Page 13 of Curses and Casualties
When Jules holds up a plastic-framed mirror, Scarlett twists her body to see that her entire shoulder is now an intricate mosaic of magical symbols. The new tattoo gleams from the rainbow hue of the heartstones mixed with the ink, creating an effect that’s kind of like oil on water. “Wow. That’s a tattoo, all right.”
“How do you feel?” The witch’s voice seems too loud in the wake of the gun’s constant whirring.
Scarlett lets out a slow breath, some of the tension leaving her posture. She examines the tattoo some more, brow furrowed in concentration. “I don’t feel his presence anymore. So I think the connection’s muted.”
“Not bad, huh?” the witch says, smacking her lips together as she chews her gum and grins at Scarlett over the mirror she holds. “Just don’t go wolfing out until after it’s healed. Even then, go easy. He won’t be able to get in your head the way he could before, but just like any intense emotion, shifting will establish enough of a connection for him to have an idea of where you are.”
“I can handle that,” Scarlett says, the color already starting to return to her face. “The fact I can lower my mental guard without feeling him try to slip into my thoughts is pure bliss right now. And honestly, if I never drink another cup of wormwood tea or smell it in another poultice again, it’ll be too soon.” She laughs, full of relief.
Georgia quickly takes her hand and gives it a squeeze. “You are the strongest woman I’ve ever known.”
Scarlett scoffs. She’s not a big fan of compliments, but I don’t miss the blush on her cheeks. “I do OK.”
Jules sets the mirror aside and turns to address all of us. “Listen, I know it sucks big dog’s nuts that I couldn’t remove the mark entirely. But if you ask some of the other witches on that list Caspian gave you, you might find someone with enough power and knowledge to sever his claim for good.”
Scarlett nods. “Thank you, Jules. For everything.”
“Don’t sweat it.” The witch touches her shoulder lightly. “You’re free from that asshole’s control now. That’s what matters most.”
The atmosphere in the room lightens, a collective sigh of relief as we all get ready to leave. For a moment, it seems like things might finally be looking up for us. Scarlett is safe, andwe’ve got a list of people who might help us understand this prophecy Georgia and I are entangled in. But then, the universe decides to remind us that even without the connection from the Alpha’s mark, we’re still very much in danger when Ethan bursts through the doorway, his eyes wild and his chest heaving as if he’s just run a marathon.
“We need to move,” he orders, his voice sharp with barely contained panic. “Now!”
Chapter 6
Georgia
The moment Ethan bursts through the door, the atmosphere in the tattoo parlor shifts from relief to high alert. Ryan’s body tenses beside me, his arm instinctively wrapping around my waist.
“What happened?”
Ethan’s eyes are wild, his chest heaving as he bolts the door. “I spotted one of the Alpha’s enforcers down the street.”
A jolt of fear courses through me, echoed by the surge of alarm I feel through my bond with Ryan. Outwardly, he maintains his composure, but he can’t hide his true feelings from me. I lean into him a little more to offer comfort.
“Did he see you?” Ryan’s question is measured, calculated.
Ethan shakes his head and shrugs at the same time. “I don’t know. I hightailed it the moment I caught sight of him.”
Suddenly, a shout from outside shatters any hope we had of remaining undetected. “This way! I smell mutt.”
Jules gasps. “Get behind me!” Jumping to action, she traces a symbol in the air, using her entire body to push it toward the door. The air in front of the door shimmers, rippling like the surface of a pond.
“That won’t hold long,” she warns as she turns and gestures for us to follow. “Hurry!”
She ushers us toward the back room, where Ethan and Ryan quickly move a coffee table aside. Jules tosses back a floor rug, revealing a trap door surrounded by carved sigils.
“They won’t be able to follow if you leave through here,” Jules explains in a rush. “When you get to the other end, tell them I sent you, so they don’t attack.”
Attack? Holy shit. Where is she sending us?
I don’t have time to gather information before I’m hurried down a narrow staircase that leads to a dimly lit tunnel. The air is damp and musty, the walls slick with moss, and I wonder if we’re in an old sewer of some kind. The smell of mildew and stagnant water makes my nose wrinkle. Ryan’s hand finds mine in the darkness, his grip firm and reassuring.
“This way.” Scarlett’s voice cuts through the darkness as she leads us deeper. The tunnel twists and turns, the darkness taking all sense of direction from me. Water drips somewhere in the distance, each drop echoing like a tiny drum.
“Can anyone see?” I ask, wondering if shifters have the same night vision that wolves do. When the answer from everyone is yes, I’m left wondering if my bond with Luna will ever become more than this strange, cursed connection. Too often, I’m feeling like I’m more of a burden than a true pack member.
Not burden,Luna’s voice whispers in my mind, weak but present.We are learning. Growing. Patience.
