“Nice,” Eldan hissed. “Well done. Now she has to tell you.”
“Alright, outcasts.” Kelly’s tone froze the room. “This has been fun and all, but you seriously need to get the fuck out of here before I cast a spell we’re all going to regret.”
“Oh yeah?” Kellen was hot. He leaned to look her directly in the eye. “If you’ve got one that could break off a mate bond, I’d fucking welcome it.”
As he glowered at her, Kelly’s whole demeanor changed. When she spoke again, her voice was quiet and even.
“Say that again.”
“I said, if you’ve got some kind of spell that breaks up a fated match, then hit me with it.” He stepped back and spread out his arms to her. “I’m ready.”
Kelly stole a glance over at Eldan, who was resolutely studying the floor. She mouthed “fated match,” but he just returned a shrug and small nod. When she turned her gaze back to Kellen, he could feel sympathy radiating off of her.
“Oh, you poor, poor, stupid man.” The scent of pity filled the room, and Kellen was at a loss as to why being Evie’s mate could be such a problem. “You’re gonna want to sit down.”
Bewildered, Kellen took the offered chair, and Kelly stepped around the counter to face him.
“Evie can’t be your mate. She can’t be anybody’s mate. Not really.”
The floor seemed to fall away under him.
“Why?”
“She turns twenty-five today. That means she’s taking her blood oath tonight. After that, she’s a Level One Initiate and it’s game over. She’s out of the running.”
“That’s nonsense,” Kellen shook his head. “Fae and witches have been mating for centuries. Initiate or not, it’s never mattered before.”
“Yeah, well, Evie is entering the order of the Inactus Coven.”
As soon as she said it, Eldan whistled through his teeth and leaned even farther back against the counter. Kellen blinked at Kelly. Apparently, he was the only one in the dark. Seeing his confusion, she sighed and took another step toward him.
“One of the stipulations of the Inactus Coven blood oath is a vow of celibacy. She can’t belong to anyone but the Order. Once she’s taken the vow, it’s unbreakable.”
“But…” Kellen’s head spun so fast that he almost had to catch it in his hands. “The mating bond…”
“Doesn’t mean shit,” Kelly said with a shrug. “Inactus magic is some of the strongest and most ancient there is. Nothing stands a chance against it. It’s a really exclusive coven, actually. You should be proud of her.”
That hit him like a belt to the jaw. Proud of her? How could he sit back and just clap as the only woman who could complete him vanished behind the walls of some magical cloister? It was too much to take. Clambering out of his chair, he took hold of Eldan’s sleeve.
“You and me, cousin. We have to do this. We’ll go in there and get her out—any way we can.”
“Are you kidding?” His cousin tugged his arm free and looked askance at Kellen. “You want me to ride in with you and upset a coven of fabulously powerful witches? Nothing doing. That’s the last kind of trouble I need.”
He turned and started for the door.
“So you’re just going to leave me? Just like that?”
“I don’t know what to tell you, cuz. I’ve got a class in an hour, and I’ve spent the whole day running around for you instead of getting ready to teach.”
He offered a slight wave and pushed out through the door. “Let me know how it goes,” he called over his shoulder.
Kellen’s breath came in tight and shallow as he turned to face Kelly again. She looked so incredibly different from the flinty young enchantress who’d run him in circles mere moments before. It was as though she could hear the question burning inside him before his voice could find it.
Shaking her head with pity, she slid back behind the counter and disappeared into her boss’s office. For a moment, Kellen stood blindly, then finally turned his eyes to his own hands. They were shaking.
He was alone. The most important decisions of his life lay in those hands, and there was no one to help him find the way. Any magic, strength or cunning at his disposal were merely his own.
For the first time in his life, he had no one to rely on but himself. And he was terrified.
Chapter Seven
Evie brought her hand up, her knuckles just a hair’s breadth from the door’s polished surface. She took a deep breath, trying to muster enough courage to knock, but fear gripped her so tightly she couldn’t even do something as simple as that. That was to be expected—after all, the High Priestess’s office was right behind that door.
She hadn’t exactly been summoned, but she figured that the logical thing would be to step in front of the whole mess. Even though she was a nervous wreck, there was no use in delaying the inevitable.
Swallowing felt like trying to push a bucket of rusty nails down her throat. Her knees wobbled awkwardly, and another wave of nausea hit. Had she ever been this nervous? Not that she could recall, and things would only get worse once she stepped inside Regina Lafontaine’s office.
She was going to be kicked out of the coven, the only real home she had ever known. And that was the best-case scenario. Things could get much nastier—after all, the High Priestess was one of the most powerful witches in Othercross, and she didn’t possess the traits that would allow her to ignore the kind of rule-breaking Evie had done. Yeah, whatever was going to happen inside that office…none of it would be good.
“Quit stalling and come in already.”
Regina’s voice came from inside the office so suddenly it startled Evie. Doing it almost unconsciously, she placed her hand over the ornate brass handle—the design worn smooth and bright over the centuries—and turned it. The old wooden door creaked as it swung on its hinges, and Evie couldn’t help but think of that sound as ominous. Summoning what courage she had left, she stepped inside the spacious office and closed the door behind her.
