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CHAPTER 10
X avier was spotted two steps across the castle courtyard.
“You found your mate,” a female voice squealed as his arm was taken in an unforgiving vise grip.
“Zabria, you scared the shit out of me,” Xavier gasped, his heart thudding rapidly in his chest.
“Melcori’s not wrong when he says you should work on your situational awareness.” His best friend’s sparkly pink nails dug into his arm as she shook it like a puppy shaking its toy. “Now spill, what’s he like?”
“Adorable. Wait, how do you even know I have a mate?”
“You’re asking how a seer knows you found your mate?” The deadpan expression in her azure eyes had Xavier laughing.
“You’re always complaining about how people expect you to see everything. Why would I assume you could?”
Zabria sniffed. “You’re right.” She rallied quickly. “But this time I did, and he’s so cute!” she squealed loudly.
A glance around verified that no one was within hearing range. “He is,” Xavier agreed.
“Tell me everything!”
While heading to Melcori’s office, Xavier told Zabria all about his mountain lion and what he’d learned about dryads. If anyone could keep a secret, it was a seer.
One corridor from their goal, Zabria’s steps faltered, and molten silver shimmered across her pupils. Xavier sucked in his breath. This wasn’t the first time he’d seen Zabria have a vision, but it never got easier.
The voice emitting from Zabria’s mouth wasn’t her usual airy tones but deeper as if several voices were layered on top of each other. “Danger is coming from all sides. You must protect your heart and all that it holds dear. Be strong, be brave, and be aware.” She shook her head, and her eyes went back to normal.
“Could you see what the danger is?” Xavier kept his voice quiet. Visions often gave her migraines.
She shook her head. “It was shadowy as if there wasn’t a set fate for what danger was the most prominent.”
“Great. Just what I needed. Competing problems.”
Zabria’s brittle smile wasn’t as reassuring as he was sure she intended. “It will work out.” She patted his arm before turning on her heel and walking back down the hallway.
He didn’t bother calling her back. After a vision, she needed to rest, no matter how useless it might have been. It wasn’t as if the idea of being in danger was new. Between the Chimera, the scheming dryads, and anyone who hated Blood Magic, Xavier was used to being on the bad end of people’s intentions.
That didn’t mean he liked it or wanted to endanger his mate.
Xavier knocked on the solid oak door of Melcori’s office, hoping he wasn’t walking into one of the dangers Zabria had declared seconds before.
“Come in,” Melcori called out.
Xavier pushed the door open and peeked around the wood panel to find Melcori sitting behind his desk, scowling as usual.
“Are you coming in or not?”
“Sorry, I was just surprised you used your phone.”
“I’m not a complete Luddite,” he snapped.
Xavier’s expression of disbelief had him slumping in his chair. “The council insisted that everyone start using phones to communicate.” He pouted.
“Ah.” That made a lot more sense than his Master finally deciding to join the rest of society. “What did you need?”
Melcori’s scowl deepened. “I need to know if you’ve found a location for the new Grove.”
Xavier folded his arms, clutching his biceps on either side. “I delegated that.”
“Delegated?” Damn, when had Melcori gotten so loud? “Why would you delegate such an important part of my plan?”
“I gave the job to a much better person to figure out where to put a Grove.” Xavier pushed back. He appreciated all Melcori had done for him, but he was past tired of being pushed around. “Besides, my mastery exam is next week, and I’m in the last stages of finishing my project. I don’t have time to search a forest for the perfect clearing spot.”
“You sent him alone?”
“No, he’s with my mate.”
Melcori puffed out his chest. “Since when do you have a mate, and why didn’t you tell me?”
“I met him when you sent me to examine the forest for signs of the male dryad.”
“You didn’t tell me you found the dryad.” Melcori’s eyes glowed menacingly in the low light.
Xavier bit his lip and thought fast. He had hoped to get through this explanation without bringing up that little tidbit. “Chimera’s job for me was to keep an eye on the dryad and infiltrate the Moon Pack. If I’d taken him, we’d have a powerful pack as our enemies. This way, both groups are happy. I made the best decision I could.”
Melcori’s eyes narrowed to thin slits. “Who is your mate?”
“He’s a mountain lion shifter named Katlego.” He didn’t offer any more information.
“Can he prevent the male dryad from entering the new Grove? We don’t want to have to start over. Octavia won’t forgive us if she doesn’t get the Grove I promised. She can’t take back our agreement over the gems since she signed a contract, but she can use her dryad magic to make it next to impossible to get them.”
“Yeah, about that.” Xavier scratched the back of his neck as he told Melcori everything he’d learned about Rance being a Green Man. “It’s essential we convince them to let Rance create their Grove because no number of female dryads will be able to. Without a Green Man, I don’t know what the Grove magic will do. It might go to him or rebel. There isn’t enough documentation to track possible repercussions.”
Melcori tapped his fingers together like a movie villain as he stared at Xavier until he shifted in his seat. “I would be very angry with you if you weren’t bringing me vital information.”
