The Dire Bear’s Witch

by Jessica Ripley

  “There’s no need to thank me. I couldn’t not help you. Besides, I should be the one thanking you. You were helping me and getting hurt because of it.”

  She laughed. “Yes, but then I was only helping you because you were holding them off from getting to me.”

  “I guess we could keep this going awhile.”

  “Yes,” she agreed. “Maybe we just both say thanks, you’re welcome, etcetera.”

  “Deal.” Without thinking, Slade offered his hand for her to shake, and she took it, smiling shyly.

  He wanted to kiss her, to pull her into his arms and just feel her against him. There was plenty more he wanted to do, but she slid down into the bed, resting her head on the pillow. “I’m nervous about tomorrow.”

  He slid down too, lying on his back but turning to look at her, captivated by her beauty and feeling lucky to be there in that moment. “I think they seemed to really like you. Everything’s going to work out.”

  “I hope you’re right.” He knew she was still tired. It had been a long day, without even adding in her injury from the spells. “Goodnight, Dixie.”

  “Goodnight, Slade.”

  10

  Dixie woke up snuggled against Slade, who had his arms around her.

  It felt good, so right, so comfortable… that she quickly flew out of bed.

  In one single day, everything had changed for her. Not just the realization that her continued existence was dependent on some immortal council but that she had some serious feelings for Slade.

  It was all too much.

  When she blacked out after the fight and woke in his arms, she saw the way he looked at her. There was more tenderness in his eyes than she’d ever seen directed to her.

  It was terrifying.

  Who cared if Gerri had matched them or if he said she was his mate? She didn’t know what that meant to her. All she was sure of was that she had promised herself she wouldn’t rely on anyone else, that she wouldn’t let herself get too close to others.

  This coven was where she needed to be. She’d seen the other immortal witches. They weren’t married to some mate and spending their long lives on a dream and a wish. They were practical, and they were helping the next generations. That was what she needed to focus on.

  Besides, for someone who said she was their mate, he sure seemed to want to get rid of her.

  He opened his eyes. “Good morning.”

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb you.”

  “What time is it?”

  “Almost eight.” Dixie gathered her clothes to change, knowing they’d said they would deliver their breakfast at eight. Slade followed her lead.

  Promptly at eight, there was a knock at the door. Dixie opened it to find Reyna with a large tray. “Breakfast for you and Mr. Galath. I’ll be back in an hour to take you to the elder forum.”

  “Thank you.” Dixie took the tray and returned to the room, busying herself with setting it up on the little table in the room.

  “So, what do you think of it all?” Slade asked while he filled a little plate with food.

  “It’s a lot to take in in such a short amount of time. I’m really not sure what to think of anything right now.” The coven was certainly neat, and she appreciated having so many witches in one space. It was a unique opportunity to be around so many of her kind.

  But really, she’d felt more at home at the Dire Estate.

  Sure, they both had land, greenery, opportunities for solitude.

  And the coven had the opportunity for teaching, which she felt she likely owed to the world… but that was just it. She felt a sense of duty and responsibility to do it, not a passion or a desire. Nothing that made her feel alive in the same way she did on a simple road trip with Slade.

  Promptly at nine, Reyna knocked on the door again. “Miss Reade, the elders are ready for you.”

  “Good luck,” Slade told her as she left the room.

  Walking down the hallway was the first time she’d been without Slade in two days. She felt a bit incomplete without him. Not that she wasn’t whole without him, but just that she’d felt stronger… happier… by his side.

  Dixie knew he was rooting for her, though, and that he’d be there waiting for her when she finished the meeting. He’d promised he would stand by her until she was secured in the coven. The thought gave her strength.

  “This way.” Reyna opened a set of wide double doors and gestured Dixie to walk in.

  Inside was a round room, and the elder forum members sat in large high-backed chairs, arranged in a semi-circle, facing a smaller chair in the center.

  They each offered greetings, smiles, and friendly tones that helped Dixie to feel more at ease. At least they weren’t as angry and unfriendly as the council had been the previous morning.

  “We don’t get many new immortals,” Paris explained. “We’re fortunate that Slade chose to bring you here.”

  “Thank you. I’m fortunate to meet all of you as well.”

  They started by asking Dixie to tell them a little about herself. So she told them about her life, her family, her magic talents, and her mission. She worried they might try to demand from her the secret to the Death cheat, but that was worry for nothing.

  “We never force our witches to reveal family secrets.”

  That was a relief. “You say ‘our witches.’ Can you tell me what you mean?”

  “Only that if you’re sponsored by one of us, you become one of us. There are other witches you could go to for sponsorship, some that belong to covens, some who are independent, but if you are sponsored by us, you are among us.”

  “But the sponsorship is binding, is it not? What do I owe you… and is it forever?”

  The looks went around between the members again.

  “It’s a situation in that you’re either with us or against us,” Paris said. “You can live here, but there are others who aren’t living here right now. They’re expected to return if and when we call on them, though. If you don’t adhere to coven requests, you’re a person non-grata.”

  Well, that was something to think about.

