43. Atticus

43

ATTICUS

B efore I could venture back out to continue my search for Aria, Mia took charge. She forced me to eat, and I barely tasted the food or even registered what I was eating. My focus was solely on Aria and the deafening silence that screamed at me from our bond.

“Here,” Mia said when I’d finished eating, holding out two small vials with a colorless liquid.

I pushed past the diminutive shifter. “Do you really think I’m capable of sleep right now, Mia?” I snapped.

“No.” She grabbed my wrist, preventing me from leaving. “These are restorative. Ilaric helped boost my magic as I distilled them. They should replenish the energy that your body’s lost from the multiple shadow walks.”

Feeling like an ass, I embraced her, seeking a moment’s refuge in her comforting presence. “Sorry,” I whispered into her hair.

She patted my back. “No need for that now, Atticus. It’s what family does. We’ll do what we can to find out anything about Aria, but you need to be safe.”

Downing the potions, I handed her back the empty bottles, my throat tight with so many emotions,

I said my goodbyes and went outside, shifting into wolf form as I passed through the camouflaging curtain of trailing ivy and ferns. Lifting my snout in the air, I sniffed deeply, parsing out the distinct odors, the different trees. I caught the scent of a roe deer somewhere close by, but I disregarded everything until I found the familiar combination of lavender, chamomile and a scent uniquely Aria. I ran toward it.

Suddenly, the scent disappeared. I shifted back and looked for signs of a struggle. She wouldn’t have allowed herself to be taken without a fight, but there were no visible signs.

Would she have gone up to the old battlegrounds to continue honing her mental shields? Only one way to find out. I was trying to stay upbeat, but the dread wasn’t lessening. Gathering the shadows, I envisioned the field, its eerie, otherworldly aura, and stepped forward.

It was like stepping through an unseen veil that separated one world from another. I paused, feeling like I was trespassing on sacred ground. No matter how many times I came here, that uneasiness never lessened.

Nothing indicated that Aria had been here recently, but I searched diligently, fearing she might have fallen ill or suffered an injury.

“Atticus.” The voice came from everywhere and nowhere, a whisper woven into the wind. I turned sharply, assuming a fighter’s stance, muscles tensed and ready for any threat.

Light gathered like mist, swirling in front of me. It twisted and spun until it solidified into the figure of a tall, ethereal woman. Philesia. Her presence commanded the space, ancient power emanating from her with such force that I took a step back.

I stared at her, not trusting myself to break down. Cracks formed in my composure, and I was dangerously close to breaking down.

“Troubling visions cloud my sight,” Philesia said. “The path ahead is shrouded in darkness.”

“Tell me,” I demanded, a knot of worry tightening in my gut. For the love of the gods, no riddles, please.

“Be cautious,” she warned. “Danger lurks in the very shadows that serve you, waiting to ensnare those who tread unwarily.”

And there we had it, infuriatingly cryptic words that only fueled my need for a direct and honest reply. “What is it, Philesia? Is it Aria? Is she...” I couldn’t bring myself to finish the question, fear constricting my throat. She couldn’t be gone from this earth.

I stepped closer. Her form flickered like a candle flame, struggling against a breeze. “Is she okay?”

“Your father has taken her,” Philesia replied. Her luminous eyes, usually shimmering with a celestial light, were clouded with concern. “I’m sorry, Atticus, I was unable to intervene. The magic he used to cloak himself is very powerful.”

My stomach sank. I’d underestimated Caius, failed to grasp his true intentions. I’d brushed off his reference to Aria as a ploy to provoke me, when he’d likely already devised a plan to take her.

My blood turned to ice as I recalled the void at the end of her scent trail, the lack of struggle. He must have threatened me and manipulated her into giving herself over to save me. He’d taken something special and was attempting to snuff out her light. But why? There had to be more to it than an old grudge.

“Can you get her out?” I demanded, refusing to cower before her.

She shook her head. “Her cell is cloaked in dark magic. The spells woven into the prison’s fabric are beyond my immediate reach. It would take days to unravel without causing harm.”

“Days we don’t have,” I hissed.

