Chapter 147: The Witch is Dead?
{Elira}
~**^**~
"I know this might be sudden, but I admire you. Would you go on a date with me? — J."
That was it. There were no flourishes or overdone words. Just simple, straightforward, and almost painfully earnest.
Nari snorted so loudly that nearby students turned their heads to us.
"Oh Moon, this is priceless. Someone actually confessed to Tamryn?" She burst into laughter, covering her mouth, but failing to contain the grin spreading across her face.
Juniper blinked, then hid a smile of her own. "Well... that was unexpected."
Tamryn’s face didn’t shift. She didn’t flinch or try the barest minimum of a twitch. Instead, she looked down at the note like it was nothing more than a discarded receipt.
"I’m not interested."
Nari slapped the table, nearly spilling her juice. "You don’t even look impressed that someone worked up the courage! Do you realize how rare that is here?"
Cambria, ever the voice of reason, tilted her head. "I think it’s a good thing. Someone sees you and desires you, Tamryn. That is worth something."
I nodded slowly. "There’s nothing wrong with it. At least he was polite."
But Tamryn’s calm gaze stayed flat. "It makes no difference. My focus is not on dating." She folded the paper once again and tucked it into her pocket as though the matter was closed.
That only made Nari laugh harder. "I swear, Tamryn, you are unbelievable. With your stone face and your scary calm, you still attract someone. Which means..."
She leaned across the table dramatically, lowering her voice into a mock-serious tone, "...all of us have potential."
Laughter rippled around the table again, even pulling a small chuckle from me. However, Tamryn calmly sipped her drink. Then, setting the glass down, she spoke flatly, her voice cutting through the amusement.
"I can’t settle with just anyone simply because I am destined not to have a mate."
The table grew quiet, her words heavier than the joking mood from moments before.
Tamryn’s gaze swept briefly across each of us before fixing on her plate as she made sure to remind us all about what her goal was.
"That’s why I’m studying hard. Next year, I want to qualify for the Lunar Potential Development class. I want to marry an Alpha."
Juniper leaned back, her expression unreadable. Cambria bit her lip, thoughtful. Nari’s grin softened into a half-smile, but she stayed quiet this time.
I watched Tamryn carefully, my chest tightening. ’An Alpha?’
The odds of marrying one who didn’t already have a mate were almost nonexistent. To me, it felt like chasing a star already bound to someone else.
Still, Tamryn’s voice had neither carried nor shown doubt, hesitation, just cold determination.
And yet... deep inside, I couldn’t help but pity her. What kind of pressure did she carry to set such a lofty goal?
I thought briefly of her strained relationship with her mother. Though Tamryn never said much, it was clear there was a distance between them, a coldness she rarely explained.
Maybe this ambition wasn’t just her own—it could be her way of proving something, or perhaps rebelling silently.
The silence stretched until Nari muttered awkwardly, "Well... that just killed the mood."
Cambria gave her a tiny nudge with her elbow, trying to steer the atmosphere back up, but Tamryn didn’t seem fazed in the slightest.
She simply picked up her fork again, as if her confession was nothing more than fact, carved in stone.
---
{Lennon}
The door creaked open again, and Zenon stepped back inside. His face was carved from stone, harder than usual, his jaw tight like a blade.
I straightened immediately, sensing it. "What’s wrong? Did something happen?"
He didn’t waste words. "The witch who locked Elira’s channels has been found."
Relief surged through me like a rush of air after drowning. "Finally," I breathed, a grin tugging at my lips. "That’s—"
"Good news," Rennon finished, softer but equally relieved, his shoulders easing as he adjusted his reading glasses.
But my eyes stayed fixed on Zenon. His expression didn’t match the weight of the words. My grin faltered.
"Wait. You don’t look like a man carrying good news. What’s the problem?"
Zenon’s gaze met mine, steady and sharp. "She’s dead."
The word slammed into me like a fist. My stomach dropped. "No," I said instantly, shaking my head. "That can’t be true."
Beside me, Rennon’s voice was quiet but heavy. "Dead? That doesn’t make sense."
