Wolf of Stone novel Chapter 28

Oh.

My mouth opened in the shape of an 'O'.

"That's why you assumed I freed you?"

Axil nodded, "that and the fact that I sensed your presence while beneath the stone, calling to me, urging me to break free..." he trailed off as his eyes glazed over as if remembering a distant memory.

I frowned.

I really didn't like the sound of that. I thought back to when he mentioned us being soul mates and grimaced. Are you telling me us being soul mates pulled him from his imprisonment? Don't tell me we're re-enacting sleeping beauty?

-.-

Liza giggled beside me, "aww, it's almost as if you guys were meant to be," she teased us, touching a subject that I really wasn't interested in hearing.

I glanced at Axil, who's staring at me as if probing for a reaction before I turned my gaze away, frowning deeper.

I ignored Liza's teasing, "there was definitely a barrier at the entrance of the cave. I felt it when I entered but I didn't know what it was at the time. I'm still inexperienced after all. I must have unconsciously weakened the barrier by mistake."

"So, if that's the case, doesn't that mean that the enemy have already been alerted of our presence this entire time?" Liza asked.

I silently contemplated, "looks like it. That could explain why Axil and I felt so on guard when we went for a walk. It felt as though we were being watched."

"But there was no one around besides the villagers." Axil pointed out.

I had my suspicions for a while now, but I didn't want to speak on it without getting confirmation first, but this seemed to be the case the more I thought about it. How could I have missed this?

"That's because whoever it was... was using the eyes of the villagers as their surveillance cameras," I concluded aloud.

Liza's mouth fell open in disbelief, "are you saying the villagers are puppets?"

I shook my head, "not necessarily, it takes a lot of magic energy to actually turn someone into a mindless puppet, let alone the entire village that's about four thousand 5 hundred and thirty-one people. There have to be another spell interlacing that one to actually have this effect."

"So, Tiana's still residing in this village?" Axil asked, a sharp glint in his eyes as a contemplative look crossed his face.

"Possibly," I said, running through my memories for any spell that could help me unravel the one that could possibly be on the villagers.

Typical Liza.

I left the room, aware of Axil's heated gaze that stuck to me like a shadow until I was out of sight. Goosebumps gathered on my arms as a shiver ran down my spine.

I ignored the feeling and went up to my bedroom. I closed the door behind me and took my crystal out of its hiding place.

There was a particular spell that I've never used ever since I've heard of it from my mother. I could still remember the words she had said to me clearly that day.

"You're the future of our clan, little Mira. When the time is right, I want you to chant this mantra in our family's sacred circle and accept the powers passed down through generations upon generations of witches. We are the guardians, the protectors, and the motherhood of all witches. Accept your birthright and you'll finally know what true power is. Only do this when you feel the time is right."

To be honest, I never planned on doing it at all in my life. I didn't need the power, nor did I want to acknowledge it. I viewed it as being something of my past, something not worth treasuring. I had no idea what my mother meant when she said to do this when the time was right, but I was only doing this now because I knew it would speed up our progress in helping Axil free his people.

I couldn't wait to get all of this done and over with.

With that thought said, I grabbed the razor that sat on my dresser and grazed it across my hand, drawing blood. Next, I took my bleeding hand and placed it out in front of me, watching as the blood dripped down and began forming a large circle.

There was no time to think. I had to get this done and over with.