Page 41 of Mystery of Magic

The morning sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting a warm, gentle glow in our bedroom. I stirred, my body slowly awakening from the depths of my sleep. Beside me, Daryn lay peacefully, his steady breath a comforting rhythm in the quiet room.

As I blinked away the remnants of slumber, I couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of gratitude for this moment of reprieve and rest. In our chaotic world, where duty often called us away from the comfort of home, these precious mornings felt like a gift.

The soft sheets cradled me as I stretched, and I savored the sensation of relaxation, knowing that soon we would have to return to the demands of our responsibilities. The thought of leaving this haven, even temporarily, tugged at my heart.

I glanced at Daryn, his peaceful expression reflecting the tranquility of our shared space. In the soft morning light, I noticed the lines of worry etched on his face. As leader of the hunters, even sleep didn’t relieve his responsibilities to our town and its people.

Gently, I reached out to trace the contours of his face, feeling the warmth of his skin beneath my fingertips. It was these smallmoments, the ones where we could simply be together, that made all the sacrifices worthwhile.

But I knew that the outside world would beckon us back. Duty, responsibility, and the call to serve awaited us beyond these four walls. “Daryn, wake up.”

His face never changed. “I am, but I wanted to give you another half hour.”

I should have known he would wake before me. “I’m good.”

His eyes opened, and he stared at me with such devotion, my heart did a little flip. “Cage is looking for the Dark Witch.”

My lips pursed. “We can’t confirm it was him. Why would he kill Darwin? He had to have known him through Alaric.”

Daryn pulled me toward him, so I was nestled on his shoulder. “I’m sure he did. With Alaric gone, Darwin may have been the only one who could help him find the map. Jacob was not that involved in the day-to-day running of his and Alaric’s business.”

“But why would Cage want to find her? Why would anyone? She almost destroyed this world.”

Daryn’s fingers slid over my shoulder in a light caress. “Cage has always sought power. When Alaric died, he lost more than a boyfriend. He needs to feel in control. There were rumors he killed one of his own men because the guy tried to start his own team.”

My hand slid over Daryn’s chest. “You think his men follow him out of fear, then? Not out of loyalty.”

“Definitely, though they do share similar... tastes.”

“I noticed that.”

“Cage seeks power. He must feel she is the only one who can give it to him now. He has burned his bridges with the supernatural community.”

I tilted my chin up. “But someone did help him. Cage has at least one person in our community who is willing to aid him. None of his mercenaries would have had the schematics on theprison and he had to know ahead of time where that duct was. He dug directly to it.”

Daryn sighed. “I know. Cipher has been working all night, looking into it. Are you ready to head over to the base? I have the feeling it will be a long day.”

I sat up and slipped out from under the covers. Daryn did the same and grabbed my hand before leading me to the shower. We took ten minutes to wash one another and get dressed before I put my wet hair in a ponytail, and we were down the stairs putting our boots on.

Daryn opened the door for me and as we descended the steps to our vehicle, I winked at him. “I hope there is a coffee and a breakfast wrap in our future.”

Daryn smiled. “I am way ahead of you. I called an order into the Brew and Chew. We will grab it on the way.”

We got into the vehicle and started the SUV before I turned to him. “We could have eaten at the base.”

He pulled onto the street. “It’s nice to support local businesses. Besides, they make an amazing sausage and bacon wrap.”

I laughed. “It’s all the extra cheese they put on them. But I agree.”

We had just pulled out of the drive-through at the Brew and Chew and I was taking my first bite of melted cheese and omelet-wrapped goodness when Cipher’s voice echoed through the vehicle. “Boss, I have a lead.”

Daryn tapped his tattoo. “What is it?”

There was typing in the background before Cipher spoke. “One of the symbols is a mountain range rock or something. This tunnel system is underground.”

Daryn’s hand fisted on the steering wheel. “Do you think it’s the same cave where we tracked the demons?”

“That was my initial thought, but I don’t think so. There is anicon for a water basin. It doesn’t exist on modern maps, but I found a scroll that depicts a habitat for a lost tribe. I believe their cave was used to create these tunnels.”

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