“My apologies, High Priestess,” she muttered, clasping her hands in front of her as she lowered her gaze in deference.
Almost immediately, her fears turned into shame, and she would have crawled inside a hole if there was one around. She had always been an exemplary witch, but she had just thrown her entire reputation down the drain.
“How long were you standing there?” Regina asked. Before Evie could reply, she chuckled softly and continued. “You know I can feel your presence, don’t you? I knew you were outside.”
“Yes, sorry…I…I just…”
Why can’t I even speak like a regular person? Words melted inside her mouth and blended into an incoherent rambling. She felt like the world’s greatest idiot which, suffice to say, wasn’t how she wanted to feel.
“Ingrid West was just here,” Regina said, and Evie’s knees threatened to buckle under her weight. “She told me something very interesting, Evanora. And unexpected, if I may add. Now, is it true? Did you have relations with a man last night? A fae?”
Doing her best not to burst into tears, Evie balled her hands into fists and straightened her back. There was no use in hiding it anymore. The cat was out of the bag, and the only thing she could do was own it. She looked up at the High Priestess’s high cheekbones and angular features, covered in weathered skin that had seen many years, and then breathed in as deeply as she could.
“Yes, High Priestess, it’s true,” she said, struggling against the urge to whisper those words.
She gritted her teeth so hard that she could almost hear her jawbone turning into dust. She was seconds away from being expelled and that was simply something she couldn’t live—
Regina smiled.
Leaning back in her chair, her arms draped over the armrests, Regina Lafontaine smiled. Evie blinked, not sure if her eyes were playing tricks on her, but there was no mistaking it—the High Priestess seemed amused with Evie’s confession.
Not angry, but amused.
“I have to say, I didn’t expect this c
oming from you,” Regina said, though her smile remained. “Still, I’ve seen it all, dear. You’re not the first to have done it, and you certainly won’t be the last. This is exactly why the novices are allowed some time to get these things out of their systems.” She placed her elbows on the desk and clasped her hands. Her smile faded, and something serious glinted in her steely, ancient eyes. “Now, Evie, is it out of your system? Or is it something we need to talk about? Because if you can leave this in your past, then we’re good here.”
“Yes!” Evie said, doing it so loudly that she surprised herself. “I love the coven, High Priestess. I can’t imagine a life outside of these walls. All I want is to be a full-fledged member of the coven.”
Now she was really surprised—she had never been able to express how much she cared for the coven, but she had just done it…and every single word of it was the unadulterated truth.
After being orphaned as a child, she had been raised by the witches of the order, and this was the only home that she had ever known. To say she loved the coven and its witches—even the one who tattled on her—was putting it lightly. As far as Evie was concerned, the coven was where she had found a family, and all she wanted was to continue being a part of that family.
Even if that meant giving up Kellen.
Naturally, part of her mourned what could have been, but she wasn’t the kind of girl to wander off into fantasyland and pitch a tent there. She had always kept her feet on the ground, and that wasn’t going to change just because she had found someone to…love?
That word cut through her like a hot knife through butter. Her mouth turned dry. Was love a part of the equation? No, she was just being naive. A man like Kellen Oberon wouldn’t be thinking about love after something as silly as a one night stand…would he?
You need to stop thinking about him, Evie! But the words rang hollow inside her head. To forget about Kellen would be like forgetting about the magic that ran in her veins—it was literally impossible.
As those thoughts swirled inside Evie’s head, the High Priestess merely sat there, studying her as one would study an old alchemical formula. She drummed her fingers on the table and then pursed her lips.
“I want you to be sure of it, Evanora,” Regina said softly, with no hint of the High Priestess in her voice. Instead, there was just kindness and understanding. “Once you take your oath, you must give up on that man. Are you willing to do this?”
“I am,” Evie whispered and, even though she knew she was about to lie, she couldn’t stop herself from doing it. “There’s not a single doubt in my mind.” In truth, there were more doubts than certainties residing inside her mind, but it wasn’t like she could admit that to the High Priestess herself. “Inactus Coven is my home. No man can change that.”
“Very well, Evanora.” Slowly, Regina rose to her feet and walked toward Evie. Gently, she placed a hand on the younger witch’s shoulder and smiled. “Then, if your mind's made up, nothing needs to change. We’ll simply forget about this and carry on as planned. You will take your blood oath tonight and, once that’s done, you will become a full member of the coven.”
“Thank you, High Priestess,” Evie said, her anxiety now replaced by gratitude. Once she was dismissed—with a quick nod and a wave—she turned to leave, but the High Priestess cleared her throat before she had reached the door. “Is there something else?”
“I must warn you, Evanora,” Regina said, and Evie could see her expression hardening as that formal High Priestess demeanor returned in full force. “If any fae tries to take you from us…” There was a slight pause, and Evie felt the air growing heavy around her. “Well, Evie, if that happens, his powers will be ours by the time the coven is done with him. Don’t you forget about that.”
Chapter Eight
Looking up at the forbidding black stone walls of the Inactus Coven, Kellen wondered what the hell he was thinking.
Evie. He was thinking about Evie.
