Page 17 of Faeheart (Widdershins Supernatural Academy #2)

Wild

S tepping between the realms was a little like walking through a cold waterfall.

But instead of stepping through to the other side, I felt like I was still trapped in that thin sheet of cold that refused to let go of me.

For a moment I thought I’d drown, but when I opened my eyes, I found myself in a strange grey void.

The cold shifted to my feet, and I realized I was standing in moving water up to my knees, the current drawing me toward some far-off horizon that I couldn’t make out.

For some strange reason, I had a bad feeling about it.

“Don’t follow the water,” Councilor Vael said, as if reading my thoughts. “The current will take you to the gate of life and death. If you walk through… there’s no coming back.”

“And we wary of dead spirits trying to get back to the realm of the living,” Councilor Ashwick added. “They like to cling to warm bodies that spend too long in the stream.”

“Are you telling me this is the Veil?” I asked, my fae curiosity getting the better of me. “I always thought it was a sheet or something.”

“This is the Veil,” Councilor Ashwick nodded. “It exists between all realms. Water is the best conductor for spiritual energy, and it traps the dead to carry them away from the realm of the living when their time comes.”

“This is all very interesting,” Elias said, his teeth already chattering. “But can we get the hell out of here, please? It’s freezing and honestly, it gives me the creeps.”

“Of course,” Councilor Vael said, pointing her staff ahead. “Follow me. The mansion is this way.”

I reached over, taking Elias’s hand instinctively. “Don’t worry,” I said, giving it a squeeze. “I’ll keep you warm.”

The contact sent a wave of heat through both of us, our bond flaring to life even in this strange between-space. Elias’s shivers subsided slightly, though his grip on my hand remained tight.

“How far?” Atlas asked, his werewolf senses clearly on high alert as he scanned the grey expanse around us. His protective instincts were radiating through our tetrad bond so strongly I could taste his unease.

“Not far,” Councilor Vael replied, though her voice seemed to echo strangely in the void. “Time moves differently here. What feels like miles could be mere steps.”

As we began to move through the knee-deep water, following the councilor’s lead, I noticed shapes moving beneath the surface. Pale, reaching hands that grasped at our legs as we passed, faces that appeared and dissolved like smoke in the current.

“Ignore them,” Councilor Ashwick warned as Caden stumbled, nearly pulled off balance by something tugging at his ankle. “They cannot truly harm you, but they will try to convince you otherwise.”

Atlas immediately moved closer to Caden, his arm wrapping protectively around his mate’s waist. The gesture sent a pulse of warmth through all of us via the bond, pushing back some of the oppressive cold.

“There,” Councilor Vael said suddenly, pointing ahead with her staff.

Through the grey mist, I could make out a structure materializing as if it were being painted into existence stroke by stroke.

It was magnificent and impossible, a sprawling mansion that seemed to combine architectural elements from every magical realm.

Fae spires twisted alongside witch towers, while dryad-grown living walls wound between stone foundations that hummed with werewolf pack magic.

“Welcome,” Councilor Ashwick said with obvious pride, “to Lydia’s sanctuary.”

The mansion grew larger as we approached, defying all logic of perspective. What had seemed like a modest estate from a distance revealed itself to be vast, with wings and levels that seemed to fold in on themselves in ways that made my fae-trained eyes water.

“How is this possible?” Elias breathed, his academic curiosity overriding his discomfort.

“Your grandmother was more powerful than anyone realized,” Councilor Vael explained as we reached what appeared to be a shoreline, the grey water lapping at stones that shifted between obsidian and pearl with each wave.

“This place exists in a pocket of reality she carved out herself, anchored to all realms but belonging to none.”

We climbed from the water onto solid ground, and immediately I felt the oppressive weight of the Veil lift from my shoulders.

The air was suddenly warm and sweet, carrying scents of wildflowers and old magic.

When I turned around to look at the water, I found it was no longer gray and full of obscured shapes, but blue and crystalline, as if we were standing on the edge of the sea on a sunny day.

The illusion surrounding the mansion was powerful, more so than anything I’d ever seen.

“The bond will be stronger here,” Councilor Ashwick warned as we approached the mansion’s front entrance, massive doors carved with symbols that seemed to move when I wasn’t looking directly at them.