Air exploded out of Xavier’s lungs in a long sigh. “Thank you, Master.”
Melcori snorted. “You only call me that when you know you’ve fucked up.”
“True.” Xavier nodded.
“Why don’t we go tell the dryads about this development? I’d feel better if they were aware of the truth. I don’t want them mucking up the new Grove because of a misunderstanding.”
“Good idea.” Xavier meekly followed Melcori out of his office, happy he didn’t have to grovel for forgiveness. He would’ve done it. He hadn’t come this far in his apprenticeship to fail at the last hour.
He needed this.
He just needed his mate more.
One more month. He could do this.
“I put them in the second-level dungeons to keep them away from the other experiments.”
Theoretically, Xavier had known there were multiple levels of dungeons in the castle, but he’d never visited the lower ones. The first-level dungeons had been converted to ritual and experimentation rooms for the Masters and for more extensive group rituals, which Xavier occasionally attended.
Despite Blood Magic's dark reputation amongst other wizards, Xavier’s studies didn’t involve torture or draining people of their blood. His training mainly consisted of healing, wards, and curse-breaking. That isn’t to say that some blood magic users didn’t concentrate on harmful things. It just wasn’t Melcori’s specialty. Xavier appreciated his parents’ choice, not enough to forgive their abandonment, but a little.
That was one mark on his soul that would never fade despite the counseling sessions Melcori had insisted he attend as a child.
It took ten minutes to reach the dryad containment area. He was about to ask Melcori if surrounding forest creatures with stone was a good idea, but the sound of crying reached his ears—not just crying, but wailing. The noise echoed through the corridors, sending shivers up and down his spine.
“Ah, the poor things are in distress.” Melcori made a humming noise that Xavier had long ago connected to his master sinking into his scientific mindset, which rarely left room for compassion.
Xavier hoped he wouldn't leave his empathy behind when he reached the same training level as a Blood Mage. His optimism had slowly died over the years after meeting others. The further along their studies, the rarer the compassion. They all seemed cold and alone. Melcori claimed he kept Xavier around because he needed a conscience, as his had checked out long ago. Xavier was almost positive he wasn’t kidding.
After what felt like an endless number of steps, they reached the dryad cells. Black bars ran from ceiling to floor. At least they didn’t appear to be iron. After all, dryads were part of the fairy folk. Putting them behind iron bars would’ve been inhumane. Rows of cots were crammed into a large containment cell, most filled with dryads wrapped in bright white bandages. Several were sobbing. He couldn’t tell whether it was from their tree loss, injuries, or being under all this stone and away from the open sky and soil.
As soon as they appeared, they were confronted.
“Did you find my son? Did you come to free us?” A tall, thin woman with fierce brown eyes hobbled to the bars. Her charred clothing, bandages, and pronounced limp didn’t detract from her regal bearing. This was a woman used to being listened to when she spoke.
“Your son is fine,” Xavier soothed. This had to be Talula since she was the only one with a child. “He’s with a friend of mine.”
“I want him here!” she shouted.
“Well, I don’t,” Another dryad shouted back. “I’ve seen enough of that abomination. He won’t be in any Grove of mine.”
“Feel free to leave,” Talula sneered.
“Whoa, ladies,” Melcori chided, but Xavier saw the amusement in his eyes. His master adored a good fight.
“We’ve learned some things recently that you should all be aware of. Well, those of you who don’t already know.” He sent Talula a pointed look.
”What could you possibly know, blood worker? I’m Talula, the leader of the dryads, and I demand my son back.”
Melcori’s laughter was sharp and unpleasant, burrowing deep like a splinter under the skin. “You are in no place to demand anything.”
“Why would you burn down our homes? We’ve done nothing to you!” another dryad shouted.
Xavier shuffled his feet beneath their accusing stares. Damn, it was like he was back home being called to the carpet for some imagined slight, except this time he was guilty by association.
“You’ll not be harmed as long as you cooperate.” Melcori’s calm smile did little to soothe the angry dryad mob forming as more left their cots to confront their captors.
Xavier could detect the magic infused in Melcori’s words. Long association allowed him to brush the compulsion away.
“Your tricks won’t work on me, Mage.” Talula’s voice rustled like crinkly autumn leaves. “I might be far from my forest, but nature will always come to my call.”
The stones beneath their feet rumbled. Huh, dryads weren’t susceptible to mind manipulations. Good to know.
Melcori shook his head. “My dear, I would rethink that behavior if I were you.”
Talula scoffed. “Why should I? You burned down our trees and befouled our forest. What do you even want from us? We won’t let history repeat itself.”
Xavier ducked his head to hide his smile at Melcori’s disgusted expression. He’d never seen Melcori with anyone romantically. As far as Xavier had observed over the years, Melcori didn’t like people enough to want to be with one.
“I don’t know what you are imagining, but please stop. It is like I said. You will be returned to the forest unharmed if you don’t provoke me.” At the end of that sentence, Melcori flared out his power.
