29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Samara

I rubbed my wrists where the cuffs had chaffed the skin, barely feeling the stinging anymore. It was unsettling and quite frankly terrifying not to be able to reach my magic when I had spent every day for the past ten years using it, but… I also couldn't feel him . I couldn't feel his prodding in my mind and the ache that came with his assaults on my mental wards. All I felt was… nothing.

Part of me was worried that this meant I no longer controlled him, but the world was still intact, so I had to believe that he was confined and not able to hurt anyone. After all, he hadn't come after me or my family, so…

My family . I still couldn't believe I had a reason to use that word… They had refused to let me out of their sight for hours when I arrived. Only when some commotion brought a few hundred people to the mansion and the butler appeared to ask for their assistance did they go. Something about an Elder vampire running rampant in the woods—I didn't get more than that before I was left alone to rest.

It had been almost two days since then and I had barely stepped out of the room for obvious reasons. Even though the people in the mansion were mostly non-warriors, with Roman MIA and Isaac having gone somewhere, they didn't want to risk somebody coming after me for what my witches did to them. I couldn't blame them. If I hadn't been busy fighting for my life, I would have been one of those witches casting the spell.

Most of the shifters had left this morning after the sun came up, and just a few warriors remained to patrol the lands and search for any sign of what might have happened to Roman. The vampire hadn't returned, and the household was concerned. For a vampire.

I was already going crazy being stuck inside. Even Lily, who was clearly still in recovery, had been up and about more than me. I needed to get out, even if it was just for a few minutes. Too much had changed overnight. Not just reuniting with my family but… the things I knew and believed in for ten years were being twisted and disproven one after another and I… I just needed to clear my head.

I stepped closer to the window, and I peeked down at the huge, budding garden behind the house. Even from this distance, I could tell it would be a thing of beauty and if I could trust my nose, it would be a heaven for herbs too. Not that it was a surprise if Celeste was living here. The others had been pretty tight-lipped about her whereabouts, even my family, but I'd gathered enough to assume she wasn't on the property. Just my luck.

This side of the mansion didn't have that many rooms, which meant fewer windows to be spied from. My parents should be asleep after being up all night helping the shifters prepare for departure, so nobody would even notice me gone. I just needed a few minutes of fresh air and I'd be back before anyone thought I was plotting something. Not that I had many options with the magic-suppressing binds still on my wrists.

I wondered if anyone else here had the authority to remove them aside from Roman—I didn't want to cut my hands off to get rid of them if he was dead. As far as I knew, such charmed artifacts could be controlled by several people, but it required their blood. I doubted Roman trusted anyone in the house with such power. Maybe only Celeste.

Slipping into the corridor, I listened for any sounds before heading toward the stairs. Without my magic to check for any danger, it felt like my eyes were blindfolded and my hands tied behind my back. Still… when I watched my family earlier, even without powers, they smiled and laughed and walked around like the world outside wasn't full of monsters that wanted them dead. Part of me envied them for that, but another, bigger part, was immensely worried it would get them killed .

I turned the corner where I thought I might find another staircase to get me out of this giant maze when I almost ran into someone. If it wasn't for my vast experience in trying to avoid bumping into Mathias when he'd appear out of nowhere, I wouldn't have been able to stop fast enough. Lily stepped back with a yelp and Alice caught her elbow to steady her.

"Violet! I thought you were still sleeping!" my sister smiled, and I had to remind myself that I was Violet to her. She didn't know me as Samara and thank the Goddess for that. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I was just going for some fresh air," I said, forcing a smile. "How was your treatment?" My heart clenched while I studied her pale face. When I found out she had been hexed by someone and Alice barely saved her, I couldn't believe it. At first, I didn't make the connection and thought she must have gotten cursed when they were with the hunters, but then it dawned on me.

Meghan. Meghan had touched her that day in the vampire's nest and whispered something. I had forgotten about it, but it made sense it would be her. Regina had issued orders to take down any of Celeste's inner circle if given the chance, including her humans. Back then, I didn't know her humans were my family .

If Meghan wasn't dead, I would have killed her myself for that.

"It was fine." Lily blushed, glancing at Alice from the corner of her eye. "Can I come? I can use the fresh air, too." Alice pursed her lips in displeasure and Lily just smiled sheepishly at her. "Just for a little bit! Then I'm going straight to bed, I promise! Besides, there is no more green stuff coming out, so this means it's over, right?"

