His enchantress, chapter 29

The staring contest was taking too long. Clara wouldn't blink as she glared at Elara who was as stubborn as her cousin. They had been sitting in their living room for an hour now in utter silence. For some reason after Elara asked her cousin for help, the dark-haired witch only led the way inside and sat down silently staring at her. It was starting to get on Elara's nerves.

"Fine! You win, I give up Clara, we need to talk it's important." A million things ran through her head, just like Nathan said earlier and she had no idea how she was going to tell her cousin. How to breach the subject? How to tell her about Nolan? Or even if she could trust her with everything.

"Well, I figured as much. I just wanted to remind you who was in charge here. And I don't like you being around Nathan so much."

Elara snorted kicking off her shoes, the tension in her shoulders relaxing a bit. "And why is that Miss I'm in charge here?"

"You know why. I told you he's a playboy, he's going to hurt you eventually. And he's going to poison your mind, putting all sorts of ideas into your head. We don't want that."

Elara fell silent, even the smile that was forming on her lips disappeared. She bit her lower lip nervously before throwing a glance at her cousin, "Are you jealous? Is that it?" She was playing a dangerous game, trying to anger Clara, but she figured it might be best if Clara told her everything herself.

"Oh please!"She dismissed her with a wave of her hand and went to the kitchen counter to get some water. "Why would I be jealous?"

"Because I see the way you look at him Clara, I'm not stupid. And in all the time I've been here, he's been the nicest person to me, even nicer than you at times. And I've never seen him flirting with anyone, so I don't know where you got the impression of him being a playboy."

"See? He's already brainwashed you."

"Yeah... tell me more about that would you? What kind of crazy ideas is he going to give me?"

"The kind where you're still trying to figure out how to leave this place. You can't, you both can't! Unless you want to die that is. And I'm fucking tired of repeating this on and on again Elara. It's enough."

"Even if I tell you I know a way out?"

"Even if you prove there is, there isn't!"

"Fine. I won't do any black magic for the coming days. I'm exhausted and consumed by it. I want to do easier spells, I want to do some soul-cleansing spells or whatever you call them."

Clara's laugh was so loud it startled Elara a bit, but she knew the girl enough by now to know it wasn't a heartfelt laugh. She was mocking her.

"You think I'm the one making you use dark magic? Honey, it's all you. Magic comes from within you, you wield it as you want to. Not me, my friend. You can use it to heal, summon the elements, conjure a storm of lightning, shapeshift, look into someone's future, or you could use it for simpler things, like moving furniture around, helping crops grow, and so much more. But all that comes from you little witch, not me. Never me. The way you use your magic is on you. Never blame me for walking that thin line between white and grey. I'm your teacher, and that's what I'm doing, giving you the basics, the spells, the way you should move your hands, the tone you should use; and that's all I'm doing El. The rest is all you."

Clara crossed her arms and tapped her right leg nervously on the carpeted floor "You think I didn't notice? I know what's happening. You're using too much of your power. Sneaking out at night? You can't think I don't know that you sneak into the far end of the woods and do a protection circle and train more right? That's what's exhausting you. your body needs its rest and you're using too much dark energy, dark emotions are about to eat you up."

"Then why didn't you stop me? Why not tell me I'm doing it wrong?"

"Because it's easier like that El" Clara said softly, ignoring the flames in Elara's eyes, ignoring how bad she felt for her. Elara was breaking and she couldn't do anything about it. "I won't train you for two days, regain yourself, only you can cleanse your soul from that darkness. I can't do it for you even if I tried. You need to come to terms with yourself and know that you can't leave. Accept your fate, heal your broken soul, and come find me."

Elara sunk deeper into the couch contemplating her next move. Clara knew she was sneaking out, but she didn't know what kind of spell she was working on, which meant her circle of protection, was working. She let out a sigh of relief; at least she was succeeding at something. Clara was right. But even though she wasn't the one forcing Elara to use dark magic, she wasn't exactly stopping her, and even after the conversation they had, she told Elara to figure it out on her own. What kind of teacher does that? Isn't she my mentor for a reason?

Nolan... how selfish had she been? Not talking to him all that time. With her walls around her mind at all times, never wanting to lower her guard she completely forgot about her friends. She wanted to blame the dark magic affecting her but she knew better than that. She knew that it was all her. She had set her mind on leaving so she put everything else aside.

Closing her eyes, Elara focused on the black wall around her mind, looking deeper within her trying to tap into the mating bond with Nolan. Once she felt it, she built a passageway and the smallest door into her wall. A door that would only allow her mate to reach for her like that.