“This place was designed to amplify magical connections. You may experience some... intensity as your tetrad stabilizes.”

As if summoned by his words, I felt the bond between the four of us suddenly flare to life with unprecedented strength.

Elias gasped beside me, his hand tightening in mine as waves of sensation crashed through our connection.

I could feel Atlas’s protective instincts, Caden’s wonder at the magical architecture, and Elias’s mixture of fear and fascination all as clearly as my own emotions.

“Holy shit,” Atlas growled, steadying himself against the door frame. “That’s... intense.”

Caden looked flushed, his breathing slightly uneven. “I can feel all of you. Not just fragments or emotions, but... everything.”

The doors swung open before we could knock, revealing a grand foyer that defied the laws of physics.

Staircases spiraled upward and downward simultaneously, while the walls seemed to whisper to each other in languages I didn’t recognize.

Wall sconces cast dancing shadows that seemed to tell stories of their own.

“Welcome to your new home,” Councilor Vael said, stepping aside to let us enter. “Everything you need is here. Lydia’s research, her personal effects, training rooms designed specifically for bond work, and...”

She gestured to a side table where a crystal orb sat glowing softly. “A communication device. Should you need to contact us for any reason.”

“You’re leaving us here alone?” Elias asked, a note of panic creeping into his voice.

“This place will teach you what you need to know,” Councilor Ashwick assured him. “Lydia designed it to respond to bonded individuals. It will guide your training.”

I felt a chill that had nothing to do with the Veil we’d just crossed. “You’re saying the house is alive?”

“Not alive, exactly,” Councilor Vael smiled mysteriously. “But aware. Lydia poured decades of her consciousness into these walls. In a sense, she never truly left. There’s a few ethereal servants wandering around as well, I’m sure.”

As if responding to her words, the mansion around us hummed softly, a welcoming sound that vibrated through the bond and made all four of us relax slightly.

“There are bedrooms upstairs,” Councilor Ashwick continued. “Though given the nature of your bond, you may find separate sleeping arrangements... challenging.”

Heat flooded my cheeks as I caught his meaning. Through our connection, I felt similar embarrassment from the others, mixed with an undercurrent of anticipation that none of us wanted to acknowledge yet.

“We’ll figure it out,” Atlas said gruffly, his arm still protectively around Caden.

The councilors exchanged a look before Councilor Vael spoke again.

“Before we leave you, there’s something else you should know.

The Purity Front has been searching for this place for decades.

These wards are strong, but not impenetrable.

They will eventually find a way in. It’s only a matter of time. ”

“How long do we have?” Elias asked, his voice tight with worry.

“Months, hopefully,” Councilor Vael replied, though her tone suggested she wasn’t entirely confident.

“The wards your grandmother and Sorrel wove are intricate, layered with protections from multiple realms. But the Purity Front has been growing stronger, acquiring artifacts and knowledge that could eventually breach even these defenses.”

“So, we’re on borrowed time,” I said grimly. “Perfect.”

“Use it wisely,” Councilor Ashwick advised. “The mansion will help guide your bond development, but ultimately the work must come from you. Trust each other. Trust the connection between you.”

With that cryptic and mostly unhelpful advice, both councilors began to fade at the edges, their forms becoming translucent. “We’ll return when we can,” Councilor Vael’s voice echoed as they dissolved completely. “Remember, use the communication crystal if you need us urgently.”

And then we were alone.

The silence that followed their departure was deafening, broken only by the gentle humming of the mansion around us.

I looked at my three bondmates, suddenly feeling the weight of our situation settling over us like a heavy blanket.

This was no longer just college and homework and classes.

This was life and death and the fate of the supernatural world.

“Well,” I said, attempting my usual lightness, though it came out somewhat strained. “This is cozy. Four guys, one magical house, and impending doom. What could go wrong?”

Atlas snorted despite himself. “When you put it like that, it sounds like the setup to a really bad joke.”

“Or a really good porno,” I added with a grin, earning myself a scandalized look from Elias and a laugh from Caden.

“Wild,” Elias said, but there was less censure in his voice than usual. The bond between us was humming so strongly that I could feel his exhaustion, his worry, and underneath it all, a growing acceptance of our situation.