Silver Moon (Colors of the Moon #3)

Chapter 14

The moment I set my foot through the portal, I regretted my decision. What in the name of the Spirit had I been thinking?

I closed my eyes and breathed in the fresh air of Allium. At the same time, I fought to stiffen the sound of the exclamations and the whispers coming from behind me. But it wasn't working.

I opened my eyes and found myself staring at a two-story house with a white façade and a steep brown roof. My home. I wasn't surprised to find myself facing the front of my childhood home as I had instructed the Time witch to open the portal here. After all, if we had landed in the middle of the always busy main square, we would have become the focus point of the entire village. This way we only received a few raised eyebrows from the random bystanders.

Of course, the easiest way would have been to open the portal inside the house. However, we had a general rule that no one was allowed to direct a portal into the house of the High Priestess. Not unless the person conjuring the portal was the High Priestess herself.

Behind me Effie began ushering our little company inside the house, away from the prying eyes, while I turned to face our party of dozen witches. I wasn't great with speeches, so I simply thanked them for their escort and explained they were free to leave.

While eleven witches left with nothing but a nod in my direction, the twelfth remained rooted to her spot. She was, after all, still under the obligation to keep a constant watch over me.

With Kasey right behind me, I finally entered the house and found myself in the middle of the living room. Five pairs of eyes instantly snapped to me.

Our party of twelve guards, Effie and me had multiplied during our visit to the werewolf castle. Not only did Theo come back with me, but so did Vivian, Rob and Zara. The secret village of witches was now hosting two werewolves and two humans. Something I was sure had never happened all throughout our history.

"I'll find you all a house to stay at." Effie was standing next to the open entrance into the kitchen.

"I'm staying with Gabriela." Theo moved to stand right beside me.

"So are we," Rob said from the only couch inside the room where he and Zara were sitting.

They were here less than five minutes and already they were causing trouble. I couldn't help but wonder how I was going to survive their stay; however long it may be.

"You can't stay at the house of the High Priestess. It's unseemly." Effie shook her head.

"It's okay." I gave in with a sigh. "They can stay here." At least this way I would be able to keep an eye on them. I couldn't allow any of them to run free around Allium and cause Spirit knows what kind of trouble.

"Then, Gabriela, you'll take the bedroom of the High Priestess."

"I'm fine staying in my old room." It wouldn't feel right to sleep in my mother's old bedroom.

"You can't stay in that room. You're the High Priestess now and you need to sleep in the appropriate room. The main bedroom that is." Despite me technically being her superior, Effie still knew how to order me around. I guessed that would never change. "Alpha King, you'll—"

"I'm staying in the same room as Gabriela." Theo cut her off before she could finish.

"The hell you are." I haven't even started to accept the fact that I was his mate, let alone anything else. "We're not sharing a room."

"You're my mate."

I had a feeling I would be hearing that as an explanation to a lot of my questions in the future.