"No, you still need a few more days of rest." Alice's eyes softened the moment she met Lily's gaze. My sister made a very convincing puppy-eyed expression and the other woman sighed. "Fifteen minutes." Lily beamed and despite the shifter's serious expression, I noticed the edges of her lips lift slightly. "And if you argue, I'm telling your mother you relapsed. I'm sure she'll be able to keep you in bed until you're all healed."

Lily grimaced but nodded. "Fifteen minutes."

After looping her arm with mine, Lily tugged me back the way she had come from, with Alice silently following. She talked about the rooms we passed and the library on the first level, which she had claimed for her research on the Castles, like strolling with me was the most natural thing in the world. I was stunned and eternally grateful for how hard she was trying to make me feel welcome, but I knew she felt it too—the chasm of time between us that couldn't be crossed with a few tears and a well-meaning smile.

We reached the door leading outside and the whiff of herbs and damp earth hit my nose, making me inhale deeply. Her touch disappeared, and I looked around in confusion, only to find her saying something to Alice in a hushed voice. I caught the words ‘privacy' and ‘hovering', but the rest was incomprehensible. When Alice replied, though, there was no whispering.

"I'll wait here since the house has a soundproofing spell and I won't hear if you call. Be back in fifteen minutes." She shot me a quick glance before returning her attention to my sister. "I'm serious, Lily. You need more rest."

Lily gave her a salute, back paddling toward me while Alice watched her under furrowed brows. I allowed my sister to pull me along the pebbled path until we entered the waking garden, where rows of beautiful but useless flowers and herbs—both dangerous and rare—filled every space of the place.

"Sorry about that. She means well, but she can be a bit overbearing," Lily muttered when she released my hand to run her fingers over the vibrant petals of one of the pink roses that had wrapped around a stone statue. I was about to warn her to be careful of what she touched when she caught her arms behind her back and smiled at me.

"People who genuinely care for you are rare. When you find them, keep them close," I said, walking a step behind, so I could watch her. I could hardly recognize the little girl from my foggy memories, but the woman in front of me was adorable and impressive in her own way.

"Yeah…" Lily laughed awkwardly, her face flushing red. I raised an eyebrow, but she didn't look at me, too busy staring at a bright orange flower with clover-like leaves that I was pretty sure was poisonous. Herbs had never been my thing, and while I did have to learn some of the most common ones, Regina didn't pressure me into memorizing them. She used to say that being a Head Witch had its perks, like not having to remember silly things because someone else did that for you.

Lily moved down the path, her shoulders caving in. I couldn't see her expression, but I could see a heavy blush spreading to her ears. Even as a child, she couldn't hide it when she was uncomfortable. But why was she embarrassed now? I didn't want to pry—I wasn't sure I had the right to—but with the way she looked at me, I had a feeling she wanted me to .

"Who is she?" I risked it only to be rewarded with her back.

"She is… my mate."

I tripped and almost fell into one of the herb beds, crushing a few stalks under my feet. When I stepped back onto the pathway, I was gawking at my sister, who finally turned to face me.

"Your what now?" I asked breathlessly, looking over my shoulder at the mansion we had left behind. "You do realize she can hear us, right?"

Lily's face flushed even harder. "Well, she is aware of that, obviously. And she's not the one I'm concerned about." I gave her a confused look, and she looked down. "I wanted to tell Mom and Dad properly so I could see their reaction, but it kind of happened while I was unconscious. They say they are perfectly fine with it, but I…" She waved her hand in the air like she couldn't find the right words, then let it drop by her side. Her eyes met mine again, and she bit her lip. "And you are here now, so I thought…" She shrugged, peeking at me as if to check my reaction.

That's when it clicked. Taking a step closer, I caught her shoulders and squeezed them until she looked at me.

"Listen to me, Lily," I said softly, rubbing my thumb over hers. "I know things are different between us and we might never be as close as we were before, but I need you to hear me." She gulped nervously, shifting from one leg to another. "Your parents…" I cleared my throat. " Our parents love you and I'm sure when they say they are ‘fine' with it, that is exactly what they mean." I glanced back the way we had come from, remembering the worried lines on Alice's face and seeing her in a whole new light. "It doesn't matter to them if you love a boy or a girl, as long as you're happy. And it doesn't matter to me either. So wipe your tears or she might beat me for making you cry."

