Page 10 of Magic & Secrets (Twisted Magic #1)

Wary of magic folk stirring up danger near his home, he peered out the front window of the small shop. “But those troublemaking creatures are dead now, you say?”

“Unless they can regenerate their heads, they’re dead.”

“Good,” he said with a dark tone. “We’ve had enough trouble over the years. The world isn’t as predictable since your kind retired.”

I was startled by my surging pride at hearing how the world changed for the worse without the Bane Shifters. My kind had fought hard and bled plenty to keep the Territories at peace. For a century, I wondered if the humans and magic folk even noticed our absence.

“You have a Witch’s protection spell around your settlement,” I said while the tailor measured me.

“It helps some. Didn’t stop you or those warriors. Likely wouldn’t have done squat with those feral Shifters. Against a Sorcerer or stray Shifter, it tends to work, though.”

“Nothing’s perfect, I suppose,” I replied while the tailor began to work.

Peering out the front window, I spotted my packmates.

Humans scurried away at the sight of the giant males.

I smiled wistfully, recalling a time when an appearance by the Bane Shifters would be applauded.

The humans felt pride in what their science had created.

We were given the royal treatment wherever we went.

These days, the Bane Shifters were myths, whispered of yet mostly forgotten.

The warriors didn’t seem particularly frightened or curious about us. Calla claimed not to believe what we were, but she wasn’t any good at lying.

No doubt her handlers at the Murade told her to expect the Bane Shifters. Perhaps, the females were given weapons to disarm us. Was that the intoxicating magic in air? Had my old owners handed their newest weapons whatever necessary to make us heel?

The tailor’s little human hands made quick work of three pairs of pants. The fabric felt strange against my skin. Even back at Operation Overlord, we rarely wore clothes. There was no need to cover up amongst our kind.

Since the female warriors weren’t as casual toward nudity, I chose to endure the itchy fabric against my flesh. Delta and Koda didn’t complain, either, as we stepped out of the tailor’s shop.

We found the warriors inside an old-fashioned pub. The walls were forged of timber and stone. The air was filled with the aroma of smoke, ale, and roasting meat. Under it all, I detected the alluring cinnamon scent.

A fire crackled in the corner ingleside. Solar lanterns created a golden hue. Men stood around the bar top, admiring the female warriors at a back table.

As soon as we entered, the jovial humans froze. Laughter died on their lips, and the place fell silent. Half of the humans gawked at us. The others stared fearfully at the ground.

None of the humans were old enough to remember a time when the Bane Shifters were more than stories told around the fire.

I ignored the worried pub patrons and walked straight toward the warriors. I hoped to work my magic on Calla and discover her secrets.

Once her gaze fell upon me, I lost track of my plan. Calla’s presence caressed my flesh. The magic surged around us, making me lightheaded and compliant.

“You found pants,” Enya said as her green eyes admired our new garments. I noticed her gaze lingered a moment longer on Koda. “How does one pay for anything when one lacks pockets?”

“The generosity of strangers,” Delta snarled at her.

Koda bumped our packmate. His upper lip lifted into a snarl. A threatening growl erupted from deep within his chest. Delta met Koda’s aggression with his own.

“What’s wrong with them?” Calla asked me.

I gazed into her eyes, feeling a primal urge to move closer. “They’re riled up from the hunt,” I lied and glanced at my snarling packmates. “They haven’t been in battle in a very long while.”

“Yes, we noticed,” Mina muttered and frowned at the growling males. “You were slow to act.”

Lying immediately, I muttered, “We were pacing ourselves to see if their master would show.”

“Why would you assume they had one?”

“Wolf and Lion Shifters don’t tend to work together.”

“Times are changing,” Mina said and looked around the room.

“She’s pleasant,” I told Calla and dropped into the chair closest to her.

Calla smiled at the chair groaning under my size. “Think it will hold?”

I shared her smile, unable to help myself. “Will you laugh if it doesn’t?”

“Of course not. I’m very well-mannered,” she said and then exhaled deeply as if trying to center herself. “Do you miss your mountain?”

Calla’s voice brushed against my skin like a cool breeze on a warm day. I had no idea what spell she had me under, but I couldn’t stop staring. My fingers tingled. What would her skin feel like?

To regain control of my thoughts, I closed my eyes and imagined myself in my favorite place.

I stood at a mountain plateau with the sun on my skin.

The scent of newly bloomed spring flowers filled my nostrils.

I heard the wind dancing across the untouched land.

