Page 45 of Curses and Casualties
“It will remain so until the Soul Bond ceremony is complete under the supermoon’s light.” He moves back to his desk, pulling out a leather journal. His fingers trace symbols on the cover that activate before he opens the cover, the words on the page floating into place as he smooths out the page. “The ceremony must happen in a place of power—for you, that’s the Soulcave. The ritual requires specific elements: moonwater blessed by the witch who cursed you, wolfsbane to thin the veil between spirits, and...” He pauses, meeting my eyes, “fragments of the heartstone that originally held Luna.”
“We have that,” I say, thinking of the stone shards my brother pulled from her leg when he cleaned her wound that day I found her in the caves. The memory of her pain makes Kane whine.
“Good. The ceremony itself is deceptively simple. Physical union under the moon’s light, but it’s not just about sex. It’s about complete surrender—human to wolf, wolf to human, soul to soul. Both pairs must be willing participants. Any hesitation, any holding back, and the bond remains incomplete.”
“And if we complete it?” Georgia asks, leaning forward despite herself.
Magnus’s expression turns almost wistful, and for a moment I see the man he might have been before centuries of existing consumed him. “Then you become what hasn’t existed for three hundred years. True soul-bonded mates. Your power will be unlike anything the modern supernatural world has seen. Andmost importantly—and for my purposes,” his voice hardens again, “magic will begin to flow freely once more.”
“All so you can become human,” I say, disgust coloring my tone.
“All so I can finally rest,” he corrects, and the naked exhaustion in his voice almost makes me pity him. Almost. “You may not agree with it. But I’ve earned my mortality.”
“And Scarlett?” Ethan asks quietly from where he’s been watching. “What’s her part in this?”
The change in Magnus is instantaneous and terrifying. His entire body goes rigid, hands clenching into fists so tight I hear bones creak. The temperature in the room drops ten degrees. “She has no part. Keep her away from me.”
“She’s hurting,” Georgia says, concern for our packmate overriding caution. “When she saw you?—”
“I SAID KEEP HER AWAY!” The roar rips through the room like an earthquake, his eyes flashing molten gold despite his bound wolf. The raw power rolling off him makes the windows rattle and my instincts scream. When he speaks again, his voice is deadly calm, but I can hear the effort it takes. “The witch you need is named Evanora. She’ll be at the Stonecrest Falls Coven, two days north of here. Tell her who you are. She’ll know what comes next.”
“If you’re lying to us—” I start.
“I’m many things, Ryan Blackwell, but not a liar.” Magnus returns to his window, clearly dismissing us. His reflection in the glass looks shattered. “You have what you came for. Now, go. And whatever you do, keep that woman away from my territory.”
“Scarlett,” Georgia says, soft but firmly. “Her name is Scarlett.”
Magnus’s shoulders tense so hard I’m surprised his spine doesn’t snap. “I don’t want to know her name. I don’t want toknow anything about her. Just... go. Complete your bond. Fix magic. And let me find my peace.”
The guards appear to escort us out, and I’m turning toward the door when I remember. “Oh. One more thing.” Magnus looks up, eyebrow raised. “Nicolai asked us to give you a message.”
The change is instantaneous. Magnus goes absolutely rigid, his hands gripping the desk so hard I hear the wood creak. “What message?”
“He said to tell you...” I pause, suddenly unsure. The air in the room has gone arctic. “He sends his regards.”
The sound that comes from Magnus isn’t quite human. It’s somewhere between a growl and a keen of pain, and the temperature in the room plummets. His eyes flash that brilliant gold again, and for a moment the carefully controlled mask slips completely.
His whole body shakes—not with fear, but with a rage so profound it makes the air itself vibrate. When he speaks, his voice is barely recognizable, scraped raw with centuries of fury.
“Get. Out.” Each word drops like a stone into still water. “GET OUT NOW!”
We don’t need to be told twice.
As we exit the dampening field, I feel Kane surge back to full strength, his fury still burning hot as a forge.
Should have killed him,he growls.
Maybe,I admit.But Georgia was right. We needed him to tell us about that witch.
Should have killed him after he told us then.
I can’t really argue with that logic, so I don’t even try.
As we approach the car, we find Scarlett leaning against it, her face pale but composed. She looks up as we approach, and I see the questions burning in her eyes.
“Did you get what we needed?” she asks, her voice neutral though I can hear the strain underneath.
“Yes,” Georgia says, immediately pulling her into a hug. “Are you feeling OK?”
