Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

N avigating the corrupted nexus was like stepping into a nightmare. We had broken the hold Lyra had so her darkness was no longer poisoning the landscape, but it hadn’t healed. And by the looks of it, those forest spirits would need to work overtime to make this place inhabitable in the next decade. Every corner of the once beautiful landscape had been twisted and diseased by Lyra's malevolent influence. The pungent odor of decay was making it hard to breathe, but the underlying evil was no longer there, making it worse.

We cautiously moved through trees that were gnarled and warped. Looking up, I noted it looked as if their branches were clawing at the sky like the skeletal hands of the damned. “Watch your step,” Stella whispered as she pointed at a patch of ground that still squirmed with dark energy. “Looks like the magic is still cleaning shit up.”

Aidon shook his head as he held his weapon at the ready. Every muscle in his body was taut with vigilance. “There was a lot of disease to cure. That’ll take time to root out completely. ”

His words were ominous. Especially since I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were being watched. The shadows shifted and moved around us. If Lyra had other creatures here, they had to be pissed about the change in the atmosphere. A wild animal was most dangerous when it was cornered. My mind had to be playing tricks on me because I kept catching glimpses of movement out of the corner of my eye. “Do you sense that?” I asked, keeping my voice low. “It feels like there is something out there.”

Stella shot me a wary look. “Of course, Lyra has more out there. As Aidon said, we aren’t done yet. We can’t assume it’s safe just because we destroyed her foothold here.”

Nana scowled as she scanned our surroundings. “We know we have to keep our eyes peeled. But don’t forget to look for Rosemary or any clues that might lead us to her. Once we have exhausted our search, we need to find the way out of here.”

The reminder was a good one. I didn’t think Rosemary was in the nexus, but we needed to continue looking. Thorny vines reached out to snag our clothes and skin as we scoured the area. My foot caught on a root, nearly making me face plant. I needed to pay attention to the uneven and treacherous ground. Aidon caught my arm and steadied me.

I smiled up at him gratefully. “Thanks, Yahweh.” Love filled my heart when I looked at him. He had brought so much to my life. I never imagined having a partner like him. He supported me without question and was by my side through thick and thin. Not only when it suited him.

He gave me that smile of his that melted my panties every damn time. “Anytime, Queenie,” he winked and then used his blade to hack away at the most obstructive vegetation, creating a narrow path for us to follow.

Loud cracking made my head snap around. It was our dragon making his way through the dense woods. Nana walked beside Tsekaní, who had taken his dragon form. His immense presence broke through the branches and other impediments. He could have taken his human form, but he was focusing on shielding Nana. It was the only reason I wasn’t right next to her. Nana was far more capable than most twenty-year-olds, but there was no denying she was ninety and needed extra care.

A sudden rustling in the underbrush made us all freeze. That wasn’t one of us. A creature emerged from the bushes. Its form was grotesquely twisted. I grimaced when I caught sight of the foxlike body with elongated, crooked limbs and eyes glowing with a sickly green light. My breath caught in my throat as it snarled and lunged towards me.

Instinct took over. I summoned my magic, channeling it into a shield that materialized just in time to intercept the creature’s attack. The creature's teeth clacked against the barrier, each clash sending shivers down my spine with its eerie, unnatural sound. Equally unsettling was the sight of viscous drool dripping from its gaping maw. The latter was likely poison.

The force of the impact knocked me back. My feet slipped on the uneven forest floor until I landed hard on the ground. My hand instinctively moved to my womb, where my babies rested. Their protective energy flared to create a shimmering bubble around my torso. It was a split-second reflex that saved me from the creature's claws.

As I struggled to regain my footing, I realized we were surrounded. More of these twisted fox creatures emerged from the shadows. Their eerie green eyes fixed on us with predatory intent. Stella and Nana were already on the defensive, weaving spells and incantations to fend off the advancing creatures.

Murtagh and Layla, in their wolf forms, leaped into action. They bounded toward the nearest fox creatures with teeth bared and fur bristling. Their combined strength and agility gave us a crucial advantage as they engaged the creatures in fierce combat. They used their natural prowess to counter the creatures' unnatural agility.

