Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14

I forced myself up from the couch, feeling steadier with each step. "We need to eat," I said, heading to the kitchen. "Then we'll research the Temporal Echo before we take the warlock to Greyson. He isn't waking up anytime soon."

The kitchen felt like a sanctuary, a place where normalcy could be found amidst the chaos. I grabbed a pot and filled it with water, setting it on the stove to boil. Opening the freezer, I found some frozen pasta sauce and grabbed it, plopping it into a pan and putting it on simmer. The familiar, comforting scents began to fill the air, easing some of the tension.

The ladies moved to the table, their chatter a soft hum in the background. They talked about the events that led us back to my home, voices a mix of exhaustion and relief. I focused on cooking, letting the mundane task ground me before adding the noodles to the boiling pot.

My phone pinged, and I quickly checked it, breathing a sigh of relief when I saw Toga's message. He was taking Kacey out for dinner and would return her later. At least she was safe for now.

I drained the pasta and mixed it with the sauce, the simple meal a welcome comfort after the day's chaos. I dished up plates and brought them to the table, serving my friends with a tired smile. "Spaghetti à la Tegan," I announced, trying to lighten the mood.

Faith laughed softly, taking a bite. "You've outdone yourself," she said, her eyes twinkling with gratitude.

Eve nodded in agreement, and even Nishi managed a small smile as she twirled her fork in the pasta.

We ate in relative silence, the day's events hanging heavily over us. But the food was good, and for a little while, it felt like things might be okay. The warmth of the meal and the presence of my friends were small comforts, but they were enough to keep the darkness at bay.

After we finished, I leaned back in my chair, feeling a bit more like myself. "Alright," I said, looking around at the group. "Time to figure out why Asham is so interested in the Temporal Echo."

They nodded, grabbing their plates and putting them in the sink before we headed downstairs to the vault.

I headed down to the basement, each step echoing softly in the enclosed space. My friends followed close behind, their presence a reassuring weight against the looming uncertainty. The vault door creaked open, revealing the familiar scents of aged parchment and candle wax. Even without a candle lit, the aroma lingered, a testament to the countless hours spent here poring over ancient texts.

"Come inside," I said, glancing back at them. "I want you all in the vault with me this time. We need to look at the book together. Maybe I'm missing something."

They nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. We needed every bit of insight we could muster. The air grew cooler as we stepped inside, the thick walls insulating us from the world outside. I moved to the pedestal in the center, where the Chronicles of the Guardians book lay, its leather cover worn and cracked with age.

The smell of parchment grew stronger as I opened it, the pages whispering secrets of the past. Candle wax mingled with the scent, a comforting yet eerie reminder of the countless nights spent here. My friends gathered around me, their eyes scanning the delicate script as I flipped through the pages.

"Look at the description," I said, my voice low. "Maybe I'm not interpreting something I should."

Eve leaned in, her eyes sharp and focused. Faith stood to my right, her hand resting lightly on my shoulder. A grounding presence. Nishi peered over my left side, her brows furrowed in concentration. Faith took a deep breath and steadied herself beside me.

The vault seemed to hum with energy, the ancient knowledge contained within its walls almost palpable. As we examined the book together, the scent of parchment and candle wax enveloped us, binding us to the task at hand.

I pointed to the page that depicted the Temporal Echo. "This is it." I read the passage about the Temporal Echo and what it did. Everything on the page was exactly as I had explained to them before. An artifact that could revisit a moment in time. I could view the events but couldn't change them. As the guardian, I could use a tracking spell on the moment to see if there was magical residue, but it would not change the events that had transpired.

Eve pointed to an asterisk symbol at the bottom of the page. "What does this mean?"

"It's like an addendum. It marks a correlation to another artifact. Usually, the two have been created by the same person, or can work in conjunction with another."

Eve stared at me. "Let's look at the other artifact. Maybe it's not what the Temporal Echo can do, but what it can do when combined with another magical object."

I flipped to the end of the book and looked for the page reference for the other artifact. After I had it, my fingers flipped through the ancient parchment quickly.

Once I had reached my destination, I paused. The page was one I recognized, but I didn't understand its connection to the Temporal Echo. "It's the Reality Shard."

"What does it do?" Nishi asked.

"It's an artifact that is used to see what is real in the moment. It was created to see through an illusion. I don't understand its correlation to the Temporal Echo. It is relatively harmless and..."

