Havermouth, Present TimeThe witches’ warehouse was glossily modern from the exterior with a front that was mainly glass. Inside, the reception was an industrial style kitchen with several workstations and benches, shelves with utensils Aislen wasn’t even sure the function of, and potted herbs hanging everywhere.“What the f-k is with this?” She marvelled looking around.“They do cooking classes here,” Bianca told her and saw her blank look. “You know, date night cooking classes. You come with your special other and make sushi, or dumplings, drink some sake or a wine sampler… It’s romantic. And the hosts get to plug their products which they store in the back.”“Get in car. And. Go. Aislen Carter. Help me,” Toby had been sitting at one of the kitchen benches and rose to his feet, bracing a hand on the tabletop.“Are those… pancakes?” Aislen’s eyes widened.“With maple syrup,” Bianca told her. “They’re a little burnt and rubbery, as I don’t have the whole cooking over coal thing down,
Havermouth, Present TimeThaelen did not trust her. It hurt, but Meguitte also accepted that she had broken his trust and that she had to earn it back. She leaned against the window watching as Thaelen and his werewolf mates crossed to the other warehouse. Before he had evicted her from the discussion, she had heard enough to understand that their intentions were to fight back against the Van Helsings.To fight back against Logan.She did not want Logan harmed, she admitted to herself. He was her mate. Her love for him conflicted with her anger at him, her need to be with him against her knowledge that he was not good for her. She could help him, she decided, in a way that would not further betray Thaelen, and would, in fact, assist him.She could cure Logan of his Lycanism.She would need spell components to do so, however. She took the stairs down and paused by the door of the main chamber when she heard Connery’s voice within.“I will need some things,” Connery said in an echo of h
Havermouth, Present Time“I am not stripping naked in front of him,” Aislen crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head.Toby raised an eyebrow. “Car and go,” he said with emphasis.“Don’t you start,” she told him warningly. “I quite like the fact that you’re limited to only a few words, as I think if you were free to speak more, you’d be an absolute pain in the arse.”“Aislen Carter,” he spread his hands palms up. “Help me.”Bianca looked between them. “Anyone want to let me into this private conversation?”“Toby and I…” Aislen rolled her eyes.“Holy shit,” Bianca’s jaw dropped.“Years ago,” Aislen qualified. “Before we met.”“Oh,” Bianca’s face underwent a thought process. “Could he be…?”“No,” Aislen said firmly holding up a finger. “We’re not even going to put that thought into words, okay, B? Don’t do it. That doesn’t need to be a conversation.”“Aislen Carter?” Toby asked.Bianca and Aislen both turned to look at him. He looked between them perplexed by their scrutiny. “H
Havermouth, Present Time“Well,” Bianca cleared her throat and pressed her fingers to her eyes. She was crying too, Aislen realized. “Something worked. I think Toby is back to normal.”“Yeah,” Toby agreed softly. “I am.”“What now?” Aislen asked him. “We can’t let you go back to the Van Helsings, you know that don’t you?”“It sort of wasn’t in my plans to go back,” he told her. “I wouldn’t exactly be welcomed with open arms. I set you free, along with all the people that they’d captured and caged, and I shot a few people. I’m pretty sure that Sparrow would have fun cutting small strips out of me and I’m not keen to let that happen. So, yeah, not exactly sure what to do now,” he looked around them. “I guess… I’m changing sides.”Aislen wasn’t entirely sure whether they’d welcome him in, or be able to completely trust him, but as long as he stayed with the witches in the warehouse, she couldn’t imagine what sort of trouble he could get into. “Alright,” she said slowly. “You can stay her
Havermouth, Present TimeThe moment Aislen broke the circle, Talen was on his knees beside them, biting open his wrist and placing it over Bianca’s mouth, the blood smearing over her cheek and the burn upon it.Meguitte, Connery, Harry and Jules ran in from outside, responding to either the screams or the energy of the magic, Aislen did not know.“Put her on one of the benches!” Meguitte ordered with authority and Talen lifted her with one arm whilst keeping his wrist in place. As soon as Bianca was on the bench top, Meguitte tore open her shirt, following the burn trail to the source of the strike over Bianca’s heart. She held her hands over the point and began chanting in a language that spoke to Aislen of antiquity, the tones familiar and yet foreign, the rhythm of its delivery wildly musical, and the power behind it raising the hair on Aislen’s skin.Bianca’s erratic breathing slowed and eased into something like sleep.Talen licked his wound closed. “Her heart has steadied.”He s
Havermouth, Present TimeAislen agreed to remain behind and send Aaron in her place to the witch supply shop. As much as she wanted to go, she was responsible for Bianca’s injury, and owed it to her friend to stay and nurse her, plus, Cameron wanted her to stay, and, as they had prepared to leave, Talen had asked her to keep an eye on Meguitte. She was, however, determined to go to the Megastore when they returned and hoped that having given in to her men about the trip into town, they’d be reasonable about her going to the store.She slid onto one of the bench seats next to the bench top on which they had placed Bianca and took her friend’s hand in hers. Bianca’s mind was warded against her so she could not tell if the thin camp mattress on the table and her injury gave her discomfort or pain in her sleep, but she seemed peaceful and that was a relief, Aislen decided as she released Bianca’s hand.Meguitte brought over a bowl of water in which floated herbs plucked from the baskets a
Concordia, Seven Hundred Years BeforeThaelen leaned his hip on the thick stone of the window, looking out through the warped glass of the window. The tents that had not been burnt or destroyed in the initial invasion had been repurposed by the Greibron army into barracks and the land which had been dedicated to being developed into a symbol of peace was instead, yet again, a battle ground.“I’ll be back soon,” he said to Harithen pushing away from the window and crossing to the door. “Try to get some rest.”“I should come with you,” Harithen protested pushing back the blankets. “My supporters need to see that I am alive.”“Harithen,” Thaelen caught at the doorframe and turned back slowly. He closed the door behind him and crossed to sit on the edge of the mattress. “A well-aimed arrow, or one of those handheld guns… And you are dead. They are already trying to kill you. I will take Alandra’s body to the meeting point and hope to reason with Jermyne. But you need to stay here, where i
Concordia, Seven Hundred Years BeforeHarithen was leaning against the window looking out at Greibron when Thaelen entered the chamber. He wore a robe belted at the waist, his feet bare, and his hair swept over one shoulder. He glanced over his shoulder at Thaelen and smiled, turning to face him. “So, what did that pompous arse Jermyne have to say for himself when he saw that I was alive?”“He denied that it was you,” Thaelen replied closing the door behind him. “You should be in bed resting.”“Denied it was me? The slimy arsehole. I told you that I should have gone with you, he couldn’t deny it face to face with me.”“If it makes you feel better, I told him that if I saw him again, I’d take his head. Now, into bed, Harithen.”“Take his head,” Harithen laughed. “I like that. I might give it to you as a wedding present. And I’m fine,” Harithen tossed his hair back over his shoulder. The robe gaped at the neck revealing that he was bare beneath it. Thaelen inhaled through his nose, desi