Descending into the basement, my eyes are immediately drawn to a stunning addition—a large circular table with intricately carved wooden seats. The craftsmanship is exquisite, and I can't help but express my admiration. 'This table is beautiful,' I exclaim, addressing Ela, Fern, Lilac, Ria, and May.
'We materialized it together. It’s just for us witches for meetings and other such things,' May proudly shares.
As I take in the details, I notice that the back of each chair bears a name. Written in gold, Luna graces the back of a particularly inviting seat. Without hesitation, I claim it, sinking into its comfortable embrace.
'Well, we could utilize it right now. I have something I want you all to know,' I announce, catching the attention of the coven. Intrigued, everyone pauses their potion-brewing and takes their designated seat.
'What is it, Luna?' Fern inquires, her eyes reflecting curiosity.
'Alec showed me what had happened to Juniper, his first blood flame, and why he attempted to wipe out the human race. I want you all to know his story. I’m going to tell you what I saw in the vision he showed me,' I inform them.
'Wait a minute. We have a vision spell as well. Please allow me to get the book for you,' Ela interjects, her voice carrying a sense of urgency. She gracefully crosses the room to the spellbook rack. Flipping through the pages with finesse, she selects the relevant book and places it before me with a slight bow before retaking her seat.
As I gaze down at the pages and utter the incantation, 'Visionous Memorias,' a visible circle of magic materializes, enveloping us in a glow. The air hums as the spell unfolds, projecting the vivid scenes of Alec's memories. The narrative begins, capturing Juniper's hurried steps down the cobblestone path, her tender preparation of the healing potions, and her subsequent journey to deliver them to the Hillsburys. The haunting sequence continues, capturing Juniper's tragic demise moments after witnessing her grandmother's death, followed by Alec's tormented cries at the horrific and sudden loss of his blood flame. The vision concludes with Alec being forced into Pandora's Box by a slew of witches after decimating many wolf packs.
Upon the vision's conclusion, a heavy silence settles, broken only by crying and sobbing.
Sensing a presence behind me, I turn to find Magnus, who had silently descended the stairs, tears streaming down his cheeks. Without a word, I rush into his embrace, feeling the comforting strength of his arms enveloping me. He responds with a gentle but firm squeeze.
'That was... incredibly difficult to watch,' Magnus confesses, his voice carrying the weight of empathy and sadness.
I tenderly wipe the tears from his face before turning my attention back to the coven. Each member, overwhelmed by their emotions, finds comfort in the presence of their familiars. Sabre, the fennec fox, whimpers as he licks away May's tears.
‘It’s so sad,’ May sniffles, her voice carrying empathy and sorrow. ‘Alec never even got to spend a whole day with Juniper, and she was killed before his very own eyes.’
‘And Juniper never got to take her grandma back to Alec’s castle,’ Fern adds, her tears flowing freely.
‘They killed her grandma,’ Ria cries, her voice choked with grief. The shared pain of the coven members reverberates through the room, each grappling with the tragedy laid bare by the shared vision.
Feeling the heaviness of the moment, I turn to Magnus, seeking comfort. As I take his hand, we quietly exit the packhouse, leaving the poignant atmosphere behind.
We find respite under the moon tree. Reaper descends from the branches and alights on the grass, anticipating a comforting pat.
‘I can see why you think it’s unfair that Alec is still in that dungeon, but it’s also for the best,’ Magnus begins.
‘Are you kidding me? It’s for the best?’ I retort, my incredulity evident in my tone.
‘Let’s say we let him out, Nina. What do you think he is going to do? Prance around and pick flowers from the garden. No, I’m your mate, which means he will want me out of the picture and will probably attempt to kill me or succeed and kill me.’
I recoil at the stark reality Magnus presents. ‘He wouldn’t,’ I assert, a flicker of defiance in my eyes.
‘Are you willing to stake my life on that, Nina?’ Magnus challenges, his gaze stern.
His words force me to confront a possibility I had never considered. Would Alec, consumed by grief and vengeance, pose a threat to Magnus if released from the dungeon?
‘If I'm Alec's Blood Flame and he truly loves me, Magnus, he would never do anything to hurt me, and if that means you staying alive and being by my side, then I’m sure that is something he will accept and adjust to,’ I assert with conviction and hope.
Magnus, however, wears a painful expression of the potential danger he envisions. Despite my reassurances, the underlying tension persists, and his gaze lingers on me. ‘I need to let my wolf out for a run. I’ll see you tonight,’ he says with dismay.
Magness shifts into his wolf form, and with a final glance, he bolts towards the woods, a streak of fur disappearing into the shadows.
Alpha Bennet's fingers tap incessantly in the cloak of night. Each tap echoes in the dimly lit room. Alpha Amir and Alpha Theaton flank him at the table, shadows dancing with every flicker of the candelabra above. Hank, evidently restless, pours wine into everyone's cups before seating himself. The rich aroma of the wine permeates the air.
‘How much longer do we have to wait for this Kadva you speak of to arrive?’ Hank queries, his irritation visible.
As if answering Hank's impatience, the window shutters burst open, candles flicker, and the lace curtain pirouettes in the sudden gust before gracefully settling. Hank, perplexed, gazes toward the window, finding only emptiness. His confusion deepens when a hooded figure materializes beside him.
‘What in the world!’ Hank exclaims, startled. ‘Where did you come from?’
‘Kadva, it’s nice of you to join us,’ Alpha Bennet greets with familiarity.
‘It’s been a while, Alpha Bennet,’ Kadva responds politely, his hood concealing most of his features.
Alpha Bennet, wearing a knowing smile, hints at a beneficial development. ‘Something interesting has occurred, and in our favour too.’
‘Oh?’ Kadva responds casually, his hand turning upright to conjure a mesmerizing blue orb of magic. He toys with it, bouncing the ethereal creation up and down, his demeanour almost bored.
Hank's eyes widen, panic setting in. ‘What is that thing?’ he stammers, pointing nervously at Kadva.
The wolf council, accustomed to such displays of magic, remains composed. ‘Hank, this is Kadva. He is a mage,’ Alpha Bennet explains, an eerie calm underlying his words.
‘A Mage? I never knew such a thing existed,’ Hank mutters in disbelief.
Kadva turns his head toward Hank, his voice cutting through the room like a blade. ‘Refer to me as a thing again, Hank, and maybe I will show you what this "thing" is capable of,’ he warns, his teeth gritting in frustration.
Hank stiffens, silenced by the latent power exuding from the mysterious mage.