Page 29 of Untraced Magic (Cutters Cove Witches #1)

Morgan

The day before my birthday arrived before I knew it. Thursday. The last day of my so-called normal life. It was a strange feeling trying to mentally prepare for the unknown.

Could I handle what was to come? I wasn’t sure.

What if it changed things between Tyler and me? Or ruined everything?

Salty air brushed my cheek as I sat on my front porch sipping coffee from my favorite mug, its warmth filtering its way deep inside me. It never really got warm here, like the sun had written its own obituary and already dug its own grave.

A chill swept around my ankles, and I pulled the cozy throw I’d tossed over my knees tighter around me, tugging my oatmeal beanie further over my ears.

My phone buzzed with a message from Tyler.

Hey. I’m nearly ready. Pick you up in 10?

Sure :)

Dress warm. It’s cold out.

It’s always cold out…

It’s colder where we’re going.

Right... Okay, see you soon X

Heat trickled over my skin, but this time it had nothing to do with the coffee and everything to do with him .

I couldn’t stop thinking about him. Tyler had infected my mind and seeped his way into my subconscious as if already a part of it. I didn’t understand it.

For the first time, I wished I had a close girlfriend I could divulge this information to, but the only person I was remotely close to was Skye, and talking to her about her brother was most definitely not an option.

I shook my head, gathering my blanket into my arms, my mug in my other hand, and headed inside.

I was to meet Betty this morning, accompanied by Tyler and Colton.

His father had connections at the witch council and had apparently pulled some strings for us, calling in a favor to help me track down my parents.

Turns out who you knew meant everything around Cutter Cove, and on Colton’s advice, he had advised Betty and I to let other people look into the whereabouts of them for us.

We walked into a small stone church positioned in the center of town, and I grimaced as the musty smell of its interior filled my nostrils. It looked as if it had not been used in years, with dust covering the lines of pews facing the pulpit.

Colton led the way to the front of the church, with Betty ahead of me and Tyler behind me, our footsteps announcing our arrival in the unnatural silence.

“Where is everyone?” I whispered over my shoulder to Tyler.

He murmured back, “Downstairs.”

I frowned, his comment not making any sense, as we were on the ground floor.

Colton led us to a door to the far right, pushing it open. A bitter cold blasted my face, and I pulled my coat tighter around me to keep warm.

Ahead, his shoulders barely fit between the walls of the stone staircase as it wound down to a lower level, and I looked behind me to see Tyler descending the steps almost sideways.

When we reached the bottom, a room with no windows or carpet greeted us.

A long stone table was centered at the front, an elderly male and female behind it, followed by another two, younger than the elders but older than us beside them.

The females had their hair held out of their faces in what looked like long braids down their backs, the men with glasses on the tips of their noses.

I felt tiny walking into what Colton had mentioned was called the chamber.

To me, it felt more like a tomb. Something I wasn’t sure I would walk back out of, and I was certain other people hadn’t .

It reeked of death as if the bones of its enemies were embedded in its walls or their blood smeared into the floor. I saw no such evidence that could back up my thoughts, but something about the place just screamed its misgivings, dissecting me as if trying to decide my fate.

“Father,” Colton addressed the elderly man. “I would like to introduce to the council Betty and her granddaughter, Morgan.”

The gentleman’s attention turned to Betty before sliding over me, his aged blue eyes piercing mine from behind his glasses.

Colton turned to us, his hand motioning to the elderly man.

“This is my father, Arthur, and his council.” He returned his attention to the front of the room. “As you know, it’s come to our attention that Morgan is new to town and has asked for your help in tracking down her birth parents.”

The elderly man raised his head slightly, looking down over the tip of his nose at me through his glasses. “Welcome.” His gaze fell on Betty. “The names you gave me earlier… It’s not good news, I’m afraid.”

Tyler’s hand found mine, squeezing it tight.

Arthur continued, turning to me, “I’ve used all available resources. With discretion, of course. Your father has not been seen in over five years, and your mother… Well, there have been reports of her being alive, but very unstable. Her current location is unknown.”

My heart sank . I had asked for answers and now I had them.

“I need to clarify one thing. ”

My head raised to find Betty moving to where Colton was stood near the front of the room.

Betty continued, “When Morgan was born, it was in the territory of Port Fallere. Her mother made bad choices and like you said, wasn’t in her right mind. As I understand it, she is therefore by law officially part of the Sacred Souls coven.”