The first time I felt truly free was on that plateau.

Opening my eyes, I found Calla wearing a curious expression.

“Is the answer a secret?” she whispered, and I realized I had fallen into silence.

“I won’t miss the mountain until our hunt is finished.”

“Who will you hunt next?”

“The Lion Shifters worked with Wolf Shifters and Vampyres. Magic men were involved, too. We already killed the Necromancer in their group.”

“We located the Chauve Vampyres at Emerald Outpost,” Calla said, watching me intently. “They had a strange beast with them.”

“Strange how?”

“A bigger, stronger, twisted version of a Chauve Vampyre.”

“And you triumphed over this creature?”

Calla offered a little smile. “I nearly cut his head off. It was nothing.”

Her expression froze as she took notice of her sisters shooting daggers at her from across the table. Calla exhaled softly, suitably scolded for her words.

“We learned the Wolf Shifters and a Sorcerer are within a day’s travel,” Calla said in a stonier voice when her gaze returned to me. “They will be our next target.”

“And who is paying you to hunt these threats?” Koda asked.

Though I frowned at how he dared to speak to Calla, I realized his question was directed at Enya.

The redheaded warrior glanced at him and said, “The who and how behind the warrants aren’t explained.”

“Let me see your warrants,” Koda insisted and held out his hand. “They likely state the names of the people paying for the bounties.”

Enya looked him right in the eyes and lied, “We lost them during the battle with the Chauve Vampyres.”

“Of course, you did,” Koda replied, wearing a steely grin. “You claimed these vermin attacked other locations. Care to name a few?”

“No,” Enya answered immediately. “I receive my orders from others, not you.”

Calla turned her attention from her sister back to me. “I would like to order a meal and brew. Would you care for something?”

“I'd better go with you,” I said, standing when she did. “I don’t want you to slip something in our food.”

“Why would I do that?” Calla asked sweetly. “Everyone knows blowing a potion directly into your victim’s face works best.”

I smirked at her teasing and followed her to the bar top. The local men weren’t blind to her appealing curves. I glared at them until they fled.

“I’m ordering food and brew for the table,” Calla told the bartender and rested Elven Empire coins on the bar top.

The bartender waved away her money. “Bane Shifters dine for free in Opal Outpost.”

I offered him an appreciative nod. Once Calla smiled at him, I growled at the human male without thinking.

“Are you hungry?” Calla asked me. “Is that why you keep growling?”

Narrowing my gaze, I studied her flawless face. No creature should be so perfectly formed. There must be a trick behind this warrior’s power over me.

“You’ve forgotten to speak again,” Calla said and returned to the table.

I took three large steps to get in front of her. For a moment, I witnessed genuine fear within the jade jewels looking at me. Calla stumbled back, nearly tripping over her own feet.

When her gaze found me again, I saw something else in Calla’s eyes. They warmed, and her smile returned. The cinnamon scent bloomed around us, leaving me lightheaded.

“You’ve been on your mountain for a long time,” she murmured tenderly. “I can’t imagine you’re accustomed to talking to someone outside your pack.”

“No,” was all I could muster to say.

My throat went dry under her gaze. Shaking my head, I tried to break free of this powerful magic. By the time I regained control of myself, Calla was back in her seat.

My packmates weren’t much calmer than I felt. Koda kept asking Enya questions she refused to answer. Mina sharpened her blade at the table while glaring at Delta, who growled in response to her aggression.

“The food and brew are on the house,” Calla told her sisters. “These fine humans want to reward the Bane Shifters for their service to the Territories.”

Mina grunted and shrugged. Enya remained transfixed by the spot where her fingers brushed over a knot in the wooden table.

My packmates focused on the females rather than reacting to Calla’s words.

Turning her focus to me, Calla asked, “Did the Necromancer tell you anything before his end came?”

“Gibberish about his deity.”

Calla’s sisters immediately looked at me before she asked, “What deity?”

“I don’t know.”

“What did he say?”

“Why share with them?” Koda asked me. “They refuse to share with us.”

“I was willing to spend my money to feed you,” Calla said, sounding hurt by his comment.

I was immediately cross by how her gaze fell upon him rather than me. Tapping her shoulder, I relaxed once Calla returned her attention to me.

“Ivitithi.”

“Oh,” she mumbled.

Her sisters once again lost their agitated energy and eyed each other. They clearly desired a private space to speak about the importance of the name I shared.

“Koda is right,” I muttered in a snarly voice. “You’re keeping secrets.”