Chapter 37

SOL

The air in the catacombs is thick with the scent of damp earth and stone, the dim torchlight casting flickering shadows on the crumbling walls.

Kel, Ri, Mavis, and I have been searching for hours, combing through ancient texts and artefacts, hoping to find anything that might protect us from Morfran.

The weight of the place is pressing down on me, but I push it aside, focusing on the task at hand. We don't have time for anything else.

Kel grumbles as he flips through another dusty tome. "This is useless. Half of this stuff is written in some old language none of us can read."

Ri shoots him a look. "Complaining isn't going to make it easier, Kel."

I'm about to chime in, maybe throw in a sarcastic remark to needle my brother, but then it hits me—like a punch to the gut.

My knees buckle, and I catch myself on the edge of a stone altar, gripping it hard enough that my knuckles turn white.

My heart lurches, pounding against my ribcage, and suddenly, I know.

The mate bond—it's solidifying, locking into place like a key turning in a long-forgotten lock.

Kel curses, his voice tight. "You feel that?"

Ri's breath hitches, his eyes widening as he straightens, gripping the edge of a nearby shelf for support. "Swyn and Oland. They..."

"Shit," I mutter, clenching my fists as the wave of sensation washes over me, an overwhelming mix of relief and something else—something deeper, primal.

The bond isn't just a thread now; it's a chain, unbreakable. There's no mistaking it.

I glance at my brothers, and the same realisation dawns on their faces. She's done it. They've done it.

Kel rubs a hand over his face, shaking his head. "It's real now, isn't it? The bond..."

"Yeah," Ri mutters, his voice gruff, but filled with a strange mix of emotions—surprise, relief, maybe even a little uncertainty. "It's real."

"Fuck."

Mavis steps forward, her eyes gleaming with knowing amusement. "Well, well, boys. It seems your little Swyn's finally taken that leap, hasn't she?"

Kel's brows furrow. "Does that mean the curse is broken?"

Ri crosses his arms, his gaze hardening as he considers the question.

"How are we supposed to know? She doesn't want kids, and that's what the curse is about, right?"

I shift uncomfortably at the thought. Swyn's been clear about that—she's not interested in continuing the curse's twisted legacy. But if she doesn't have a baby, how will we know if the curse is really broken? Are we really going to risk it by just waiting for the deadline to roll around?

"We'll know soon enough," Mavis says with a smirk, her voice dripping with a cryptic tone that sends a shiver down my spine. "Just wait and see."

"Wait and see?" Kel echoes, incredulous. "That's it? We just sit around waiting for something to happen?"

Mavis shrugs, completely unbothered. "You'll find out soon enough whether the curse is truly broken. Patience, boy."

I don't like it. I hate not knowing, hate the idea that Swyn could still be in danger. But the bond between us is stronger now, more certain, and that brings a sense of calm I wasn't expecting.

I exchange a glance with Ri, and he nods, his expression softening for just a moment. "We'll figure it out. We've come this far."

Kel lets out a sigh, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah. We have."

I stand up straighter, the lingering effects of the bond settling into something more manageable.

"She's one of us now," I say quietly. "No matter what happens."

"Damn right she is," Ri says, his voice low, but full of conviction.

Mavis chuckles, turning back to the text she's been poring over. "Well, if you lot are done getting all sentimental, we've got work to do. Morfran isn't going to wait around just because you've finally cemented the bond."

Kel groans. "Yeah, yeah. Back to the grind."

But as I pick up another text, the weight in my chest feels lighter. Swyn's with us, bound by something stronger than magic. And no matter what's coming, we'll face it together.

I turn my focus back to the scattered tomes, hoping one of them might contain something useful. The dim light flickers above us as I sift through the ancient pages, feeling a tug of urgency in my gut.

I can't shake the sensation that we're running out of time.

"Here," Ri calls out, his voice breaking through the thick silence. He's standing by a weathered pedestal, a large, leather-bound book lying open in front of him. "I think I found something."

