes his head, his expression grave. 'You know well I cannot remove the chains that bind you in place. I would need Gretchen's assistance,' he explains.
Warrick's eyes flash with determination. 'No, you don't. Not when you have her,' he says, gesturing towards Janie, who appears bewildered by the sudden attention.
'Me?' Janie responds, her voice laced with confusion.
Xander interjects. 'Janie cannot break Gretchen's magic,' he asserts.
Warrick's smirk widens. 'How do you know if you don't let her try and break it with you?' he challenges.
Xander's voice grows more cautious. 'Even if Janie and I could release you from your binds here, Gretchen would be furious. And if the Mystic Council ever found out, which they inevitably would, considering a few bluebirds would notice your absence and immediately inform the council, we would be charged with treason. Our sentence would undoubtedly be death, especially when they discover Imogen, a human bloodflamed to a vampire, and Rose, an accidental werewolf, your fated mate. Besides, it's your punishment to remain here. You nearly caused a catastrophic war between species. You attacked Gretchen and endangered the lives of her coven sisters. Releasing you would be akin to freeing a criminal from jail in the human world. It simply cannot be done,' Xander reasons, his voice filled with the weight of responsibility.
Unable to resist the urge, I turn my head to glance at Warrick. I observe his clenched jaw and tightened biceps as he stares at Xander. ‘I was hoping after all these years that…’ Warrick looks away, his disappointment and sadness briefly visible before he swiftly masks it. He changes the subject, ‘Let me find the blossom fox, then you can return to the human world before the mystic council finds you all here.’
Xander's voice holds a hint of scepticism. 'What's in it for you?' he questions.
A flicker of longing crosses Warrick's eyes as he responds, 'I want the same thing you do. You want Janie safe. I want Rose safe, even if she wants nothing to do with me. I'll have my freedom, at least for a while, until I'm bound once more. But most importantly, I want to ensure my mate is safe in her world, away from the council's reach. They won't harm her if they don't know she’s my mate. So, free me, and I will find the blossom fox. Then you can return to Gravehaven and safely journey back to the human world.'
Xander's concern lingers as he presses further, 'But what about the mate bond between you and Rose?'
Warrick locks eyes with me, a mix of determination and understanding in his gaze. 'If Rose has the strength to fight the bond, then I'll fight it too. I'll keep my hands to myself if that's what she wants,' he declares, his sincerity echoing through his words.
All eyes are on me, awaiting my response. The weight of the decision hangs heavy in the air, and uncertainty fills my heart. I ponder the risks, the consequences, and the tangled web of emotions. I take a deep breath, meeting Warrick's gaze with a mixture of doubt and curiosity, and finally, I speak.
Warrick stares at me, his eyes pleading to accept. 'The Mystic Council,' he adds, his words heavy with a hidden truth. 'No one knows them like I do. Despite the facade of peace and tranquillity that Felderians often project, it's all a lie. Just like Gretchen, they are cruel,' he asserts. 'If they were to discover your presence here and the fact that you're my mate, they would inflict as much harm upon you as possible, solely to torment me,' he reveals, sending a shiver down my spine. The chilling truth in his words weighs heavily upon me. Would the Mystic Council truly go to such lengths to torment him?
'Warrick, if you expect us to free you, the least you can do is stop spreading lies. The Mystic Council may have moments of brutality, but their intentions are ultimately good. Most Felderians believe they represent nothing but peace and goodwill,' Xander retorts.
Warrick's response carries simmering anger, his voice resonating with a low growl. 'But I don't,' he growls, his words filled with conviction. 'I know the truth. I have witnessed their malevolence firsthand while you, Xander, refuse to see and acknowledge the darkness they perpetrate,' he accuses, his tone reverberating with intensity.
Xander stares at Warrick with disbelief, momentarily silenced by the force of his claims.
'If the Mystic Council is as wonderful as you claim, then why are you so determined to shield Janie from their knowledge?' Warrick questions, tilting his head in curiosity.
Xander flinches, 'I don't want them using her as they do with me and all the others who've won the trials each year,' he replies.
Warrick smirks. 'In other words, you don't want her involved in their dirty work. Is Janie even aware of what you've done at their request?
Janie stares at Xander with worry.
'Those Felderians were criminals. Gretchen and I were tasked with bringing them to the Crystal mines and magically binding them there. Regardless of the crimes they committed, I did not enjoy having to do it. I've hated every task the council has made me do. I don't want Janie to be subjected to such tasks against her will,' Xander confesses, revealing a glimpse of his true feelings.
'And there we have it,' Warrick smirks triumphantly. 'So, tell me, Xander, what would happen to you if you were to refuse these council tasks?' he probes, already knowing the answer but wanting him to say it out loud.
Xander averts his gaze. His voice is heavy with resignation. 'One hundred lashes and imprisonment in the dungeons, or lashes followed by forced labour in the Crystal Mines,' he reveals, his words conveying the harsh consequences of defiance.
'And yet, despite all that, you still believe that these five Felderians who make up the Mystic Council are peaceful and well-intentioned,' Warrick retorts, challenging Xander's perspective.
Xander appears torn, his troubled thoughts swirling within him as if he's now doubting himself, but before their argument can escalate further, I step forward, stopping right before Warrick. Although we are close enough to touch, an unspoken agreement keeps us at a distance, our eyes locked in an intense gaze, attempting to decipher each other's thoughts.