As soon as she did, she could feel his emotions bursting from the end of the pathway. His warmth reached her and Elara smiled. It felt like she hadn't smiled like that in ages.

Nolan? A wave of relief hit her, his relief.

Elara! Thank the goddess you're alive! I was so scared! Where have you been?

I'm sorry I scared you, Nolan. She paused. I was working on a way out. I'm getting closer, I'll be out of here soon.

I'm working on something myself, I already know what compound you're in. The queen is there, isn't she?

Nolan, no. Don't do anything stupid, don't come here, please! If Nolan had come before she figured her spell out, she could never get Clara and Nathan out. The Queen would let her go for being his mate, and they would be stuck here. Guilt crept over her heart for hiding this detail, but she knew he wouldn't listen to her.

I won't do anything stupid. All I want to do is find you and take you in my arms Elara, and never let you go again. And for that, I'll burn the world if I have to.

Elara's cheek heated and she gasped at how serious Nolan was. He would do this, wouldn't he?

Never underestimate me Tiny, I'll come for you whether you like it or not. You're mine and I want you here with me, as my Luna.

"Holly shit! Luna? Is he the alpha now?"

What do you mean Luna?

I mean, as the Alpha, you're my mate, meaning my Luna, the Luna of our pack. My father...he wouldn't go after the Tiassili Queen. So I asked to take the reins early and he complied.

Oh, Nolan! You wanted to go to college before all that, why did you do that?

Isn't it obvious?

Elara felt it before it hit her like a wrecking ball. A ball of burning emotions, of burning love. Hitting her right through her aching heart. And for a second, she was hopeful again. Maybe that's what she needed to cleanse her soul. Maybe all she needed was Nolan's love.

After everything we went through... Elara I accept our bond. I accept you as my mate Elara Bell.

What she was afraid of before could be her salvation now.

I accept you as my mate Nolan O'Brien.

And there it was. Wave after wave of light hit the sky, and thunder crackled above. She could see them clearly through the window.

Is that normal?

Yes, it's rare but it happens. It means our bond is unbreakable, our bond is such a powerful one that the Goddess is giving us her blessings. I can't wait to see you and claim you as mine.

I'm already yours Nolan, body and soul.

She talked to Nolan for a while, asking him about her grandpa, and her friends. She wasn't surprised he knew Daniel Bell was a werewolf too. But she understood why he didn't tell her. It wasn't his secret to share.

Laura had worked so hard to exhaustion to cast a tracking spell strong enough to find me behind all these protection wards the Queen had around the compound. She was proud of her friend, always knowing how strong she could be. Just as she was promising Nolan to keep in touch the door to their cabin burst open and Clara came inside in a hurry.

She was breathless. "Are you okay?"

Elara frowned "I mean, I probably stink but yeah I'm great why?"

"I don't know I had a bad feeling when I saw the thunder illuminate the sky on a sunny day..."She stopped for a minute to catch her breath "Fuck! I thought you were doing some spell that went wrong... I thought I lost you!"

Elara smiled getting up and closing the distance between them in a few strides. She wrapped her arms around her cousin hugging her close. "I'm fine, don't worry about me. I'm just centering myself I guess. But all is good."

"You're right, you stink" They both burst in laughter and Elara took a step back.

"I need to be honest with you. But I don't want you to lose your shit. You haven't been listening to me. I have a way out, but I need your help."

"And we're back to this. No, I heard you loud and clear I just decided to ignore you!"

"Just... give me a chance." When Clara said nothing and didn't leave, Elara decided to tell her everything. Well, not everything but as much as she could tell her. "A long time ago, when I was still just a kid, a woman came to me and asked me to draw something. When I finished my drawing, she asked me to say some words."

She could see the recognition on Clara's face. She already knew what kind of spell that was.

"The drawing illuminated, and that woman, along with her friends just stepped into it. Into the drawing and disappeared. Now I know, you'll say I was just a child and I was imagining it but trust me I wasn't."

"I know. What you're talking about... it's a strong spell for a kid to make. But it is possible. You either opened a portal to some other plane of existence, another world. Or, you created a new plane of existence. I can't know for sure, it depends on the words you said. But why are you telling me this?"

"Because if we want to go beyond these walls without being detected, we'll have to do that same spell and open a portal to Pine Hill woods."

"That's an odd location to be hiding in. You think it won't be the first place they'll look for you?"

"We will be with the werewolves."

Another frown from Clara "And why is that? I hate them."

"Because...I'm about to be Luna of the pack."