The First Fae Mate

Sixty-four | Promise

"I can't just put it back!" Calypso grumbled. "It would need more power than I did taking it in the first place, and I just expanded the damned barrier, which you are asking me to move again!"

Visena and Calypso stood in the packhouse, eyeing each other across the table. The other wolves had cleared out when the bickering started.

"Hina is punishing me, Calypso. I need her to forgive me, or the panic attacks and flashbacks will come back. Please! I didn't realise how much Eve's death hurt me until Cecilia took it away. I can't feel that again. I can't do that to Gideon again!"

"Stop yelling, dammit. You are such a brat!"

"Shut up! I'm not!" Visena couldn't understand why their relationship had gone sour. She thought they were making headway before Eve died.

"I am depleted. I cannot use that much power without- No, I can't do it. Find another witch."

Calypso glowered at the Fae as a warm voice spoke from the doorway. "Can you do it or not, my dear?" Mihnea crooned. He strode behind the Witch, and she leaned back into his towering figure, sighing.

"I need a celestial event if I want to channel that much power."

"And when will that be?"

"Three days. But I don't want to help her. She takes and takes. I'm not an endless supply of 'make a wish.'"

Visena swallowed guiltily, her mouth opening and closing, poised to speak or make excuses when she came up empty. Her head drooped. "I'm so sorry, Calypso. You're right."

A heavy silence settled in the room. The embracing pair looked at one another before peering back at Fae. Calypso picked her jaw off the floor in time to ask, "What?"

Visena's silver orbs lifted, swimming with tears. "I have been asking so much from you, and you never ask for anything in return. Please forgive me."

Calypso straightened and looked at Visena with scepticism. "Thank you," she replied tentatively. She moved her mouth as if she tasted something sour. Then, with a thorough throat clearing, she tried again, firmer. "Thank you, Visena. Give me time to prepare, and I'll bind you to your mate again on the full moon."

It felt too easy, and Visena was grateful for the Witch. Her sister.

"You owe me one," she threw over her shoulder as she walked out of the room, Mihnea's slender fingers linked with hers.

Visena let out a breath and rubbed her face, glad she could get out of the Moon goddess's bad books. A sudden flash seared a horrifying image behind her eyelids, and she suppressed a scream—Eve's oozing forehead, with shards of silver and skull fragments pouring from the blackened wound. Visena retched and ran to the kitchen sink, splashing cool water across her face from the faucet. The feelings of horror subsided, and she turned to see Gideon rushing in. "Are you okay?"

"Calypso can fix me on the full moon." She sidestepped the question quickly. "I think we should call the humans to Malum at the same time so Calypso has enough energy. I heard Liam saying there were more wolf deaths from the humans."

"When?"

"This morning."

Visena had eavesdropped on the conversation. It wasn't that hard with her wolf hearing and Prim's expressive voice repeating everything Liam said. "Really? That many! That's awful. Oh my god, Liam. We need to stop them now! Three packs? No, not children! They are monsters!" Once Prim had started bawling, Visena moved away from her spot against the outside wall of her house.

Gideon grumbled and grabbed himself something to eat from the fridge. "Is three days enough time for you to prepare?"

"I've been preparing for this since they stole Eve from me."