Lily scoffed, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand.

"Why are you even fretting about this? Have our parents given you the impression that they would…."My eyes landed on the giant, impossibly green tree behind her and I watched it shake its branches, sending a few leaves to the ground. "How the fuck is there a grove here?"

Confusion took over Lily's features, and she turned to follow my gaze. I hadn't noticed it before, too focused on her, but now that we were close enough… even without my magic, I could feel it. The power coursing through the ground turned the colors unbelievably vibrant, while the plants buzzed with whispers that were not of this world. Even the fruits that were starting to form on one of the bushes had an odd shape and a striking magenta color.

"What do you mean? Oh!" Lily gawked at the sight, taking a step toward it. I yanked her back before she crossed the line that separated the Fae land from the normal one. "That wasn't here the other day. Wasn't a grove where the Fae lived?"

"Yes." I frowned. "But theirs is in the city. There shouldn't be one here. And this size…" I looked around the patch of land that was no bigger than the entrance hall of Roman's house and shook my head. "This can barely be called a garden." Lily leaned closer for a better view, and I pulled her back again, keeping her behind me. "Do not go in there! You don't know what you'd find inside or if you'd be able to leave. I—"

"It's fine. It's probably Malakai's doing." Lily shrugged. "He's a nice guy. He won't do anything to endanger us."

My jaw dropped in shock. "Malakai? The Fae Prince Malakai?"

Lily nodded, looking at me like she didn't understand my surprise.

"He said he'd prefer not to be addressed by his title," she chuckled. "Do you know him?"

"I… uhm, yeah I do. But what is he doing here?"

"He was out of the city when the spell was cast, so he couldn't go home…" Lily explained. "He's been staying here. I guess he missed home, and that's why he created this place."

I shook my head. She didn't get it, she couldn't get it.

"Lily, the Fae cannot create groves. Groves occur naturally, and the Fae find them and inhabit them. This…" I motioned toward the patch of magical land again, fear and awe battling in my chest as I studied it for any danger. "This isn't normal. Stay away from it."

Lily grinned. "Alright, but I'm telling you. He wouldn't do anything to—"

The hair on the back of my neck rose in alarm and I reached for my magic on instinct, only to be met by an invisible wall. My body rebelled against the binds, but when the cuffs' spell didn't budge, I reacted on instinct, shoving my sister aside.

She landed in one of the flower beds, scrambling to her knees while I spun in search of the danger. Something flew between the bushes across from the small square we had stopped at, and the faint light from the gloomy sky reflected on its shiny surface right before it sunk into my thigh.

The knife buried itself almost to the hilt, and I screamed as pain stole my vision. My fingers instinctively wrapped around its handle and yanked it free, cursing under my breath. With my magic, I could have easily diverted it, but my body was too slow and weak to react the way I wanted it to.

I was just raising the blade to look at the runes etched on its surface when a second one embedded itself into my shoulder. The third one missed me since I threw myself to the ground next to Lily.

"Move, move, move!" I hissed, nudging her with my good hand toward the thicker shrubs a few steps away from where we were lying. "Have you had any hunters' attacks here before?"

"Only a vampire, I think," she whispered, helping me to my knees as we hid behind a bush.

"Vampires don't use blades or walk in the sun," I snarled as I yanked the second knife free and threw it in the grass. The runes stopped glowing the moment I was no longer touching it, confirming what I had suspected. That thing… it had magic in it.

Lily tried to look over the side of the bush, but I grabbed her by the shirt and tugged her back just as another dagger flew past her head. She gulped, the color draining from her face.

"That was… I almost…" she whispered, taking several sharp breaths as panic made her shake all over.

"Breathe, Lily, breathe!" I whispered, catching her hand and squeezing it. "You'll be fine. I'll make sure of it."

She nodded, but then her eyes landed on my shoulder and she squealed. "Oh, my God! You're bleeding! Oh, shit! Oh, shit!"

"Lily!" She tore her eyes away from my wound, looking at me. "This is a big stretch, but… Can you try taking my cuffs off? Do you have the authority?"

"I-I don't know," she whispered, grasping my left hand with trembling fingers and pulling on the metal. We both stared in surprise as the manacle opened and magic flooded my body in an overwhelming wave. She grabbed the other and undid it while I stared at her in disbelief.