Aidon joined the fray, his sword moving swiftly through the dense undergrowth. He didn’t go far from me as he aimed at the creatures. I watched him swing at what seemed like random foxes. I tried to puzzle that out as I got to my feet. It hit me when their organized effort fractured. He was disrupting their coordinated attacks.

Tseki’s dragon flames lit up a mutated fox momentarily as he unleashed bursts of fire to scatter them. I conjured water when a nearby tree caught fire. “No flames,” I called out to him. Nana helped put the fire out before it engulfed the forest. Tseki hadn’t gone very far from her side. Leaving them to it, I fought a creature coming at me. The forest echoed with the clash of magic and the snarls of predators locked in combat. Each of us fought with determination, driven by the urgency of our mission and the need to survive this onslaught in Lyra's twisted nexus.

Layla and Murtagh fought around us and nudged us until we formed a cohesive unit. Our movements were not synchronized in the least, but we still managed to push against the relentless tide of adversaries. With each creature that fell, more adrenaline dumped into my bloodstream. I was as jittery as I was when I downed an energy drink. Creatures began taking off when they saw we refused to give up. Survival instincts for the win.

When the last of the creatures still fighting us fell beneath Aidon’s sword, the forest around us fell eerily silent. The scent of burnt foliage and the metallic tang of blood made my stomach roil. It didn’t take much lately thanks to the pregnancy hormones. Aidon wrapped an arm around me. “Stay alert,” he whispered .

Stella rolled her eyes. “We need to move quickly but carefully. There’s no telling how many more of these things are out here.”

“Lyra didn’t create these beasts intentionally,” Nana observed as we walked away from the fight. “My guess is that her magic called to the wildlife and twisted them when they got trapped in her nexus.”

Tilting my head, I shot Nana a look. “I would agree. There’s no telling what we will encounter.”

We pressed on, but the mutated creatures were relentless. They seemed drawn to us. We encountered the warped foxes, deer, and even malformed coyotes. All of them had twisted forms, and they emerged from every dark corner. Aidon’s sword dripped with blood, leaving a macabre trail. One lunged at Stella, but she was quick, a burst of magic sending it sprawling back into the shadows.

“They’re everywhere!” I shouted, dodging a swipe from a coyote creature. As I spun away, I caught sight of Nana. Everything froze for a minute. Nana was fighting valiantly. Her spells were precise and powerful. But with Tsekaní focused on protecting her, his movements were restricted. He bellowed, flames licking the air around him. I could feel his frustration and how much it took him to hold his dragon fire back. It was effective to a certain degree in keeping the creatures at bay. However, Tseki was still unable to go on the offensive.

We were all exhausted and dripping with sweat as we continued through the woods. Nana climbed onto Tseki’s back just in time. The creatures seemed to grow bolder and their attacks more frenzied. “I think they’re afraid of what’s going on,” I mumbled as I fought a mutated bear. The way they fought screamed of being driven by their fear of the magic doing things to them they couldn’t control. It likely reminded them of what happened before .

Aidon waved us forward. “There’s a break. Hurry and get out of this area before they return.” We took the stairs, hoping to escape.

He didn’t have to tell us twice. Layla and Murtagh led the foray with Tseki and Nana right behind. Stella and I stuck close to one another until she veered to our right. I looked back at Aidon, who shook his head and started after her. I reached her first. “What is it?” I panted.

“I’m not sure. I saw something sparkle and was hoping it was something like that necklace.” Stella was crouched down, pulling at the vines with her hands. As the roots gave way, they revealed a small, hidden entrance. It had barely been visible amidst the natural camouflage.

“Where do you think it goes?” Aidon asked, peering into the darkness. Layla, Murtagh, Tseki, and Nana joined us.

“I’m hoping it’s my mom,” Stella replied, brushing dirt from her hands. “Regardless, there’s something down there. I can feel it.”

“You guys should shift. We need to check this out to make sure Rosemary isn’t here,” I told the shifters behind me. Aidon helped Nana down from Tseki’s back. While they turned into their human forms and dressed, Stella and I cleared the rest of the roots and branches from the opening.

