Raven’s navy-blue magic created the portal and they all walked quickly through it. Raven looked to Zara and they both said the incantations for a barrier spell. Sophia, still in her wolf form, nudged everyone to get inside. They were herded into the living room and she shifted back. Once she was back in the living room with clothes on, the girl’s looked toward Xander first.
“I am not sure if I am the right person to start telling this tale. Raven?”
She looked at them, clearly her heart was heavy, every emotion flashed in her eyes. “Your mother was part of the Lunar Coven. Her ability was what we call a Mirror Mage. She could mirror any ability with double the power. Then she was Changed by your father to save her life shortly after they found each other. Within a year, as Cyrus rose to power, she was pregnant with you two. I had never seen your mother so happy until the day she found out. When she was six months pregnant, our Seer had seen the prophecy. The Seer was your grandmother and her ability was seeing every possibility of one event. Your mother knew she held something back from what she had seen, so she mirrored the ability and had me cast a spell so she could re-see what your grandmother saw. She learned every outcome of the prophecy. Every failure and the one way that was the greatest probability.” Raven took a deep breath to calm herself. Xander knew this was hard for her, her voice was becoming shaky. “Your mother learned that the one outcome that had the highest chance of you both of you surviving meant that she and your father would have to die and you two would have to grow up not knowing each other.” Raven looked at Xander. He was to talk next.
“Your mother then came to me and told me that you would end up here, Zara. She never told me that Atara would survive. Her only request was for me to not tell you that Raven was her sister. Raven was to train you with your magic, and I with your wolf. That is it. Then you showed up on my doorstep five years later as your wolf. You were covered in dirt, but you had no blood on you. I brought you inside and let you sleep. When you woke up, you had no recollection of anything before you were here. I assumed Atara was dead. Then I heard Cyrus talking about her when he had requested me to see him from time to time. Raven had given me updates; had told me she had become the Enforcer. I was so proud. I did not think I would see you again, but then you showed up at our door. It blew me away that you were standing in front of me again, all grown up.”
“That’s why you and Sophia’s eyes grew big once you caught my scent?”
Sophia nodded at her. “Yes, sweetie. We just used the same protocol from when your mother said to not tell Zara anything. We were simply happy you were alive.”
Raven took the conversation back. “Your mother told me you both would be alive. Atara would end up on Cyrus’s doorstep and I was to monitor you. To take you from him when your magic surfaced. However, yours never did. I believe it is because of that ring.”
Atara looked at her ring. It was a black band with an orange stone and other tiny orange stones all around. “That stone is known for blocking magical energy.”
“Can you get it off? Cyrus said it was spelled to stay on my finger.”
“No. I cannot. It is bound by blood magic. I will need to research further into it to find the right spell. I have been looking since your sister’s magic has surfaced.”
“Why could not we remember until our wolves showed us our memories? Did mom tell you that would happen?” Zara asked.
“Your mother enchanted your memories to sit in a locked box within your mind so you would not remember.”
“What about Uncle Bryce? Did you know he would be killed too?”
“We both knew the ending, we accepted it. We spent a few days just to ourselves before your parents left. He aided them the best he could. Then we heard a rumor that Cyrus was working with a Sorcerer. We are certain that the Sorcerer had found where you were using hexes that my coven would never use; black magic.”
“What does that mean?” Atara questioned.
“He used the sacrifice of a child the same age as you two were.”
The girls gasped. “Disgusting.” Atara said. Then they looked to Xander. “What is the plan from here? Did mom see that?”
“I am not sure. She did not discuss that part with me.”
“Mom knew she would only get five years with us. How did she manage to accept this?” Zara’s voice was soft and full of emotion. She was heartbroken knowing what her mother had gone through.
“When you are a mother, you will do anything to protect your children. Even if it costs your own life. Her life did not matter to her. Yours did. You two are our future. We all would have done anything to ensure that you two survived.”
“One last question.” Zara said.
“Let’s hear it.” Xander said back.
“What is the real prophecy? I have only heard the version for myself. Not the actual one.”
“During the twenty-fifth moon a choice will be made
The Kingdom of wolves need witch’s magic to be saved
The wolves of white as snow and black as night
Will replace the shadows with a heart so bright” Raven answered.
The girls sat in silence. At first there was a distance of at least a foot between them. During the discussion, they had inched closer to one another. Now they were holding hands and their heads were leaning against one another. That is when Xander saw all their similarities. They both had black hair; Zara’s was down and to her chest and Atara’s was in a ponytail. Where Zara had blue eyes just a few shades lighter than her mother’s and Raven’s, Atara had blue-green eyes like their father. They both had high cheekbones and similar eye shapes. It was clear they were twins and with all their emotions on their sleeves, their power matched. Zara’s white aura was starting to show when her magic and wolf was close to the surface and now Atara had a black one.