"What is it?" Eve asked.

"There is a notation that the Reality Shard shouldn't be used with other artifacts. It can alter the purpose of another magical item in unforeseen ways. Perhaps even make them real."

"I'm not sure I understand," Faith said.

My fingers traced the picture of the Reality Shard. In truth I hadn't prioritized it as I considered it one of the more harmless artifacts in the vault. "Theoretically, if you used the Temporal Echo and the Reality Shard together, you may be able to alter time."

"Shit!" Faith snapped. "That's why Asham wants it."

I nodded. "Under the right circumstances, you could open a temporary gateway to a specific moment in time."

"So Asham could go back and forth restructuring time the way he sees fit."

I pointed to a notation. "Using multiple artifacts in this way burns them out. He would only have about fifteen seconds, and both artifacts would be destroyed."

Eve stared at the book. "What event would Asham want to change? He is risking everything to make this one alteration."

Faith grunted. "Maybe he wants to go back and take out his competition. We all have regrets we would love to change."

Everyone knew that Faith still struggled with her role in Luke's death. That she was on borrowed time before the potion she gave her son stopped working. But she was happy with Greyson, and changing the past would alter her future. Nobody knew what changes in the past did to a future. It was the reason it was banned. It was never as simple as altering one event and everyone knew it.

Faith rubbed her chin. "Could you use this to help Spencer?"

I had tried not to think about that possibility. "I could, but it wouldn't just change him being alive. There are always threads of fate we can't see. Saving him could start a series of events that end with my daughter's death or someone else I love. That is the way fate works. You don't mess with it."

Faith nodded. "Got it. But if Asham is willing to take that chance, he has to know something we don't. Is there a specific place this ritual or spell has to be performed?"

I glanced at the book. "For the Reality Shard itself, no, but the Temporal Echo is tricky. It has to be called on ancestral lands or guardian-owned property."

Faith nodded. "So Black Bounty or Eves' store are out. It has to be the vault."

Eve shook her head. "The coven is ancestral-owned land and the guardians are still considered witches, just with specific magic."

Standing in the vault, surrounded by ancient texts and the scent of parchment and candle wax, I felt the weight of my ancestral connection pressing down on me. This place, steeped in history and the echoes of those who had come before me, always amplified that connection. The spirits of my ancestors seemed to whisper from the shadows, their presence a constant reminder of the legacy I carried.

But as powerful as this connection was, I doubted it would be advantageous in using the Temporal Echo and the Reality Shard. Communing with the dead had its uses, but it wasn't going to help us decipher the mysteries of the Temporal Echo or fend off Asham and his warlocks.

My ancestors had fought their battles, faced their own challenges, and now it was my turn. Their strength flowed through my veins, their wisdom a part of my very being. Yet, in this moment, I needed the living. I craved the support and insights of my friends, the tangible and immediate aid they could provide.

I glanced around at the vault's stone walls, feeling the weight of centuries pressing in. This place held so much history, so many secrets. It was a sanctuary, a repository of knowledge, but it wasn't the solution to every problem. The dead could guide and inspire, but they couldn't fight my battles for me.

"The coven lands are ideal. The vault isn't. My magic has been altered to strengthen my connection to the dead, but Asham needs a connection to nature. To time itself."

"Then it has to be the coven property. There are strong ley lines right below it."

"There is no way that Lucinda would let us on coven property to use the Temporal Echo, or search for Asham. Because if we figured out that we need to use it there, then he did, too."

As I stood in the vault, I couldn't shake the gravity of the situation. Asham was after the Temporal Echo, and the stakes were astronomically high. This wasn't just about us anymore. The artifact held unimaginable power, and in the wrong hands, it could bring devastation unlike anything we had ever faced.

But then there was Lucinda. Her insecurities and paranoia could derail everything. She wasn't evil, but her need for power clouded her judgment. The idea of involving her now, with so much at risk, felt like an unnecessary gamble. We needed to act swiftly and decisively, and I couldn't let her anxieties slow us down.

"I don't think we should tell her," I said, my voice firm and resolute. The others looked at me, their expressions a mix of concern and agreement. "I'd rather ask for forgiveness than permission in this case."

Faith chuckled. "I think we are rubbing off on you. But I couldn't agree more."

Eve and Nishi exchanged glances, then turned back to me. "We're with you," Eve said. "Whatever it takes."

