Chapter 34

SWYN

The woods feel unnaturally quiet as we enter Spells Hollow, the aftermath of the storm hanging in the air like a bruise. The trees, splintered and broken, mirror the mess of thoughts in my head.

Ri is ahead of me, his steps sure, Sol and Kel flanking us. Their presence is protective, but the weight in my chest is growing heavier with every step.

"Stay close," Ri murmurs, glancing back. His hair is still damp from the short shower of rain we experienced on our way here, so dark it looks black, and for a brief moment, I wish I could sink into the comfort of his warmth.

But something's off. It's not just the storm…something else is pulling me deeper into the woods.

I can feel it. It's like there's a pulsing thread of invisible violet light coming from my chest leading me somewhere… gently tugging me. And with every step in the right direction that I take, the light glows brighter and the hum of magic, or energy, or electricity or something, increases.

And then, I see him.

My breath catches in my throat as I spot a body slumped against the base of an old oak, barely visible beneath the shattered branches. Oland.

Without thinking, I rush forward, darting round Ri, my heart slamming against my rib cage.

"Swyn! Stop!" The guys bark, but I can't.

"Oland!" His name feels foreign on my lips, but it's all I can say as I kneel beside him. He's battered, his skin ghostly pale, with cuts and bruises covering his arms and face.

Blood seeps from his side, staining the ground beneath him. But he's breathing—shallow, weak, but alive.

My hands tremble as I press them to his chest, unsure of what to do.

"Oland, can you hear me?" I whisper, panic rising in my throat. The others gather around, tense and silent.

"Careful, Swyn. It could be a trap," Ri murmurs cautiously. I guess as soon as I said his name, they must have realised who he is, and I'm grateful for them not trying to pull me away from him.

It's not a trap. Don't know how I know, but I just do. The thread led me to Oland. We're connected just as surely as I'm connected to the three brothers.

Oland's eyes flutter open, dull blue meeting mine, and a weak smile tugs at his lips. "You…found me."

"What happened to you?" I ask, my voice tight, torn between relief and guilt. I hadn't expected to see him again. Not like this. And why am I… worried ?

"I tried to stop it." His voice is a ragged whisper. "The storm…it wasn't natural. It was meant for you. I—" He coughs, grimacing in pain, but his eyes don't leave mine. "I tried to protect you."

The guilt crashes over me like a wave. He fought for me? Despite everything, he was trying to keep me safe? The confusion gnaws at me, twisting inside as I try to reconcile the man I'm kneeling beside with the one I'd been running from for so long.

"Oland, don't talk. We'll get you help," I say, brushing a strand of wet hair from his forehead, my fingers barely steady.

He shakes his head weakly. "No time. There's something you need to know." His voice is strained, his gaze sharp as it locks onto mine. "Swyn… we're bound. Fated mates. You can't break the curse without me."

My world tilts. The words hang in the air, impossible and heavy. Fated mates? My heart pounds painfully in my chest, and I'm torn between disbelief and…something I can't name. I look at the others—Ri, Kel, Sol—but they're as silent as I am.

How is this even possible? Can I have four fated mates? And if I do, why did Gramps not want me to marry Oland? None of this makes any sense.

"I don't—" I stammer, but before I can speak, a shimmer of light appears between the trees. My breath catches in my throat as the figure materialises, spectral and glowing—a vision, but solid enough to feel real.

Elias.

His presence sends a ripple of energy through the clearing, and the air feels charged, alive. His deep voice echoes around us, cutting through the tension.

"It's time, Swyn."

I stare at him, my mind spinning. "Gramps… what?—"

He doesn't let me finish. "The brothers are finally reunited. Earth, air, fire, and water… all are here. And you, as a master of Aether, will finally be complete."

I blink, confusion swallowing me whole. Complete? Aether? "What are you talking about?" I ask, my voice a broken whisper. "Oland said I need him?—"

Elias doesn't let me finish. "Your path to break the curse lies with the triplets, yes, but also with Oland." His voice reverberates through the air, commanding and sure. "He, too, is part of this."

The words knock the breath out of me, my thoughts scrambling. "I don't understand—he's—" I glance down at Oland, then up at the brothers. "How is that possible? I thought…"

"They are brothers, and each of them plays a role, bound to you by fate," Elias continues, stepping forward. "You, as the master of Aether, will bring balance, but only when the four elements—earth, air, fire, and water—are united by your side. Oland, master of earth, is part of that balance."

