Page 84 of Spellbound & Speechless
Now, I’ve made oaths to Aspen, and I intend to keep them.
“Good to hear from you,” my mom says as a greeting.
“Sorry.” I clear my throat. “I know it’s been a few days.”
“That’s fine. Busy tracking the corrupt witch?”
No. That’s not what I’ve been busy with—not anymore. For the first time in my life, I found something to distract me.
Starbrook has been quiet. It’s easy to forget about the shit storm waiting for us. I don’t have an urge to run off and track the corrupt witch. It’s like Aspen and I are in our own world—a place without magical corruption, without loss, where all I can feel is love.
My mother lost her love to a corrupt witch. She won’t understand, and I can’t expect her to.
“I think the corrupt witch moved on,” I say, with moreconfidence than I feel. “I haven’t seen a sign of her in days. Haven’t even smelled a whiff of her.”
“Hmph. Then it sounds like you’ll be moving on, too.”
That’s what I’m supposed to do. I never stay in one place for long. I need to find the witch who killed my father. It was my mother’s task before, but she’s getting up in age. I took over. Iofferedto take over, and I wanted to do it.
I need to kill that damn corrupt witch. It’s the only way my mother will get any peace. She won’t understand how distracted I’ve been.
“I…” I exhale slowly. The words are stuck in my throat.
She’s quiet for too long. I close my eyes, waiting for something to happen—for her to catch on, or me to find my courage.
She chuckles lowly. “You couldn’t run from the pull of your mate after all, could you?”
I shake my head before remembering she can’t see. “No, Ma. I couldn’t. I’m sorry.”
“How deep are you?”
“As deep as we can go.” I lean onto the porch railing, worried my legs will give out. “The bond is solid. We accepted it.”
“Oh, my dear boy.” There’s no judgment behind my mother’s words. That would be easier to swallow than the sorrow and fear. The fucking fear that’s been choking me for years. For decades. “I hope you have a better fate than your father and me. That’s all I can hope for.”
“Me, too.” I clear my throat. “Actually, I was hoping for something else—to ask you for something.”
It’s not every day that I go to my mom for a favor, but this one is important to me. I look around, making sure no one else is listening in.
“What is it?” my mom asks.
“We have a party this weekend, for Aspen and me.” I grimace. “Look, I know it’s short notice and a long flight, but?—”
“I will be there.”
I perk up, a smile breaking out on my face. “Really?”
“Of course. I may worry about you, but if you are choosing your mate… I would like to meet her.”
“Ma, you’ll love her.”
Maybe not. My mom and Aspen have nothing in common, but I hope I can bridge the gap.
“I’m sure I will,” she says. “Send me the details. I’ll have a flight arranged as soon as I can.”
“Mac?”
I turn my head, spotting Aspen at the door. She’s as breathtaking as ever. Her eyes sparkle, and I know I’m the one who made her happy.