  “Look, we don’t want you to get bogged down by all of that.” Another witch, Adelle, spoke up. “Your mate, Slade, you trust him, correct? He wouldn’t have brought you somewhere to people he didn’t trust.”

  She was right. Slade had come to her defense against the council, and he’d healed her after the magic feedback curse took her down. He’d told her he would do anything for her, and she had no reason not to believe him.

  “I agree,” Dixie said.

  “Besides,” Adelle added, “you don’t have to make a choice now. You can agree to the task from your sponsor, and you can decide to officially join later.”

  “Are all of the witches here, teachers and students, part of the official coven?” Dixie asked.

  “Not in the way you’re looking to join,” Paris said. “Our elder forum here, the immortals, is completely different. We’re the core of the coven. It’s highly prestigious. Some of us have been here a very long time, and will likely be here longer than anyone who walks through the doors just to teach or learn.”

  “Do you have any questions for us?” Adelle asked.

  Dixie had tons of questions but didn’t even know where she could start. She felt like she needed a manual or something.

  “Her head is spinning,” Adelle said. “With the forum’s permission, I’d like to speak to Dixie privately.”

  “Very well,” Paris said, standing, and having the others—except Adelle—stand with her. “We look forward to seeing the outcome for you, Dixie,” she said, placing her hand on Dixie’s shoulder for a moment before they left the room.

  “You want to be sponsored,” Adelle said.

  “I mean, apparently, I have to be sponsored,” Dixie replied.

  Adelle nodded. “It’s something we’ve all faced. This isn’t your only option, though.”

  “You mean marriage to Slade?” Dixie asked, shaking her head. �
�He’s great, from what I’ve seen. I’ve known him less than three days! I don’t want to marry him for sponsorship, for legal status. I think it’s likely better for me to achieve this, this way.”

  “You don’t have to choose now,” she said. “But I am going to extend an offer to you. I’ll sponsor you, into the coven and into the legal immortal status, in exchange for something.”

  This is it, Dixie thought. The contract of servitude. “How long do I have to decide?”

  “I haven’t told you what I want.”

  “Oh, I thought it was me working here, as a servant or teacher or something.”

  She shook her head. “The first step is getting one of us to agree to sponsor you. It’s a more personal thing, something between you and the potential sponsor.”

  “So, in this case, you?”

  “Maybe. In our meeting before you entered, I expressed my interest, and no one objected to allowing me to make the first sponsorship offer.”

  “And if you agree to sponsor me, then what?”

  “I’ll give you a task. If you pass the task and I offer you sponsorship, then you have the option to take it, but with it comes membership in the coven, which comes with its own set of duties.”

  “Oh, it couldn’t just be simple, could it?”

  “Joining a coven has many benefits, but you can’t just expect to have them without giving back in return.”

  “And like Paris said, that’s forever? So I don’t have freedom?”

  “It’s not that rigid. As we govern ourselves, we’d never unjustly enslave someone, but yes, there is a certain expectation, and it is forever. You serve the coven for as long as you want the coven’s protection from the council. If you were to be exiled from the coven, the council could put you back on the list for execution.”

  Dixie remembered the way she felt when the magic curse took her down. She knew without a doubt that the council had the power to execute her if they wanted to.

  Dixie nodded. “But I have time to think about it?”

  “You can accept the task or reject it. You’re not tied to anything right now. You can also change your mind before we officially make you one of us.”

  “I should mention, the council has a magic feedback curse on me, so I’m not sure if I can pass a trial.”

  “Magic feedback, ugh, that’s terrible, but I’m not surprised. They want to make sure you do things their way. It’s okay, though. What I have in mind shouldn’t require magic. What’s piqued my interest in you is the fact that you were a treasure hunter, and I’m in need of a rare item. A glowing obsidian crystal, filled with violet phosphorescent light.”

  She was requesting a rare item, one very unique and challenging to obtain. Phosphorous wasn’t an element naturally found in rocks and minerals. It was something found within living beings. So for it to be locked in an obsidian crystal, either something would have had to perish the right way within a lava spill… or, more likely, someone would have had to capture the living essence in the crystal.

  She was asking for something that was said to be a devil’s crystal. Something that was very rare, not often used, and when used, for something incredibly challenging, and likely dangerous.

  What Adelle needed it for wasn’t Dixie’s problem, though.

  “And you think I can get it?” Dixie asked, knowing full well she could. She knew exactly the network of people to go through, what questions to ask, how to track it down, and how to barter.

  Not that she’d need to.

  “I think you’re my best bet.”

  “What if I refuse? If I can’t do it?” Because Dixie wasn’t sure she could return to treasure hunting. Not without forcing herself back to her hoard.

  She shrugged. “Then you can see if one of the other witches is interested in sponsoring you. I’m sure they will be. It’s rare for new immortals to come in, and getting a new one is an asset to the coven. Add in that you don’t have hubris and attitude like some others who walk through that door, and you’re desirable. So sure, turn me down if you’d like.”

