Page 6 of Hexes & Heartstrings (Shifters of Bastion Keep #2)

"I did," he whispered. "I found out the patrol schedule from Markos, then snuck out at dawn with Russell. I did a charm to mask our scent, and left the letter with your perfume on it right up against the anchor. Russell assured me that there's no way any shifter would miss it."

Rosemary brightened considerably, though she tried to hide it by adjusting her gloves.

"I don't know why you don't just, you know, give the letters yourself? You can't be a secret admirer when shifters know your scent. It'll be all over the paper, the envelope…"

"Not all of us were blessed by having Mother Moon give us two lovers," she said primly, but with a teasing twinkle in her eyes.

"Besides, this is more romantic. You and Lux can have your first-date sex, but I want to draw it out just a little more.

We're here for three years, there's plenty of time. "

As Bruin rifled through his bag for his journal, he felt Rosemary lay a hand on his arm.

"Or more than three years, for some of us. I'll miss you when I go."

Bruin had to fight down a sudden panic. "What? No. I won't be staying. Or, I will. But you're leaving? I mean…"

Rosemary moved her hand so that she could grab hold of his, and he clutched at her.

"Bruin, I like this place, but not enough to say that I'll stay here forever.

Even if things work out for me in the love department, I want to see more of the world, first. So yes, I'm sorry, but if you remain here then at some point we're going to say goodbye. "

The sound of the door opening rescued Bruin from the still turbulent thought that came whenever he realized that this would be his forever home. At least, so long as he wanted to date a lord and a castle-born werewolf, neither of whom had ever voiced aspirations of leaving.

"You're both here, then?" High Priest Roland asked, striding to the front of the room, a shimmering lantern carried in his hand. "Excellent, we can get started."

Bastion's chief willworker was a middle-aged man with silvered hair, a short beard, and wiry muscles hidden beneath his long-sleeved white shirt and kilt. Like an old mastiff, he was gruff and direct, but never truly unkind in his demands as their employer.

Behind Roland and navigating the clutter with effortless steps was Lux Manus, the unofficial leader of their coven. With his raven-black, shoulder-length curls and toned, dark-skinned musculature, Bruin's certifiably gorgeous ex wouldn't look out of place as the lead dancer in a ballet.

"Sorry to have to change plans at the last minute," Roland said, setting the lantern down on a table as he took a seat in a chair in front of them. "But by now you know that we can't schedule around incursions."

"Perfectly understandable," Lux said smoothly. He pulled a slim notebook and a fancy-tipped pen out of his witch's bag, opening to a blank page. "Will we be doing our ritual anchor walk later in the week instead?"

"No. And honestly, we may move to a once a month schedule instead of weekly.

" Roland crossed his arms as he leaned back in his chair, but Bruin thought maybe he was trying to hold back his pride.

"I'll have to check the charge levels of the anchors over time to be sure, but with your coven ritual amplifying the effect, you three are proving individually powerful enough to handle an anchor apiece. "

"That's kind of you to say," Lux said. "And inspiring. With the extra time, I'll bet we can focus on other pursuits. I've been wanting to set up a proper astronomy room."

Roland shook his head, then indicated the lantern. "Before you start getting carried away with plans, I've got another task."

Bruin recognized it readily enough. He, Lux, and Rosemary had worked together to craft something to help Sergiy track down the shadow lord, and they'd performed multiple rituals together over several weeks to get it up and running.

"Sergiy mentioned something to me last night about finding a trail, before he crashed into bed," Bruin said. "The lantern worked?"

"It did. It helped guide our guardians to where Wintersbane was located, but there was a major complication."

Bruin listened, rapt, as Roland discussed what he'd seen himself.

"A mobile demesne," Lux said with a thoughtful frown. "That does complicate matters… or, no, perhaps just the opposite. Rosemary, what do you think?"

"I think I know what you mean, and I'm inclined to agree.

" She nodded to Lux, then turned to Roland, gesturing.

"Until now, you've been looking for one man in a vast, dark sea, hoping that one of the guardians would scent his trail.

Even with the lantern, you needed to pass somewhere close to where he'd been.

And with the Umbral realm having multiple layers… "

"Aye, lass, near three months of searching and only a couple whiffs until this last weekend."

"But now you've managed to collect a piece of it, gathered like a fallen glass slipper, and I think I know how to use it."

Bruin felt quite out of his depth as the other three suggested divination charms and rituals, but he paid attention diligently, doing his best to follow along like a proper coven witch should.

"I'll have to run some tests in a sanctified area to be sure," Lux said in the end, making charm notations in his book, "but off-hand, while I think Rosemary and I can craft a talisman that can utilize the shadow for a trace, I think we might have to use all of it."

"One shot, then?" Roland chewed on his beard. "Pah! I suppose we'll have to make it count."

"We might get two or three, possibly," Lux said, but he didn't sound confident.

