Bound by Spells (Bound Series Book 2) (25 page)

Mr. Aidan! Mr. Elias! I’m so glad you’re here. Braxton is causing all sorts of problems, sir. He has everyone very upset. And he made me go get Miss Bethany and Charlie, even though you told me they were supposed to stay away. Are you going to punish him, sir? Can I help?

Dillon’s voice gained volume and pitch as he hurried through his update. He was clearly anxious and had been searching the woods for some sign of us.

Elias responded.
Calm down, Dillon. Let’s all get back to human form and then we can talk. Okay?

The owl dove toward the ground, flying right over us and behind a bush. Dillon sprang up, his red hair sticking out every which way as he tried to pull his pants on, not drop his pack, hop toward us, and talk at the same time.

“But, sir, it’s bad. He’s got everyone really upset and wondering why we’re waiting on Mr. Aidan instead of going to attack Cresthaven. He doesn’t believe in Mr. Aidan and now they sound like they don’t either. But, we still do, sir. Mr. Aidan is the one, right?” Dillon eyes shifted from Elias, to me, to Will. At this point, we all had pulled on sweats left in the trees and thankfully, Elias spoke, because I had no idea what to say to Dillon.

“Breathe, Dillon. Why don’t you tell me where Braxton is and we’ll just go find out exactly what's happening? And yes, I don’t just
believe
Aidan is our leader. I
know
he is. You trust me, don’t you?” Elias crouched down, getting on Dillon’s level. He held up a closed fist and Dillon smiled, bumping it with his own.

“I sure do, sir. Let’s go get ‘em. He’s talking in the clearing.” Dillon stopped and muttered, “Trying too damn hard to be like you, sir, if you ask me.”

I struggled to keep a straight face and so did Elias. I even saw Will press his lips together. Through clenched teeth, Elias tried to reprimand Dillon’s swearing, but failed miserably. Instead, he said, “Let’s just go.”

We all snuck along the perimeter quietly, wanting to hear exactly what this Braxton character was up to. I had no clue who he was, but Elias hadn’t seemed surprised that he was causing trouble. We didn’t have to go far before we could hear him.

“Are we really going to trust some guy who showed up out of nowhere and can barely maintain his own shift? A guy who claims to be the discarded boyfriend of the Keeper? Why aren’t we mobilizing and making our way to Cresthaven? We know the Keeper is there and so is the Queen. We could be getting the girl and even finding a way to take out the Queen!” We could hear the muddled questions and hollers of agreement in response to Braxton’s accusations.

“We’re going to entrust our lives and our futures to a stranger? Elias’s vision is clouded. This Aidan is not our leader. He claims he looks like the long lost Zendrick, but none of us knew Zendrick. There is no one to corroborate his story—”

Just as my blood pressure rose and my wolf stirred, I heard a man’s voice carry over the crowd. “Excuse me.”

Braxton’s response to being interrupted was filled with fury. I could feel his barely contained rage before I even heard his words. “What? Who are you? You aren’t an AniMage. You have no right to speak here.”

“Don’t I?” he responded. “You speak of the Keeper. A girl who is prophesized to change our future, and is being kept captive by the Queen. You think she can help you and give you back your place in the world. That girl is not just
some girl
. She is not
just
the Keeper. She is
my
daughter
.” I had known it was Nathaniel speaking before he finished. I only wished Amelia could be here to see her father fight for her.

The crowd quieted and Nathaniel continued.

“You say you don’t believe in Elias or Aidan? I can tell you the three of us were just as close to Zendrick as Elias was, and we will also vouch for his son. I have been a friend of the AniMages my whole life. My wife and I ran from our home, not only to escape Julia and keep our children safe, but to fight on the side of those we believed in—you. My Liana died at the hands of a Hunter, on orders from the Queen, while she was bringing our daughter into this world. I have spent the last eighteen years bound by Rhi. The Queen holds both my daughter and my son captive. We share a common enemy and a common goal. I’m telling you there is no one else who can help us.”

We were just around the corner at this point and Elias looked back toward me, his eyes glowing blue. He was holding back his panther, but the power was flowing through him all the same. I knew the feeling. My power was slowly becoming a familiar piece of me. As it uncoiled and spread through my veins, I could feel the change. I was lighter on my feet, more alert and attuned to the emotions and movement around me.

Elias moved back to me and whispered, “I think you need to face them—to face him. If you don’t establish your dominance now, all is lost. And we need fighters if we’re going to get to Amelia.”

I wanted to argue, but his logic was sound. Whether or not I believed I was their leader—which I was still on the fence—if I didn’t stand up now, I’d never have their support. This wasn’t about me, it was about Amelia.

I moved to the corner and peeked around at the man standing in front of the group. Immediately, I thought,
I know him
. But, I couldn’t place him. It didn’t matter. I took a quick breath in and out and sauntered around the corner, as if nothing in the world was wrong and I wasn’t about to face down fifty AniMages who could rip me to shreds. Literally. With their claws.

Chapter 20

I
had spent the afternoon working with my contained Keeper power. After being deposited back in my room, I heard a knock and opened it expecting Baleon. Instead, I found an unknown Hunter who wore a terrifying smile and shoved my tray at me. Instantly, I knew Rhi must have Bale and I was sick to my stomach. Baleon hadn't been there this morning and he wasn’t here now. I had no idea what was happening to him, but I knew it was my fault. Guilt weighed me down.

I threw the tray onto a table and tried to call for Micah via our connection, but I couldn’t find him. I hoped him being unavailable meant he was either trying find Bale or getting Cole out of here. I needed to know my brother was safe.