“I’ve always believed that as gods, we must allow fate to run its course and allow you forge your own path. But Caius is playing with a dangerous magic. I cannot help you physically, Atticus, but I will share this knowledge with you.” She hesitated as if finding it difficult to go against her own rules, before tracing patterns in the air that glowed faintly for a while. “Old magic, complex and vicious runes, guard her.”

“Can you explain it in simple terms?” I asked, frowning at the patterns in the air.

“The network of runes forms a labyrinth designed to serve as a conduit to extract energy and capture it...” She trailed off at my frown. “Basically, they’re depleting her strength little by little.”

My stomach roiled, sending bile up my throat. “How?”

“The runes are siphoning her strength and magic,” she explained. “Aria’s own power fuels them. It will keep taking from her, slowly sapping her magic until there’s nothing left.”

“Then we have to break it. Now.” I looked past Philesia almost as if I could see through the veil to where Aria was held.

“It’s not that simple,” Philesia warned. “This type of magic fights back. You risk more than your own life if you attempt to dismantle it.”

“That doesn’t matter,” I said. “All that matters is Aria.”

Philesia’s image flickered again, taking longer to come back into focus, and I sensed her time in this realm was drawing to a close. “Be careful, Atticus. Dark magic is more cunning than you know.”

A chill cut through me, sharper than any blade. I clenched my fists, the tattoos on my skin stretching with the tension. I looked at Philesia, at her grave expression, and I knew. Time was slipping through our fingers.

“I’ll get her out,” I said. It wasn’t a boast but rather a heartfelt promise—to Aria, to myself, and to the world that seemed so eager to tear us apart.

Philesia’s gaze held a profound sadness that spanned centuries. “Be wary. The path you choose is fraught with danger, and the darkness you seek to vanquish is more treacherous than any foe you have known.”

I clenched my fists, the panic morphing into steel. “I’ll face whatever it is to save her.”

“Remember,” she continued as she started to fade into the surroundings, “you do not walk it alone.”

I nodded once. “I know.”

The light that formed her presence dissipated, leaving me standing at the edge of uncertainty. Her words echoed in my head, lending me a fragment of strength.

I turned toward the manor. As I moved forward through the shortcut the shadows provided, Philesia’s final words wrapped around me like a cloak. In this fight, at least, I wouldn’t be a lone rogue wolf. Not completely.

I stepped out of the shadows at the manor’s front door. I took a moment to collect myself, mentally rehearsing how I would break the news to the others.

I opened the door and found myself inches away from Ilaric, startling both of us. I blurted out, “Caius has her.”

Nothing else was required. He stopped a passing pack member. “Ask Seren and Eldan to meet us in the antechamber off the library.” With that, he deftly navigated me through the complex network of corridors in the manor.

“Philesia came to me?—”

“Let’s wait for Seren and Eldan,” Ilaric said. “That way, you only have to tell it once.”

I nodded and followed, ignoring the curious glances from the pack members.

It took less than five minutes for Seren and Eldan to join us. Their attention snapped to me immediately. The shadows I commanded danced ominously, giving the room a claustrophobic feel, displaying my turmoil for all to see.

“I’ve confirmed that Caius has taken Aria. He’s siphoning her magic to fuel his own strength,” I said.

Seren frowned and shook her head frantically. Ilaric unfurled a map and smoothed it out on the table. He leaned over it, studying it intently.

Eldan paced back and forth, his boots thudding against the unforgiving stone floor. He stopped and whirled around, exuding an intense, almost feral, energy.

“We should hit the Crimson Fang with a surprise attack,” he suggested with enthusiasm, his fists clenched tightly. “Take the fuckers out, one by one, until they’re left wondering what happened.”

That was a suicide mission, but Eldan’s unwavering intensity told me he was serious.

“It’s not safe, Eldan. The spirits advise caution. They fear him. The magic is dark, unnatural,” Seren said.

Eldan leaned on the table, his fingers drumming a dull lament. All our careful plans were useless now, just lines and scribbles that couldn’t shield us from the truth.