We carefully made our way down the narrow passage, determined to uncover whatever lay hidden. The air grew cooler as we descended, and the light from above gradually faded into a dim glow. At the bottom, we emerged into a hidden chamber. Unable to see much, I conjured a ball of light and floated it in front of us.

The sight that greeted us was breathtaking. The walls were adorned with ancient artifacts and arcane symbols. The power coming off of them was a vibration against my skin. It was as if we had stepped into a forgotten sanctuary. It would be easy to think this was a place time forgot. When you dug a little deeper, you discovered the thrum of Lyra’s energy beneath it all.

Stella moved forward, her fingers tracing the intricate carvings all around us. “Should we ask Nylah to come and recover these? It’s clear Lyra is using them, but is this something Nylah can contain? I’d hate to infect her home, or wherever she stores the relics she guards.”

Aidon approached a pedestal in the center of the chamber, where a glowing crystal hovered. It was pulsating with a soft, charcoal light. “This place is filled with magic.” That was nothing we didn’t all know. “Lyra must have used this chamber for something important.”

I wandered to a corner where a collection of scrolls lay, their edges frayed with age. Carefully, I picked one up, unrolling it to reveal delicate script and intricate diagrams. “Do you think these hold some of Lyra’s secrets?” My heart raced with the implications.

Nana examined an ornate mirror hanging on the wall. “This mirror,” she pointed out, “it’s not just a decoration. It’s a scrying tool. She uses it to see things far beyond this chamber.”

Stella’s eyes widened. “I bet she watches us with it. We need to understand everything in this room. These artifacts, these symbols. They could give us the edge we need to defeat Lyra.”

I pulled out my cell, took several pictures, and texted them to Nylah before realizing I had no signal. I would send them to her later. Looking at Aidon, I asked, “Do you think we can break that mirror safely? I don’t want to leave her a tool like that, and we can’t take it with us.”

Nana pointed a finger at me. “Good thinking. I doubt we will ever be able to find our way back here. It’s been such a convoluted journey.”

Aidon winced and shook his head, then pointed at Nana and me. “You two try unraveling the magic on it first. Destroying relics is a difficult task that often backfires on the magic wielder.”

Tseki narrowed his eyes. “What would my dragon fire do to it?”

“That might actually work,” Aidon said. “I don’t want to try it until we see if they can at least remove Lyra’s magic. She’s contaminated everything in here and that has changed the magic of these artifacts. As for the scrolls, I highly doubt they have anything directly to do with her. It’s far more likely magical spells, prophecies, or other vital information."

“Given all of that, we need to document everything and get pics of the papers while they do their magic on the mirror,” Stella replied. “That way, we know what Lyra has at her disposal.”

They spread out and began taking pictures of everything. Nana and I stood in front of the mirror. “We should start by assessing the power in this,” I suggested. “It will help us decide how to remove her spells.”

Nana inclined her head and got right to work. As our magic probed the mirror, the chamber seemed to come alive with a quiet hum of energy. It was distracting until I shut it out. Nana snapped me out of my revere when she said, “A purification spell combined with some elements to boost our power should do it.”

“What did you have in mind?” I asked. There was nothing too complex about Lyra’s enchantment over the mirror. I had been thinking about the purification spell but hadn’t considered anything else.

Nana set her purse on a shelf and opened it. “We need to use some moon water, powdered silver dust to reflect and purify, sprigs of vervain for spiritual cleansing, and a crystal prism to refract and disperse her dark energies. ”

I smiled at her and took two vials from her as she handed them to me. “Brilliant. What about this for an incantation?”

"By the light of Luna’s gaze,

We cleanse this mirror’s darkened maze.

Reflecting shadows, now be gone,

Let purity reign, from dusk till dawn."

“Thank the gods it’s not in Latin. Saying so much would take away from my intent,” Nana griped. That was precisely why I hadn’t translated it after I’d thought of the elements that would help hone and direct our energy.

Nana and I set things up for us to cast the spell. First, Nana had us mix the moon water with powdered silver dust. We didn’t have a small bowl so I cupped my hands together for her to use. After mixing that, she arranged the sprigs of vervain around the enchanted mirror. Nana was holding the crystal prism and I had the silver mixture as we stood in front of the artifact.

