This chapter is dedicated to an avid reader- Shadow.
Thank you for reading and Shane loves you

SHANE BLACKTHORN

Kygara kept charging forward, adrenaline coursing through his veins. His target this time was Caelum, the one who had once been a trusted ally.

It was a shame, really. I liked Caelum when he wasn't getting in my way.

His potions had been useful, and his presence on the council had been a refreshing change.

Caelum's beady eyes locked onto me, standing in his full Fae form. He looked resigned, as if he had accepted his fate, calmly awaiting the inevitable.

It irritated me. He could at least try to defend himself, not stand there with that stupid expression, counting down the seconds to his doom.

"Shane, stop!" Millie's commanding voice cut through the air. I turned to my left and saw her, pinned against a tree, her wild hair flowing in the wind. She was beautiful, as always.

Focus, Shane.

Kygara, however, wasn't stopping. He was ready to pounce, enraged by the sight of Millie struggling to pull herself up, clearly hurt from Caelum's push.

His fury fueled him. Kygara leapt at least ten feet into the air, aiming to sink his teeth into Caelum's neck when Millie suddenly screamed.

It wasn't just any scream—it was an ear-piercing, blood-curdling cry that sent chills down my spine. I was temporarily stunned.

Wait—was I... suspended in the air?

I couldn't move, couldn't speak.

I glanced at Millie, her eyes glowing a haunting yellow. She looked entranced, as if caught in some kind of spell.

What was this? What kind of magic was she using?

Caelum didn't seem surprised—just deeply worried.

Millie took a step forward, her lips moving as she began whispering something ancient:

"Soravem nestrae monathir, virdun aerasen cadantur, perveniant vinculis vitaris."

(Translation: "From realms unseen, break the bonds of earth, let the chains of life be undone.")

Suddenly, glowing circles—blue, gold, and purple—appeared behind her, lined with strange, ancient lettering. They pulsed with an otherworldly light.

As she turned her gaze toward me, a wave of dread washed over me. I could feel it—impending doom.

"Velum thrasmara!"

(Translation: "Let the storm strike!")

The moment she uttered those words, an invisible force slammed into me, launching me through the air.

I flew back with such intensity that I couldn't control my trajectory, crashing into a tree with bone-rattling force.

Kygara whined in agony, and I felt our shared pain. Our bones ached as though they were being crushed. Before we could recover, she whispered another incantation.

"Enas verudim, terram comanda, vitearu quod tenebrarum in mea manu."

(Translation: "From earth's command, I hold life and shadow in my hand.")

Thick vines shot out from one of her circles, wrapping tightly around my neck, hoisting me off the ground. The vines constricted, squeezing the air from my lungs.

This was Fae magic—manipulating the earth's elements. But this was far more powerful, far more intense than anything I had ever seen from a Fae.

Those symbols... where had I seen those symbols before?

Think, Shane, think!

My body was giving up, the fight draining from me. So, this is how it ends? Kygara and I had always imagined our demise would come in battle, fighting for territory like my parents before me.

The last of the air left my lungs, and I was ready to accept my fate when a magically infused arrow shot through the vine, severing it.

I fell to the ground, transforming back into my human form to break the fall.

"Millie, you have to fight this!" Caelum screamed, running toward her, though his movements were sluggish from the earlier scream that had weakened him.

The air around her began to swirl, the temperature rising as powerful winds gathered in front of her.

"What is happening?" I yelled, stumbling to Caelum, my legs still shaky.

We both watched in disbelief as the winds converged into a massive tornado, swirling violently in front of Millie.

Something was different about Millie—she was lost in a trance. I couldn't feel her presence at all.

She kept whispering an incantation, her words faint but steady.

"You have to get out of here," Caelum said, his voice urgent.

"What?"

"Once that tornado is fully charged, it's coming straight for you. This time it will end you," he said, pulling his hair back and taking a fighting stance.

"Fuck that," I replied, resolute. There was no way I was leaving her.

