Page 45 of Magic & Secrets (Twisted Magic #1)
MT. ELYSIUM WAS AS beautiful as in my dreams. A green luster covered the trees and danced in the wind.
I smelled Elven magic along with the power of many Bane Shifters in one location.
Underneath those scents lingered the ancient magic of Tyathossau, who was very much alive deep inside the mountain.
I followed Tempe and the other Bane Shifters while Roque walked behind me to ensure my safety. I repeatedly glanced back at him as we moved along a trail up the mountain. Roque always caught my gaze and smiled.
He was likely relieved by Tempe’s acceptance of the situation. We'd both assumed far more disbelief on the pack leader’s part. Instead, the ancient ones had been busy filling Tempe’s head with glimpses of what was coming.
I opened my mouth twice to ask if Tempe saw his mate in his dreams. Maybe I could help him learn her name. Rather than engage my curiosity, I remained silent and allowed the males to take charge.
The soil began to tremble under our feet as we moved farther up the mountain. Tempe, October, Recon, and Charlie stopped walking and looked back at me.
“What?” I asked as the tremor intensified.
Roque rested his hands on my shoulders and leaned down. “The mountain reacted in the same manner when we first arrived.”
“Tyathossau sensed your ancient magic and tried to scare you off,” I said, glancing up at him. “It didn’t work with you, and it won’t with me.”
Roque smiled at my words and focused his gaze on his packmates. “Carry on. We need to find shelter before the evening chill arrives. I can’t have my mate cold.”
Tempe’s golden eyes revealed nothing about his mood.
There was no equivalent to him within the New Armgard’s ranks.
We possessed no leader, not even within our bevy.
Our orders always came from the Gathering, which barely understood what we were.
If the New Armgard were ever to become a unified force, we’d need someone to stand at the helm like Tempe did.
Our first stop was outside an old Elven meeting hall.
We sat around a fire pit. As the heat warmed us on the chilly mountain, Roque told his packmates the details of what took place after Koda, Delta, and he left the mountain.
No one interrupted or asked questions. More Bane Shifters arrived.
By the time Roque finished, three dozen males stood around us in a circle.
“Which threat do you believe is most imminent?” Tempe asked Roque.
Roque looked to me for the answer. “The Murade doesn’t seem like a threat,” I explained.
“The Gathering will need time to devise a new plan. They might allow us to hide here and hope that’ll end their problem.
That leaves the Cult of Ivitithi. They have shown themselves to be fanatical, reckless, and violent. ”
“They can’t harm us on the mountain,” October said and looked around. “Unless their ancient magic protects them.”
“They don’t want to kill all of us,” Roque said.
“They want sacrifices, not our annihilation. Sending a group of killers to ambush one or two of us might be enough to satisfy their ancient one. A short time on the mountain won’t kill them right away.
The question is if the magic they wield from Ivitithi is strong enough to kill a normal member of our pack. ”
“If you had to guess, what would the answer be?” Tempe asked me.
“If enough magic men worked together to brandish Ivitithi’s magic, it’s possible they could take your life.
But the easiest solution would be to institute a rule stating no one travels alone.
Killing a single Bane Shifter might be possible.
Two is far less likely. Three or more would prove impossible. ”
“Looks as if we have our solution,” Tempe said and glanced at Roque. “What about your offspring?”
“I don’t know what it is,” Roque said, glancing at me before chuckling. “Could be a mutant.”
Smiling at his taunt, I shook my head. “It could be the beginning of a new era for the Territories.”
Tempe exhaled gruffly. “You speak of challenging the Murade.”
“A week ago, I thought Roque would be the end of me,” I said and patted his leg.
“Now, I’m carrying an unknown offspring and surrounded by creatures thought to be my enemy.
Though I have no idea what happens next, Solme Divige clearly has a plan.
The Territories are fractured, and the Murade is meddling with ancient magic again.
Your quiet time on the mountain might be over. ”
“Assuming your kind doesn’t show up here and wipe us out,” Tempe muttered.
“They’re far more likely to mate with you than cut off your heads. That’s another reason your quiet on the mountain might not last much longer.”
The Bane Shifters didn’t hide their disgust at the thought of mating with the New Armgard. My kind were their enemies. I suspected the Shifters would succumb to the mate bond in the same way Roque did when temptation stood before him.
After our talk, Roque wanted to show me a cabin close to his favorite spot on Mt. Elysium. He shifted into bear form, and I climbed on his back. We moved swiftly up the trails he knew by heart.
The night before, Roque had warned that the cabin wasn’t furnished. “It’s only four walls and a roof, but there’s an ingleside to cook meals and keep you warm. It’s the start of our home.”
Soon, I stood in the cabin and looked up at the high ceilings. The Bane Shifters had haphazardly renovated various buildings on the mountain over the last century.
“It’s beautiful,” I told him and leapt into his arms. “You spoil me.”
Roque kissed me tenderly, seeming afraid of my rejection. I draped my arms around him possessively. Roque rewarded my affection with a dazzling smile.
We walked outside and down a small path to a ridge overlooking the southern mountainside. Holding Roque’s hand, I admired the horizon and imagined my sisters on their way to Mt. Elysium.
My bevy had set out from the Citadel with doom clouding our hearts. When we met again, we would do so as the mates of creatures we viewed as our mortal enemies. Embracing our powerful lineage offered a future of endless opportunities. Embracing our mate bond promised a future of boundless desire.