“Now we close our eyes and focus on channeling our magic,” Nana instructed. I’d already started that, but I liked that she was taking charge. She had my entire life until magic fell into our laps. It was comforting to have things going back to normal, even if I was more powerful than Nana. It felt right to have her teaching me.

My eyes flew open when I felt the sharp edge of a crystal dip into the moon water-silver mixture. She traced a clockwise circle in the air in front of the mirror while I visualized the mirror’s surface shimmering with a faint, purifying light. She inclined her head, and we chanted the incantation. I visualized the dark enchantment unraveling like wisps of shadow dissipating in sunlight. We kept it up until the mirror’s surface was clear and pure.

Beaming at Nana, I pulled her into a hug. “We did it!”

The others came over and joined us. Tseki extended a hand to the mirror. “Do you think it’s safe now? ”

Aidon bent close and scrutinized the mirror. “I think so, but we should all back up. Just in case.”

As a unit, we moved toward the only archway leading out. We needed to keep looking around in case Rosemary was there, so we didn’t head for the stairs. Despite knowing it was coming, I still jumped when Tsekani let out a stream of fire and directed it to the mirror. My hip bumped into the shelf, and something fell to the floor. I bent to pick it up while watching the crackle of magic flow over the reflective surface as the heat began melting it.

“Holy shit, it’s working,” Layla whispered as blobs of the glass dripped to the ground. The gilt frame followed suit.

I handed the book I’d picked up to Stella and took a step toward what now looked like a Salvador Dali painting rather than a mirror. “What the hell is this?” Stella asked.

That got everyone’s attention. She was holding a small, leather-bound book like a journal in her hand. Its cover was worn with age. The leather was cracked, and the faint imprint of an intricate symbol was visible on the front. "That’s Lyra's mark,” Nana observed. I recognized it from the house where we’d rescued Mom.

“This looks important,” Aidon remarked, his eyes fixed on the journal.

Stella nodded, carefully opening it to the first page. The handwriting inside was precise and elegant. However, there was an unsettling quality to it, as though each word was a thread in a web of darkness.

“This isn’t Lyra's journal,” Stella pointed out. “But I would bet it belongs to one of her minions. We might still be able to get a glimpse into her twisted mind from it.”

Tsekani held up a hand and then turned to finish off the mirror. Without the Dark magic, the thing melted into a puddle on the ground. It still had power, but she couldn’t use it to spy on anyone. And that’s all we could accomplish at the moment.

With that done, we gathered around as Stella began to read aloud. The journal entries detailed the witch’s role in Lyra's plans. She described how Lyra intended to harness the power of the kidnapped witches, transforming their magic into a source of unimaginable strength for herself while also turning them into creatures she could control.

“She's been at this for years,” she growled. A chill ran down my spine as Stella continued to read. The journal spoke of rituals and enchantments, each more horrifying than the last. The witch's words revealed a mind consumed by darkness and driven by a relentless hunger for power. None of this told us much. It was horrific but not surprising.

"Listen to this," Stella said, her eyes wide with horror. "'The witches Lyra has taken will serve as the foundation of her new order. Their magic will fuel Lyra’s ascension, and she will reshape the world in her image, giving her loyal followers immortality and power.'"

Aidon clenched his fists as anger flashed in his eyes. “We have to stop her. She's a threat to everyone. She won’t hesitate to subjugate the mundies if given the chance.”

Nana sighed and said, “This journal confirms what we feared. Lyra's ambitions know no bounds. Too bad it doesn’t detail where we can find her.”

As Stella continued to turn the pages, we learned more about Lyra's methods. Whoever this was had been around a while and was still with Lyra because she documented how Lyra used Mom’s blood to create tribreds and used their power to fuel her evil plans. Each entry was a chilling reminder of the depths of her malevolence.

Hearing all of this reaffirmed my resolve. “We have to find the kidnapped witches,” I snarled in disgust. “We can't let her use them like this. ”

Aidon placed a hand on my shoulder. “We'll find them, Phoebe. We'll stop her.”

Stella closed the journal. “I’m not sure if this will be the key to defeating her. But it talks about her weaknesses and fears. In the least, we can use the information to our advantage.”

