Page 61 of Chasing Stripes (Enchanted Falls #3)

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B artek launched out the door and vaulted over the counter separating them, at her side instantly as the object clattered to the floor. A sharp stabbing pain radiated through his chest where her handprints marked him, and he knew she felt the same. Their soul-tether flared in warning, golden light pulsing erratically.

The moment the object—a small obsidian disk etched with unfamiliar symbols—touched the floor, it activated. It began spinning rapidly, emitting an eerie violet light that cast unnatural shadows throughout the kitchen.

“Get back,” Bartek ordered, pushing Artemis behind him as a distorted voice emerged from the spinning disk.

“How touching,” the voice purred, neither male nor female in its pitch. “The tiger and his fae prize, bound by ancient magic.”

“Who are you?” Bartek demanded, positioning himself between Artemis and the mysterious object. His tiger stirred beneath his skin, claws itching to emerge.

“A collector of rare things,” the voice replied smoothly. “And you two have become my most coveted acquisition.”

The disk projected a three-dimensional image of a book—Artemis’s stolen recipe book—its pages turning to reveal handwritten notes and diagrams.

“Your mother’s work is fascinating, little baker,” the voice continued as Artemis peered around Bartek’s shoulder. “Did you know she was researching connections like yours before her untimely death?”

Artemis gasped, the sound piercing Bartek’s heart. He felt her shock reverberate through their connection.

“What do you want?” Bartek growled, his form shimmering as his tiger fought to emerge. Only iron control kept him from shifting as rage built inside him.

“To make you an offer,” the voice replied calmly. “Surrender the soul-tether willingly, and I’ll ensure your separation is... relatively painless.”

Artemis stepped forward to stand beside Bartek, her shoulder brushing his arm. “And if we refuse?” Her voice rang with defiance despite the tremor he could feel through their connection.

The disk spun faster, violet light intensifying. “Then I take it forcibly during the eclipse, and neither of you survives the extraction.”

Before they could respond, the disk shattered with a sound like breaking glass, leaving only black dust and a lingering sense of dread. The air smelled of burnt metal and something acidic that made Bartek’s nose wrinkle.

Haavi, who had witnessed the entire exchange from the doorway, looked uncharacteristically somber. “That... was not good.”

“The flour,” Artemis said suddenly, examining the package she’d opened. “It came from Thaddeus Dartmouth’s supply company.”

“That can’t be coincidence,” Bartek said grimly. Another piece of the puzzle clicked into place.

“Should we alert the council?” Haavi asked, carefully scooping some of the black dust into a small container.

Bartek and Artemis exchanged a look, their bond communicating more than words could express. Bartek sensed her hesitation and shared it.

“Not yet,” he decided. “If there’s a leak in the council, we need to be careful who we trust.”

Before they could continue, another customers pushed through the door, a young couple holding hands and laughing. Tilly greeted them cheerfully, maintaining the facade of normalcy.

“Later,” Bartek said quietly. “For now, we play our parts.”

The day progressed with surprising normalcy as Bartek found himself in the unexpected role of bakery assistant. He handled trays, rang up purchases, and tried to appear like he belonged among the sweets and pastries. In truth, every instinct remained on high alert, his senses constantly scanning for threats.

From time to time, his gaze drifted to Artemis as she worked—her confident movements, the light in her eyes as she explained a specialty pastry to a customer, the unconscious grace with which she brushed flour from her cheek. Pride swelled in his chest. His mate—for she truly was becoming that—possessed a strength that matched his own, though expressed differently.

By mid-afternoon, the bakery bustled with customers enjoying late lunches and early tea. Bartek had just finished carrying a heavy flour sack to the storage room when a strange prickling sensation crawled up his spine. The golden marks beneath his shirt began to burn uncomfortably.

Something was wrong.

A heartbeat later, chaos erupted. Enchanted cupcakes shot from their display case, floating and swirling in dizzying patterns. Sugar dispensers on each table erupted like miniature volcanoes. Magical measuring spoons danced across countertops, clanging like tiny cymbals. A display of color-changing cookies near the register began shifting hues at blinding speed, flashing rainbow colors that left afterimages.

“What’s happening?” Haavi shouted, ducking as a tray of enchanted donuts whizzed past his head.

Bartek’s eyes locked with Artemis across the room. She reached for him instinctively, her expression alarmed.

“It’s not me doing this!” she cried over the growing chaos.

Bartek pulled her protectively against his chest, scanning the room. “Someone’s tampering with the bakery’s magical foundation.”

Through the window, he spotted a hooded figure across the street, hands raised in intricate gestures. Customers screamed and laughed around them, some thinking it was a planned magical display, others diving under tables for protection.

“Keep everyone inside,” Bartek instructed Haavi. Then to Artemis: “I’ll be right back.”

“Be careful,” she warned, reluctant to let go of his hand.