Zenon’s mouth tightened. "I don’t want to believe it either. Which is why I won’t—at least not yet."
His eyes narrowed, thoughtful. "Some old witches are known to play dead. A survival tactic. A way to bury themselves out of reach when they’re hunted."
I exhaled sharply, relief threading through the storm in my chest. "So there’s still a chance."
"There’s always a chance," Zenon replied. His voice was flat, but underneath it was the same stubborn fire that lived in all three of us.
Rennon leaned forward, eyes intent. "What will you do?"
Zenon didn’t hesitate. "I’m going to find her."
Before the words had finished leaving his mouth, I was already on my feet. "Then I’m coming with you. I’m not leaving any stone unturned when it comes to Elira."
Rennon nodded, his calm resolve matching my fire. "Me too. We will find her together."
Zenon studied us both, his silence heavy, measuring. But for once, I didn’t care about his lecture-ready stare. This wasn’t just his mission. It was ours.
Because Elira’s future depended on it.
"Saturday," he said firmly. "That’s when we will leave. It will take six hours just to get there, and that is without delays."
My brows lifted. "Six hours?"
Rennon leaned back in his chair, exhaling through his nose. "That means we won’t be here to train Elira on Sunday."
Zenon nodded once. "Correct."
The words felt heavier than they should have. Elira’s training mattered—and she might pout when she learned it was cancelled. But finding this witch, alive or dead, mattered more.
I straightened, already reaching for my phone. "I will let her know. She should hear it from me."
Zenon’s eyes cut sharply to mine, his voice flat but edged. "Don’t mention the reason."
I held up my free hand, feigning innocence, though a smile tugged at my mouth. "I know. Relax, brother. I’m reckless, not stupid."
His stare lingered a second longer, like he was testing that claim.
I slid my thumb over my phone screen, already imagining Elira’s reaction—her little frown, the way her shoulders would dip when she realized she would be missing training.
My chest tightened, but I shoved it down. Better she think it’s a scheduling conflict than know the storm brewing outside these walls.
"Saturday, then," I muttered, locking eyes with Rennon and Zenon in turn. "Whatever waits at that witch’s house, we are bringing it back. For her."
Rennon nodded, quiet but resolute. Zenon’s silence was enough.
Straight away, I tapped Elira’s name on my phone screen, deciding to call instead of texting since I wanted to hear her voice and her reaction, apart from the fact that this was the best way to communicate with her.
So, I lifted the phone to my ear.
Elira picked up on the second ring, her voice bright with curiosity. "Hello?"
"Elira," I said smoothly, already grinning. "I’ve got news for you."
There was a tiny pause, the sound of shuffling in the background, then her soft hum. "What kind of news?"
"Training on this Sunday has been cancelled for you."
For a heartbeat, there was nothing but silence. Then the rush of air let through her laugh to my surprise.
"Really? That’s— that’s actually perfect." Her voice lifted with unguarded relief. "I will be able to go out with my friends, finally."
I leaned back, a smirk tugging at my lips. "Wow! You don’t even hide your happiness. I know you’re not happy because you get to rest. Rather, you are happy because you get to run around with your little gang."
"I didn’t say that," she replied quickly, though the warmth in her tone betrayed her.
"You didn’t have to." I chuckled low, imagining her little pout on the other side of the line.
"So, while I’m missing a whole day of watching you throw those punches, you will be out there, sipping smoothies and laughing with your roommates?"
Her laugh slipped out again, softer this time. "You make it sound like a crime."
"Oh, it is," I teased, lowering my voice playfully. "But I will forgive you. Just promise you will think about me at least once while you’re out there."
A small pause before she whispered, "Maybe."
The word sent a rush of heat through me, though I disguised it with a mock groan. "Cruel. Absolutely cruel."
She laughed again, and the sound was enough to ease the edge of everything else weighing on me.
Even if she didn’t know the truth of why Sunday was cancelled, hearing her this happy was worth it.
"Enjoy your free day, Elira," I murmured at last, softer. "We will pick up right where we left off after that."
"Okay," she said quietly.