Page 46 of His Blazing Witch (The Silver City #3)

"Mommy, Mommy!"

The young woman sitting by the fire turns to her. I didn't realize how young her mother was... She has white skin, and long, curly black hair. She's very pretty with her blue eyes, but she looks... tired. Very tired. There are marks on her arms too, like witch marks. Like a witch that has exhausted a lot of her magic.

I glance at the butterfly flying around me, and it gently goes toward them. This is obviously a memory, but to my surprise, the woman smiles, and welcomes the butterfly on her finger.

"Mommy, it's so pretty!"

"Yes, Clarissa, but it is sacred. You shall not keep it."

The little girl nods, and puts her hands behind her back, well-behaved. The butterfly gently lands in that woman's hair, and for a second, she looks up, and I think our eyes meet.

It only lasts a very brief moment, but I'm... almost sure she actually saw me. I try to control my breathing and hold Spark a bit closer to me. Is it even possible? This scene is a memory, she shouldn't be able to... see me. Or is it something else?

The woman sighs, and focuses on her daughter again, gently caressing her hair.

"Mommy, could you tell me another story? I love to hear your stories..."

"Of course, my baby. Come here."

Clarissa smiles wide and sits on her mother's lap. The woman kisses her forehead very gently, and begins to brush her hair with her fingers as she starts talking.

"Once upon a time, there was a little girl. The little girl was a witch, and she lived alone, far from the humans who feared her. She had no friends and no family."

"Oh, she must have been lonely..." says Clarissa, frowning.

"Yes, Clarissa. She lived alone, and practiced magic every day. She couldn't help the humans who lived in sickness, but she helped the nature around her. She healed the trees and fed their dry roots. She cleaned the rivers, and made their waters blue. She tamed the fire, and fed it wood. She was loved by animals. The one who loved her was a young wolf."

"A wolf?"

Her mother nods.

"Yes. The young wolf saw how lonely the witch was, and came to visit her every day. The witch and the wolf became friends, and soon, a unique bond formed between them. The little witch grew into a beautiful young maiden, and the wolf grew up. However, the wolf wasn't strong enough. The wolf had a pack, but the pack was constantly hunted down by the humans. The pack needed a strong leader. So, to help the wolf, the witch made him stronger. She used her powers, and she gave him a human appearance, so he could talk with the humans. She made him a werewolf.

"The first werewolf began talking to humans. He learned their ways, and he learned how to live with them. He taught the other wolves to stay away from humans. He became the powerful Alpha of his pack, loved by all, but no one loved him more than the witch. As her beloved wolf now had a human appearance, the witch began to love and love him more. She fell deeply in love, and as he treasured her greatly, she thought the wolf loved her too. The wolf came to visit her every day, bringing her gifts and affection. However, the wolf's love was different. The wolf already had a partner, a young she-wolf he loved greatly."

"Oh, no..." mutters Clarissa.

"Once the witch learned of this, she got angry," resumed her mother. "The wolf had betrayed her, she thought. He never loved her, and only used her for her powers. She had lost her only friend, and her only love. The pain and anger drove her mad. She couldn't get over her heartbreak. She cried for days because of this pain, and felt the loneliest a being can feel. Her magic tried to help her, but instead, the heartbroken witch did something very bad. Guided by her feelings, the witch put a curse on the werewolf and all of his descendants. If one was to ever betray a witch, they would have to suffer a curse. After that curse was cast, the witch isolated herself. She hated the humans and the wolves. She wanted to be alone again, and not suffer anymore. Once her anger had been put into that curse, she felt very empty and very lonely, but she couldn't trust anyone anymore, for no one could understand her pain, she thought."

"What did the curse do, Mommy?"

Her mom shakes her head.

"Something terrible, Clarissa. The witch never saw the werewolf she loved again."

"...Is it the end of the story, then?"

"No," smiles her mom. "When she thought things were over, the young she-wolf who loved the same wolf came to the witch's door. The witch thought this one had come to take revenge on her lost loved one, and she prepared herself to fight. However, she was wrong. The female wolf had come to apologize to the witch."

"To apologize?" repeated Clarissa, raising her eyebrows.

"Yes. ˉI'm sorry,ˇ she said to the witch, ˉbecause my love with the wolf you loved has caused you a lot of pain. I came to apologize for your pain, for now, I am very lonely too without my mate. I understand your anger, but please, accept me by your side now. I know you longed for a companion, and my mate was by your side for a long while. Now, please let it be me. I cannot bear to remain lonely, and I cannot bear for you to be lonely, either. My children have grown and gone. I won't have anymore, but I do not want to remain alone anymore. Please, witch, keep me by your side.ˇ"

"What did the witch do then?"