Xander was struggling with his own conscience. Did he do the right thing by not telling Zara any of this? Will this truly have made the difference in them succeeding or failing? Would this be worth it all in the end? He felt like he failed them, especially Zara. Sophia took his hand. When her brown eyes met his, he felt her ability wrap around him and calmed. Do not worry, Alpha. This will be worth it when we see them on the throne.
Goddess only knows if she is right.
Chapter Sixteen: Atara
After learning about her mother’s sacrifice, Atara locked herself in her room and thought about her life. She remembered being in her wolf form, curled in a ball and shivering outside of the castle door. It was dark and a storm had started shortly after she started running. Marcus had found her and pulled on her wolf to shift. When he noticed she was a little girl, he picked her up and took her to what became her bedroom. He let her sleep and brought breakfast to her. Cyrus joined him and he was beaming. He looked sinister with an evil smile on his face. When he turned to Marcus, he had whispered that they would raise her so the prophecy would not come true. At the time, she did not know what that meant. Her parents never discussed a prophecy while they were on the run. Her mother only told her and Zara that they were stronger together than they were apart.
Then she remembered all the training. She was only five years old but was in the dojo with a trainer and Marcus overseeing them. Cyrus would only come in to ask for progress reports from time to time, tell her that she was not doing good enough when she did not advance fast enough, tell her she was worthless when she did not use the right form or disarm her opponent fast enough. If she did everything to his liking, she would get sundae parties or a day off to roam the grounds. Most of their meals were inside of the dining hall with the pack. Marcus was the only one who asked her silly questions and tried to make her smile. After a year or so, Riley, Axel and Dominic would as well, but not nearly as much as Marcus.
When Atara became a teenager, her dominance began to show. She remembered now how Cyrus would slap her when she made a sarcastic remark or growl at her and released his power to make her stop talking when she defended herself. Now she sees that he was afraid
of her. Afraid of her blooming power.
As she reminisced, it was clear that Marcus was her true father figure. Marcus was kind throughout her life and was only strict with her when she lost focus. He had never said a mean word or raised his hand to her. Cyrus did to keep her in line. Then would give her presents when she showed the behaviors he wanted. He had brainwashed her to believe that he was her father and tried to stifle who she truly was.
Atara heard the lock on her bedroom click. She looked up from her seated position in the middle of the floor to find Zara standing in the doorway. Atara cocked her head sideways in confusion. “Did you just pick my lock?” Zara lifted her right hand up and magic flared in her palm. “Who needs lock picks when magic exists?” Atara shook her head. “Do you use magic for everything?” Zara walked in, closed the door and sat on Atara’s bed. “No. Not everything. I have not mastered my magic to be able to do that. I still need to say my spells verbally.”
“What do you mean?”
“Once your magic surfaces, you can train and say your spells out loud to use it. With enough training and harnessing, you learn to do it without having to say it out loud. Once that happens, you have officially mastered the magic.”
“You haven’t gotten that far in your training yet?”
“I have trained up to five days a week with Raven on my magic for the last eight and a half years. Depending on how much I use and then how long I need to rest afterwards. My magic still goes wild and conjures spells I have no idea how to control.”
“That must be hard for you to go through.”
“It is. I am closer now than I was when I first started. I blew up trees, boulders, and almost Raven one time. I teleported before and caved in the kitchen. That’s why it is brand new.”
“No to mention my car!” Xander bellowed from downstairs.
“Damn you and your werewolf hearing!” Zara retorted.
Atara laughed out loud. “Was Sophia mad at you? I have noticed that she runs the kitchen here.”
“Surprisingly, no. She used it as an excuse to update it.”
Atara laughed again. Zara looked at her with a smile. Then glanced at the ring on her finger. “You aren’t going to go back there, are you?” She asked.
“To Cyrus?” She nodded.
“Why would I go back there?”
“He was your father...like Xander was mine.”
“You are asking if I will betray you, aren’t you?”
“You were raised by the man who killed our parents and wanted to kill us. He warped your mind to believe that hybrids are abominations when you are one yourself. You just did not know you were one until you found me.”
Atara thought about that. Zara was right. She attacked Zara for being a hybrid because of Cyrus’ law. “No. I do not want to go back there. I would not be safe now that I know who I am. I am sure I can’t hide who I am anymore either.” Zara continued to look at her and then smiled. “Do you want your magic back?” Atara looked at the ring and then to her sister. Holy crap, I have a sister. Atara thought about what Zara had asked but was also lost in the fact that she had an entirely different family from the one she had grown up with. A sister. Adoptive parents who raised Zara and now want to be a part of her life. Then it dawned on her what Zara had asked. “How can I get this ring off? Blood magic isn’t easy to break.” Zara had a wicked grin spread across her face. “To break blood magic, another blood powered spell must be used.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Zara took her to her and Raven’s training spot. Atara could see where a tree was clearly reduced to splinters in a pile and even scorch marks on the ground. Zara’s training has been rough on this patch of land. As she looked around, Zara said the incantations to put a barrier up. Between their power, it would display a beacon that any supernatural would be able to find, hence the barrier. Atara noticed how Zara’s aura was wrapped around her like flames in a campfire. It had a pearlish white hue like her wolf, her eyes were illuminated blue and had swirls of silver within the irises.