My jaw dropped. What the…?

So many questions needed answers, yet I couldn’t sound a single one.

What did this mean? Where was Port Fallere? Did this mean I would have to move? Be forced away from Tyler and this life I’d started to build here, in a town I was actually starting to like?

A splitting headache crashed against my skull, my free hand rubbing my temples in small motions.

Tension rippled off Tyler in waves, and I snuck a sideways glance at him. His jaw was rigid, a nerve pushing from it every few seconds. If death formed a color, it had possessed his irises in the darkest form I’d ever seen, spoiling them. Then a ring of glowing amber suddenly circled his pupils.

Was that his fire element pushing to the surface?

I’d never seen it before, not like this. Was he in control right now? Or something else?

“Tyler?” I whispered.

His fingers laced through mine, his chest a controlled rhythm, rising and falling. But his eyes, they never wavered… fixed on the council ahead .

The council table stilled, heads turning to each other when Betty’s voice continued.

“Morgan was birthed in Port Fallere against her will, and against her father’s will.

We finally managed to return her to Cutters Coven a few months later.

” Her hands knotted together to her front, a tale of desperation in every movement.

“I know the law, and I realize being born in Port Fallere entitles her to their coven. But she has been raised, albeit by humans, and not there . This I know to be true.”

She paused before turning to each councilor, a sudden fierceness pushing to the surface from her fragile frame.

Betty went on, “I propose she is to be legally invited to join our coven. She has great power in her, I know it. She would be of great benefit to our people.”

A blanket of uncertainty wrapped itself around me.

What would happen if I wasn’t accepted into Cutters Coven? Would I be asked to leave?

Tyler’s grip tightened on mine. So hard I almost pulled away.

Arthur turned to the council, where they huddled closer, murmuring under their breaths. A full minute passed and still they whispered, hushed tones that I could not decipher.

“What’s going on?” I whispered to Tyler, fearful of the answer.

His head dipped slightly, his stare remaining pinned to the council table. “No one from Sacred Souls has ever stepped foot in this chamber. I don’t know,” he said through clenched teeth.

Arthur finally cleared his throat, looking directly at me. “The council is undecided. We will reconvene in two weeks with an answer. This is not a decision we can make in a manner of minutes, based on the severity of the situation.”

I didn’t know how to feel, but I guess it was better than a straight-out no. I didn’t want to leave Cutters Cove; this was my home. The only place I’d made friends, and Tyler…

“Please,” I cried out, wrenching my hand from Tyler’s grasp. I moved to the front of the room until I stood directly in front of the council. “I will be forever in your debt if you would just let me stay here.”

Colton’s father gave me a dismissive look, his hand waving in the air. “Two weeks.”

I felt like a fraud. Worthless. Port Fallere. Where even was that?

Tyler steered me away. “Let’s get out of here,” he said, leading me to the stairs.

Colton rushed to my side as we walked back up the steps and outside. “I’m sorry, I’ll talk to my father—try to sway his decision.”

His forehead gleamed, frown lines confirming his frustration.

I smiled grimly. “Thanks. I’d really appreciate that.”

He nodded to Tyler. “I’ll leave you guys to it; I’ve got somewhere I need to be.”

I turned to Betty. “Thank you for what you said up there.”

Her blue gray eyes warmed. “I would do it again in a heartbeat, my dear. Don’t worry, we will sort this, I'm sure.”

I nodded, even though I didn’t share the same certainty.

“Where is Port Fallere?” I asked, looking between her and Tyler.

Tyler’s hand flexed around mine, and Bettys hands found my shoulders. “Over the border, my dear. ”

I turned to Tyler for further explanation. “The ranges,” He pointed to a line of mountain peaks, cutting into the horizon in the far distance. “It’s the border between both covens.”

It looked like forever away. I could never live that far from Tyler.

Betty placed her hand on my forearm. “Don’t think about that for now. There’s no point worrying about something that hasn’t happened yet.”

All I could manage was a nod.

***

Pacing to the shower, I stripped off my clothes, letting the hot water subdue my worries. Would it all boil down to this? Would I be asked to leave?

I purged the thoughts, forcing them to the back of my mind.

Whether I was ready for it or not, this new life would slam me in the face at the stroke of midnight tonight.