"The witch was very confused, of course. After she had put such a terrible curse on their family, the she-wolf had come to ask for her forgiveness, and to keep her company too? It was very hard for the witch to understand. So, she decided to let the she-wolf stay by her side so she could wait and see. To her surprise, the she-wolf had spoken the truth. She became the witch's friend, her only friend. The witch understood her mistake. She had taken the wolf's love for granted, and when she had turned him into half a man, she had thought that man was hers. Humans are selfish creatures, but wolves are not. The she-wolf had a pure heart, and so, she did not envy or resent the witch. So, when she realized her mistake and the terrible curse she had put on innocents, the witch was terribly sorry."

"I feel sorry for her too, Mommy. Did she undo the curse, then?"

Her mom sighed.

"No, Clarissa. Once a curse is created, it is stronger than its creator. That is why no witch should ever cast a curse mindlessly."

"I understand, Mommy. Then, what happened to the witch and her friend?"

Her mother smiled.

"The witch said the truth to her she-wolf friend, and she apologized a lot. Sadly, it was too late. She couldn't undo the curse. So, instead, the witch tried to protect her friend. First, she gave her name to that she-wolf who didn't have one, so they could share that burden and weaken the curse. Then, she turned her into a werewolf too, so she could teach her magic."

"But... wolves can't learn magic!"

"They can, my love. This is a very old story from a very long time ago, a story from the first witches who were much, much stronger than us."

"So the she-wolf became a werewolf... and a witch?"

"Not exactly. She became something a little bit different. She wasn't a witch, but she had strong powers to protect herself and her descendants. She only practiced the whitest, purest magic. She taught that magic to her daughters, and their daughters, so they could all protect their families from witches' Dark Magic."

"So... what happened to the curse?"

Her mother sighs, and her expression got a little darker. To my surprise, she lifts her eyes, staring directly at me.

"That curse is still there. It comes back to poison the minds of witches betrayed by their werewolf lovers, and poison their children. It is a very Dark Magic that is very, very old..."

"Can we break it?" I hear myself say at the same time as Clarissa.

"Of course, my love. When a stronger witch appears and breaks the curse, it will be over."

Clarissa suddenly jumps down from her mother's lap.

"Then, I want to be very strong, Mommy, so I can help all the nice werewolves!"

"You like werewolves?" chuckles our mother.

"Um... I think so. I like the nice she-wolf, Mommy, she was so nice to the witch! I want to be strong like her, and only do the white magic like her!"

"You're right, my baby. She was very strong. She was the strongest of all. Do you know? That she-wolf and the witch's friendship is still considered sacred to us and to the werewolves. That is why the witches always try to protect werewolves, if they can. We are friends."

"I will be friends with all the werewolves!" nods Clarissa, her eyes sparkling. "I love the she-wolf, Mommy. She is the best!"

"Yes, my baby. She was so beautiful, strong, and loved that all werewolves still remember her name. They forgot the witch who gave her that name, but they never forgot the she-wolf's name. They have kept it sacred, it is a name given only to the most beautiful and strongest of them. They become loved by the Alpha wolf, and they are the mother of their pack. And when us witches meet a werewolf with that name, we know she is our friend..."

"Really? Mommy, Mommy, what was the name of the witch and the she-wolf, then? What was it?!"

Her mother smiles.

"You will remember it, Clarissa. ...Her name was Luna."

Her name was Luna...? It suddenly comes back to me. The Witchesˇ Ancestral Tree! One of the oldest witches had a name like that. Is that... the witch from the story, the one who began the curse? I have a million questions flooding through my mind, but more importantly... I have this answer. Moon Goddess, this explains so much.

I look at Clarissa's mother, gently caressing her daughter's hair. It looks like she forgot about me now. This story... she told Clarissa on purpose, didn't she? Some witches can foresee the future, like Sylviana. I haven't been able to use that ability other than in action, as a self-defense reflex, but... at least I can see the past when it matters. I should try to work on that too. It is the only thing little Mara couldn't help me with, I guess.

"Mommy, have you seen werewolves before?"

Clarissa keeps chatting with her mother but they are simply just talking to each other, I guess there's... nothing left for me to learn here.