My pulse is deafening in my ears, the truth sinking in. Oland isn't just here by coincidence, and I can't just turn away from him. He's not only tied to my past but to my future, just like the triplets are.

My head spins with the implications. I need him to break the curse.

But that doesn't erase the bond I've already started building with Kel, Sol, and Ri.

I glance at them now, their faces unreadable. The tension between us, already thick, now feels like it might break. Ri, especially, watches me with that intense gaze of his, the muscles in his jaw tight.

How am I supposed to balance all of this?

Oland shifts beside me, groaning in pain as he tries to sit up. "Swyn," he murmurs, his voice weak but determined, "I'll help you. I'll do whatever it takes. But there's no rush. We know how to break the curse now, so there's no rush. We have time to fall in love."

My heart aches. There's no going back now. I look at him, at the brothers, and then back to Elias, who is watching me expectantly.

I can't ignore what's happening here. I can't pretend this isn't real.

Elias gives a final nod, as if satisfied. "You will have to make the choice, Swyn. But know this—your power will only be fully realised when all are bound to you, as one." His form begins to shimmer, fading into the trees.

"The curse will break. Trust in that."

The clearing falls silent again, and I'm left staring at Oland, his breathing ragged, his body broken. And yet, despite everything, I need him. Not just to survive—but to be whole.

But there's no denying the bond I've already forged with Ri, Sol, and Kel. I sense it in every look, every touch, every heartbeat that passes between us. And now Oland? He complicates everything.

A voice inside me screams that I shouldn't want this, shouldn't be torn between them all. But how can I ignore the truth? We're all connected in a way that goes beyond desire, beyond love. Beyond fate.

I was never meant to choose.

Kel steps forward, his hand resting lightly on my shoulder. "Swyn, we'll figure this out. It's….well, it's a lot for all of us to get our heads around. Of course we knew we had a brother, but knowing it and meeting him like this are…well, yeah. My head's spinning so I can't even begin to imagine how you're feeling."

I swallow, nodding, but my thoughts are racing. Can I really open myself up to Oland the same way I've started to with the others? Can I truly accept what Elias has just said? That I'm bound to Oland and the brothers alike?

There's no question of it. I know it's true. I have to do this.

I look at Ri, his eyes burning with emotion, then Sol, whose comforting presence makes my heart ache, and Kel, steady as always. And finally, at Oland, whose presence now feels like both a salvation and a burden.

"We need each other," I whisper, more to myself than to them. "Not just to break the curse, but to stop whatever evil is coming after us."

But I know one thing for sure: we have to break the curse. And that means accepting everything—every part of this twisted, beautiful bond we share.

Even if it tears me apart.

We take Oland to my ancestral home. It's closer than the motel. Sol and Kel help lift him, and practically carry him between them the entire way. Luckily the house has a downstairs bedroom where they place him.

Ri hasn't said a word, but frustration is coming off him in waves.

Sol has shifted and left to go and get Mavis, because apparently she has some healer magic, and Kel offered to sit with Oland while we wait. Ri has disappeared off into the house somewhere, and even though I know I should go and find him and ask him what's wrong, I don't.

I just need a minute.

I can't stop thinking about everything Elias just revealed.

I'm pacing the large open plan living room that once felt cosy and safe, but now feels like a prison of my own thoughts. My chest feels tight, my pulse racing as I replay the moment over and over—Oland lying there, hurt, telling me we're fated mates. Then Elias, speaking of bonds and balance, and how the curse can only be broken if all of them are with me. Including Oland.

I don't want it to be true. I can't want it to be true.

But I do.

There's no denying that there was a spark between Oland and I, and I can't help but wonder what might have happened between us if I hadn't run.

The room feels stifling. I open the window just to breathe in the fresh air, the scent of rain still lingering, but it does nothing to soothe the storm raging inside me.

My fingers dig into the windowsill, my thoughts running wild.

It's not that I don't care about Oland. I do. He's been a constant, a protector—even when I ran from him, according to my family. I know deep down he's been trying to keep me safe since the moment we wed. Knowing him, probably even before that day.

He is my Watcher after all.

I close my eyes and lean my forehead against the cool glass. What about the brothers? Are the four of them really related? Despite their initial physical differences, I can see similarities between Oland and the triplets.

