Page 60 of Heartflame

As we emerged from the garden and began making our way through the corridors of the sanctuary, I couldn’t help but wonder what my grandfather would say when he heard about all of this. About the breach, about Wild’s mother, about Quill being my mate. About the fact that everything we thought we knew about the threats facing our world had been fundamentally wrong. An extremist group was one thing, something that needed to be quelled. But an army of undead summoned to kill without thought, that was a crime unseen since before the dark ages.

I had no idea how we were going to stop them, but I’d find out soon enough. Because one way or another, we were going to end this. We were going to stop Wild’s mother and the Purity Front, and we were going to make sure that what happened at Widdershins never happened again to anyone.

I had to believe that. Because the alternative was unthinkable.

Chapter 25

Quill

The teleportation circle in the sanctuary turned out to be unlike anything I’d ever seen before. It was a single room with a giant circle, much like the one at the Widdershins gate. However, this one was made from gold inlaid into the stone floor. Not only that, it was far more complex than I thought possible, and some of the arcane sigils could be adjusted by simply turning a circular tile in the floor. It was a magical marvel. Our textbooks back at school had nothing like it.

“Wow…” I breathed, staring at the intricate patterns. “This is…”

“Pretty incredible, right?” Wild grinned, gesturing for Aeron and I to follow him into the circle. “I can’t take credit for it though. It was here when we inherited the house.”

Aeron stepped into the circle beside me, his presence solid and reassuring. I could feel the warmth of him, the way his energy seemed to settle around me like a familiar cloak. Wild bounced on his heels with barely contained excitement, clearly delighted by our reaction.

“The previous owners must have been incredibly powerful,” I said, tracing the air above one of the adjustable tiles without actually touching it. The magic thrummed beneath my fingertips, almost alive.

“They were,” Wild laughed, that mischievous glint in his green eyes that I was beginning to recognize as his default setting. “Come on, let’s get this show on the road. The estate’s just on the other side.”

He moved to the center of the circle and gestured for us to join him. Aeron’s hand found the small of my back, a gesture that still sent a flutter through my chest despite the situation. As we positioned ourselves, I noticed the way his jaw was set, determined. Whatever was waiting for us at his home, he was ready for it.

Wild began chanting in the old language of magic, his voice taking on a formal quality that contrasted sharply with his usual playfulness. The gold inlays beneath our feet began to glow, first faintly, then with an intensity that forced me to squint. The air around us grew thick, heavy with magic.

And then we were falling, or flying, or something in between. My stomach lurched as reality twisted sideways. The world solidified around us with a jolt that knocked the wind from my lungs. My feet hit solid ground, and I stumbled forward, Aeron’s hand on my back the only thing keeping me from falling flat on my face. When my vision cleared, I found myself standing in what appeared to be an ornate entrance hall, all soaring ceilings and marble floors that gleamed under soft magical lighting.

“Welcome to the Pyre Estate,” Wild said cheerfully, as if we hadn’t just been violently displaced through the space between worlds. “Try not to break anything. Thaddeus gets cranky about that.”

I straightened up, taking in the opulence around us. This place made the sanctuary look modest. Paintings lined the walls, some of them moving, and the air itself seemed to hum with ancient magic. Generations of power had soaked into these stones.

So this is where Aeron grew up. Honestly, it explained a lot.

“My grandfather knows we’re here,” Aeron said, his voice taking on a formal quality I’d never heard from him before. He looked different here, somehow. More like a child and less like the cocky dragon who’d tormented me at Widdershins.

“of course I know you’re here,” a voice called from somewhere deeper in the estate. The tone was dry, amused, and carried the weight of centuries behind it. “And I’m glad you’re safe, my boy.”

A man appeared at the far end of the hall, and I immediately understood why Aeron held him in such high regard. Elder Thaddeus Pyre commanded a room simply by existing in it. He was tall with golden scales, spiraling horns, and the most intense golden eyes I’d ever seen. In his half-dragon form, he was easily over eight feet tall and as intimidating as they came. I’d expected an old man, not this hulking figure that looked to still be in his prime.

“Grandfather,” Aeron said, moving forward to embrace the older man. There was genuine affection there, far deeper than I expected. “We have a lot to tell you.”

“I’m sure you do,” Thaddeus replied, his eyes never leaving mine. “But first, perhaps you’d like to introduce me to your mate properly. Wilderain’s report was somewhat... lacking in details.”

I felt my face go hot. Of course Wild had already told him. I should have expected that.

“This is Quill Aster,” Aeron said, his arm sliding around my waist in a gesture that was both protective and possessive. “He’s a witch. And yes, he’s my mate.”

Thaddeus studied me for a long moment, and I forced myself to meet his gaze despite every instinct screaming at me to look away. When he finally smiled, it was like watching the sun break through clouds.

“Welcome to the family,” he said simply. “Come. We have much to discuss, and time is something we may not have in abundance.”

Wild and Atlas led the way, Aeron and I trailing behind as we walked through the mansion. Thaddeus led us through corridor after corridor, each one more ornate than the last. I found myself trying to memorize the layout, though I suspected that would be a futile effort. A place like this probably had rooms that appeared and disappeared depending on the need, much like the sanctuary had.

We eventually arrived at what looked like a study, all dark wood paneling and floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. A fire crackled in an enormous fireplace, and I couldn’t help but wonder if that too was powered by magic. Thaddeus gestured for us to sit on the plush furniture arranged around the hearth, and I settled onto a sofa next to Aeron, hyperaware of how close we were sitting.

“So,” Thaddeus said, pouring what looked like brandy into crystal glasses with the casual grace of someone who’d been doing this for centuries. “Tell me everything.”

Aeron began the story, his voice steady as he recounted the events of the previous night. I found myself watching Thaddeus’s expression as Aeron spoke, trying to gauge his reaction to each new revelation. The Elder’s face remained largely impassive, but I caught the slight tightening around his eyes when Aeron mentioned the undead, and the way his jaw clenched when Wild’s mother was brought up.