77 | WARDS

Nikki and Mari don’t waste a second as they begin to talk about what needs to be done in order to put up the wards around the entirety of the Azure’s territory and Kiwina. Apparently, it takes more than magic words to protect the area in question. Mari starts by opening her duffle and fluttering her hands over the bag, grocery bags of herbs begin floating out, along with a few things I can’t name - including what looks like a long slab of iron and mini cauldron.

The Azures stare at her in awe, eyes wide. Even Cole and Valeria watch with a mix of appreciation and hesitation before excusing themselves to do a quick sweep around the building.

“I will mix the herbs and magic,” Mari tells us as she starts organizing and unpacking her supplies, now spread over thin air at hip-level around her. The circle of stuff moves according to her will and twitching fingers as she begins breaking a few leaves of various things into her mini cauldron. The slab of iron rests just under the little basin, glowing a little like it’s hot. Only the slab and cauldron remain in the same place as the witch hums to herself, mixing and muttering ever few seconds as a new smell hits the air.

Sage and something sweet follow on the sting of magic, making my eyes start to water. Beside me, Blue wrinkles his nose and leans back before turning his face into my hair. Misha clasps a hand over her nose and even Blue’s father makes a disgusted sound as the smell reaches a new high. The thick aroma slowly blends into the background as the antiseptic-like stench of Magic bursts to the surface. The hairs on my arms raise and it takes all my self-control not to leave the room as the scent begins to permeate through my mind.

Fear skates up my spine, making me shift from foot to foot as thoughts of leaving the area flicker through my brain. Something about the smell has triggered my flight response, and I start fidgeting a moment before the witch waves at the cauldron and black flames erupt from the basin. I stare as thick, white smoke rises and turns into a floating mass in the air above the witch.

“This will work against just about anything that doesn’t belong. But to be safe, I suggest drawing it in runes.” Mari says, now flicking her fingers at the smoke and forcing the cloud back into the cauldron. The white stuff turns to a sooty powder inside the basin, mixing with the charred remains. Empty bottles rear up around the cauldron and the mixed powder begins to siphon out into the glass vessels until all fifty-something of them are full to the brim and corked.

“Right. Runes.” I echo, muttering the word and looking to Mari and Nikki for further explanation. Nikki pulls something from the sleeve of her robes, a little pamphlet, by the look of the folded page.

“These are to be used only for this purpose. Do not attempt to mix any of the symbols or play with their shapes. It could be very…bad if you accidentally create an incorrect symbol.” The Ancient holds the paper out to me, locking eyes with me before I take the thick page. It feels oddly heavy in my hands.

“Got it.” I tell her with a nod, even though my curiosity stirs at her words, I know I’m not about to go against her. Not with something so important at stake. “So this will keep out the Revenant and demons?” I ask for clarification.

“It will keep out the soulless.” Mari answers, locking eyes with me. “All soulless,” That answer both soothes me and makes the skin on my neck tingle. It sounds like there’s still a lot I have to learn about ‘soulless’ things.

“Great.” I chirp, opening the pamphlet absently and start skimming through the symbols and examples neatly drawn out. “Uh,” I breathe out, my head hurting a little as I stare at the unfamiliar lines and swirls, but even as my eyes trace the symbols, something in me warms a little. “Okay, I think we should practice drawing these out before putting them up anywhere.” I turn to look at Blue. He’s leaning over my shoulder now, studying the page with wrapt attention and a burning curiosity in his silvery-grey eyes.

“I agree.” He murmurs, wrapping his arms around my waist and continuing to stare at the page. “Can we carve these into the bordering trees before covering them in the ash?” He asks Mari after a long moment, tipping his head up slightly to meet the witch’s eyes.

“Of course, so long as you make sure the ash fills the lines you carve, I don’t see why not.” Mari nods, glancing at Nikki. The Ancient gives her own nod of agreement.

“Just be sure the symbol is exact.” She warns, and again I feel unease tickle at the back of my mind at the meandering curiosity that comes with me wondering what may happen if we manage to screw up any of the precise looking lines and swirls.

“Blue,” I look to my mate. Despite him being literally an inch away, a tiny bit of hesitation and fear manage to creep into my voice.