The weight of a hundred battles bore down on me. “Seren’s right. It won’t work. My father has defied the natural order. Pushed the boundaries of nature, warping magic into a dark and unnatural force. His power is unbridled and merciless, unlike anything we’ve ever encountered. If we attacked, we would be massacred.”

Seren and Eldan stared at me, despair etched on their faces, and Ilaric’s intense stare bore into me. They didn’t have to voice what they were thinking because we all knew the truth.

Aria’s life was at stake because of my father.

The tension in the room thickened, amplifying the growing sense of unease. Caius’s power loomed over us, a threat that left no room for doubt or false hope. We were cornered, outmatched, and we all felt it.

“I’ll go,” I said. “I need to speak with him face to face.”

Seren snapped her head around, her voice high when she spoke. “No, Atticus. There’s got to be another way. You can’t just?—”

“There isn’t, Seren. I have to do this. I’ll give him anything he wants as long as I can keep Aria safe.”

Ilaric’s put his hand on my shoulder, a solid presence trying to anchor me when I was already drifting.

“I’ll come with you. Together, we?—”

“No, Ilaric,” I said. “It has to be this way.” I pulled my shoulders back in a thin veneer of confidence that masked the gut-wrenching fear threatening to consume me. This was my path, and I would walk it, no matter the cost. “I’m not going to fight him. Not this time.”

Ilaric’s brow furrowed. “Atticus, you don’t have to face him alone,” he said, gently squeezing my shoulder, offering support. “We stand a better chance of winning if we work together.”

I wouldn’t let him sway me. “It’s not about power or victory. It’s about Aria. If walking into what might very well be my own death ensures her safety, then so be it. But if that happens, she’ll need all of you waiting here for her.”

We stood together, four warriors lost in a sea of hard choices. I could feel the concern in their stares. The strength we had discovered in our unconventional alliance, the rogue and the pack, now seemed feeble in the face of what could only be described as true evil.

Seren scanned the room, searching for answers we didn’t have. Eldan’s fists clenched and unclenched at his sides, his readiness to fight warring with the knowledge that it wouldn’t be enough. Ilaric’s hand was still on my shoulder, heavy and immovable, but he didn’t speak. No one did. There was nothing left to say.

“It’s time for me to go,” I said.

They didn’t argue. They knew as well as I did that this was the only way.

I turned away from them, slipping into a darkened corner. I channeled my focus and tapped into the power of the shadows I commanded. They answered readily, wrapping around me like a second skin. In a blink, I vanished, leaving their collective fears and concerns behind, and stepped into my bedroom.

I took the relic I’d dug up out of my pocket. It glowed like a beacon, igniting a flicker of hope for a future I wasn’t sure I could imagine. A set of shelves held some books and trinkets I’d gathered over the years. Behind it, cleverly concealed in the rocky wall, was a hidden alcove. I stored the relic there, hoping I’d know when the time was right to take it with me. Its light dimmed as if it knew it was being left behind.

I took a deep breath, steadying myself. This was it. I had to face Caius, my father. I checked the array of weapons concealed beneath my clothes, their familiar weight a small comfort.

“Let’s do this,” I whispered to the empty room and walked out, ready for whatever came next.

Stepping into the shadows, I walked out onto the edge of Crimson Fang territory, every muscle tensed for what was to come.

My sudden appearance didn’t faze the shifters. They simply gave me a wary glance and gestured for me to make my way on into the heart of their pack lands before returning to their business. The Crimson Fang’s alpha house, made of dark stone, exuded an air of authority. As I stepped through the open, imposing wooden door, a shifter immediately greeted me and guided me through the labyrinth of corridors into a grand hall.

Heavy tapestries lined the walls. Shifters lingered, waiting for orders or hoping to have an audience with the mighty alpha. The scent of fear filled my nostrils as I pushed my way into the building.

Caius perched on the dais in the center of the room, a preening, prideful peacock. His territory, his rules, his game.

He saw me approaching. “Atticus,” Caius said, his voice smooth as silk and twice as dangerous. He smiled at me, but it held no warmth. “It’s been too long.”

“Cut the shit.” The tension in the air was a live wire, humming with the promise of violence.

“Such hostility.” He tsked, spreading his hands in mock surrender. “Is that any way to speak to your father?”