Their support was a balm to my nerves, but the weight of responsibility pressed heavily on my shoulders. Asham was relentless, and we had to be just as unwavering in our resolve. The Temporal Echo couldn't fall into his hands. Too much depended on our success.

But my friends were crossing the line by infiltrating coven lands without permission, and there would be dire circumstances if we were discovered.

Eve stared at the page with the Reality Shard depicted. "What do we do with the reality shard once it's recovered?"

I took a deep breath. "The shard itself isn't dangerous, but once combined, it's a power that should never be in mortal hands. Both items will be remanded to the dark vault. Even I can't access it without my mother's help."

"I agree," Faith said. "I think we should get that empowered asshole to Greyson. I don't think he will wake soon, but who knows with dark magic?"

Eve nodded. "She is right. Since Salima couldn't identify the taint in his body, we have no idea what it's doing to him or if it is temporary."

I closed the ancient book with a reverent touch, the weight of centuries pressing down as the cover met the worn pages. The vault seemed to sigh in relief as I secured it. The echoes of my ancestors' wisdom and warnings would stay safe for now, their secrets locked away until we needed them again.

Ascending the stairs, I felt the burden of our mission settle even more heavily on my shoulders. The ladies followed, their footsteps a reminder that I wasn't alone in this. Together, we returned to the kitchen, the normalcy of the space almost jarring after the intensity of the vault.

I grabbed a few water bottles from the fridge, their coldness biting into my palm, and handed them out.

Opening the door, I held it for Faith and Nishi as they carried the unconscious warlock between them. They maneuvered him to the jeep, and Nishi swung open the back of the vehicle. They dropped him in with a thud that spoke of the rough treatment he'd endured. No gentle hands for him; he was lucky to be alive.

I watched as they secured him, his limp body hung loosely from the seatbelt. He would need a healer for more than just his physical wounds.

With the warlock stowed away, I closed the door to my home, the familiar click a small comfort amidst the chaos. I slid into the passenger's seat of the jeep, the leather warm against my back as Faith revved the engine to life.

Nishi and Eve were in the back seat, but the huntress grabbed her phone when it beeped. She read the text. "Shit."

"What is it?" Faith asked.

"Lucinda has called an emergency meeting at the council chambers. There will be a vote and if I don't show up I risk those asshats making council decisions without us. Alex is stuck in the fae realm, so we are down a member."

Faith backed out of my driveway. "No problem. We will go to the council first. We can take the dickwad to Scorchwood after we find out why Lucinda has her panties in a bunch."

Nishi slumped back in her seat. "If I had to guess, this has something to do with Asham. He is loaded and quite powerful. If Lucinda were to clear his name, then he would be indebted to her. Money. Power. He would be quite the ally."

Faith kept her eyes on the road as she navigated the streets. The streetlights had come on as it was after dusk, and the shadows played at the edges of my vision. "Lucida is a cow, but would she really risk her neck for Asham? If she backs him and we prove he is a criminal, then she could lose her seat on the council."

Eve sighed. "Caton is an asshole, but he wouldn't allow her to go too far. He definitely wears the pants in that relationship. He wouldn't be in one he couldn't control."

We all agreed as I looked out the window.

The cityscape gradually melted into a tapestry of green as we neared the pack lands. Towering buildings gave way to ancient trees, their branches arching overhead to create a canopy that dappled the road with shadows. The air felt different here, cleaner and tinged with the scent of pine and earth. It was beautiful, a stark contrast to the urban jungle we'd left behind, and I couldn't help but envy Eve's home nestled within this serene forest.

Bound to the vault as a guardian, my fate was sealed. This position was for life, chaining me to a place I couldn't leave even if I wanted to. The thought was a constant, heavy reminder of the responsibilities that came with my role.

In the jeep, the chatter of the ladies filled the air. They speculated about Caton and Lucinda, tossing around theories about the reason behind the sudden meeting. Their voices blended into the background as I zoned out, my eyes fixed on the blur of trees whipping past.

The rhythmic crunch of gravel under the tires eventually slowed, and the jeep's momentum halted, pulling me from my reverie. We had arrived at the council chambers, the heart of the pack lands. The building stood as a testament to the old ways, its architecture blending seamlessly with the surrounding forest.

I took a deep breath, bracing myself for whatever awaited us inside. "Let's see what she wants."