by C. L. Bright
His lips lifted into a fond smile. “Like getting a nāga to chase after you?”
“Exactly,” I agreed. “You’ll need to find another impulsive companion to rescue you soon.”
Dante frowned. “Don’t.”
“Don’t what?”
“Don’t talk about leaving,” he replied as he laid back down and patted the spot beside him.
“I know you’re tired, but this might be a good time to get our plans in order in case your friend can’t help me tomorrow.”
“Not tonight,” he argued in a more tired voice.
I hesitated before settling in beside him with my hand on his chest. “All right. No more talk about leaving tonight. Get some sleep.”
“Love you,” he murmured so sleepily that I wasn’t sure I’d heard him right.
“Oh, Dante,” I whispered. “I’m going to miss you.”
Chapter 33
Dante had been quiet the better part of the morning. At first, I’d worried he was still feeling poorly after so much activity the day before, but he’d assured me it was just stress. I decided to take his word for it since he seemed to have more energy.
It only took us about fifteen minutes to reach his old friend’s home. The security spell at the gate had been altered so Dante could enter. There was only a ten-minute break in the spell. Dante wasn’t convinced we’d be allowed in if we missed the window since the meeting was reluctant at best.
Once we passed through the gate, Dante whispered, “I shouldn’t have brought you with me.”
I caught his hand and squeezed it. “It’s too late for regrets. Why are you so freaked out?”
“As I mentioned before, there is no love lost between our families,” he began as he looked around to make sure no one was listening.
“But you think the warlock might help us,” I reminded him. “That’s why we’re here.”
“I’m hoping he will since we used to be friends,” he began. “That was years ago. Our families aren’t on the same level.”
“And that changed your friendship,” I deduced.
He nodded. “I should have told you this before we came here. We look even more suspicious standing out here. Long story short, my family is higher-ranking, and as we got older, that was made clear to us both. My family refers to them as trinket makers, and while I never used the term, I didn’t stand up for my friend when Nicolas and Ambrose made fun of him. He’s got good reason to dislike me. The last time I spoke to him, he told me I was nothing more than a killer with no compassion.”
“But he still agreed to see you,” I reminded him. “That has to be a good sign.”
I didn’t feel all that confident, but it was too late to turn back now. This warlock might be my only chance of getting home.
“Are you going to stand out there and talk all day?” a warlock shouted from near the front door. “I have other things to do, you know.”
Dante sighed and gestured for me to enter the house.
No one spoke as we walked through the large foyer. Once we were in a room with a desk and several sofas, the warlock gestured for us to sit. I sat close to Dante.
“Where are my manners?” the warlock asked with a pleasant smile. “I should introduce myself to your lovely friend. I’m Torrent Wylder.”
Torrent had golden hair that touched his shoulders and dark green eyes. He looked confident, but not arrogant. He studied me in a way that made me want to shift in my seat.
“Juliet,” I replied.
“Shadow Walker?” Torrent asked. “That’s what you claim, right?”
He didn’t believe me.
I fought back a wave of panic as I tried telling myself I was just paranoid.
“I appreciate your willingness to see us,” Dante began. “It’s been a while.”
Torrent’s expression softened, much to my surprise. “Yes, it has. We haven’t spoken much since our families convinced us we weren’t friends. Life was simpler when we were children, but I suppose everyone has to grow up eventually, right?”
“That’s a stupid reason for ending a friendship,” I muttered.
I should have kept my mouth shut and avoided drawing more attention to myself, but my impulsive cat had decided to rear her head.
“Really?” Torrent asked, his attention focused solely on me. “You think we should have ignored our families and the expectations of society?
“Let’s handle business,” Dante told him.
“No,” Torrent replied. “I’m curious to hear what she has to say, especially after the visit I had from your brother.”
“Which brother?” Dante demanded.
Torrent laughed. “Do you really need to ask?”
“Nicolas,” Dante hissed. “That bastard is determined to cause trouble for me and Juliet.”
“What else is new?” Torrent asked. “Nicolas was a sadist as a child, and he’s worse as an adult.”
“What did Nicolas say?” I asked.
“He said I needed to let him know if Dante tried contacting me,” Torrent replied. “I told him there was no way you’d contact me, that we haven’t spoken in a few years. Imagine my surprise when you texted me.”
“Did you tell Nicolas I’d tried contacting you?” Dante asked with narrowed eyes.
Torrent snorted. “Yeah, like I’m going to help Nicolas with anything. We may not have been close in several years, but I know you’re a warlock of honor. The same can’t be said of Nicolas.”
“Why did it take you so long to get back to me?” Dante asked.
“I wasn’t sure I wanted to get involved with the mess you’ve gotten yourself into,” he admitted.
“What made you decide to meet with me?”
Torrent shrugged. “Who knows? I originally started to type out a response telling you I didn’t want to see you, but then I deleted it.”
“Whatever the reason, I’m glad you agreed to see me,” Dante began.
“What’s going on, Dante?” Torrent asked.
“It’s complicated,” Dante said hesitantly. “I’m sure you’ve heard some of the rumors about Juliet saving my life.”