“We can draw them, and everyone else can fill them in.” Blue tells me, leaning his head so he can meet my eyes with his. And there’s all the confidence I’ll ever need. His silvery-grey eyes are just as calm and warm as ever. I smile softly and nod back to the unspoken question in my mind from him, asking if I’m good now.

“Good.” I glance at Mari and Nikki after a moment. “Could either of you help? Since the two of you seem familiar with…” I start, but the two are already shaking their heads in denial before I finish.

“My magic will interfere with the ash. I cannot be near the sites you place the runes. Which is why I must leave before you get started. I’m not soulless, but my magic deals with Death and Darkness, which will not help you protect this area from such things.” Mari explains with an apologetic look.

“I am allowed to give you information and help indirectly, but if I attempt to assist you directly, the damage to the timeline would be irrevokable.” Nikki says, nodding to the pamphlet in my hands. “This is as far as I am able to help.”

“It’s better than anything we could have come up with,” Blue tells the women with a small smile. “We appreciate your help.” Some of the other Azures mutter similar words of thanks to the two powerful beings before hesitantly walk over to the still-floating bottles and plucking them from the air.

“I will check in on your mother before I leave, *mija*.” Mari reassures me before I can ask, putting all of her supplies back into her bag with a flick of her fingers.

“Thanks.” I tell her sincerely, knowing if Blue and I are going to do this before nightfall, I won’t have time to visit Mom today. I turn back to the instructions on the folded paper and mentally calculate the area we’re going to have to cover.

“Let me transfer these to another paper so we can each have a copy.” Blue murmurs to me, pulling the paper from my hands and going over to his desk for a fresh paper and something to transcribe the information with.

“We can split up into two teams,” I tell the other Azures, seeing they’re already breaking up into teams as I speak. Cole and Valeria have returned now that the scent of the ash and Magic have died back down. Cole, Yuri, and Misha stand to one side while Valeria and Sal wait patiently on the other.

“All done. What do you think?” Blue holds the paper he’s just scribbled on out to the Ancient for inspection. Nikki takes it from him, skimming over each transcribed symbol carefully before nodding her approval.

“Almost as perfect as my best-trained would have managed.” Her words are almost praising. I grin at Blue, who’s cheeks are a little pink now.

“I guess if this Alpha gig doesn’t work out, I could always be one of your lackeys, huh?” Blue jokes half-heartedly. Nikki tilts her head, as if listening to something none of us can hear.

“We could consider that-” She replies slowly, making me openly gape at her.

“I was joking. That was a *joke*.” Blue bites out quickly, face draining of color and eyes going a little wide.

“Was it?” Nikki asks him, her odd hot-pink eyes staying trained on him an extra second before she hands the page back to him. There’s a sudden tension in the air as we all stare between Nikki and Blue, but before I can open my mouth to question the Ancient, she’s gone.

“It was a joke.” Blue tells me and then turns to the others, who’re looking at my mate as skeptically as I am now. “It was a joke.” He repeats a little more firmly. I’m not sure any of us are really buying it, but we really don’t have time to be arguing the point right now.

“We should get started.” I say, clearing my throat as the tension in the room rises a a few more degrees. “We can start from the south and work our ways back to the north. I’ll take the east.” I offer. I want to handle the part of the territory closer to Paris’ Pack. We’re going to need to talk about Craven. My stomach rolls at the very thought, but if…if…Craven’s really dead, Paris would have sensed his absence by now. Which can only mean that he’s still alive. In what state, I’m not sure.

“We’ll meet at the edges of Port Greene.” Blue nods, watching me, and sensing the direction of my thoughts. “We’ll both talk to Paris.” He tells me gently. I feel the tiniest hints of relief at the thought of having him with me for moral support as I deliver the news to my cousin, and nod in agreement.

“Let’s get started.” I tell the team I’m sure was divided just for me. Blue’s two Enforcers and a healer. Yuri, Cole, and Misha follow me out of the room, and with the Revenant on the loose and this newest development in the very long line of shit we’ve all been dealing with, I can’t find it in me to feel even a tiny bit guilty for having so much back up.