Enchantments

Final

Iston's eyes opened as he looked around his room in a panic.

His mouth was dry and he wanted to move. He sat up and let out a groan as deep pain shot through his spine.

"Woah," Miguel said sternly, placing his hand on Iston's should. "Take it easy." His large strong hands were a calming force to bring Iston back down to reality.

Iston looked around to see he was in his room, in his bed and he seemed to be safe.

He remembered the creatures in the tunnel and the feel of them eating at his spine.

"You healed me?" He asked Miguel as he reached behind to feel the bandaged scar that was already healed.

Miguel's face looked like it had been covered with death but he nodded slowly.

"Miguel?" Iston asked noticing how still he looked, how pained he seemed. "What's wrong?"

Miguel seemed to battle to speak as if the words were trapped in his throat.

"Miguel?" Iston pushed again as he sat up from the bed slowly, "Is your sister okay?"

Miguel looked up at him slowly, his eyes looking redder than usual. Had something happened to Zarina? Was she okay?

"Thaddeus is dead."

***

Zarina sat with her arms wrapped around her legs on Callon's bed.

She couldn't breathe, she couldn't talk, and she never wanted to move every again.

If she closed her eyes, she saw her brother's body, and if she opened her eyes, she saw Callon sleeping next to her. Miguel had given them both something to calm them down and allow them to sleep and heal before the Bonding ceremony.

Apparently losing your brother was not enough to cancel the entire event. She understood that the Bonding had to take place under the winter solstice moon, but... This wasn't right.

The Nightshade had barely affected her, instead, she lay wide awake in a bed that she didn't want to be in. A large cloud hovering over her shoulders, pushing her down further and further as she slid into the dark pit of depression.

She knew somewhere creatures were rising, and they were coming after her. She clenched her arms tightly, her fingernails breaking skin as she blamed herself for Thaddeus's death.

She should not have been here at all.

She looked at Callon, as she held back tears, picturing him lifeless and dead like her brother.

That is what will happen.

A little voice told her as she struggled to keep grip onto reality.

Her mate would be taken down and devoured by those things because he would do anything to protect her. She knew he would throw his life away to keep her safe.

She released her legs slowly as she felt her body take over, allowing her heart to go numb, and her brain to stop thinking.

She got out of the bed gently and pulled on some pants, boots, and tied-on leathers. She wasn't even fully aware of her actions. Her body was acting for her, letting instinct take over.

She walked over and placed the belt with the Moon Blade around her hips and grabbed a cloak that was probably Callon's but her body didn't seem to care. It had a hood to hide her face, and that's all she wanted.

She looked over at Callon who was asleep in his bed. She didn't know what to feel or what to think. Her hand rested on the door handle but her eyes were glued on Callon.