“More likely, he heard the ones that claim I arranged the attack if Nicolas spoke to him,” I added.
“I’ve heard a lot of rumors about the female you brought to Azuredale,” Torrent agreed. “I’m going to save you some time. Not many would put this together since the shapeshifters from the Heathergate Refuge never share their names with us. We all know the name of the leader, but no one else. I know more than others.”
Dante tensed beside me, and I reached out to grab his hand. We’d planned to tell Torrent the truth. There was no way around it, and Dante had seemed convinced his old friend wouldn’t tell anyone, but Torrent already knowing threw us both off.
“What do you think you know?” Dante asked.
“I’m getting to that. Recently, I went to the trading post to pass on a batch of bracelets. The guards who arrived to pick them up were in a very somber mood. We usually talk about what’s going on in our communities—nothing too serious. This time, they mentioned that their future leader had been killed during her first trip to the trading post.”
“Did they say anything about the current leader?” I asked.
He nodded. “They said he’s distraught.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. Nidia hadn’t mentioned killing him, but I’d still worried that was part of her plan.
“Are we going to keep playing this game?” Torrent asked. “I know the leader’s daughter is named Juliet. She supposedly died the day you brought your Juliet home with you. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out your problem and why you need my help. Juliet has no bracelet, so she can’t go home. She’ll be viewed as an enemy by the spellcasters if they find out the truth.”
“Are you going to turn her in?” Dante demanded.
“For what?” Torrent asked. “She didn’t do anything wrong.”
“I’m sure there are many in Azuredale who would argue that point,�
�� I stated. “They would tell you that by pretending to be a witch, I’ve committed a crime. I’ve lied about my identity, and Nicolas is already trying to convince people I arranged for an attack on Dante.”
“So I’ve heard,” Torrent mused. “Is there any truth to it? It would be useful to look like a hero if you get caught in this deception. I could also understand why you might have wanted to kill a hunter. You might have even done it to make yourself look good so Dante would help you get a bracelet.”
“Those are all ugly accusations without an ounce of truth,” Dante snarled.
“Why are you so quick to defend her?” Torrent asked. “She’s a shapeshifter, nothing more than a familiar to you and your family. Why didn’t you kill her or bring her back here in animal form when you found her?”
“I thought she was a witch, and I felt a connection to her,” Dante explained.
“So, you didn’t realize what she is until you brought her back here?”
Dante shook his head. “I figured it out before I brought her to Azuredale, but I couldn’t let anything happen to her. It was more than the draw of her magic. She looked shell-shocked, and I had to help her. A lot has changed in the few days I’ve known her.”
“You never struck me as the type to break a rule this big for a witch,” Torrent remarked. “That you’re doing it for a shapeshifter shocks me to my core. You could get in serious trouble. I could get in serious trouble for not turning you in. If you get caught, you had better not mention me.”
“So, you don’t plan to report any of this?” I asked.
“No, I knew the truth before you arrived. If I was going to turn you in, I should have already done it, but my curiosity got the better of me. It always gets me in trouble. My stupid curiosity caused me to make friends with a Verdugo as a child. Now, I’m going to risk being executed for helping you.”
“You’re really going to help us?” I asked, finding it hard to believe that two spellcasters would put their necks on the line for me.
Torrent nodded. “This may be the most reckless thing I’ve ever done, but I’ll have the bracelet for you in two days.”
“Two days?” Dante asked. “I thought you always have a supply on hand.”
“The last order from the Heathergate Refuge depleted our supplies,” Torrent explained. “Two days is the best I can do.”
“We appreciate all you’re doing,” I told him. “I know you don’t have to help me.”
“It’s the right thing to do,” Torrent said with a shrug.
We all stood, and Dante walked toward his old friend. “I’m sorry for all the horrible things I’ve ever said to or about you.”
Torrent looked amused. “I wasn’t aware you’d said horrible things about me.”
“I did,” Dante admitted. “We’ll be back in two days.”
Torrent nodded. “I’ll call you if I get it done early. I’m sure you’re in a hurry to get Juliet out of here before Nicolas causes any more problems.”
“Yes, I can’t let anything happen to her.”
Torrent chuckled. “I never thought I’d see this day. A Verdugo in love with a shapeshifter. Maybe there’s hope for a future where we don’t all hate each other.”
I wanted to believe he was right, but it seemed unlikely.
Then again, change had to start somewhere. Now, I had two warlocks trying to keep me from being killed or enslaved. Perhaps there were others like them.
Chapter 34
We kept a low profile for the next couple of days. I didn’t need more attention brought to me, and I certainly didn’t want to give Nicolas any more excuses to hurl accusations at me. Much of our time was spent in the garden, though I also spent several hours in the house with Serena.
It would have been smartest to avoid her as well, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Thoughts of leaving Serena also made me sad. She was so isolated, and I was her only real friend.
I’d made it my mission to teach Serena some self-defense techniques. She was a woefully unskilled fighter for a member of a hunter family, and I wanted her to be able to defend herself better against Nicolas.