Nana turned and waved her hand. “We’d better continue. We can look through that later.”

Stella tucked the journal safely into her bag when the air in the chamber grew colder. An eerie silence settled around us. It was broken only by the sound of our breathing. There was a shimmer in the air, and a witch materialized in the middle of the room. Her eyes burned with a malevolent fire, and her movements were fluid and predatory. She was one of Lyra's Tainted witches. There was no doubt she’d been corrupted by dark forces.

“Stella, watch out!” I shouted when the witch lunged for my best friend. My heart pounded in my chest.

The witch's lips curled into a sinister smile as she stepped forward. “You think you can just walk away with that journal?” she hissed in a voice dripping with malice. “I will have your head for your audacity.”

Stella drew herself up and glared at the woman. “We're not afraid of you,” she sneered. “And we're taking this journal.”

The Tainted witch's hands crackled with dark energy. Aidon and I moved to flank Stella, ready to defend her. The chamber began to pulse with the witch's malevolent magic.

Aidon swung his sword and kept his eyes fixed on the witch. I created a protective barrier around us. The witch laughed then. It was a cold, cruel sound that echoed off the stone walls. “You think a simple barrier will stop me? Lyra's power flows through me. I am unstoppable.”

“Well, isn’t that precious? Too bad your ‘unstoppable’ attitude doesn’t come with a user manual,” Nana quipped with a laugh.

With a flick of her wrist, the witch shattered the barrier. Whatever she did sent shards of energy flying in all directions. Aidon staggered but quickly regained his footing. I reached for Nana and Stella, but the Tainted witch didn't give us a chance to fire back. She launched another attack, dark tendrils of magic snaking towards us. Stella countered with a blast of pure energy, but the witch absorbed it. Somehow her power grew stronger from it.

“Your magic is nothing compared to mine,” the witch taunted, advancing on us. I was beginning to wonder if maybe she was right.

“We need to outsmart her,” Nana said. “Phoebe, Aidon, keep her distracted. Stella and I will find a way to neutralize her.”

Aidon nodded, stepping forward to engage the witch. “You heard her, Phoebe. Let's buy them some time.”

I took a deep breath, focusing on the Tainted witch. “You won't get that journal,” I declared as I channeled my magic into a bright, blinding light that filled the chamber.

The witch recoiled, shielding her eyes. “You'll pay for that,” she hissed in a voice full of venom.

Aidon and I continued to barrage her. I tossed magical bombs at her to keep her attention on us. I couldn't pay attention to what Nana and Stella were doing. I felt them weaving magic together and heard when they whispered a complex incantation.

“I can feel her weakness,” Stella whispered. “We just need a little more time.”

“You’ve got it,” I told them and threw a magical spear at the witch. She caught it and hurled it back. My magic wouldn’t hurt anyone I loved and it did nothing when it hit Layla in the shoulder. She, Tseki, and Murtagh were itching to shift and attack but they would be at the witch’s mercy.

Nana grunted something that made the Tainted witch’s eyes go hard. Her attacks became more erratic as her control slipped. “I'll destroy you all!” she screamed. Her voice echoed with madness.

“Now, Stella!” Nana commanded. They shouted an incantation and then unleashed a wave of energy that enveloped the witch. The Dark magic surrounding her dissipated. She fell to her knees and her eyes lost their malevolent gleam.

“She's not so full of it now,” Stella said, her voice filled with relief.

The witch looked up at us with an expression of pain and confusion. “What... what have you done?" she murmured.

“We freed you from Lyra's control,” Nana replied gently. "You don't have to serve her anymore. And you are no longer fueled by her artifacts or power.”

The witch collapsed and started bawling. Her devastation was clear and I didn’t feel bad at all. She was part of killing and mutating people and environments to fit her leader’s twisted need for power. She was lucky to be alive.

“Let's get out of here,” Stella said. “We have to find my mom.”

We left the chamber as a group and Aidon blocked the archway with his power so the witch couldn’t follow. Lyra's reach was long and her corruption deep. We might be in over our heads this time. The gods only knew what else Lyra had down there.