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Chapter 6
MONIQUE
I barely slept all night, imagining the two wolves bound and gagged, tortured by the high warlock because of me. I regretted my choice to bring them beyond the veil a hundred times before sunrise.
There was something special about them. Every time they were near, everything inside of me screamed out a message that I couldn’t understand. All I knew was, their presence affected me deeply. I needed to find out why.
I fell into a dream-filled sleep sometime after the sun rose.
When I finally awoke, my head ached, but I needed to find the wolf shifters.
I dragged myself out of bed, feeling drained. I’d definitely used too much magic last night, especially outside of the veil. Inside our realm, our magic enabled us to remain all-powerful. There was an almost endless well of power that kept our magic going and our bodies and souls fresh. But as soon as we stepped through the veil into the real world, our magic became limited, and often weak. We had to expend so much more to do the simplest tasks, and it always took a physical toll.
I managed to conjure some fresh clothes, and then downed a quick glass of orange juice. My stomach gurgled and complained at the cold sweetness, so I didn’t bother eating anything. There was no point if I was going to feel sick.
I pulled my hair up into a high ponytail and washed myself so I could face the day clean, even though I wasn’t feeling too fabulous. I glanced around at my little cottage, making sure all was tidy and I hadn’t forgotten anything, and then I walked out the front door with my need to find the wolves at the forefront of my thoughts.
The town was buzzing already as it usually was at this time of day, people walking to and from the various shops and stalls in the center of the village that offered a little fresh produce, interesting trinkets and ingredients for spells and potions.
The sun shone down, imparting warmth without too much heat, and everywhere I looked were splashes of color from flowers and shrubs. Our realm had always been lush and verdant, unlike the woodlands and forests outside the veil.
I smiled at my neighbors as I wove my way through the cobblestoned streets toward the high warlock’s mansion, but despite the happy chatter surrounding me, and the seeming perfection of the day, my smile was only for show.
Inside, my stomach roiled with tension. People looked at me with curiosity, as if they could sense my inner tension, but I didn’t stop and speak to anyone. I had to find out what had happened to those wolves.
I knocked on the door of the high warlock’s mansion and knotted my fingers together to try and control the nerves.
The high witch answered my knock, her strangely pale face not showing a hint of emotion. “Monique.” Even her voice was deadpan. “How can I help you?”
“I’m looking for the two wolf shifters I brought here last night. Are they still in the dungeon?” That was a question I never thought I’d ask, about anyone. I hadn’t even known therewasa dungeon here beneath the mansion.
The high witch stepped back and waved her hand, inviting me in. Despite the fact that one day we would be related, due to my unofficial betrothal to her son Michael, she had never shown me any sort of special attention, and certainly no affection.
But then, I wasn’t sure she ever showed any emotion to anyone, even her husband and son.
I walked into the house, looking around. I had rarely been inside the high warlock’s mansion. Twice in less than twenty-four hours was most unusual.
“Are they here?” I asked. Nothing seemed out of place and I couldn’t hear a single sound out of the ordinary.
“Yes. Thomas is speaking to them now.” The high witch gestured me into a sitting room off the grand entrance hallway, and pointed to one of the sofas. “You can wait for them, if you like.”
She sat in a rocking chair next to the fireplace. There were flames crackling in the grate, and the gentle heat was comforting rather than cloying, despite the warmth of the day outside. Not for the first time, I pondered how everything in this realm always seemed so perfect. I was lucky to live here, I knew. And yet, for some reason I still crept out beyond the veil every chance I could get, without knowing why I craved it.
“Thank you.” I sat where she directed.
She didn’t speak again. Instead, she picked up a needlework circle and began working on a half-finished pattern.
The high witch was a strange one. It wasn’t exactly that she was cold or unfeeling. She just seemed too submissive, somehow. Almost as though she were in a permanent trance and only half-alive. She never spoke much and rarely left her house.
I’d had a crush on their son, Michael, my whole life. He was traveling and would be home soon. Or that was what his last letter had specified, anyway.
“Monique. You are here. Again.” The high warlock stepped into the room, Kyle and Xander following close behind him.
I jumped to my feet. “Yes. I wanted to check in and see if everything was okay.”
Both shifters were dressed in black clothes, obviously provided by the high warlock. I had to assume they would never choose such a style for themselves. The fabric was too soft, too fitted. Wrong, somehow, for their hard strength. These guys seemed more suited to something like denim or leather.
The high warlock inclined his head. “All is well. The wolves and I have reached an agreement.”