Kel and I rush over, crowding around the book as Ri scans the delicate script. The pages are old but surprisingly well-preserved, filled with intricate illustrations and elaborate symbols.

My heart quickens as I read a title emblazoned at the top: Aether Magic: The Breath of the Universe.

"What exactly is Aether magic?" I ask, intrigued.

"It's the raw essence of magic, the building blocks of all things. It's said to connect the physical realm to the spiritual," Ri explains, tracing his finger along the text. "Only a master can wield it, but it's rare. Most of the time, it's just theoretical."

"Is that what Elias meant?" I murmur, feeling a rush of excitement. "About Swyn becoming a master once the curse is broken?"

Kel leans closer, his brows knitting together as he reads over Ri's shoulder.

"He did say something about her potential. But this is different. This is powerful magic."

"Yeah, and look at this," Ri says, flipping to the next page. There's a diagram showing a circle surrounded by various symbols. "It details how to harness Aether magic. But it requires a deep connection with the source—almost like a bond."

Mavis steps up beside us, her gaze keen and focused. "This is good. Very good. If Swyn can master Aether magic, she could wield power like no one else. It might even help us confront Morfran. But she'll need your bond to do it. You four have elemental magic, which she'll need to draw on to access the Aether."

I glance at Ri and Kel, both of us digesting Mavis's words. There's a glimmer of hope in the air, a flicker of something that feels almost tangible.

"We need to help her learn to control it then," I say, the urgency in my voice sharpening. "If this is the key, we can't waste any more time."

"Right," Kel agrees, a determined look crossing his face. "Let's see what else this book has. There has to be something here we can use to guide her."

We gather around the book, the warmth of our bond steadying me as we delve deeper into the pages. The energy is thrumming between us, a potent reminder of what's at stake.

Swyn isn't just a piece in this game—we're all intertwined now, bonded by something ancient and powerful. Something more powerful than blood and love.

As we scan through the spells and incantations, I can't help but feel the weight of the legacy we're carrying. Each word feels like a step toward reclaiming our fate, toward breaking the chains that have bound us for too long.

Finally, Ri looks up, his eyes alight with a mix of excitement and caution.

"There's a section here about forging connections with the Aether. It says that to master it, one must experience the magic in its purest form—through emotion. It's all about the bonds we share."

"That makes sense," I say, rubbing my chest where I can psychically feel the bond that's just formed between us and Swyn. "We're stronger together, and so is she."

"Exactly," Mavis adds, a proud smile creeping onto her face. "It's time for her to step into her power. And with our support, she'll do just that."

If Aether magic is truly the key to defeating Morfran, then we're ready to help her harness it. Together, we'll face whatever challenges lie ahead.

We're bound by magic, by duty, and now, more than ever, by love.

The air shifts the second we step into Swyn's ancestral home. It smells like old magic and something else, something heavier, like the weight of centuries pressing down on us.

The moment we cross the threshold, it feels like walking into a memory, a place that belongs to the past but knows it has one last role to play.

Kel and Ri are quiet beside me. We all feel it—the quiet hum of magic in the walls, the sense that this house isn't just a place to convene anymore.

It's where we'll make our final stand. Where Morfran will come for her.

Swyn.

She's waiting for us in the main room, standing in front of the old fireplace, her silhouette bathed in the flickering glow of firelight. My breath catches for a second.

She looks different. Stronger. There's something in her eyes that wasn't there before—confidence, maybe? Or clarity. She's no longer torn between her past and her future. She's decided.

Her eyes land on me first, and something inside me shifts, like a magnetic pull deep in my chest. The bond has settled. I can sense her in a way I couldn't before—like an extra heartbeat inside my body, always there, always pounding in rhythm with my own.

She crosses the room quickly, her smile soft, though there's a tension behind it. The air between us crackles with that same pull, a kind of invisible thread stretching between her and all four of us.

Even Kel's not joking around now, his usual carefree grin nowhere to be found. We all feel it.

Without a word, Swyn steps up to me, her hand pressing lightly against my chest. It's a small gesture, but it says everything.

