by Sy Walker
Savannah pushed back her nausea and glanced at Abel. “This is quite a collection,” she said, trying to appear as if this wasn’t all new to her.
Abel smiled. “We need ingredients for potions and spells,” he said, “some of which are easy to come by, while others are not.” He picked up a little tin can, overflowing with green herbs. “We call these mountain herbs. They're very common, growing all over the forest, but these,” Abel pointed to a bottle with what looked like round bluish dead eyes inside, “are the eyes of a very rare fish. They're harder to come by.”
“You need fish eyes for potions and spells?” Savannah asked.
“It depends on the kind of potion or spell,” Abel explained, “but yes, sometimes we do.”
Savannah walked the length of the table, wondering if she were allowed to touch the strange collection of objects that sat before her. At the end of the table was a dagger with a clear blade and a beautifully ornate hilt. The hilt seemed to be encased in stone that glittered and shone even under the muted light of the cabin.
“This is beautiful,” Savannah said gesturing toward it.
“You can touch it if you want,” Abel said. “Do you notice the difference in the blade?”
Savannah nodded. “It seems to be colorless, but then--”
“It changes color,” Abel said. “It’s an imbibing blade.”
“A what?”
“An imbibing blade,” Abel repeated. “The blade has been enchanted so that it can be infused.”
“With what?” Savannah asked.
“With whatever you choose,” Abel replied. “Witches have carried imbibing blades as protection for years.”
“How are they used?” Savannah asked.
“If I were to take a vial of poison and drench the blade in it, the blade would be imbibed with that poison,” Abel explained. “If someone were to attack me and I used the blade on him, he would not be cut--he would be poisoned.”
Savannah stared down at the dagger in amazement. “I could use one of those daggers, then.”
Abel smiled. “Maybe one day you'll have one of your own.”
Savannah looked at Abel in surprise. “Don’t you have to be a witch to own one?” she asked.
Abel gave her a small, secretive smile that seemed to say a lot, but Savannah could not for the life of her figure out what it meant. She appreciated the fact that he was taking the time to teach her, though, as it made her feel like she wasn’t such an outsider.
“Things are not always what they seem,” Abel said. He went to the other side of the table, putting an end to the conversation.
“Abel,” Elena called. “Bring me my cauldron. It is time we started brewing.”
Abel went to the back of the cabin and through the hidden door at the side of the room. He re-appeared moments later carrying a small black cauldron that looked as if it were made from black lead, and he set it down in front of his grandmother.
“What else do you need?”
“Hollyhocks from the garden, snake tongues, and red nightshades,” Elena replied. “And you, Savannah, bring me some water.”
Savannah rushed to do as she was told. When she returned with the water the pot was already bubbling with smoke, even though nothing seemed to be inside.
Elena’s eyes were closed and she seemed to be muttering something under her breath.
“Elena?” Savannah said softly, unsure if it was okay to interrupt.
“Put the water in and stand back,” Elena said without opening her eyes.
Savannah did as she was told. A plume of hot resembling clouds danced upwards from the little black cauldron. Savannah had to cover her eyes from the smoky haze, but she desperately wanted to see every detail of the potion making.
A few moments later, Abel returned with the ingredients that Elena had asked for. One by one he put them into the cauldron and they disappeared into the smoke wafting out of it. After a while, Savannah realized that the smoke had changed color, turning from a silvery-white to a greyish-blue.
Once the smoke had settled somewhat, Elena opened her eyes and looked from Savannah to Abel.
“Is it done?” Savannah asked.
Elena shook her head. “Not yet. It will take an hour to brew, and then it needs to sit overnight.”
“Overnight?” Savannah said. “I want to drink the potion as soon as I can.”
Elena’s voice was low and clear. “The young are impatient, but anything of quality requires time to work. You will have the potion tomorrow, and once you drink it you will be protected.”
“I don’t know if I can come here tomorrow,” Savannah told her.
“It does not matter,” Elena replied. “Meet Abel in the town tomorrow and he will give it to you.”
Savannah nodded. After a pause she said, “I have another favor to ask.”
Elena’s eyes turned cloudy again and she fixed Savannah with a penetrating stare. “What is it?” she asked in a voice that was anything but friendly.
“I want Xander to be protected, too,” Savannah managed. “I want him to drink the potion, too.”
“You ask us to help our enemies?” Elena asked in a cold voice.
Abel turned to Savannah. “It was one thing to help you as you are not directly involved in the enmity we share with the wolves, but to help a wolf directly? They would do no such thing for us.”
“Xander would,” Savannah said. “Xander would if I explained everything to him. He'd understand why I went to you, and he'd appreciate that you helped me despite everything.”
Elena glanced at Abel. “The girl is naïve.”
“She is young,” Abel said as though he were years older.
“Please,” Savannah said, ignoring both of them. “I love him. He's the father of my child, and the future of his pack.”
“His future spells death for both of us,” Abel said, mimicking his grandmother’s tone.
“What if I can get him to grant you immunity from the wolves and freedom to roam the forests?” Savannah asked desperately. “Would you help him then?”