How do I get out of this? The butterfly is still with Clarissa's mother, fooling around in her hair and I suddenly understand itˇs no stranger to her. I thought this was Sylviana's, but... what if this was her magic creature instead? She was an Earth Witch just like Sylviana was, it wouldn't be strange if they have the same pet...

" ...Are you envious? "

I turn around.

Standing there in the darkness is a young woman. She's... beautiful, but also scary. She has bright green eyes, and crimson red hair floating around her face. Her dress too, looks like it has black embroideries at first, but... eventually, I realize it's not fabric at all, but sheer darkness, floating around and covering her arms and body.

Even without her appearance, I can tell. There's something evil about her, something that puts me on edge. Spark circles his body around me too and starts growling again. She smiles at me, but there isn't an ounce of happiness in that smile. It's just straight creepy.

"Who are you?" I ask, spreading my fingers as if to start a fire.

" Don't you envy me too? " she smirks.

It suddenly hits me. Red hair, green eyes, looking about in her thirties, and a witch too... Sylviana?

No, this can't be right? Sylviana wasn't a Dark Witch and she's dead. She's been dead for a long time. Why would she appear now? I mean, she obviously put that spell in her tree, but...

I glance back, and the scene behind me with little Clarissa and her mother is gone. There's nothing but darkness... Damn it, what now? I don't like this. Moreover, the air is starting to get colder. I feel it, like a chill going down to my bones. I try to ignore it. I know it's not real. I have to remember this is just a dream. A dream that looks like itˇs about to turn into a damn nightmare...

" What is it? " she chuckles. " Is the little witch scared? "

"I'm not scared of you," I hiss, "and I am no longer a little witch. I can control my powers and"

"Your powers? " she suddenly says, louder. " Those aren't your powers, are they? Didn't Clarissa Garnett give them to you? You don't have any powers. "

I stay speechless. What the... What the hell is going on? She steps closer to me. I want to step back, but my feet feel like they are suddenly glued to the ground. What the actual hell, there is no ground, this is a dream! Yet, I feel them freeze. I can't move, it does literally nothing when I try. It's the cold, taking over my feet. It's not even... cold anymore. It's ice cold and making me feel more numb each second.

" You don't have powers, you're just a replacement... Nothing you have is yours, is it? That family. Those werewolves... None of them really like you, do they? "

"Shut up," I growl. "You don't know anything."

" Oh, I know, " she chuckles. " You're nothing but a broken soul... A patchwork made of random broken pieces. You take what you get and you survive, thinking you're legit... Aren't you scared? "

The cold crawls up my legs as I try to fight it. I need to get out of this. I need to get out of here. She comes closer, but I don't want her any closer. I try to get mad, to look for my inner flame. Yet, my fire is surprisingly small now, as if this cold was affecting it too. Why? Why can't I get out of here? I'm getting really nervous now and this sense of danger is scaring me.

"You're not Sylviana," I hiss. "You're that curse."

She chuckles, and her appearance changes. Damn, I knew it. Now that I've uncovered her, she doesn't care about playing around and it will just get worse... I see her shift until she takes the traits of a similar woman with darker hair, blue eyes... I would swear this has to be Nephera. She tilts her head.

" Mara, Mara, " she sings. " Even your name isn't really yours. You stole their body... their powers... little nameless thief... Mara, the thief with a fake name... "

"Stop it. You know nothing about me, you're just a curse. All those dark feelings those other witches had."

" And you? You think you can escape them? "

Right now, I'm not sure I can. The closer she comes, the colder I get. I don't feel well. I'm shivering like crazy, and I can't feel my legs anymore. The damn irony. I've known the pain of getting burnt, now I'm going through the opposite... I look around but Spark is gone. I'm suddenly hit by a new wave of cold, and I'm really not feeling well.

" Even Liam... " she suddenly whispers, changing back into Sylviana. " You stole what wasn't yours... Your mate? You think you deserve a mate that wasn't intended for you? Something else you stole from someone... like a scavenger... "

"Get the fuck off me," I growl. "Liam is mine. Not yours, not anyone else's. Mine."

Hearing her talk about my mate fuels my anger and my fire. I don't want her to talk about him. I struggle more. I need to get out of here now!

" You're a liar... You're nothing but "

"I'm a fucking witch, you damn bitch of a curse. So now, you get OFF ME !"

I focus on my flame, getting ready to let it all out. Itˇs now or never. She has to go. I'm cold, I'm so cold that I can't feel my legs, my chest, and soon, my hands... I can't let my flame die out. I can't keep listening to her. I prepare my fire, growing like a storm inside of me, and I'm about to spit it out when she suddenly disappears.