“Father?” I scoffed. “I think we’ve established you stopped being that a long time ago.”

We sized each other up. Him on his throne of lies, me on the precipice of war. The air buzzed, charged with an energy that threatened to erupt at the slightest provocation.

The distance to the dais felt like miles, but I closed it with a few determined strides.

“I’m not here for pleasantries,” I said. My voice was steel, but inside I was terrified. “You know why I’m here.”

Caius’s smile never wavered, but it was as cold as the winds that howled outside our territory in the dead of winter. It didn’t reach his eyes, those ice-chip orbs calculating my every move.

“Ah, yes. The girl. Your... bonded, is that what you’re calling it?” His words were smooth, calculated to unnerve. “She is quite the asset, you know. Unique in ways even she doesn’t fully understand.”

I clenched my fists, resisting the familiar urge to shift and let my wolf take over. This wasn’t the time for recklessness. If I lost control, I’d lose, and I was determined to win and take everything I wanted. But I knew I had to be as cunning as the man standing in front of me, if not more so.

“What do you want?” I growled.

He pinned me with his gaze, ice-cold and unforgiving. He didn’t just watch me, he dissected me. Caius turned every second into an hour, the silence a battlefield of wills. I felt that familiar itch in my jaw, the wolf inside snarling for release. This was a fight of wits, not claws.

“Speak,” I bellowed.

Caius walked closer to the edge of the dais, each movement deliberate and measured, his gaze locked on mine. The air around him responded to his intent, becoming dark and oppressive as he focused his energy. He stole the air from my lungs, reminding me of the power he wielded. “Mind your manners.”

I clutched at my throat, futilely attempting to alleviate the choking sensation. He let me go. It was nothing more than a demonstration of his authority, a reminder of the power he commanded.

“What do I want?” he repeated as if nothing had transpired. His voice was a calm river, hiding treacherous currents beneath. “I want many things, son. Power, control, the unchallenged reign over our kind.”

Caius paced. He circled me like he was the hunter and I his defiant prey. “What I want from you is your submission, your loyalty, your undeniable commitment to our pack’s destiny as its heir.” Each word was a link to a shackle trying to bind my future.

“Submission isn’t in my nature,” I shot back, my stance unyielding.

He stopped moving, standing so close I could feel his breath on my cheek. Our energies clashed without touching. “Most importantly, I want you to forsake any foolish notions of rebellion, any misguided allegiance to... outsiders .”

The word “outsiders” was emphasized with such contempt, it left no room for misunderstanding. He meant Aria. He didn’t know the meaning of loyalty and he sure as fuck didn’t understand love. I’d lay down my life for her. She was the only thing that mattered to me. I wouldn’t let him snuff her out.

“Why? You never wanted me. You made it clear how much you hated me and my power. Why the change of heart now? Why do you want me here? Why would you trade her for me?”

The smirk twisting Caius’s lips made my skin crawl. “Well, my son,” he drawled, “if you must know, I regret casting aside my only descendant. Our line must continue. You are a part of me, after all, an extension of myself. Your heirs will be as well.”

His words were a calculated strike, aimed to unsettle. A shudder threatened to tear through me, but I stood firm, unblinking. Whatever game he was playing, I’d have to play it better.

I could almost hear the cogs turning in his head. The machinations of Caius Thorne and his grand plan for power and legacy. But Aria… Could I really trade what we had? She was my compass in a world gone mad.

It wasn’t a question I had to ask. I knew the answer. She was everything. And I would do anything for her safety, anything to give her a chance in this war for our realm.

“Done,” I said.

I felt it then, the unmistakable binding of a pact sealing. It wasn’t a mere promise spoken; it was an oath made manifest.

“Let the terms be bound,” Caius said as he extended his hand toward me.

The air thickened around us, heavy with power that crawled over my skin like a swarm of insects. I gritted my teeth, bracing for what came next. Tattoos started to form, ink slithering across my flesh, a visual proof of the words we’d exchanged. They wound around my arms like chains. A thousand invisible needles painted the designs onto my skin, tearing into my flesh.