The dryads stepped back from the bars in one motion. For the first time. Xavier saw them acting as a cohesive group. Fear bonded them together.
“Are you planning to drain us, Mage? Use our blood for one of your twisted rituals,” Talula sneered.
“I’m going to dig up your Grove and take its treasures.”
Her sharp laughter cut Xavier with its scorn. “You’ll get nothing.”
“Oh, won’t I?” Melcori’s wicked grin promised nothing good.
“You’d have to gain our cooperation to be granted any of our jewels,” Talula spat.
“Correction. I only need one of you to cooperate, and I have that. I have a contract and everything.“ If Melcori were closer, she would’ve punched him when she lunged, fist out.
The spelled protections on the cell threw her back. Her head made a horrifying crunch when it met the ground. She shook it off and returned to her feet, her eyes blazing in fury.
Melcori sighed. “You’ll be quite addled if you keep that up.” He turned his attention to the remaining dryads. Before he could speak, she was back before him.
She had an impressive sneer for someone with unfocused eyes. “Who gave you permission into our Grove? Who has betrayed us?” she hissed. “And where is my son? I will gut you if I find him injured.”
Xavier could feel dryad magic pulsing from the leader. It prickled along his skin like summer nettles and thorny roses. He could only guess, by Melcori’s smug expression, that the magic on the bars kept back the worst of it.
“I’ll never tell.” He pointedly stared at a black-haired woman in the corner.
Multiple gasps rang out as the dryads followed his gaze.
“Octavia, you gave him permission?” Talula’s voice took on a screeching edge, and her eyes narrowed like a hawk spotting prey.
Did nature magic allow them to shapeshift? Maybe he needed to hunt down other books on dryads, especially if he would help raise one.
Octavia’s eyes widened with fear as she backed away from the approaching group. Had it never occurred to her that the others might take offense at her behavior?
Idiot .
“Why would you tell them?” Octavia snarled at Melcori.
“I didn’t say a word,” he protested. “It’s not my fault you sold out your people so you could take over. Hiding the truth from the others wasn’t part of our deal.”
“But I helped you!”
“Yes, you did. Thank you for that.”
“You said I would be the new leader!” Octavia raged.
“I promised to clear the Grove so you can try to lead them. Ancient laws prevent me from directly involving myself in dryad politics. You would know that if you read your contract.”
Melcori’s smug smile was going to get him punched soon. Xavier hoped he didn’t miss it.
“I’ll deal with you later,” Talula said to a shaking Octavia, before returning her attention to Melcori. “You said you learned something that affects us.”
“Now you're willing to listen?”
She crossed her arms. “It’s not like I have a choice.”
Melcori waved a hand. “Xavier, you have the floor.”
Xavier froze when all eyes turned to him. He shook off his temporary paralysis. “We’ve learned that male dryads are Green Men. You’ll need Rance to grow your Grove.”
“No!” Octavia’s eyes rolled wildly like a spooked horse. “No! Male dryads are an evil abomination! He must be killed! You are wrong! There is no way they are meant to create anything! They are destroyers!” Her volume grew louder as she continued to rant and pace the cell. Digging her fingers into her hair, she brutally tugged at the long strands, and her voice dropped to an almost whispered chant that Xavier could no longer hear.
“If anyone is going to die, it will be you, Octavia!” Talula screamed. Three dryads held her back.
Octavia continued to pace and mutter to herself like a madwoman.
Xavier bet Octavia would get shanked before the night was over.
“Enough!” Melcori shouted. “I don’t care about your petty bickering. You need a new Grove, and Rance will make it. What you do with the Grove afterward and who you allow inside is on you.”
“He’s too old to be in the Grove, Green Man or not,” an unnamed dryad argued.
“So it’s okay if he makes your home but not if he lives there?” Xavier couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
The dryad blushed but didn’t change her statement.
“Unbelievable,” Xavier whispered.
“I’ll die before I let you steal our treasures,” Talula swore.
“Then I’ll drain you all. Dryad blood is valuable in the black market.” Melcori’s smile wasn’t the reassuring and kind one he used during Xavier’s childhood. This was the ruthless Blood Mage who had gambling debts to clear and few morals.
“That wasn’t our deal!” Octavia shouted, snapping out of her trance.
Melcori’s expression hardened. “Our deal was I get the gems, and you lead the new Grove. You won't have one if you don’t let the Green Man grow your Grove. That means you broke the contract!”
“I’ll die before I let a filthy male build my Grove!” Octavia screamed.
“Then you’ll die, and I’ll still get all your blood.” Their appalled silence had Melcori laughing. “Fools. Think it over. I’ll return tomorrow for your reply.” He spun on his heel. “Come, Xavier, we have work to do. Maybe one of our books will tell us about different uses of dryad blood.”
His stomach churned, and Xavier followed Melcori, not wishing to be left behind with the dryads. He hoped Melcori was only saying that to get a rise from the dryads.
He couldn’t always tell.