"You only need the one attempt," Bruin pointed out, glad to finally have an idea to contribute. "Once you get there, you just have to make sure that several good puppers bring back souvenirs, like more shadow! You know, in case you don't permanently kick the lord's ass the first time."

"Ha! Aye, lad, that's sensible. Not saying that any of our guardians could bring back shadow like this, but a brick or an enemy weapon, sure."

"Then there's just one last thing," Lux said in his most reasonable tone of voice, which in Bruin's familiar experience always meant that he was about to deliver bad news.

"There's good information in the books here and in the library about the Umbral realm, but nothing beats firsthand experience.

If the three of us are going to craft a tracking ritual using a piece of the Umbral, I think we should spend some time there. "

Roland crossed his arms, staring at Lux, but he didn't immediately say no, which meant…

"Aye, lad," Roland said, and Bruin held back a groan.

"I probably should have taken you lot there before now anyways.

Ah, don't make that face, Bruin. You look like a dog with a lobster on his tail.

I know your first visit wasn't particularly fun, but the Umbral really is peaceful when it's not in the middle of a hostile incursion.

We'll make the trip come Friday. Is that good for everyone? "

There was a round of agreement, and then Rosemary asked, "How long will we have to work on this tracking ritual?"

"At least a month," Roland said. "Diving deep into the Umbral can be dangerous, so I need time to create protection talismans for each guardian, and knowing our Lord, he's going to want all five packs.

Let's say… damn, it's already September, isn't it.

End of October, then, let's plan for the thirtieth.

The veil gets pretty thin around Halloween, which means the Umbral layers will be thinner and easier to navigate. "

"It'll also be very nearly a new moon," Lux said, nodding. Bruin could almost swear he saw the gears churning. "Yes, I think that day will be perfect."

"Aye, that's it, then," Roland said, standing.

"In four days we'll all visit the Umbral so you can each get a taste for it.

I'll speak with the lord about assigning us some guardians for protection.

And at the end of next month, we'll track down this fallen Lord Wintersbane and put an end to this nonsense, and we can all get back to regular incursions. "

Rosemary did a kind of seated curtsy. "Let us know if you need any help with your preparations. As a Hearth witch, I know a number of charms for helping others find their way back home."

"Mayhap, lass. I'll see if any of my preparations could use a dose of witchcraft."

Bruin stayed behind with his coven as Roland left.

"Thoughts?" Lux asked, standing up out of his chair and pacing in front of the room with the bearing of a tenured college professor.

"I think it might be fun, visiting a world of silence and shadows," Rosemary said with a grim fervor. "I'll make sure to do some divinations before we go, check to see if the spirits approve of this course of action."

Bruin grunted his own feelings. "It makes sense."

"Excellent!" Lux moved to grab his witch's bag off of his desk, setting it gracefully over a shoulder.

"Then let's each spend a few hours today or tomorrow researching something about the Umbral.

When we get together on Wednesday for our coven meeting, we'll consolidate what we find.

For now, I think I'll hit the library before lunch.

Rosemary, Bruin, either of you want to join me? "

"I'll have to pass," Rosemary said. "I'm working on finishing the kitchen supplies for our coven day."

"I have to pass, too," Bruin said. Seeing the vague disappointment on Lux's face, he hurried to defend himself.

"It's not what you're thinking, I know me and books don't get along.

But, ugh, I'm finishing a chapter in an economics book for Sergiy's stepdad.

I'm seeing him tomorrow for some tutoring and it's tough to work through. "

Lux's expression brightened. "Ah. Good for you, leaning into your education on being a good mate. Try to dedicate a few hours to Umbral study before Wednesday if you can, but if not I'll understand."

After making their farewells, Bruin went back to his quarters, pulling out the book that Gregory had given him. He tossed off his shorts for comfort, then sank down onto his bed and began reading.

Sergiy's mom, Lady Galina Usenko, might have grown up royal and used to ruling, but both of her husbands would have had to learn how to manage castle affairs.

Bruin had spoken to Sergiy's dad first, finding the fluffy baker easier to get along with, and the werewolf consort had given him an approving lick across his face before calling in Gregory.

Between the two, they'd worked out a very loose teaching schedule, educating Bruin over much of what they themselves had learned when they'd married Galina.

And since Bruin was courting their son, he needed to learn the same, assuming that he'd be staying after his three years of mandatory public service ended.

Of course he was staying, right? But the thought still plagued him. Twenty-four years old, and already the rest of his life was planned out. He certainly didn't see Sergiy ever leaving Bastion, at least not in the next couple of decades, and Russell would never leave their lord's side.

And Bruin was a Green witch with an earthen temperament. It was only natural for him to put down roots!

He'd just never actually thought it would be this soon .

Bruin sighed, realizing he hadn't actually read anything from the last few pages, even if his eyes had looked them over. Putting everything else out of his mind, he flipped back to the start of the chapter, then began again.