Still, trailing his eyes up across the dark masonry, centuries old, he couldn’t help but feel as though he were about to storm some enemy fortress. Which, in a way, he was. Eldan had a point—riling up a coven of supremely powerful witches might not be the wisest move, but Kellen didn’t have a choice.
There was no version of his life that didn’t include Evanora La Croix. Whenever he tried to envision it, his mind went blank. To lose her was incomprehensible. Impossible, even. And yet, he was racked with doubt over his own power.
How are you going to do this? You can barely lead your own clan. Do you really think you can go head-to-head against the Inactus witches?
Even as he sat in the despair of those questions, a vision of his dying father came over him. Bedridden, eaten to pieces before his time by a rare fae disease, Waldemar Oberon had looked into his son’s face and offered what guidance his failing breath could manage.
“There is a fear inside you,” he had said. Even then, the words had arrested Kellen, as if he’d been caught with a secret. “But there is a power greater than the fear, if you can find it. You were born to lead.”
The certainty in his father’s voice had unsettled Kellen even further. It was almost as though Waldemar was willing power into his son. Power the young man feared he didn’t actually possess.
“Listen to me, Kellen. When you’re ready, you’ll know it’s true—the greatest fear you have is that your powers are too great. Embrace them and become their master. You could be the greatest of our name.”
After spending so much time running from himself, the truth in those dying words blossomed inside him for the first time. Kellen had lived under the shadow of the forces he contained. It’s not that he’d ever felt they were too weak, but that they might be greater than he could control. Now, as he stared at the heavy doors shutting him away from the other half of his soul within, he knew it was time to release all fear. It was time to became the man his father had seen.
Swallowing hard, he planted his feet with purpose and pounded on the door. His heart thrummed in his chest, swelling him in anticipation of a cosmic fight. When the door eased open with a silence that belied its size, an old woman’s face met him. Her eyes were a clear grey-blue and an enigmatic smile settled on her thin lips.
“Kellen Oberon,” she said, and he couldn’t hide his surprise that she knew his name. “I’ve been expecting you. I am Regina Lafontaine, the High Priestess of the Inactus.”
Try as he might, Kellen found it impossible to read whether the statement was intended to intimidate him. In fact, everything about her was enigmatic. She radiated the kind of calm strength that he hoped to cultivate for himself as he grew into his station. Opting to lean into a bluffed confidence he fixed his eyes on hers.
“I’ve come to speak to Evanora La Croix,” he said, taking a step toward the threshold. The older woman stayed him with a steady palm.
“There are some things you must understand before you take another step. I invite you to come among us, but you must do it of your own free will. And you must do so on the understanding that, if you do not gain what you seek, you are lost.”
“Meaning?” Kellen raised an eyebrow, suspicious of a threat.
“Meaning, if you can’t leave with what you came for, your life is forfeit and your magic will be absorbed by the coven. You must decide if what you desire within these walls is worth the price of your life should you fail.”
Her face was a mask of serene wisdom, like an expert card player unwilling to reveal her hand. She obviously knew why he came—why else would the head of the coven answer the door herself? That should be the duty of some minion, yet here the most powerful Priestess in the order stood before him.
That only sent him reeling harder under the weight of her challenge. Staring at the marble stone set under the weighty doors, he hesitated. Once he stepped across the threshold, he might never escape. Given that he hadn’t spoken with Evie since falling asleep in each other’s arms, the risk seemed perilously high.
But as he thought
of her, the answer was stunningly clear. He would die either way, so why not attempt to win her rather than perish without even trying? She was worth it. More than worth it.
Taking one last firm look into the hazy eyes of the woman standing in his way, Kellen took a simple step across the threshold and sealed his decision. As soon as he was clear of the door, it slammed shut behind him. Given the placid attention of the High Priestess, the great wooden slab had moved of its own volition.
He was sealed in and would only see the sky again with Evie on his arm.
“You said you were expecting me?” At her nod, Kellen drew back his shoulders and straightened his spine. “I am Kellen Oberon, Lord of the Ravencut clan. My decision to leave my forest home and enter your coven is not made lightly, and I hope you’ll offer me every fair chance to gain what I came for. I want to see—”
“Evanora La Croix. I know.” Her face warmed as his expression changed. “You are brave to have taken that step to join us. I admire your courage.”
“Where is she?” His tone was simple, if not necessarily pleading. Now that he was well within her power, there was a softness about this magnificent woman that he could never have anticipated.
“She is here. But you will be disappointed to learn that she has made her choice. This morning she informed me of her full and unwavering intent to take the blood oath, despite your…dalliance. I asked three times, and each time she affirmed her decision. Three is a binding number and, once taken, the oath is unbreakable. She would die if she tried.”
Kellen froze. Her gentle exterior felt like a taunting trap under the shadow of her words. His stomach burned as he looked at the tiny gleam glinting behind those cool eyes.
“But I came through…”
“And you came too late.” There was no hint of victory in her tone but the statement itself lit a fire inside of him that seared under his skin.
“You tricked me,” he snarled. “I came to you for help, offered myself up, and you took advantage of me. You knew why I came here and you used that to trap me.”
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