An earthquake takes over, my body is shaking.

"Mara!"

I finally open my eyes.

"Moon Goddess," says Liam. "Mara, can you hear me? Are you okay?"

W-where? How?

I nod instinctively, but I'm not okay. It takes me a few seconds to realize where I am. Liam's bed. Liam's arms. He's holding me, looking panicked. I'm still confused, but Liam keeps shaking me and rubbing my arms to keep me awake, until he's sure I am. I'm shivering like crazy and still feeling cold as hell.

"W-wha-?"

"Mara, are you okay?" he asks again.

"I... I'm cold," I finally blurt out.

"Cold? O-okay."

Before I realize, Liam carries me out of the bed in one move, and I just desperately hold on to him. I'm letting him take me wherever he wants. I'm as strengthless as a doll right now, I can't move a single muscle. With just my finger on his skin, I focus on his warmth. He takes me to the bathroom and back into the shower. Damn, how many showers will I take today?

He puts me down on the shower floor and has the hot water running immediately. We are both still in pajamas and getting soaked in them, but we don't care. I just need to breathe. I don't feel so well, I'm nauseous. I'm scared and that sensation of ice covering my limbs won't go away. I rub them frantically, hoping it will fade soon. I need to calm down. It was just a nightmare, just a nightmare...

"Are you feeling better?" asks Liam.

He rubs my arms and stays close, his gray eyes not leaving me. I nod and just stay as close as I can to him, letting the hot water wash over me. I need to calm down. I breathe slowly and inhale Liam's scent to calm me down. His hands don't leave me for one second. He's gently rubbing my back, my arms, my neck, without asking anything, just waiting for me. Moon Goddess, that's all I need right now. To focus on his hands, on him. He's here. He's my mate and he's here.

The shivering slows down, and he gently rubs some water over my forehead. I didn't even realize how much I was sweating until now... That was one really bad dream.

"Thank you..." I mutter.

"It's alright," he sighs. "As long as you feel better soon... Damn, I don't think I've ever felt your skin this cold... or even seen you shivering crazy like that."

I weakly nod a bit, and put my forehead on my knees. Damn it, now I'm exhausted... again. I move my toes, as if to make sure they're back. The ice is gone... I'm still shivering a bit, but it's nothing compared to before. I feel like my whole body went out of whack. What the hell...

I'm glad Liam keeps hugging me. He's drenched too but he just stays there under the shower with me, caressing my shoulders, massaging my nape to make me feel better. After a little while, he slowly turns off the water and wraps me in a gigantic bath towel, the softest one too, and takes me out of the shower.

"Damn it, you're still cold..." he frowns. "Uh... How about a hot drink? Hot chocolate?"

"Sounds good," I mutter.

"Okay then, hot cocoa it is. If this doesn't warm you up... I don't know what will."

He carries me to the kitchen and, in a familiar position, gently puts me on the kitchen counter before running to the kettle and cupboards.

"While I do this, want to update me on the latest crazy witch stuff?"

"It was the curse," I grumble.

"The... You mean that curse? I thought that spell was"

"Iˇm not sure what happened, it hid inside the spell and tried to trick me... Iˇm not sure why. Or even what happened at all, to be honest. Everything was going okay for a while and it... appeared at the end."

I sigh and wrap the towel tighter around me. Liam pours the hot water on the cocoa mix and brings it to me.

"Here."

"Thanks..."

I immediately take small sips, ignoring that it's burning my tongue. It feels good. The sweetness is even more efficient than the hotness of the drink itself. I feel it go down my throat and into my stomach, finally warming me up from the inside. Liam sips a bit from his too, and comes back to me, gently rubbing my arms again.

"Better?"

I nod and let out a long sigh.

"Thank Moon Goddess for hot chocolate," I whisper.

"I know, right? Best thing ever."

I chuckle, and Liam leaves a quick kiss on my forehead. I lean on his shoulder. Damn, I'm a bit better now, but I'm tired again. Still, I need to let it out. I don't think I'll be able to close my eyes after this.

"...There was a good part and a bad part. Which one should I start with?"

"Hm... the bad part? I feel like I'll need something to calm me down afterwards."

"I saw your ex."

He opens his mouth, shocked.

"Sylviana?"

"...Do you have other exes I should know about?" I frown.

He closes his mouth right away.

"Nope. But... what... I mean how...?"

