Page 64 of Wedded Witch
Fuck. Deep breaths, Swyn. You’ve got this.
“Is there a different route we can take back to the car? I don’t fancy heading that way.” I glance back at the woods, the dark magic still lingering in the air, and then at the three of them, my protectors.
The sense of danger is far from over, but for now, at least, we’ve survived.
“Yeah follow me,” Sol says, shifting into his dog form once more.
“Don’t expect me to pick up your poo,” I mutter, shifting the heavy book under my arm and falling into step beside Kel.
Once we’re back to the truck, I settle into my seat, the Book of Shadows resting on my lap. I can feel its warmth again, pulsing faintly, like it’s alive.
Like it’s waiting for me to open it and uncover the secrets within.
And I will.
Because I have no choice.
RI
I keepmy hands steady on the steering wheel, even though the tension in the truck is rising by the second. The road ahead is mostly empty, the trees blurring by as we head back toward the motel, but inside, it’s a different story.
Kel’s never been this agitated. He’s practically vibrating with aggression, his fists clenching and unclenching as he stares out the window. Sol, sitting next to him in the back, is no better.
They’ve both been on edge since we shifted into Cerberus back in the woods, but Kel’s anger is something new. It’s like he’s ready to snap.
“What the hell was that back there?” Kel growls, breaking the uneasy silence. “That shadow… that thing? We’re supposed to be protecting her, not getting blindsided by some dark magic freak.”
“We did protect her,” I say, trying to keep my voice calm, but there’s an edge to it. I feel it too—the darkness that brushed against us. It’s not something I’ve experienced before. “We stopped whatever it was from getting to her.”
“Barely,” Sol mutters. “We don’t even know what it wanted. We don’t know what it was.”
Kel slams his hand against the door. “We should’ve torn it apart.”
Swyn shifts in her seat next to me, clearly uncomfortable with the rising aggression in the truck. I glance over at her, and guilt flickers in her eyes. She probably thinks this is all her fault.
“Enough,” I snap, louder than I intended. “You’re both acting like idiots.”
Kel’s head whips around, his eyes blazing. “What did you just say?”
“You heard me,” I growl. “Both of you—listen to yourselves. This isn’t normal. None of this is normal.”
Sol leans forward, his voice low but dangerous. “What are you getting at?”
I take a deep breath, keeping my eyes on the road, but tightening my grip on the wheel. “That thing we fought—it was dark magic. We all felt it. And now, you two are snapping at each other like rabid dogs. You think that’s a coincidence?”
For a moment, there’s silence in the truck, the weight of my words hanging between us.
“You think it affected us?” Kel asks, his voice lower now, though still tense.
“I think whatever touched us back there is messing with our heads. Especially since we shifted into Cerberus form. It wasn’t just a physical fight—there was magic involved. Dark magic. And it doesn’t just go away.”
Swyn lets out a shaky breath beside me. “I’m sorry,” she whispers. “This is all my fault.”
I shake my head immediately, risking her safety by removing one hand from the wheel to squeeze her leg reassuringly. “No, Swyn. This isn’t on you. We’ve dealt with dark forces before. It’s part of what we do. It’s what we were made for.”
Kel snorts, but he doesn’t argue. Sol leans back, crossing his arms, his usual calm exterior returning. “So what do we do now?”
“We stick together,” I say firmly. “And we stay on guard.”