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He looks down at the phone. Clearly, Annalise hung up.

“She’s on her way.” He stands up, looking strangely on edge. “She asked to meet us at Rev’s.”

“Why?” I put my hands into my pockets, already feeling shaky from the caffeine hit.

“She has news.” Luther downs the last of his coffee and grabs his jacket. “And I don’t think it’s the happy kind.”

21

MACK

The air down here feels thick, as if we’re submerged deep underwater.

Thornfield waits patiently in the center of the room, gesturing for us to gather around. His gaze is unfathomable as it sweeps over each of us. “Centuries ago, an artefact of immense power, The Scepter of Dissolution, was entrusted to the care of my ancestors. It holds the ability to dismantle any form of magick, to strip it down to nothing.”

“The Cambridge Coven has looked after this, and many other artefacts, for as long as I care to remember.” His expression darkens. “But it is no longer in my possession. Several weeks ago, it was stolen.” He stands aside and points to a large empty glass case. “Just the scepter. Nothing else.”

“So, someone stole your family’s magick eraser,” Tanner quips. “I’m sorry, but I don’t see—”

“Do not trivialize this, boy,” Thornfield barks. “Used incorrectly, the scepter could tear apart the very fabric of our world. It could destroy every supernatural creature on our planet. Erase us. Forever.”

Tanner narrows his eyes. He’s searching Thornfield’s aura. I can see it in his eyes.

I also see when realization dawns on his face. His features stretch and crease and darken all at once. “Shit,” he says. “You’re serious?”

“Deadly serious,” Thornfield replies. “No pun intended.”

“How does this relate to Mack and Snow?” Kole asks, casting a concerned glance at me.

“Well,” he says, lips curling. “This is the remarkable thing… I believe the same elixir that can render the scepter inert could be the very remedy to help reunite our shifter friends.”

“I am no friend of yours, Thornfield.” Anger swirls in my gut. “I came for answers. Not maybes and what ifs.”

“Do you have any other solution?” Thornfield raises his eyebrows, but his voice remains calm, inquisitive, as if he’s genuinely curious about what I’ll do if I walk out of here right now telling him to go fuck himself.

When I don’t reply, he turns to the others and says, “Your friend’s aunt, Miranda, is a witch with profound and ancient knowledge. Her family has been tied to mine for centuries, and she alone knows the recipe for an elixir. The Elixir of Equilibrium.”

“Explain,” Nova says. “Explain how this elixir can do both things. Destroy the scepter and help Mack?”

Thornfield pinches the bridge of his nose and sighs a little. It’s an expression I recognize. One I used to wear myself, frequently, when students asked me to explain things I felt were easily understandable without an explanation.

Looking at Nova, staring straight into her eyes in a way that makes me grind my teeth so hard they feel like they might crack, Thornfield says, “Being split into two separate entities, Mack and Snow are both unbalanced manifestations of a single being. Snow, the physical aspect, represents raw power, instinct, and primal urges, while Mack embodies intellect, human consciousness, and control. The Elixir can act as a bridge between these two halves, harmonizing their energies. When ingested, it would pave the way for their energies to realign, balance, and merge back into one cohesive being, with both parts in equilibrium.

“In essence, the Elixir of Equilibrium acts as a universal balancer, ensuring that magical energies find their natural state of harmony and stability, regardless of the environment or context in which they exist.”

Nova glances at me. I take her hand and squeeze it.

“All right,” Tanner says, frowning. “But you didn’t answer Nova’s question. How can the elixir save Mack and Snow and destroy the scepter.”

This time, Thornfield tuts and mutters, “Moon and stars, I thought it was perfectly obvious.” Then he puts one hand on his hip and gesticulates wildly as he says, “The Scepter of Dissolution’s inherent power lies in its ability to unravel and unweave magical energies. The core of the scepter operates on a principle of chaos and unbalance.

“When the Elixir of Equilibrium is introduced to the Scepter, it’s not just a matter of neutralizing its functions. The elixir forces a rapid and aggressive balance onto the scepter. Since the scepter’s entire essence is built upon unbalancing magick, introducing such a potent force of stability and equilibrium creates an overwhelming contradiction within its structure.

“Imagine a structure built entirely out of materials that resist any form of balance. Suddenly, the very foundation of that structure is replaced by a force that enforces balance. This clash causes the structure – in this case, the Scepter of Dissolution – to fracture and break down. The Elixir doesn’t just neutralize the scepter; it completely goes against its nature, causing it to self-destruct.

“This is different from simply stopping its function. The Elixir, when introduced in sufficient quantity, would cause the scepter to crumble and disintegrate, rendering it powerless and broken beyond repair. This destruction is brought about by the internal contradictions the Elixir introduces to the scepter’s core function.”

I exhale forcefully and scrape my fingers through my hair. “All right.”