Page 32 of Sorcia's Heart
“What?”Althea stammered, still struggling to breathe, her gaze sweeping the alley as if Bethany might materialize before her.
“Bethany was just captured by Hazelton Birchsmire!”Marcus snapped, stepping forward, his towering presence looming over the younger witch.“Sorcia gave clear orders—no witch should be alone!Do you have any idea why that rule exists?”
Althea shrank back, her chest rising and falling as tears threatened but didn’t fall.Her voice was small, shaky.“Oh god!I wasn’t there to help her!”
“Exactly!”Marcus thundered, his voice like a whip.“You left her vulnerable, and now a demon has her!We are dealing with a creature who thrives on exploiting our weaknesses, who will use every advantage to tear us apart!And you gave him that opportunity!”
“Marcus,” Sorcia interrupted, her tone firm but calm, cutting through the storm of his anger.
He spun on her, his fury still palpable, his eyes blazing as they locked onto hers.
She raised a hand, her expression steady.“Yes, she was wrong.But so was I.”Her words caught him off guard, the heat in his eyes faltering as something else flickered beneath the surface.Sorcia stepped closer, tilting her head to meet his gaze.“I left the car alone,” she continued, her voice softer now.“I didn’t follow the same orders I gave to my witches.”
Marcus clenched his jaw, his fury redirected, boiling just beneath the surface.She could see it now, the way his hands fisted at his sides, the way his shoulders trembled ever so slightly.And then, with dawning clarity, Sorcia understood.She moved closer still, her voice dropping to a whisper meant only for him.“You’re not just angry with Althea.You’re angry because it could have been me.You’re furious because you’re scared of losing me.”
“Yes, dammit!”he snarled, his hands grabbing her arms and pulling her into him.His embrace was fierce, almost desperate.He buried his face in her hair, his breath hot against her scalp.“If you’d been there seconds earlier, it would have been you.Do you understand that?It would have been you, and I can’t—” He broke off, his voice cracking with the weight of unspoken fears.
“I had to,” she murmured, her own voice shaking.“I felt the tremors.I had to follow them.”
Marcus pulled back just enough to look into her eyes, his grip unrelenting.“Never do that again,” he growled, his tone low, his words laden with raw emotion.“Never put yourself in that kind of danger.Do you hear me?Never again.”
“I won’t,” she promised, her voice barely above a whisper.
For a long moment, they stared at each other, the tension between them shifting, softening.Their breaths mingled in the narrow space between them, their shared fear and understanding blooming in the quiet.It was a moment of unspoken truths, of vulnerabilities laid bare.
And yet, as Marcus held her gaze, his simmering anger didn’t fade entirely.It wasn’t just frustration or fear—it was the desperate determination of a man who had almost lost everything.A man who refused to let it happen again.
Finally, Sorcia gently broke the intense connection with Marcus and turned her attention to Althea.The younger witch stood with her shoulders hunched, her arms wrapped tightly around herself as if to shield against the crushing weight of her shame.Her head was bowed, but Sorcia could see the tears streaking down her cheeks, glistening in the dim light.
Gently, Sorcia stepped closer, placing a hand on Althea’s trembling shoulder.Her touch was light but firm, a reassurance and a command all at once.“Althea,” she said softly, her voice steady yet laced with compassion.“Tell me what happened.We need to understand.”
Althea flinched at the warmth in Sorcia’s tone, her shame magnifying at the kindness she felt she didn’t deserve.She raised her eyes, brimming with guilt, and the tear-streaked vulnerability in her expression made Sorcia’s heart ache.“I…I don’t really know, Priestess,” Althea whispered, her voice cracking as she addressed Sorcia by her formal title.“Bethany and I were together, I swear!We’ve been searching our grid diligently, day and night.We only took breaks to eat and catch a few hours of sleep.But then…” Her voice faltered, and she swallowed hard, glancing nervously at the others who were now listening intently.
“Go on,” Sorcia encouraged, her hand giving Althea’s shoulder a small, reassuring squeeze.“You felt a tremor?”
“Yes,” Althea replied, nodding quickly, her curls bouncing slightly with the motion.“It was strong—stronger than any we’d felt before.Bethany told me to stay put while she investigated.I…I didn’t think she should go alone, but she was so sure.She thought it was close, and we’d finally found it!”Her voice broke on the last word, and she looked away, unable to meet Sorcia’s eyes.“I told her I’d follow, but then…something distracted me.”
“What distracted you, Althea?”Sorcia asked gently, her tone patient but probing.
“I don’t know,” Althea confessed, her hands twisting the hem of her jacket.“We were walking together when something snagged my ankle—a vine or a root, maybe.It came out of nowhere, like it had been waiting for me.I tried to keep up with Bethany, but it tightened, holding me back.”
Her voice cracked, and she took a shaky breath before continuing.“I pulled at it, trying to free myself, but then…then it just disappeared, like it had never been there at all.I looked up to call for Bethany, but by then, she was already gone.”A fresh tear rolled down her cheek, and she covered her face with trembling hands.“I should have been faster!I should have gone with her!I should have stopped her!”
Sorcia crouched slightly to meet Althea’s eyes, her hand moving to cup the younger witch’s cheek, forcing her to focus.“Althea,” she said, her voice firm but kind, “you did what you thought was best.You stayed vigilant, and you didn’t abandon your post intentionally.This is not your fault.”
“But—” Althea began, her voice breaking again.
“No,” Sorcia interrupted, her gaze steady.“This is Hazelton’s doing.He is the one who took Bethany.You’re not to blame for his actions.”
Althea nodded slowly, her tears subsiding but her shame lingering in the set of her shoulders.Sorcia straightened, glancing at Marcus, who stood silently nearby, his own expression a blend of fury and resolve.
“From now on,” Sorcia said, her voice ringing with quiet authority, “we stay together.No one investigates alone, no matter what.Understood?”
“Yes, Priestess,” Althea murmured, wiping her cheeks and standing a little straighter.
Sorcia gave her one final, reassuring pat on the shoulder before stepping back, determination hardening her features.They would find Bethany—and they would stop Hazelton once and for all.
Viktor stood next to Marcus now, both men glowering with their arms folded across their chests, their combined presence an imposing wall of authority.But another figure joined them, padding out of the shadows.A massive wolf, easily twice the size of an ordinary one, emerged silently from the darkness.Its eyes gleamed with intelligence, and its growl rumbled low in its throat, the sound a warning to any unseen danger.In a blink, the wolf shifted mid-stride, its fur fading and muscles rippling as it transformed.A moment later, Jace stood before them, fully human—and stark naked.
