"I dunno, it depends on Audrey," I replied, defeatedly.
"What depends on me?" Audrey asked as she reentered the room, her eyes fixed on us both. I felt the weight of her gaze and did my best to turn on the charm, grinning at her.
"Hey, Audrey," I said, trying to change the topic. "What's going to happen in your spell tonight?" Then, with a smirk, I added, "I just hope it's gonna be super painful for Liam." Liam glared at me before calling me a dick and grinning again. We both looked at Audrey, waiting for her response. To our horror, she grimaced.
"Oh fuck," Liam groaned.
Three hours later, the ritual room was a cacophony of light and sound. Audrey's eyes had turned completely white, giving her an eerie, otherworldly appearance. Liam, strapped to a chair in the middle of the room, screamed as Audrey circled him, wielding a mesmerising light show from her hands. I stood to one side, my heart pounding in my chest as I watched the spell unfold. I could see shapes in the lights pulsing around Liam, their hypnotic dance making it difficult to tear my gaze away. Audrey had warned us that she would need to force her way into Liam's energetic signature, his aura, and that the process would be excruciatingly painful. Despite this, Liam had insisted on going through with it, the desperation to break the curse driving him forward. As I watched the spell take its toll on both Liam and Audrey, concern gnawed at me. Sweat covered Audrey's skin like a thin sheen, evidence of the immense effort the spell required. Her body trembled slightly with each step she took, and I found myself wanting nothing more than to reach out and steady her, to share some of the burden.
"Please," I whispered, as much a prayer as a plea for them both to endure the torment.
Suddenly, as if a switch had been flipped, Audrey and Liam went slack. The tension in the room evaporated, leaving behind a heavy silence. Liam slumped in the chair, his breath coming in ragged pants, while Audrey swayed unsteadily on her feet.
"Is it over?" I asked hesitantly, not daring to hope. Audrey didn't answer; instead, she moved behind Liam's chair and leaned against it for support. After a few moments, she whispered something inaudible, and the shackles binding Liam glowed bright white before snapping open with a resounding clang.
Liam caught himself just before he toppled out of the chair, his raw determination shining through. I rushed to help him, but Audrey held up her hand, stopping me in my tracks. With a few fluid motions, she waved her hand around, causing the floor to light up with symbols. The room seemed to expand before my eyes, the oppressive atmosphere lifting as the protection circle vanished. Relief washed over me, and I finally allowed myself to believe that we had survived this ordeal.
I moved to help Liam, but he shook his head and pointed at Audrey, who looked like she was about to collapse.
"Help her," he ordered, his voice strained. I hesitated for a moment before rushing to support Audrey, sliding my arm around her waist.
"Come on," I whispered to her, guiding her out of the ritual room. Liam followed closely behind us, still panting from the ordeal. Together, we hobbled back to the kitchen, our steps slow and laboured. It felt as if we were three soldiers returning from an arduous battle.
Audrey leaned heavily against the counter, reaching for two glasses and pouring a foul-smelling liquid into them. She handed one to Liam, who eyed it warily before fixing his gaze on her.
"Drink it," she instructed firmly. "It'll help you recover faster."
"Is it safe?" I asked, concern lacing my voice. Audrey gave me a tired smile.
"Trust me, Damon," she replied, and I couldn't help but believe her. She took a sip from her own glass, and I watched as Liam reluctantly did the same. The mixture seemed to work almost instantly, both of them seemed to regain some of their strength, though they were still far from fully recovered.
"So," I started, trying to shake off the lingering tension, "what just happened in there? Did it work?" Audrey turned to face me, her blue eyes clouded with uncertainty.
"The curse... it's like a bind on Liam's wolf. It prevents him from fully accessing his power and keeps him tethered to something, or someone. It’s like a combination lock with so many intricate parts." She let out a long sigh, her exhaustion evident. "It's stunning, really. The most beautiful and complex piece of spell work I've ever seen."
"Beautiful?" Liam raised an eyebrow sceptically. "You mean cruel."
"Both," Audrey conceded. "The sorcerer who created it is incredibly skilled."
"Can you break it?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. Audrey hesitated, as if weighing her options. "I don't know," she admitted finally, meeting my gaze with a mixture of determination and fear. Audrey's hands trembled as she clutched her own glass, her eyes distant and troubled.
"The spell isn't a witch's," she said slowly, her voice barely audible. "It's a sorcerer's."
"Wait," Liam's brow furrowed, his dark eyes questioning. "What does that mean?"
"Basically," she hesitated, "it means the magic used to create the curse is different, more powerful and dangerous than witchcraft."
"Great," I muttered, running a hand through my hair. "Just what we needed."
"Is there any way to find out who cast it?" Liam pressed. Audrey met our gazes, her blue eyes filled with a haunting sadness. "I already know who it was."
"Who?" I asked, my heart pounding in my chest as I braced myself for her answer.
"My father," Audrey whispered, the pain in her voice cutting through me like a knife.
"Your father?" Liam echoed, disbelief mingling with anger on his face. "Are you sure?"
"Believe me, Liam," Audrey replied, her voice strained, "this isn't something I would have wanted. But it's the truth."