It doesn't matter that Oland is all light — hair and eyes — where the twins are dark, there's undeniable similarities in their bone structure, the shape of their lips, the slant of their proud noses. And their impressive physiques.

I can see the familial resemblance now, but it's not surprising that I missed it before.

A pang hits me deep in my chest. Kel, Sol, Ri—they've become more than just my protectors. They've become… mine . The bond I have with them isn't something I can walk away from, and I don't want to.

It's grown stronger with every day, every look, every touch. But now, Oland's a part of it too, and I can't help but feel like everything is being ripped out from under me.

A knock on the door startles me out of my thoughts. "Swyn?" Sol's voice is soft, but even through the wood, I can hear the concern lacing his tone.

I hesitate. I'm not ready to face them, to explain the tangled mess inside me, but I can't ignore him either. "Come in," I murmur, not turning away from the window.

The door creaks open, and his footsteps approach before I feel his warmth beside me. Mavis hurries past us to go and tend to Oland. Sol doesn't say anything at first; he just stands there, close enough that his presence is a comfort, but far enough that he's giving me space.

"I can feel your thoughts from out there," he finally says, a hint of a smile in his voice. "You're practically buzzing with them."

I sigh, pressing my forehead harder against the glass. "It's just...everything."

"I get it." He reaches out, his fingers brushing mine where they grip the windowsill. The simple contact sends a wave of calm through me, but it's short-lived.

"I don't know what to do, Sol," I whisper. "I'm—" My voice cracks. "I'm so confused. Everything with you, Kel, Ri—it feels so right. But Oland—" I stop, my throat tightening. "I don't know how to handle this. How am I supposed to love him too?"

Sol is silent for a moment, his hand covering mine now, anchoring me.

"No one's asking you to love him right away. Not even Oland."

I finally turn to look at him, and his eyes are soft, understanding. "But the curse," I say, my voice trembling. "I can't break it without him. I don't even know how to feel about that."

Sol sighs, pulling me closer, his arms wrapping around me in a way that makes me feel safe, even if just for a moment. "I know," he says softly. "It's a lot. More than anyone should have to deal with. But we'll figure it out. You don't have to do this alone, Swyn."

I press my face into his chest, letting his warmth ground me. His heartbeat is steady, calming.

"I just feel like everything's spinning out of control. One minute I think I know what I want, and the next…it's all different."

His fingers run through my hair, a soothing gesture. "I think that's normal when it comes to fate and magic and curses." He pulls back just enough to look down at me, his eyes searching mine. "But don't shut us out, okay? We're in this with you, all of us."

I nod, but deep down, I know this is something I have to come to terms with myself. Sol might be right that no one's asking me to love Oland immediately, but the truth is, the bond I share with the brothers is already so strong. Adding Oland into that mix feels impossible.

How do I make space for him without losing what I have with them?

Sol presses a kiss to my forehead, and for a moment, I let myself sink into the comfort of his touch.

"You don't have to make all the decisions tonight," he murmurs. "Just...take it one step at a time. We're here. I'm here."

His words are like a balm to the wound inside me, but as I pull away, I know this isn't something that will heal quickly.

"I need some time," I whisper, stepping back.

Sol's eyes darken with worry, but he nods, respecting the space I'm asking for.

"We'll be here when you're ready."

When he leaves, I'm alone again with my thoughts. The window feels cold beneath my fingers now, but I can't seem to pull myself away from it. The sun is high and I watch as it lights up the woods where we found Oland.

Where my past collided with my present in the most painful way.

What am I supposed to do?

I try to imagine loving Oland. But everything's different. I'm different. My heart is tied to the brothers in ways I never expected. And now I'm supposed to make room for him too?

I press a hand to my chest, willing the ache to ease. But it doesn't. It just sits there, heavy and unrelenting.

Elias's words echo in my mind. "Your path to break the curse lies with the triplets, yes, but also with Oland." I can't break it without him. That's the truth.

No matter how much it complicates everything, no matter how much I don't want to admit it—I need him.

But accepting that… accepting him ... might mean losing part of what I've found with Kel, Sol, and Ri.

I sink onto the edge of the sofa, feeling the weight of everything pressing down on me. There's no easy way out of this. No simple answer. But one thing is clear: I can't move forward without facing what's between Oland and me.

And that scares me more than anything else.