Zara turned to Atara when she was done. The wicked grin was back on her face. “Raven would not approve of me doing this by myself, but the Coven has laws against blood magic. She can’t perform this kind of spell. I am not part of the Coven. I do not have to abide by their law.” Zara then pulled out candles from her bag and a can of salt. She drew out a pentagram on the ground in the salt and then placed the candles on the points of the pentagram. She motioned Atara to stand in the middle of the pentagram with her. Zara then bent down to light the candles with a lighter. Atara noticed that they lit up before the flame even touched the wick. Weird. If she hasn’t mastered her magic, how did she do that without an incantation or spell? Zara took out a small dagger that was strapped inside of her boot. Atara asked, “You have weapons on you?” Zara shook her head. “Xander refuses to let me out of the house without them.” Zara took the hand with the ring in hers.
I call the power to hear my plea
Open this ring for all to see
Unblock what has been done
Smash these chains until there are none
Release the magic from being contained
Open Atara so her magic can be claimed!
Zara then cut the meaty part of her thumb and bled onto the ring. Atara watched as Zara’s aura flared out more than before. Her power radiated off her in waves and she noticed blue sparks within her aura. Her eyes were her wolf blue with the silver and then they flashed blood red where her blue iris was and black where the silver mixed in. The pentagram illuminated red and had its own aura of a sickly looking black. The wind within the barrier whipped around like a tornado and had a neon red swirling throughout it. When she finished the incantation, the ring grew hot and then shattered. She felt it start within her chest and then it travelled out to the rest of her body. Atara saw her own aura become black, her magic flaring like Zara’s. Her magic felt wild and untamed. Yet wrapped around her like an old friend she had missed for years. The wind increased from what it was, and it sounded as if an explosion blew. Atara thought that she would be blown backwards from the power exploding and continuing to swirl around Zara. Zara’s wicked grin was back and bigger than before. “Welcome to being a witch and wolf hybrid.”
Atara felt a little afraid of her sister. That grin of hers gave off evil vibes that she had not felt from within Zara. If Zara was any kind of witch, she was a White Witch. Known to the world to not harm any living creature and using their power to defend themselves, the ones they love, purely out of love. The blood magic had tainted Zara from only one use. Atara worried that it had marked her sister and it would grow to consume her.
Then Zara said a word in another language that Atara did not recognize and everything stopped. The wind died down to its normal breeze, the pentagram glowed the same pearlish white as her magic, but now had her wolf blue and silver mixed with it. Her eyes returned her wolf blue and silver from her magic. Everything looked as though nothing happened.
“Why does it look as though nothing just happened here?” Atara asked.
“I called for the spell to cease.”
“I understand that part. Why does it look as though blood magic, something that is evil, was never performed?”
“Hmm. I do not know.”
Atara even noticed that Zara’s energy went back to normal. All the energy that was there before the blood Magic’s taint, gone. Is my sister practicing blood magic and hiding it?
Zara created a barrier bubble that would travel with them while they walked back to Xander’s. She did not want to risk anything now that her magic was unlocked. Atara thought about what just happened. My sister just broke a blood magicked spell created by a powerful Sorcerer. How much power does she have? Am I that strong or is my magic weak in comparison from being blocked for almost nine years?
Xander was waiting for them on the porch with Raven next to him. She noticed just how big this man was with Raven’s tinier frame next to him. Both wore concerned looks. “Zara, did
you do what I think you did?” Raven sounded like an aunt with that line. It was laced with a stern tone. “Depends. What do you think I did?” Raven and Xander shook their heads in unison. “This is why we should be glad Danni ensured that they were raised in separate places. Do you think we could have handled them together?”
Xander thought about it. “No. They have been together for less than twelve hours and Zara already performed a blood magic ritual to break a previous blood spell.”
“Did you really think I was going to let her magic stay blocked?”
“Do you have any idea what you just did?” Raven asked, her voice slightly raised. “Blood magic can taint your own! It can consume you to the point that you are no longer a White Witch. You will become a Sorceress! The very person who aided Cyrus to murder your parents. Do you really want to risk that?”
“I gave her better odds. Just like you did with me by practicing mine.”
“No. You unlocked her power. Now I do not think even these barrier spells will contain both of your power without going unnoticed.”
“Then you better get to training her.” Zara was using her wolf’s power. She could feel it.
“Do not use your power against me, young lady.”
“No offense, Aunt Raven, but this is who I am supposed to be. A leader. A future Queen. I better start practicing being in the role now. We all know Atara’s and mine twenty fifth moon is a month away. The prophecy ends in a month. We do not have time to play around anymore.”
Raven and Xander looked at one another. They both sighed at Zara’s truthful speech. It was only a month away. They did not have time before Atara, and Zara had to dethrone Cyrus. She had a month to gain some control over her magic to use it within the fight.
Wolf Unleashed (Hybrid Prophecies Book 1) Page 10