"It wasn't really her, to be honest. The curse took her appearance to confuse me..."

"Mara, what happened?"

He puts his hand around my nape, he can tell I'm not okay. Oh, what the hell, why do I feel like crying now? Iˇve been crying so much these days, but shit, she really got to me. As soon as I'm about to open my mouth, I feel the tears coming. I try to take several deep breaths, I don't want to cry, I don't want to cry...

"Hey, babe, it's me, okay?" he whispers gently. "Just me. Let it out. I'll listen."

Liam gently kisses my forehead, my temples, my cheek, and the wall breaks. I start crying. I'm exhausted, I feel like crap, and I'm completely messed up inside. I've had two fucking rough days and I just need a break from this whole mess. I hate that I'm letting everything she said go to my head. I don't want to. I thought I was stronger, but... damn, I have insecurities too.

"She... I mean the curse, it just... called me a thief..."

"A thief?"

I nod, sobbing silently.

"That I don't... have anything that's really mine, or... me... Clarissa's body, her f-family... l-little Mara's powers... even you... You're not really my mate, and"

"Okay, okay, Mara, stop right there. Babe, look at me."

I make an effort to raise my eyes from my cup, and look Liam right in the eyes. This time, he looks dead serious and cups my cheeks in his hands.

"Mara, you're my mate," he says. "Alright? Don't let any curse or any bullshit magic tell you otherwise. I don't give a damn about your body, your family, your magic, or whatever. You're my mate, my Mara."

"But"

"No buts," he growls. "Mara, it's not about any of those things, okay? I love this Mara, the one that's right in front of me right now. The Mara that is one hell of a badass witch one day, and a sexy student chick I can pick up after her classes the next. I love how you are with your friends, with my family... our family, and even how you care for your weird magic cat. I like that you're fine with my stupid noodles and hot chocolates. I like that you can threaten to burn my ass when you're jealous, and when you're a brat who tries to steal my bike... Okay? I love this Mara, the girl I saw on the dance floor, who chased me to the border and got trapped in a downpour with me."

I smile. I didn't realize how many memories we already have together... Liam smiles too, and kisses my cheek quickly.

"I love how cute you are when you cry, when you smile, and even that stupid habit of yours to bite your thumb when you're hesitating or stressed. When you make efforts to dress up or try makeup, and when you're as dorky as your friend too. That's my Mara. You're stubborn and reckless as hell, you always have so many questions, no one can keep up with you, and you're crazy enough to jump from a building to save everybody but yourself."

Now I'm getting shy, but Liam isn't done. He smiles again, and kisses my other cheek.

"There's no other Mara like that, okay? I don't care about what name you want to use, or how you came to be, okay? I... like the parts of you that make you Mara. Your crazy magic stuff I can't keep up with, but that's fine with me. Your body too, I don't care if it's borrowed or whatever, I'm glad you got one that functions well. I could tell when it wasn't you, couldnˇt I?"

"It took you long enough..."

"Hey, that body is still hot, for the record, and I didn't know there was a soul-swapping option on it."

This time, I can't help but chuckle at his half-offended, half-annoyed expression. However, he soon sighs and puts his forehead against mine.

"Mara, if there's only one thing in this world you can trust, it's me, remember? You said you needed our fated mate bond. I need it too. You healed something in me, Mara. I didn't think I could bounce back after what happened two years ago, but... you happened, and things changed again."

"...Really?" I mumble.

"Yes, babe."

He comes in to kiss me. It's one very sweet kiss, with a chocolate taste, and it's so good. Our lips are so gentle, it's almost too tame compared to our usual kisses. Still, it makes me feel a lot better. Liam is being extra gentle on purpose, and rubbing my wet cheek with his thumb. When we separate, I'm done crying and have a bit of a smile on, while his goes from ear to ear.

"That's right," he chuckles. "My Mara. My feisty tiger."

I chuckle back, and lean in to steal another quick kiss from him.

"Thank you..." I whisper. "...I love you."

"I love you," he repeats almost instantly.

Liam gently takes my mug out of my hands, places it next to us on the counter, and hugs me tightly. I'm warm now. I'm warm and feeling much better than before. I can't believe I let her use my insecurities like that... I really fell deep for it. I take deep breaths against Liam's neck, his scent calming me down. We almost smell the same now. I wrap my hands around his waist, and realize his pants are still soaking wet.

"You're..."

"I know," he sighs. "It's okay. Plus, maybe it will dry while you tell me the good part of that shit dream you had."