Tangled Fates

Chapter 10 Rath

"Magic?" The word slipped from Nadia's lips, her voice layered with an undercurrent of unease, as if a shadow had been cast over the conversation. I halted mid-stride, Elijah and Caleb flanking me. We had just exited my office in search of her when she materialized from around a bend in the hallway.

I swallowed down the obscenity that threatened to burst forth from my mouth, but Caleb wasn't as successful in reining in his surprise. His reaction was akin to a startled bird squawking out a string of vulgarities that were so outlandish I dared not repeat them. A ghost of a smile tugged at the corner of Nadia's mouth at his display while Elijah remained as calm as ever.

"For God's sake, Nadia," Caleb grumbled, rubbing his face in an attempt to alleviate the shock. "Couldn't you wait for us to come find you? Is there any way you could... I don't know. Maybe remove your voodoo from the castle so we can have a normal meeting for once?"

With measured strides, Nadia closed the distance between herself and Caleb. Her face hovered mere breaths away from his, her eyes twinkling with a mischief that seemed to be born of hellfire itself. "Your idea of 'normal' is my definition of mundane," she retorted. "And let's clear up this little misunderstanding about me enchanting the castle walls. It's pure fabrication."

Her grin grew into something that only the devil could wear as she held Caleb's gaze captive. "Now, wouldn't it be far more convenient if I could just bewitch people? Imagine knowing every time you utter my name in a hushed whisper, I would know of it." The thought alone seemed to send a shiver down Caleb's spine, or perhaps it was his wolf reacting.

As Nadia shifted her focus back towards me, I couldn't help but ponder over Caleb's apparent discomfort with her witchcraft. It was no secret that he harbored a deep-seated dislike for it. When I had welcomed Nadia into our pack for her own safety, considering most werewolf packs were less than hospitable towards witches. I did so without hatred against any mixed heritage.

As the Alpha King, I refused to allow any wolf to face exile merely for being mixed. Having Nadia within the confines of my fortress certainly proved advantageous. She had healed many of our kin with her magic. Yet, there was something unsettling about the way she appeared unannounced. Like a ghost flitting in and out without a whisper of warning.

"Alpha Rath," Nadia greeted me with a small nod. "What was I hearing about magic?"

I nodded, glancing at Caleb and Elijah, who stood at my side, their faces etched with determination. "Yes, we were considering consulting you on that matter. It appears Zander has been using some form of magic or sorcery to his advantage and we surmised you might be our best chance at deciphering a countermeasure."

With a subtle gesture from me, Caleb and Elijah took their cue to relay what they had witnessed. Elijah cleared his throat. As he stepped forward, I didn't miss the icy glare Caleb shot toward Nadia for her earlier actions.

"The magic used to shield Zander was unlike any force we have ever encountered before," Elijah began, his voice steady despite the gravity of his words. "We fought him with all our might. Steel met flesh and claws tore through the air, but each attack seemed to bounce off an invisible barrier. It was as if some arcane armor was draped over his skin, deflecting our attacks."

Nadia's gaze flickered to Elijah, her brows knitting together. "It's protection magic, a safeguard of sorts," she explained. "Not exactly novice-level magic, but it's not entirely rare either." She paused, letting the gravity of her words sink in. "However, there are certain... drawbacks to its use."

"Drawbacks?" I probed, my curiosity piqued.

She turned towards me, her eyes reflecting the complexity of the magic at play. "For starters, the caster can only invoke this protection on one individual at a time until its effect wears off. Moreover, any harm intended for the protected party is instead borne by the spellcaster themselves."