My request had been nothing but a fool's hope, but to think Roman would give her, a mere human, such power was… mind-boggling. Did Roman really trust Lily that much? He was a vampire! He didn't care about anybody!

A loud howl echoed through the garden and we both froze to listen .

"Alice!" Lily gasped, and before I could stop her, she was dashing out of our hiding spot. Pushing to my feet with a grunt, I summoned a ward around her while I tried to catch up. I hadn't had the chance to study the runes on the blades more closely, but they had definitely been intended for witches because my wounds were barely healing, even after I directed half my magic to them.

A furry brown form soared in the air before slamming into a large man dressed in black from head to toe. The two rolled among the flowers and herbs, sending petals and dirt flying everywhere, and for a bit, it looked like the wolf was winning. Her jaws snapped dangerously close to his neck a couple of times before he kicked the animal with such strength that she flew a good ten feet before crashing into the fountain we had passed earlier. The statue of a woman on top of it snapped in two, and both she and the wolf toppled to the ground while the water erupted upward.

The wolf didn't stay down. Jumping to her feet, Alice bared her teeth and charged the hunter again. He dropped his knife in favor of a pouch he plucked out of his pocket and threw it at her. She howled as she passed through the cloud of shimmering dust, staggering back and tossing her head violently.

"Alice, look out!" Lily screamed, just when the hunter slid another knife out of the strap on his thigh. I sent my magic forward and his weapon bounced off the ward next to the shifter's head, disappearing into the bushes.

His head snapped in our direction, and Lily screamed. I threw her a glance to see if she got hurt somehow, but she was just standing there, covering her mouth with her hands while her eyes grew wide with horror.

I considered separating his limbs from his body so he wouldn't be able to attack or run away, but I didn't want to do it in front of her. So I sent more of my power to wrap around him and bring him to his knees so I could remove his weapons and we could tie him up. If that didn't work, then, well… Lily might need to look the other way.

The hunter paused, looking around as the magic tightened its hold on him, and then he… stepped through it. My jaw dropped in shock while I watched him continue toward us with a wide, confident gait, an arrogant smile tugging on his lips. His hair was long and dark, raised in a bun on the back of his head, eyes gray like the sky overhead. He could have passed for a normal, unassuming human if it wasn't for the dark, ominous tattoos covering his arms, neck, and even forehead. There were so many of them that I was surprised he felt human at all.

Was this how he pierced my ward? The spell was still there, hanging in the air, so he didn't break it with his runes, he just went through it. Like a vampire would. But he wasn't a vampire—he could walk under the sun and I could definitely feel a heartbeat coming from him.

"Get behind me!" I told Lily, raising both my hands in preparation. It didn't matter what made him immune to my magic, nobody was immune to getting his brain bashed in.

I waved toward the statue with the roses from earlier and it tore itself from its pedestal, dragging along the flowers and vines as they snapped one by one. The hunter barely slowed down, unsheathing a long, shiny blade from the strap on his back.

The stone tore through the air and I expected it to pommel him into the ground with the speed it flew, but he sidestepped it with half an effort. The bust crashed onto the earth, rolling through the rolls of neatly arranged herbs and coming to a stop as it collided with one of the smaller trees, almost uprooting it from its place.

He looked back at us, and his smile grew. I felt a set of fingers squeeze my arm and almost jumped when Lily whispered, "That's him! The one that held us captive! The one that almost killed Celeste!"

The horror in her voice made my blood boil, and I pulled more of my magic to me. Digging my feet into the dirt, I let it soak the earth until it touched every single plant in the garden, calling them to our aid. Roots upturned the ground, branches, and stalks shooting toward him, but all he did was slash them off before they could even reach him. His smile remained on the whole time, taunting and terrifying, and once the earth beneath his feet turned into a graveyard for dead plants, he stopped to clean the blade on his sleeve.

"Time's up, Samara," he spoke for the first time, and I could swear I knew that voice. I couldn't remember when or where I had heard it, but my mind recognized it instantly and a cold shiver crawled down my spine. "Come quietly and I'll let the others go."

Lily's hand tightened on my arm.

He was here for me. He wasn't attacking the place because it belonged to a vampire or because of the shifters in these lands. He was here for me .