"Did you not hear me? She's determined to kill you, and we can't stop it."

"And why do you get to stay?" I shot back.

"She's using elemental magic. I can take care of myself," Caelum said, his calm tone grating on my nerves.

I had spent years in Faeryndor training with him, learning how to defend myself against magic. I wasn't some helpless wolf.

"I'm not leaving. So what's the plan?" I asked, stretching my limbs, preparing for the inevitable fight.

"Are you insane? She—"

"We don't have time for this, Caelum. How do we stop her?"

"We don't stop this," Caelum muttered, eyeing me like I'd lost my mind. "Our only chance is to snap her out of the trance before that thing takes us all out."

"Got it," I said, smiling. This should be easy enough—snap her out of it.

"What are you doing?" Caelum asked, bewildered as I continued to stretch.

"Getting ready for a sprint," I said with a smirk, mentally and physically preparing myself.

"You want to run toward a fully charged tornado?" His incredulous expression made me laugh, despite the chaos. Maybe I was crazy. I had heard I had a few screws loose—mostly from Caelum.

"I like to face my problems head-on." I bent down, touching my toes, and concentrated on sharpening my senses. I focused everything on Millie.

"She can't handle this much magic. Her core is unstable," I said, finally able to sense her magical essence. "She'll hurt herself if she stays like this any longer."

Without waiting for Caelum's response, I leapt into the air, transforming once again. Kygara immediately understood the plan, digging his paws into the ground to gain momentum before charging straight toward Millie.

The moment we took off, vines shot out from one of her circles. Caelum, quick on his feet, fought them off with his own vines he called out. Good.

I weaved through the remaining vines she hurled at me. Once I got close enough, I shouted through a telepathic link.

"Millie, snap out of it!" My voice reverberated through her mind, destabilizing her trance just enough for me to launch myself toward her.

I slammed into her with all the force I could muster, sending her body flying through the forest, crashing into trees along the way.

Without wasting a second, I sprinted after her, running at full speed. Caelum tried to follow, but he was still too weak.

I managed to get ahead of Millie, leaping into the air and transforming back into human form just in time to catch her.

The force of her impact nearly knocked me off balance, but I steadied myself, holding her securely in my arms. Her eyes fluttered open, and she looked at me, dazed.

"What just happened?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper. But before I could answer, she slumped back into unconsciousness.

I adjusted her carefully, cradling her closer. She snuggled into my chest, and my heart skipped a beat. She looked so small and fragile, her skin bruised from the ordeal.

I needed to tend to her injuries. I walked back toward the clearing, where Caelum was still on the ground, struggling to heal his core.

He had returned to his human form now, looking worse for wear.

I walked past him, intending to take Millie back to the house, but Caelum jumped to his feet, blocking my path.

"What are you doing?" I asked, tired of repeating myself.

"I'm not letting you take her."

"And who are you to stop me?" I growled, letting him know my patience was running dangerously thin. "I'm not in the mood for this, Caelum."

"Just let her go, Shane," he said, his voice softening. "You said it yourself—it's a curse. I'll work on breaking it. Just let her go."

I narrowed my eyes. "I have a question for you."

"What is it?" he asked, raising his brows.

"Who is she?" I asked, watching his reaction carefully.

"What kind of question is that?"

"You see, I trust my gut, Caelum. And my gut tells me you're hiding something."

"What are you talking about?" he said defensively—a clear sign he was lying.

"I'm talking about why Esme's daughter can draw runic circles—an ability only the Celtic Druids possess."

Caelum's face paled. I had a hunch before, but now I was certain. The symbols on the runic circle were Aztec, native to the Celtic Druids.

"And what's her connection to Tristan Valkera?" I asked, another piece of information that had been bothering me.

Caelum went silent, confirming my suspicions.

"When you have answers to my questions, find me. Maybe then we can talk. But until then, if you stand in my way again, I won't hold back. And let's face it—you're no match for me in your current state." I pulled Millie closer and took another step forward.

This time, Caelum let me go without another word.

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