I had to distract myself somehow, so I focused on my Keeper. A certain nervousness always came over me when I was intentionally engaging with the Keeper power. I didn’t fear it as I had before, so long as my cuff was securely in place, but I still didn’t entirely trust it either. There was too much at risk and too many unknowns.

It took me some time to calm down and focus long enough to withdraw inside myself. I found all five entities separate again and floating around the room. The door was once again wide open and they simply existed, moving about the room and emitting relief at being in their preferred form. It didn't seem like they enjoyed the dark and dangerous being they became when combined.

I wanted to make progress. I
had
to make progress. So, I tried mimicking the cuff symbol again by inserting my fists and trying to separate the mixed Hunter power. Within seconds, it melded back into its magical orb and moved from my grasp. The white orb was elusive as always, staying near the ceiling and mocking me. I knew she was the key and not being able to get to her frustrated me. I couldn’t afford to get worked up, though, so I left them alone and spent the rest of the time staring at the ceiling, wondering what was to come.

I hadn’t expected to be summoned again by the Queen, especially not just hours after our first encounter. But another new Hunter stood outside my door, this one actually introducing himself.

“I am Joran. I am here to take you to the Queen.” His head was bald and covered in tattoos, but his voice was surprisingly soft. There was pity in his eyes I hadn’t expected, yet I still felt no emotions from him. Baleon was nowhere in sight and I hoped he was behind Micah’s door with Cole.

“It’s nice to meet you, Joran.” He was the only Hunter outside of Bale to show me any kindness and I didn’t want to give him a reason to change his mind. He gave me a small smile and gestured into the hall. I nodded and we fell in step together.

“Where is Baleon?” I asked. I wasn’t sure whether Joran was the right person to ask, but he was the only person to ask.

“He is otherwise engaged.” Joran’s tone reeked of disgust and my stomach fell. Rhi had Bale and it was my fault.

“Will he be okay?” I clenched my fists, digging my nails into my palms as I waited for his answer.

“He will survive. The Queen will not allow otherwise.” Joran turned away from me and I knew that line of conversation was closed.

Once we hit a point I didn’t recognize, I let Joran lead, but my anxiety grew. He turned in directions I wasn’t familiar with and I found myself going underground.

I had never considered myself particularly phobic of anything, but as we went down flight after flight of stairs, the darkness overwhelming the space outside of the orange flame erupting from Joran’s palm, my fear elevated. If I were walking into some sort of ambush, I knew I could at least remove the cuff and protect myself, but it was a last resort. I couldn’t guarantee I could stop the Keeper once she got started again.

As we reached the bottom of the staircase, Joran stopped and turned to me. “This will only be temporary,” he said apologetically before waving a hand in front of my face, making me blind. I turned my head in every direction and saw nothing. Blank. Black. Darkness. No shapes, no colors…nothing. I was paralyzed, my power lashing out, but whatever Joran had done to me was more than my own magic could combat.

“Be calm, Keeper. I’m not hurting you. I simply must not allow you to understand the rest of our journey.” He placed his large hand on my shoulder and another at the small of my back. “I will lead you and let no harm come to you. I swear it.”

With his touch and words, my mind and body sprung back into action. I whipped around, unable to see him but well aware of where his voice had been. I lashed out, using every bit of training Cole had taught me. I struck out with my left hand, hoping the butt of my hand might connect with his nose, as I lunged in with a right cross. Both missed the mark and I heard his chuckle to my right. I pivoted on my heel, planted, and threw out a left sidekick, barely grazing him. I dropped back into my stance and stood still, listening for him.

“Keeper, we can do this forever if you’d like. But I can see you and you can’t see me. It isn’t a fair fight. If you’d let me take you where you need to go, I can remove the bind that took your sight.” I hated how his logic was sound and even more, the humor laced in his voice.

“Where are you taking me? Tell me and I’ll play along.” I considered trying to get one solid roundhouse kick in before I did, but I knew if anyone got hurt, it would likely be me.

“My gift is recognizing truth and because I know you speak it now, I will concede,” he said. I wasn’t sure if he could see my eyes, but I rolled them, realizing the last thing I needed was a Hunter who would know when I was lying. Even if he didn’t seem to hate my guts like the rest of them.

Joran continued. “The Queen has determined you cannot be convinced of her true motives until you see them for yourself. If you will allow me, I will take you to her.” Joran slowly curled his fingers over my shoulder, though he didn’t dig them in to prove his superiority, as I would have assumed.

“I know you do not trust me, and that is fine. It’s likely for the best. But I hear the truths you speak, Keeper. They are louder than your words. There are more truths inside you than you even understand, but there are also many lies.”

“What does that even mean?” I asked, frustrated on many levels as I started forward, cautiously putting one foot in front of the other.

We walked for some time before I felt his warm breath on my neck as he leaned down, his words a light whisper in my ear. “Sometimes we convince ourselves lies are truth and truths are lies. We convince ourselves so vehemently, we cannot tell the difference. You have been told many things and it can only be you who finds the real truth. Now, hush, we must not speak anymore. Just walk.”

I turned his words in my mind, over and over. I couldn’t argue with him. Elias had told me a version of the same thing and he had been right, too. So much of what I saw as facts were most often withheld secrets or misinformation. Things I had taken to be absolute truths were nothing close to reality. I had once told Cole we just needed to listen to everyone and figure out who was worth believing. Right now, I had no idea who to trust. From what Joran had just said, I wasn’t sure I could even trust myself.