"Who sent you?" I demanded, trying not to be obvious as I glanced at the mansion. Surely someone would have seen something, heard something by now. Why wasn't anyone coming to help us? The thought had barely crossed my mind when Alice's words hit me like a brick—there was a soundproofing spell on the house, and most of the rooms on this side of the mansion should be unoccupied after her people left.

"You already know," he smirked, pointing the blade toward me. No, not toward me… toward Lily. "Come along now. Nobody else needs to get hurt."

I took a deep breath and stepped forward, trying to shrug off Lily's grip, but she only clung to me harder. If he was here on Mariam's orders, then it was better to go. I couldn't risk getting her killed because of me. Once it was only the two of us, I could act. I could even call on Mathias, although after what happened…

Before I could make a second step, Alice, still in wolf form, slammed into the hunter, locking her teeth around his arm. He cursed as blood gushed from the wound while the wolf jerked her head, trying to tear his limb off. His blade dropped to the ground, but to my shock, he looked more annoyed than hurt.

"Alice, run!" I yelled when I noticed him reach for something on his belt. Before the shifter could react, he slipped out another knife and sank it into her back. She released him, wailing so loud that her roar made my head throb. Lily screamed just as loudly.

"Get off her!" I snarled at him, running forward now that Lily had released me. The ground moved at my command again, throwing him back just before he could stab her again. Alice shifted into her human form, but instead of trying to get up, she stayed down, the blood oozing from her wound in a heavy stream.

The earth shook and rose in waves, pushing the hunter further and further back. If I couldn't pin him down, then I was going to bury him. I'd love to see him step out of that.

I opened my arms, and the earth tilted, creating a hole big enough for him to fall through. He jumped to the side, avoiding the slide and disappearing into what was left of the bushes. When I lost sight of him, I staggered back, glancing at where Lily was hugging Alice's body, pressing a hand against the wound on her back. Blood seeped between her fingers, with pale, shiny lines running around the injury.

Silver. Shit!

My heart dropped when I spun on my heel and noticed my sister's mouth opening to scream. I ducked more on instinct than anything else, avoiding the blade that was aimed at my abdomen. The ground beneath our feet exploded, forcing us apart, and by the time the rain of dirt ceased, he was gone again.

I cried out in frustration, grabbing more of my energy even as the pain came along with it. I never got the chance to fully heal and recharge, so I was reaching my limit already, but I'd be damned if I let that bastard get the better of us. I just needed to figure out why he wasn't affected by magic and could do things he shouldn't be able to do. Just like Mathias who…

The thought slipped. Mathias. I had to call him, even if it was a huge risk. It didn't matter how we left things; it didn't matter that he threatened me. I held his leash, and I was going to make him help me, even if it killed me after.

"Violet!" Lily screamed, and I spun around. She was still kneeling with the unconscious Alice in her arms, but the hunter stood behind her, his weapon poised at her throat. I took a step toward them and he pressed the blade against her trachea hard enough that a few drops of blood slid down her pale skin. One slip of his fingers—that was all it was going to take for him to end her life.

"Alright, I surrender!" I said, raising my hands and letting go of my magic. "Just don't hurt her!"

"This could have been so much easier," he sighed, grimacing as his eyes darted to Alice's body. "Now come here." I started walking, gaze locked on the weapon on Lily's neck. Tears glistened on her cheeks, her lips quivering as she clung to her mate and stared at me with begging eyes. "Try anything and she goes down first. Then the wolf."

I nodded, ignoring the desperate call of my magic as I drew ever closer. I waited for him to release her once I was within his range, but he used his free hand to slip something out of the pocket. He offered me the object—a thin, metallic cylinder engraved with shimmering runes. The powerful magic rippling from it made the hair on my arms rise.

"Take the other end," he ordered, and I swallowed the lump in my throat, giving my sister an apologetic look. He pushed the knife harder against her skin and she closed her eyes, whimpering in fear. When she opened them again, my mind was made up.

"I'm sorry we didn't have more time," I whispered, then caught the end of the artifact .

Magic rushed through my body like a tornado, stealing my breath and spinning my head. I could tell we were moving through space, but I couldn't feel my body. I had no idea what kind of spell was in that object, but it was one I had never seen before.

When we landed a moment later, my feet gave out. A soft whine had me shooting up again and as my eyes landed on Lily cradling Alice's body beside me, a wave of horror almost knocked me out.

"No…" I gasped, reaching for her to make sure she wasn't real when something hit me on the back of my head and the world turned dark.