“We will never trust the wolves,” Elena said.
“Then don’t trust them,” Savannah said. “Trust me.”
Abel and Elena exchanged a glance and Savannah thought they might be were considering it, but then Abel turned his eyes on her, and Savannah had her answer before he could speak the words. “No,” Abel said firmly. “We will not help your mate. The potion is for you alone to drink, and no one else.”
Savannah was disappointed, and she nodded in defeat.
“You have asked much of us Savannah,” Elena said. “Now go home and rest. I shall send Abel to town tomorrow with your protection potion.”
Savannah nodded and left the cabin with Abel’s eyes on her back. As long as her child was inside her she could protect it. Protecting Xander, however, was a completely different task, especially because he didn’t think he needed to be protected at all. Savannah remembered how they'd left things yesterday, and it left a hollow darkness in the pit of her stomach.
She hated that she kept comparing Xander to Abel as it was unfair to both of them. The truth was that she missed Xander and she knew he missed her, but she also knew that it wasn’t enough. It wasn’t enough for him to miss her and love her. He needed to trust her as well. He needed to believe her.
Chapter Eleven
Savannah drove into town early the next day. She had three missed calls from Xander on her phone but she ignored them. All she wanted to do was drink the potion and once she had she would face the storm she knew was on its way.
She found Abel standing outside the bakery, leaning against a lamppost in an absurdly casual way. Savannah was struck by how handsome he looked, framed against the backdrop of the quaint little town, even though it was extremely obvious that he did not belong there. She approached him and he nodded to her and started walking down the lane toward the forests.
“Where are we going?” Savannah asked.
“Somewhere private,”
Abel replied. “The potion has an aftertaste and its best people don’t see you gagging in public.”
They found an alcove by the trees, far from watchful eyes, and Abel took out a small, clear vial filled with purple liquid that shone brightly in the noon-day sun. He unstoppered it and passed it to her.
“Drink it in seven sips,” he told her. “Whatever you do, don’t stop until you’ve finished the seventh sip.”
Savannah took the little vial and stared at it curiously for a moment. There was an aroma wafting from the top of the vial, but she couldn’t figure out what it reminded her of. “How bad is the taste?” she asked.
“Tolerable,” Abel replied. “If you don’t think about it too much.”
“That’s not comforting at all.” She prepared herself to drink it.
“Quickly, now,” Abel urged.
Savannah took a deep breath, and with a silent prayer of hope, took the first sip. The liquid burned her throat as she swallowed, and she had to fight desperately not to throw it up. Tears formed in her eyes as the burning in her throat became almost unbearable, but she kept going, knowing what was at stake.
It felt to her like she had swallowed seventy-seven sips instead of only seven, but finally the little vial was empty, and the burning sensation, along with the acrid smell, had disappeared. Savannah felt a little lightheaded and she felt herself sway where she stood.
“Here,” Abel said, taking her hand and guiding her to a rock so she could sit down for a moment. “Rest for a while.”
“I feel strange,” Savannah admitted.
“Give it a few minutes,” Abel said. “The feeling will pass.”
Slowly, the fog that seemed to surround Savannah disappeared and she was once more able to think and speak clearly. “You said it was bearable,” she said accusingly.
He smiled sardonically. “If I had said otherwise you wouldn’t have drank it.”
“I would have still drank it,” Savannah said, “but it would have been harder.”
“Exactly.” Abel nodded. “You’re welcome.”
Savannah shot him an annoyed look and shook her head. “You’re right, there's an aftertaste.”
“That’ll last a few hours.”
“Can I eat or drink anything?”
“You can do both, but it won’t help,” Abel said. “That aftertaste won’t go away until it's good and ready.”
“Joy,” Savannah said.
“How are you feeling, though?”
“I don’t know,” Savannah said. “There’s this burning feeling…in my gut. Is that normal?”
“It’ll settle, don’t worry,” Abel said. “Until then you just need to get some rest.”
“Okay.” Savannah nodded. “Thank Elena for me.”
Abel gave her a small smile, and Savannah started walking back to her car. Within fifteen minutes she was back home, but her senses told her that something wasn't quite right. She was able to sense Xander’s powerfully bright aura and it was brimming with fear and anger.
Savannah looked around for him, but he was out of her line of sight. “I know you’re there, Xander,” she said out loud. “Just come out here and say what you need to say.”
After a moment she heard the rustle of leaves and then Xander stepped out from behind the aged trees that ran up the hill next to her home. His face was surly and unhappy, but Savannah could tell he was doing his best to stay calm. She sensed what was coming and she prepared herself.
“Are your parents at home?” he asked in a subdued voice.
“Not at the moment.”
He nodded and Savannah saw his jaw clench. His good looks were more pronounced as a result, but it also made him look severe and foreboding.
“Xander?” Savannah said.
“Gordy saw you in town, today” Xander practically spat.
Savannah felt her body tense. “I didn’t see him.”
“Apparently you were otherwise occupied,” Xander said through clenched teeth.