  As nonchalant as she seemed, Dixie sensed some agitation. She wanted that crystal. “I’m just not sure I can get the item.” She might not be able to do the thing she needed to do to get her the item, but what if the others had similar asks? She’d have to figure it out, and she might as well help Adelle.

  It was very likely she had the item in her hoard. At her home. At the place she left behind and never intended to return. At the place where she left her humanity. Even the thought of the place made panic rise in her. All the memories that were tied there… the things that haunted her, not bad memories but good ones, all the life that she’d left behind. They were waiting to overwhelm her once she dared go back there.

  “I’m guessing I don’t get to hear another sponsorship test and decide between the two.”

  Adelle had looked so friendly so far, and now her face turned stony. “No, you don’t get to sponsor shop. It’s against the rules. You get one offer, and if you refuse it, you can’t go back.”

  “How long do I have to get it?”

  “I won’t set a limit on you, but I’m guessing you’re eager to have the council’s feedback curse off, and word has it the local pack is after you too. The time you need is based on how long you want to deal with all that.”

  “I’ll do it.” Adelle was right. Dixie had to get over her issues and follow through with this. Even if she wanted to barter for a new crystal, she’d need to get items for bartering from her house. There was no other way to do it. She needed to go home, see what she had as far as glowing crystals, and assemble a kit if she needed to go hunting and trading. Dixie didn’t have a complete memory of her inventory, but she had lots of stuff like that. She could luck out.

  If she could stand to go there.

  Adelle raised an eyebrow. “You think you can get it for me?”

  “I’ll do my best.”

  “All right.” The smile returned to her face, and Dixie sensed her relief. “Will you want to leave right away?”

  “Yes, I would.” The sooner Dixie got this over with, the better.

  11

  Slade was alone with his thoughts, and he didn’t like it.

  Because, just as he’d feared, the longer he was with Dixie, the closer they became, like waking up with her in his arms that morning, the stronger his urge was to keep her with him.

  Slade had to remember what she looked like, crumpled on the ground after her spells hurt her. That was what happened when the dire bears’ mates stayed close to them. Slade had to remember, if he stayed with her, bad things would happen to her. It would hurt less to give her up willingly than to watch her be destroyed because of their curse.

  The little voice in his head that tried to tell him that there was a difference between the devil’s curse he believed in and the curse the council put on Dixie didn’t matter. He wouldn’t risk it. No one could convince him that Dixie would be safe with him. So he would make sure things worked out with her here.

  He kept busy on his phone, reading news and looking over emails until Dixie returned.

  “You’re still here,” she said, entering the room.

  “Why wouldn’t I be?”

  She shrugged. “You never know.”

  “I’m not leaving you until I’m sure that you’re safe and secure. Speaking of which, how did the meeting go?”

  “Good.” She nodded and went over to her suitcase to start packing. “I need to go home.”

  “Home?” he asked, squinting at the word.

  “My house. Hopefully, I can find what I need there.”

  Ah. Slade nodded. She needed something for her task. “All right, let’s grab our stuff.”

  She paused. “I didn’t mean you have to take me—”

  He cut her off. “I didn’t think you did. I suppose I shouldn’t assume I’m taking you. I should ask. Would you like me to take you there?” On that note, he didn’t even know if it was somewhere within driving distance.
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br />   “I would enjoy your company, but I don’t want you to feel like I’m using you for the ride.”

  “You’re not. I’m here for you.” He was there to help her with whatever she needed to help her get her spot in the council.

  As they left, Paris and Adelle bid them farewell. Dixie and Slade thanked them for their hospitality, and they told them they’d see them soon.

  And then they were off.

  They headed back east, the way they came, but then turned north.

  The farther they went, the more wound up Dixie seemed to get. She was sitting straight, hugging her hands to her chest, staring straight ahead.

  “Are you okay?” Slade finally asked.

  She touched her neck, as though checking her pulse. “Yeah, I’m sure I’m okay. It’s just been a long time since I’ve been back here.”

  “Six months?” Slade asked, remembering she said it had been six months since her change.

  “But it feels like a lifetime ago.” Out of the corner of his eye, he could see her wringing her hands and taking deep breaths. He reached over and took her hand.

  “I’m here with you, okay?”

  She squeezed his hand but didn’t say anything. Slade felt her hand shaking.

  “Did bad things happen here? Are you worried about traumatic memories returning?”

  “No, god no, not at all,” she said, finally turning to look at him. “It’s the opposite.”

  He didn’t understand. “Good memories returning?”

  She shrugged helplessly, a sad smile on her face. “I focused on my goal so much, got tunnel vision, so I didn’t have to look at what I was missing. When I got my goal, I left so I wouldn’t have to be reminded of what I lost.”

  What she lost? Did she mean her family?

  Slade had lost his mother when he was young, but he’d had his father for his whole immortality, and his brothers too. Even if his brothers didn’t live with them anymore, he knew they were both out in the world somewhere, no matter how long it had been since they’d last seen each other.

  Was Dixie fleeing from home because she was homesick for a place in her past that had her family? A place she could never return? Was he taking her to an empty shell of her life that was going to cause her an undue amount of pain?