gaze shifted between the two of them. “Guess what?” she asked.
“The last Witch to bear the mark was Casterix,” Tallon said. “Do you recognize the name?”
Shayla nodded. “The Witch who nearly destroyed Arroway. The reason for the Laws of Segregation.”
Cassandra reached up and stroked a finger over the small scar on her right cheek. “I cut it out. I hated that mark.”
Shayla stared at her. “You’re Casterix?”
Cassandra nodded.
Shayla’s mind reeled. “What? You’ve lived on Earth all this time?”
“Over a thousand years. The lifespan of a Witch or Warlock is defined by their power, and I’m very powerful.”
“And all that time you knew what was happening on Arroway? What your actions had brought about?”
Cassandra flashed her look of annoyance. “I did what I could. The Witches that were left, I helped across. I didn’t have the power to return.”
“Why did you do it?”
“Why did I attempt to destroy the world?” She turned away from them for a moment, and when she looked back, her eyes were dark with old memories. “I was mad with grief. They killed my Mate. I wanted revenge. They thought they had rendered me powerless, and I proved them wrong.”
“And have regretted it every day since.” Tallon spoke softly, and Cassandra laughed, but the sound was bitter.
“Maybe not every day, but near enough.”
“Why did they kill your Mate?”
“Even back then, The Order was afraid of the power of the Witches. When the mark became clear they wanted to control me. I had already chosen my Mate, but Callum was not a favorite of The Order. He spoke out against their ways. They feared what he would do with my added strength beside him, so they killed him.” She gritted her teeth, her gaze fierce. “I would have destroyed them all. I nearly did. Afterwards I fled here, and here I’ve been ever since. I’ve done what I can to help others come across but I cannot go back. Now you’ve made me see that it’s not enough.”
“So, will you help us?”
She gave a brief nod. “I’ll do what I can. When you have found your mother, return here, and we will see what can be done. At least I can see to your training, ensure you don’t have to bleed to use your magic. Now, let me explain the spell to get you back and the one to return.” She spoke quickly, and Tallon nodded.
“Take the path up the hill. The center of the stones is where the veil between the worlds is weakest.” She reached across and kissed Shayla on the cheek. “You have been given your powers for a reason. Use them better than I did. Good luck.”
They watched the lights from the vehicle disappear into the distance, then headed up the steep hill. The moon hadn’t yet risen and the darkness was almost complete. Only some inner instinct kept them on the right track.
The night was warm, but Shayla shivered. She was filled with doubt and dread clawed at her insides. Was her mother still alive? Was she taking Tallon into certain death? Was she strong enough to go on, to not give in to despair as Cassandra had?
As if sensing her fears, Tallon took her hand, and a measure of calm flowed through her, but still couldn’t rid herself of the misgivings that besieged her mind.
The full moon rose as they entered the stone circle, bathing them in its silver light. Tallon grasped her shoulders. As his eyes swept over her, they softened, filled with an emotion that made her tremble. He tugged her towards him, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her. Shayla was overwhelmed by a sense of rightness, and she gave herself up to the sensations that swept through her, a tidal wave of feeling that washed away the doubts.
Tallon stepped back, removed her clothes, and lowered her to the soft grass. She lay and watched as he stripped his own clothes and came down over her.
He held his powerful body poised above her, and she reached up and stroked his face.
“Tallon, I choose you.”
He smiled. “Good, because it’s too late
“The last Witch to bear the mark was Casterix,” Tallon said. “Do you recognize the name?”
Shayla nodded. “The Witch who nearly destroyed Arroway. The reason for the Laws of Segregation.”
Cassandra reached up and stroked a finger over the small scar on her right cheek. “I cut it out. I hated that mark.”
Shayla stared at her. “You’re Casterix?”
Cassandra nodded.
Shayla’s mind reeled. “What? You’ve lived on Earth all this time?”
“Over a thousand years. The lifespan of a Witch or Warlock is defined by their power, and I’m very powerful.”
“And all that time you knew what was happening on Arroway? What your actions had brought about?”
Cassandra flashed her look of annoyance. “I did what I could. The Witches that were left, I helped across. I didn’t have the power to return.”
“Why did you do it?”
“Why did I attempt to destroy the world?” She turned away from them for a moment, and when she looked back, her eyes were dark with old memories. “I was mad with grief. They killed my Mate. I wanted revenge. They thought they had rendered me powerless, and I proved them wrong.”
“And have regretted it every day since.” Tallon spoke softly, and Cassandra laughed, but the sound was bitter.
“Maybe not every day, but near enough.”
“Why did they kill your Mate?”
“Even back then, The Order was afraid of the power of the Witches. When the mark became clear they wanted to control me. I had already chosen my Mate, but Callum was not a favorite of The Order. He spoke out against their ways. They feared what he would do with my added strength beside him, so they killed him.” She gritted her teeth, her gaze fierce. “I would have destroyed them all. I nearly did. Afterwards I fled here, and here I’ve been ever since. I’ve done what I can to help others come across but I cannot go back. Now you’ve made me see that it’s not enough.”
“So, will you help us?”
She gave a brief nod. “I’ll do what I can. When you have found your mother, return here, and we will see what can be done. At least I can see to your training, ensure you don’t have to bleed to use your magic. Now, let me explain the spell to get you back and the one to return.” She spoke quickly, and Tallon nodded.
“Take the path up the hill. The center of the stones is where the veil between the worlds is weakest.” She reached across and kissed Shayla on the cheek. “You have been given your powers for a reason. Use them better than I did. Good luck.”
They watched the lights from the vehicle disappear into the distance, then headed up the steep hill. The moon hadn’t yet risen and the darkness was almost complete. Only some inner instinct kept them on the right track.
The night was warm, but Shayla shivered. She was filled with doubt and dread clawed at her insides. Was her mother still alive? Was she taking Tallon into certain death? Was she strong enough to go on, to not give in to despair as Cassandra had?
As if sensing her fears, Tallon took her hand, and a measure of calm flowed through her, but still couldn’t rid herself of the misgivings that besieged her mind.
The full moon rose as they entered the stone circle, bathing them in its silver light. Tallon grasped her shoulders. As his eyes swept over her, they softened, filled with an emotion that made her tremble. He tugged her towards him, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her. Shayla was overwhelmed by a sense of rightness, and she gave herself up to the sensations that swept through her, a tidal wave of feeling that washed away the doubts.
Tallon stepped back, removed her clothes, and lowered her to the soft grass. She lay and watched as he stripped his own clothes and came down over her.
He held his powerful body poised above her, and she reached up and stroked his face.
“Tallon, I choose you.”
He smiled. “Good, because it’s too late
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