“Abel is my friend,” Savannah said—there was no point denying it. It was one thing to keep things from Xander, it was another thing entirely to lie straight to his face, and she'd made the decision to tell him the truth if he ever asked the question.
“Your friend?” Xander said incredulously. “Your friend?”
“That’s what I said,” Savannah said, standing her ground.
“He is a witch,” Xander's eyes seemed to contain fire at their centers. “I thought the rules were clear.”
“They’re your rules, not mine.”
Xander took a step back, as though Savannah had slapped him. “You’re my life partner, you’re carrying my child, and one day, when I'm alpha, you will stand beside me.”
“That doesn't mean I'll agree with every decision you make,” Savannah said calmly. “Nor does it mean I'm bound by the same rules as the pack. You’ve made it very clear that I'm not a shifter, which means I’m not really a part of the pack, and that the only thing that connects me to it is the child I’m carrying.”
“And what happens after you’ve had the baby?” Xander demanded. “Are you trying to tell me you want out of this relationship?”
“I never said that,” Savannah said angrily. “Don’t put words in my mouth.”
Xander was seething, but Savannah knew he was struggling to keep his temper under control. She still felt the intensity of his aura, however. It was burning hot and fierce, but Savannah could tell that it was just his way of masking his fear.
“Savannah,” Xander said in a calmer tone. “What were you doing with him? What have you told him about us?”
“The truth,” Savannah said after a small pause.
“Which is what?”
“Which is that we’re being threatened by a rival pack that’s headed by your half-brother,” Savannah told him. “I told him that a battle was on the horizon and that I needed to protect my child.”
“Is that it?” Xander asked. “You wanted to protect the baby?”
“Of course.”
“I don’t understand: why on earth would you go to the witches? Why wouldn’t you come to me? I can protect you and the baby.”
“How can you protect me when you’re blinded by loyalty?” Savannah demanded. “You’re still convinced Marissa isn't a threat to me, even after I told you what I saw. When I told them about my vision, Elena and Abel believed me right away.”
“Elena and Abel?”
“Elena is Abel’s grandmother,” Savannah said, “and they were willing to help me, even though they mistrust the wolves.”
“They mistrust us?” Xander said incredulously. Then he shook his head. “You’ve put your trust in the wrong people and now? Now I don’t know what they've done.”
“They’ve done nothing but help me,” Savannah said emphatically. “They helped me.”
“Tell me how. How they helped you?”
“They brewed me a potion,” Savannah said, “so that no harm will come to me, should my vision prove to be true.”
“They said this potion would protect you?”
“Me and the baby,” Savannah nodded. “You’re wrong to hate them. They're not what you think. They just want to live their lives, the same as you.”
Xander looked at her as though he were at a loss for words. “What they gave you was not a protection spell Savannah. They tricked you.”
“What are you talking about?” Savannah said. “How can you possibly know that? Your hate for them is blinding you.”
“Maybe you’re the one who’s been blinded, did you ever think of that?” Xander shot at her.
There was the sound of a howl, and Xander and Savannah broke off their conversation and looked up toward the trees. “What was that?” Savannah asked, feeling a new pain creep through her body.
“An alert call,” Xander replied. “Dominic and Marissa are coming, and they’re not alone. I have to go.”
“I’m coming with you,” Savannah said.
“It’s too dangerous for you
to be in the clearing,” Xander said. “Stay here.”
He turned his back on her and ran into the trees without another word. Savannah bit back the burnt taste in her mouth and waited until he had disappeared before she started to follow behind him. There was no way she could just sit idly by while all hell broke loose. She thought back to her vision and pictured the moment when Marissa had stabbed her in the chest with the flaming blue dagger. She wasn’t sure if she was about to walk to her death, but she knew she could not stay behind.
She and Xander might not be in agreement at the moment, but that was completely immaterial, because even when he'd been screaming at her, even when he'd been angry and frustrated, Savannah still sensed the love beneath the emotion. Xander loved her purely and nothing was going to change that.
Savannah knew she couldn't let him enter that clearing without her.
Chapter Twelve
Savannah peeked through the trees and out into the clearing. The whole pack was gathered there, including Marissa’s friends, and the elders. Savannah was surprised to see Principal Harris standing among them. She looked a little worse for the wear with dark circles beneath her eyes, and the stain of worry etched across her face. The pack had not shifted into their wolf forms yet, and Savannah wondered why that was.
“What are you doing here?” Johnny demanded from behind her.
Savannah whirled around to face him. "Did all of you think I was just going to stay home?"
“You should have,” Johnny said in a hard voice. “You won’t be able to help us.”
Savannah regarded him stubbornly. “I don’t care,” she said. “I refuse to be treated as though I’m not a part of this pack. I have just as much a stake in what happens here as you, and I’m staying.”
Johnny grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into the clearing. “Xander!” he yelled, and Savannah saw Xander turn toward them from across the clearing. His eyes narrowed slightly, but Savannah sensed he wasn’t surprised.
He approached them quickly, but his eyes were searching the landscape, as though he were looking for something. The pack converged around Savannah, the elders watching her with weary eyes.