Her touch grounds me, reminds me that we're bound now—fully. She's part of me, and I'm part of her. The mate bond is complete.

"Sol," she whispers, and that's enough. I lean into her touch, my forehead resting against hers for just a moment.

"You're okay?" I ask, though I already know the answer. She's more than okay. She's something else now.

She nods, and the shadow of a smile ghosts her lips. "I am. I think… I'm ready."

I pull back slightly, searching her eyes. There's no hesitation. She means it. "For what?"

Swyn's gaze flicks between me, Kel, and Ri. She takes a breath, gathering her thoughts.

"Elias said something when I spoke to him. He told me I would master Aether magic once the curse was broken." Her voice is steady, but I can see the way her hands tremble slightly. "I think that time has come."

Aether magic. My thoughts race. That kind of magic isn't just powerful—it's ancient. It's not bound by the same rules as the elemental forces we know.

It's everything and nothing, a force that bends reality itself. If Swyn can master it, she can reshape the world around her.

Kel steps forward, his arms crossing over his chest, brows knitted together. "You think this is what Elias meant? That breaking the curse would unlock this power in you?"

Swyn nods, her lips pressing into a thin line. "I'm certain of it. It's been building ever since…ever since I bonded with Oland. The power is there, but I don't know how to control it yet. And if I don't figure it out soon, we won't stand a chance against Morfran."

My hands curl into fists at my sides. The thought of her wielding that kind of power excites and terrifies me. If anyone can handle it, it's Swyn, but still…it's not something to be taken lightly.

Ri's voice breaks the silence, low and even.

"We found a book. It might help. It mentioned something about Aether magic, but it's vague. It says the magic requires balance—of mind, heart, and spirit. If you can find that balance, you can wield it. We just don't know what balance looks like yet."

Mavis steps into the room then, her face set in that cryptic, knowing expression she always wears when she's holding back something important.

"You'll learn, child. Don't worry about it. But that's not all the book said, is it?"

Ri shakes his head, his eyes lowering to the floor. "No. There's more. It said that once Aether magic is fully unleashed, the balance must be maintained…or everything will fall apart. If you were to lose control…"

"We won't let that happen," I cut in, my voice sharper than I intend, as I glare at my brother. "We'll figure it out together."

Now is not the time to be freaking her out.

Swyn's eyes meet mine, and I can see the storm of emotions swirling behind them.

"There's no time, Sol. Morfran's getting stronger. He's coming, and soon."

As if on cue, the temperature in the room drops sharply, a biting cold seeping into my bones. I stiffen, my senses going on high alert. The fire in the hearth flickers, the flames dancing erratically as the shadows in the room deepen.

Something is wrong.

"Did you feel that?" Kel mutters, stepping toward the window.

"Yeah," I reply, my voice low, eyes narrowing. The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, a familiar tingle of danger crawling over my skin.

Ri is already moving toward the door, his movements slow and deliberate.

"Something's here."

Mavis tilts her head, a faint crease pulling at her brow. "It seems Morfran is closer than we thought."

A loud thud echoes through the house, followed by another. The ground beneath us trembles, just slightly, like the pulse of something dark and alive pressing against the very walls.

I rush to the window and peer outside. The night is darker than it should be, the moon barely visible behind thick clouds. Shadows shift along the edge of the woods, too fluid to be trees swaying in the wind. My stomach knots.

"We need to get ready."

Swyn stands in the centre of the room, her hands clenching and unclenching at her sides. The firelight casts a faint glow on her pale face, her eyes wide with the weight of everything that's about to happen.

Another thud, louder this time. It sounds like something hitting the door, testing the wards that protect the house. The wards are strong, but for how long?

"Guys," Swyn whispers, her voice tight with fear and determination. "He's here."

The thud echoes again, this time followed by a dark, twisted voice that slithers through the cracks in the door, oily and full of malice, but disembodied, like it's being projected from some distance.

"I've come for what's mine."

Morfran.

I clench my jaw, my blood boiling.

Not tonight. Not while I'm breathing.