Page 150 of Wicked Magik

My shadows sliced through the haze, revealing a silhouette cradling a limp form—Vesper's gown cascading from one arm while her head lolled back, exposing the vulnerable curve of her throat against his armored forearm.

My eyes bulged out of my head as I stepped forward, seeing the tall figure come closer and my body stiffened when I saw who the person was as the smoke cleared.

Sylvaine.

His flaming red hair floated as he held Vesper to his chest. He moved her head so she was placed more reverently on his chest. She groaned, her brows pinched together.

Power surged through my hands as tendrils of shadow and sparks of lightning intertwined between my fingers. Behind me, Oryx's thunderous roar sent the remaining guests fleeing toward the exits.

My voice emerged as a low, dangerous purr. "Put. Her. Down. Now." Lightning crackled between my fingers as I took a measured step forward. "Whatever happens next, Sylvaine... that's entirely your choice."

Sylvaine's fingers swept across Vesper's forehead, brushing away stray locks with unsettling tenderness. "Your precious mate will remain unharmed," he said, his mouth twisting around the word 'mate' as though tasting something rancid. "Under my protection, she'll want for nothing. Consider this mercy, Veylor—walk away with Oryx and live out your days in peace, or I swear I'll return and imprison you both. This generosity is only for her sake."

I ground my teeth and formed a lightening ball in my hand. “She is ours and you have no right. What are you trying to do? I’ve trusted you.”

Sylvaine chuckled. “As you should have. She will be in the best of care—”

"She belongs with us, not you!" I roared as storm clouds materialized overhead, sending jagged forks of lightning crackling across the ballroom. "The unnamed gods themselves want our souls together for a reason!"

Sylvaine's eyes narrowed, his voice dropping to a low, menacing growl. "The gods have nothing to do with this, Veylor. I am simply protecting what should have been mine to…” He shook his head. “Heed my warning. Live out your days, you have one mate. That is enough to be thankful for.”

"You think we'll just let you take her? You underestimate us, Sylvaine."

He smirked, his red hair seeming to glow in the fiery chaos of the ballroom. "And you overestimate yourselves. Look around, Veylor. Your precious union has brought nothing but destruction. The fae, the goblins, the vampires—they'll never accept a triad. They'll never accept Oryx. You're fighting a losing battle."

Oryx barreled through the fiery chaos, clearing a path with his massive form. His tail lashed violently behind him as he launched himself skyward with a thunderous roar. His claws extended toward Sylvaine—but they closed on empty air. Both Sylvaine and Vesper had vanished without a trace.

“Fuck!” Lightening lit up the room, the few people that remained, which were the ones that I had created vessels for, stopped their scrambling, their cries. It was like they were waking up from a dream as they stood and saw the fire engulfing the room.

The clouds that had formed above us began to rain, and slowly, the fire would be put out by that alone.

I snarled and looked to Oryx who was sniffing at the place that Sylvaine had just vanished from, whimpering.

How could I have possibly missed this? How could I have not seen this was coming?

In my own blindness by figuring out how to bind all of our souls together by my predicament I was unable to see the true intentions that Sylvaine just wanted Vesper for himself.

But why?

She was not his mate, or was she? Did she feel a pull at all to him?

"No," Oryx rose onto his hind legs, his massive form towering over me. His tail lashed the air like a whip. "I would know if he belonged to us. The soul-threads that bind us to Vesper—that bind me to you—they don't reach him. I've felt our connection since the beginning. If Sylvaine were meant to be ours, my instincts would have recognized him."

I nodded in thanks and rubbed my chin.That was true.

“How did she pass out, did he hit her?” I stood where Sylvaine once stood and kneeled, rubbing my hand where a little bit of his magik once resided.

Oryx came beside me, his tail wrapped around my leg. “Said she had a headache while you were speaking. I got worried, but then noticed the crowd and had an uneasy feeling.”

I hummed in acknowledgement. I had felt it too. “Magik. He put something over the room.”

Josephine and Pyrrah stumbled toward us, tears streaking down their flushed cheeks. They collapsed to their knees before me, trembling hands clasped in supplication.

"My Lord, forgive us," Josephine whispered, her voice cracking.

"Something seized control…we were puppets in our own skin." Pyrrah pressed her forehead to the floor, her elaborate updo coming undone. "We've only ever wanted your happiness with Lady Vesper and Lord Oryx," she choked out between ragged breaths.

I huffed in annoyance and cupped their cheeks, signaling for them to rise. “Not to worry, it was a powerful spell. Everyone in the room was under it.”