“I’m sorry.” He winced. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“We will protect you, Serafina.” Casimir leaned forward, his eyes locked on mine. “We know she’s a Dark witch, and we know she’s up to something. Our father is also aware of her intentions.”
I nodded, but memories were flashing through my mind, hard and sharp, and I raised one hand to rub my breastbone, shivering.
Zane reached over and pulled my hand away from my chest to cradle it between his big palms.
“Hey. We’re here, angel cake. We won’t let anything happen to you. We’ve stomped on monsters a lot bigger than her before!”
I managed a small smile, but knew it didn’t reach my eyes.
“We need to know whatyouknow, Seri,” Koa murmured. “Anything that might help us figure out her plans.”
I opened my mouth to answer, but the words caught in my throat. It was like an invisible hand clamped down, silencing me before I could speak. I tried again, but all that came out was a strangled sound. My chest tightened with fear, and I dropped my gaze to my plate.
“She’s silenced you somehow,” Casimir said, his voice sharp. “A whisperbind, maybe? So you couldn’t speak about her schemes.”
I couldn’t confirm it, but I probably didn’t need to.
“We’ll find a way to break it.” Koa’s jaw clenched.
“Yeah, we’ll figure it out.” Zane’s hand tightened around mine, his thumb brushing over my knuckles. “You’re not alone, puddin’. Not anymore.”
I nodded, my throat burning with unsaid words.
She siphoned from my papa until it killed him!I wanted to scream.She took my magic, my voice, my freedom, my home!
But all I could do was sit there, silent and trembling, wishing they could hear the things Icouldn’tsay.
15. To Protect You
Seri
“We also want to talk about some interesting things we’ve been noticing,” Koa said after a moment.
“Interesting things?” My gaze darted between him, Zane, and Casimir.
“Shifter qualities. When we found you hurt on the doorstep, you called us mates before you passed out.” Koa tilted his head, his black hair falling over his cheek before he brushed it back.
My face burned. I didn’t know I said that in their hearing. What if they didn’t want a shifter-born witch?
“And you’ve mentioned our scents,” Zane pointed out. “Each of us smells different to you, yeah?”
“Yes. You smell like night phlox. Koa, evening primrose, and Simmy, moonflowers.”
Casimir’s expression flickered, just for a second, and I wondered what he was thinking. Before I could find the courage to ask, though, he started talking.
“It’s not uncommon for shifters to recognize their mates instinctively as you did, but itisunusual for a female to distinguish between multiple male mates by scent. Usually, we’d all smell the same to you.”
“Maybe it’s because we’re half-brothers?” Koa suggested. “That might make our scents different.”
“Doesn’t matter, really.” Zane rolled his eyes dismissively, his smirk returning. “The point is, she’soursand we’re hers.”
He winked at me, and I felt my face heat up again as something fluttered in my belly. Pulling my hand free of his, I tucked it under my leg, ignoring his fake pout.
“So,areyou a shifter, Seri?” Koa asked. “Only asking because you don’t smell like any shifter we’ve ever encountered.”
“No, but Mama was. She was part of the Royal pack.” My fingers traced the edge of my plate as I thought of something else. “Do dhampirs mark their mates? I mean, beloveds? Mama said male wolves do, but she marked Papa since he had no wolf spirit. It looked like a tattoo of her wolf, Feather. It was beautiful.”
