AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I can,” I declared firmly, standing and pacing across the veranda a little. The night air was warm, but I still felt a shiver creep down my spine. “I need to rescue my mother and then get as far away from here as possible. Carnon swore a blood bargain to help me.”
Cerridwen and Brigid both paled, looking at each other.
“He’s really going to let you go?” Brigid asked, looking at me like her heart was breaking. I nodded vigorously, and she bit her bottom lip. “Gods, he must love you so much.”
“Please stop saying that,” I groaned, putting my face in my hands.
“Is it really so terrible?” Cerridwen asked. “Aside from tonight, which admittedly is not an endorsement for him as a kind and caring male. Has he been cruel to you?”
“No,” I said, glaring at her. “But he lied about who he was. About who he is to me. How can I trust him now? How can I know what I feel is real and not just some demon magic?”
“It is real,” Brigid assured, looking stricken at the idea I could doubt such a thing. “Mates can’t help but feel love and passion for each other. Whatever you feel for the King, itisreal, Elara. He was chosen for you by the Goddess herself to be your perfect match.”
“But I’m a witch,” I pointed out, feeling exasperated. “How can I possibly be his mate?”
“I…don’t know,” she said, frowning at me. “But maybe it has to do with this vision. I can look into it for you.”
“Maybe it has to do with the old king’s disappearance,” Cerridwen suggested, looking thoughtful. “It can’t be a coincidence that he disappeared into the Bloodwood, and ten years later you came out of it with that necklace.”
“This was a gift from my father to my mother,” I said, pulling at the gold chain. The stone hummed faintly, and I dropped it. “Over twenty years ago. Ithasto be a coincidence.”
“Twenty years?” asked Cerridwen, frowning. “How is that possible?”
“Add it to the list of impossible things that seem to be happening lately,” I muttered darkly.
I heard my name shouted faintly within the throne room, and Brigid and Cerridwen shared an alarmed look
“Are you going to tell him you know?” Cerridwen asked, looking at me nervously.
“I don’t know,” I said, trying to make up my mind. They looked terrified, and I sighed, deciding they shouldn’t be blamed for Carnon’s lies and secrets. “No,” I said. “Lethimsee how he likes being lied to for a change.”
“Thank you,” Cerridwen breathed, looking relieved.
“But I need something in return,” I said, crouching to draw a pentagram on the stone floor with the chalk I had brought in the pocket of the golden gown. A good witch is always prepared, although I had only brought the chalk with me and nothing else. I wracked my brain for something to feed the spell, plucking a strand of my hair.
“Give me a strand of hair,” I demanded, holding out my hand to the females. “Quickly.”
“Is this witch magic?” Brigid asked interestedly, watching me knot the three hairs and place them in the center of the pentagram. I swatted her hand away from the circle lest she break it, praying my will over the five points and muttering their elements. I looked up at the females before me, both a little wide eyed as they watched me work.
“Swear that everything said between us tonight remains a secret,” I said, holding out my hand and indicating that they should place theirs on mine. “You will not tell the other Lords anything about my magic, until Carnon or I do.”
“I swear it,” Cerridwen said.
“I swear,” Brigid agreed.
Something snapped into place between us, the spell holding them to their bargain as the knotted strands of hair burned up with a tiny puff of smoke. I breathed out a sigh of relief that the spell had worked on basically willpower alone.
“The spell is cast,” I said, smudging out the circle and pentagram. “We’re bonded by this secret now. No one can tell.”
Brigid nodded emphatically. “I’ll do some research,” she said. “I know this means something, and I’m sure it’s in our library.”
“Carnon is coming,” Cerridwen said, glancing over my shoulder. “We leave at first light for the Court of Beasts.”
Brigid nodded and we all stood, looking rather guilty and chalky as we turned to find the Demon King watching us.
“There you are,” Carnon said, leaning against the door frame. “Hiding with my sister. How utterly expected.” He grinned, bowing politely to Brigid, who looked positively terrified.
My mate. Good Goddess, this male was my mate? I pushed the thought aside, determined to worry about it another time.
