I cast a shield to protect the girls, praying I wasn’t too late. A snake bite wouldn’t kill either of them if I used my healing magic immediately, but itwouldbe extremely painful. Especially for a toddler.
But before the shield took effect, a blast of shadowy magic exploded across the yard. Every plant within a ten-foot radius wilted and collapsed into a pile of blackened ash.
Nothing remained of the snake but a withered husk.
Willow stared at Raven before stumbling backward, too shocked to comfort her when she burst into tears. It was abundantly clear the shadow magic was Raven’s, not Willow’s.
All my hopes and dreams of a peaceful future shattered.
My beautiful, innocent baby daughter had inherited her father’s magic, and if the mages found out, they’d use her for their own nefarious ends.
Adam might despise his brother’s power-mongering, but the same blood ran in his veins. And after my best friend’s betrayal, I’d sworn never to trust another witch or mage again. Not even my soul-bonded mate.
“Willow!” I hollered, forcing my expression to remain calm. “Bring Raven inside. She needs a bath.” The girl blinked as my daughter sat crying in the dirt. I didn’t miss her hesitation before reaching for Raven’s small hand.
“Dead snake.” Raven’s lip wobbled. “Bad snake.”
Willow’s eyes slid over the destroyed herb garden and then to me. “What about that?” she mouthed. The other witches would ask questions when they saw all the dead plants. I needed to fix it. And fast.
“I’ll sort it out. Now get her inside.” Willow nodded, her face pale as milk, blessedly not arguing with me for once.
The minute they’d left, I set to work repairing the damage. It took an enormous amount of earth magic to restore the herb garden, but I eventually coaxed the plants back to life.
The dead snake was another matter. I kicked it into the scrub, pushing a pile of dry leaves over what remained. Restoring livingcreatures was not something an earth witch could do. And besides, I was on the verge of collapse.
The next step was to figure out a way to block Raven’s forbidden magic and make sure Willow never revealed the truth of what happened today.
The candles on my workbench had almost burned down to the quick by the time I completed my spell. Binding a young witch’s magic was dangerous, but what choice did I have?
I picked up the small amulet. Crafted from satanite, it was the only material in my store with a connection to the demon realm. To the untrained eye, the pendant looked like a pretty stone linked to a gold chain, so I doubted anyone would figure out its purpose. And even if they did, nothing could break the spell binding Raven’s shadow magic.
The only way it might happen was if she met her soul-bonded mate, but he or she would have to be powerful enough to help her funnel the magic.
When I entered her bedroom, Raven lay curled up under her thin quilt. Willow sometimes slept in here, but not tonight. The young witch had barely said a word since the incident. I’d seen Tally watching her over dinner, but the others were all used to Willow’s moods, and nobody commented on her quietness or Raven’s absence from the table.
Raven didn’t stir when I clasped the amulet in place and muttered the final binding incantation.
Casting the spell had taken everything I had, and the worst thing was, unless something triggered the shadow magic again, I couldn’t be certain it had worked.
The sound of a truck pulling up outside roused me from a fitful slumber. I dragged myself out of bed to greet Adam, deciding it was better to tell him now than wait until morning.
He stared at me in shock when I staggered into the kitchen, barely able to stand.
“What…what have you done?”
“Done?” Before I could make sense of his question, he grabbed a looking glass from the counter and thrust it in my face. I gasped when I saw my ghostly reflection. My dark hair had turned white.
“Raven has her father’s magic.” Adam’s horrified gasp told me binding the shadows had been the right decision. I took a step forward, intent on reassuring him I’d solved the problem, but the ground shifted beneath my feet and I tumbled sideways.
“Ellora, no!”
2
Maverick
Raven had cut me off twenty minutes ago, shortly after she sent a warm flood of love and affection down the bond. Despite Zane’s mutterings, I knew she’d be safe with the storm mage. He was powerful enough to protect her, and as her soul-bonded mate, he couldn’t harm her. But that didn’t stop me from worrying.
I’d worry about her safety until the day I took my last breath. A bear’s purpose in life was to take care of his mate. Die for her if necessary.