It’s not that I thought she could beat him in a fight so much as I thought she could do some damage if she had to fight back. I also suspected she’d have fewer problems with Nicolas if he saw her as less of a victim.
“Tomorrow, I want to learn that kick you used,” Serena said happily as we walked upstairs after sparring.
“We’ll see,” I told her. “I promised Dante I’d run some errands with him, and I’m not sure how long that will take.”
“I hope you don’t decide to leave,” she mused. “Aside from the fact that I’ll miss you, who will teach me to defend myself?”
“Dante could help you. He seems to be a good fighter.”
“He’s not as good as you,” she insisted as Dante approached us. “Don’t get me wrong. Dante is a skilled fighter, but he needed you to rescue him. That must make you the better fighter.”
“I might take offense if I didn’t agree that Juliet is an excellent fighter,” Dante replied as he laced his fingers through mine, and we continued walking toward his bedroom. “I’d be happy to help you improve your skills, Serena. I probably should have offered long ago. Admittedly, it makes me a little nervous sparring with you when you’re always holding a knife.”
“She puts it down,” I assured him. “It just needs to remain close.”
“Very close,” Serena added. “We should play a game or watch a movie.”
“I’m going to spend some time alone with Dante tonight,” I told her.
“I’ve let you monopolize my witch long enough today.” Dante kept his tone light, but he was serious about not wanting to share me any longer.
It was our last night together.
I felt a twinge of guilt that I hadn’t told Serena I was leaving in the morning, but I couldn’t risk her knowing in case Nicolas used another truth spell on her.
“All right,” Serena replied. “I’ll leave you here and head to my room.”
She looked uneasy until Dante said, “We’ll walk you to your room.”
“Thank you,” she whispered. “I haven’t seen Nicolas much in the last couple of days, but he looked annoyed when he bumped into Juliet earlier. He seemed even angrier than the last time I’d seen him.”
“This needs to end,” Dante stated. “I don’t know how, Serena, but I promise to solve this problem with Nicolas. I’m not going to let him keep harassing you.”
She nodded but said nothing as we continued toward her room.
Once Serena was safely inside, I let out a sad sigh. “Your brother is going to try to hurt her after I leave. He already wanted to make her suffer, but he probably wants to punish her more for her friendship with me. He’ll use her as a scapegoat for his anger.”
“I’m not going to let him hurt her,” Dante insisted.
“You can’t always be here,” I reminded him. “I know you’re going to try to stop him, but I’m worried Nicolas will wait until you’re away from the house to retaliate.”
“It won’t be just me. Ambrose and Laranissa will be watching Serena more closely to make sure Nicolas stays away from her. I’ll also continue her self-defense training. It’s all we can do.”
I nodded. “You’re right.”
“Are you excited about going home?” he asked.
“I should be, right?” I asked thoughtfully. “I’m not safe in Azuredale. I’m surrounded by enemies, yet it doesn’t feel that way. You’re not my enemy.” I hesitated, almost afraid to say the words. “You’re my mate. The one I’m supposed to be with, and also the one I can never have.”
He pulled me against his chest. “When you first told me your name, I had no idea we’d become star-crossed lovers. It’s not exactly like the play, but there are definite similarities.”
I laughed and swatted his chest. “That is such a horrible story. You can’t compare our situation to theirs.”
“Why not?” Da
nte asked. “We can’t be together. Neither family would ever accept any relationship between us, and my heart is breaking because I’m going to lose you.”
I reached up and stroked his cheek gently as I met his gaze. “The difference is that we’ll both survive. I’m not saying my heart isn’t breaking or that I won’t miss you every day, but neither of us is going to die. We’ll live, and we’ll always have the memories of our time together.”
His lips brushed against mine, and he let out a soft sigh. “I’ll never forget this time with you, Juliet. Who knows? Someday, our people might accept a relationship between a spellcaster and a shapeshifter.”
“For now, let’s enjoy our last night. No more talk about tomorrow or the future. Let’s live in the present and fill our minds with memories to keep us warm when the cold brush of sadness washes over us.”
He flashed me a sweet smile. “Why, Juliet, that was rather poetic. Don’t tell me you’ve become a romantic.”
“You’re a terrible influence,” I accused.
We stayed awake until late that night, talking, laughing, and holding each other.
It was a night I would always treasure.
Chapter 35
We were both quiet as we dressed and prepared to get the bracelet from Torrent. Dante had put the couple of extra outfits I had with me into a small pack that I could discreetly carry when we headed to Torrent’s place.
I wouldn’t be returning to Dante’s home, a thought that caused tears to burn the backs of my eyes. I’d given him a message to pass on to Serena, letting her know I’d decided to return home and that I’d miss her. Hopefully, she’d understand why I’d left without saying a proper goodbye.
“I’ve been thinking,” Dante began as he looked out the window in his bedroom.
“About?” I asked.
“Getting you home,” he replied. “I should take you closer than we originally planned. There are too many things that could go wrong.”
“If I have the bracelet, I’ll be fine,” I argued.
“But what if you run into someone loyal to your stepmother’s cause? She had help last time, and I don’t know who would find you if you end up in a trap again. This time, they might kill you.”
