I watch after Jay until she disappears from view. A tinge of agony washes over me knowing I can’t see her and therefore, can’t protect her. Once I can mark her, our mindlink will open, and I can check in when she’s not in my sight. Only then will I feel better.
Despite knowing she can handle herself, I would have escorted her home to make sure she’s safe. Unfortunately, I have to find Medein.
Medein is standing under an apple tree—one that’s been in my family for generations. It’s said to be over one hundred years old, and it still provides delicious apples every summer. I can imagine Medein can appreciate the life of this tree on a deeper level, too.
Her eyes are closed, with one hand on her heart and the other on its trunk, breathing deeply.
I don’t want to interrupt, so I wait with my hands in my pockets.
A minute later, her eyes peel open. She hums and runs her palm up the tree’s bark. “You take too much from this tree.”
I raise my eyebrows. “Did the tree tell you that?”
“Yes,” she says, not missing a beat. “It’s not used to being relied on so heavily to feed.”
I inch closer. “What else did the tree say?”
Medein hums something in old tongue to the tree and bows her head to it as if she’s paying it respect. She removes her palm, standing back to get a better look at its size. “It says that if you allow your pack to continue this way, it’ll die.”
“I will make sure that everyone gets the message. Thank you for letting me know.”
“Great.” Medein places her hands on her hips. “Now, what did you want to talk to me about?”
“I did something that the Hecatae isn’t too happy with me about and it’s... complicated things.”
“If they’re involved, I’m sure it is. What’d you do?”
“You know that teenage witch that was missing?”
“Yes. I heard they found him.”
“Beaten to a pulp. A few members of my pack did it. Now the coven wants retribution.”
“Then give them the criminals who did it—all should be fine.”
Medein says it like it’s a no-brainer.
She would be right if that were an option.
“Yeah, about that... I kind of burned them alive.”
“You burned them alive?”
“Well, first I tortured them, then burned them alive.”
Her eyes widen, and her jaw drops, dumbfounded, horrified and shocked all at the same time.
“It was symbolic.”
“Symbolic?” she scoffs.
“Beautiful?” I try to find the right word, then shake my head. “Anyway, it doesn’t matter. The point is: I’m screwed, and I need your help.”
“You seem to be racking in a lot of favors lately. What do they want?”
“They want me to mate with you. Or to hand over Jay.”
“And you want to be with Jay.”