“Is it done?” I was steady, but inside, turmoil reigned. The markings were intricate, symbols of our ancient lineage and the covenant now forged. They were a yoke, a vise tightening with each second.

“Done,” Caius said, almost gleefully. “You are mine.”

“Only by bond,” I said as the cold etchings snaked up to my neck to form a collar of subservience and sacrifice. I could almost hear Aria’s voice in my mind, telling me to be strong, to endure. Her face flashed through my mind, giving me strength.

“Remember your place,” Caius warned, following the dark lines of the tattoo as they completed their journey across my body.

“I know my place,” I replied, as the tattoos settled into my skin and soul. “It’s with her. Always.”

Caius snorted as he turned away. The transaction was complete, and so was the transformation. I bore the marks of my decision, a labyrinth of shadows and promises, a map of a future written in the language of power and sacrifice. I’d become a chained beast.

With that, I stepped back, the iron grip of the magical bargain tightening around my very being. This was the cost of love in a world ruled by dominance and bloodlines. This was my burden to bear.

He walked away from the dais, head held high, his ego on full display. He made a subtle gesture, motioning for me to follow, and I obediently trailed behind. We left the assembly room and through a door that took us out into a quadrangle of buildings. The Crimson Fang pack were occupied with their daily tasks and avoided crossing paths with Caius. Clearly, he ruled through intimidation and dominance.

I followed him down a spiraling staircase, the sounds of our steps bouncing off the walls. When we reached the bottom, he led me through a labyrinth of corridors. The Crimson Fang compound was a festering wound in the earth, each step taking us deeper into its infected core.

“Here,” Caius finally said, stopping before an iron door.

With a sigh, he opened it. He clearly didn’t want to, but he’d bound me, made a pact, leaving him with no other option but to set Aria free. The lock clicked, and I pushed past him, shouldering the door open.

The cell was a pit of darkness. My chest tightened. The feeble light from the hall was a joke, barely touching the blackness in the cell. The air was thick and rotten with old magic and lost hope. I stepped in, finding Aria on the cot. She looked broken, her usual fire dimmed to nothing but a dull flicker. Her clothes were slit down the middle, and the sight of it sent a white-hot surge of rage through me. I choked it down. Killing could wait; Aria couldn’t.

“Aria,” I said in a low growl.

I dropped to my knees beside her, my hand shaking as I moved a lock of silver hair from her face. She was alive, but just barely. I traced the lines of her face, remembering the strength that usually lived there. Seeing her like this, so pale and weak, was on me, too. Caius would pay, but first, I had to fix what I’d broken.

“Forgive me,” I whispered, hoping she could hear me. “I’ll get you out of here.”

I slipped one arm under Aria’s knees, the other supporting her back, and picked her up like I was cradling a part of myself. She weighed nearly nothing, her strength diminished in this place. Her heartbeat thudded against my chest, a weak but steady reassurance that she was still with me. My vision tunneled, the cell and its horrors fading as I stepped into the shadow realm.

“Let’s get you home,” I muttered.

The walk through shadows was disorienting, a twisting path that defied physics and reason. In two quick steps, we were in the safety of her room. The bright lights streaming in the window and the softness of her bed contrasted sharply with the bleak cold stone of the cell Caius had kept her in.

I gently set her down on her bed. Pressing my forehead to hers, I remembered the last time we were here together. The fact that it might have been the last time made my heart lurch. The weight of a thousand regrets crashed down on me. But I had done this for her, for us.

Her face seemed more peaceful here, away from the damp and darkness, the fetid magic that had been draining her. I brushed my lips against hers, my apology silent but fervent.

“Forgive me.”

Ilaric burst in and assessed the scene before him. “Atticus, what’s?—”

“Quiet,” I said, gripping his shoulder and steering him toward the door. “Listen to me.”

He nodded, waiting for instructions.

“Take care of her. If she wakes up, don’t let her leave. Don’t let her come after me.”

“Where are you going?”

“To end this,” I said. “Just keep her safe.”

“Very well,” he agreed, determination setting in his jaw. “I’ll guard her with my life.”

“Thank you.” I gave his shoulder a final squeeze, then disappeared into the shadows.