His enchantress, chapter 28

Not knowing the whole truth could be a blessing but sometimes a curse or inconvenience. Elara wished she knew everything there was to know about the Tiassili witches, she wished the African witches' book would appear in front of her with the blank pages all filled.

She had promised herself and Nathan she'd get them out of there, but who was she kidding? She was so new to all this with so little experience that even her brightest idea was working.

"Punch harder Elara, you're not putting much effort into it."

It was her third week in the compound and as Clara predicted, the Queen assigned Nathan for her physical training. She wasn't complaining, she liked being around Nathan, he was easy to talk to and fun to be around.

She threw in another punch only to hear Nathan cuss under his breath. She lowered her arms taking a step back with an annoyed look on her face.

"What?" she snapped at him.

"Could you please focus for a minute so we could give it a rest? We've been here for an hour and a half and your stance is still wrong and you seem elsewhere Elara. If you don't want to work with me I could talk to the queen and have her assign someone else."

"No! don't you dare do that." She took her towel and dried the sweat on her face and shoulders. "I'm sorry I can't seem to focus."

"I can tell. You're probably thinking about a million things at once." He grinned nudging her shoulder earning a smile from her. "That's my girl, I haven't seen that smile in days. What's wrong talk to me."

"I can't..." she slumped against a tree with a pout. "I'm drained."

She wanted so badly to get out of the compound that she would use every free second she had to try her spell. Her mother once told her she could create spells, and that's what she was trying to do but she wasn't making any progress. Glancing up at Nathan she saw him looking at the other side of the field where she saw Clara training with a guy she'd been spending a lot of time with lately.

"Why don't you try talking to her again?"

"Let's focus on you." with a shrug he turned around with a raised eyebrow, "Why are you drained? Isn't she giving you any rest?"

"She is, but we're still working on difficult spells and I seem to always be so exhausted after our sessions. I don't get the rest I need, I can't get it I have to perfect the spell I created. It's our only way out of here."

"Wait, you're working on something? Where? What if someone sees you? Does Clara know?"

"Clara knows nothing. I haven't even told her about our little chat the other day. She still thinks I don't know who she is. I'm being cautious and using a circle of protection. No one can see me."

Nathan nodded taking a sip of water "As long as you're being safe. Do you need help?"

"No."

He rolled his eyes "What are you planning? Maybe I can help with the spell."

"You can't." she pushed herself off the tree "Can we stop for the day?"

"Tell me what you're doing and we'll stop."

"I said I can't what's wrong with you?" she started shaking "Just leave me be Nathan!" she snapped at him gathering her things. Before she could leave he grabbed her arm and pulled her back to him, they were inches away.

"You're using too much dark magic El, it's consuming you. I can tell you're like Clara, it's taking you to the dark side. You need to stop or you'll lose yourself."

"I can't, I've tried, but all I can think about when doing magic are terrible feelings and thoughts. Trust me, it's not all bright and rainbows in my head."

"Well, maybe that's why your spell isn't working. Maybe it needs white magic, a pure heart, and a clear objective. Have you thought of that?"

She shook her head. Clara never told her anything about white magic and didn't seem to mind her using dark magic as long as she was giving the results needed. She always got the spells right and was better at controlling the elements and mastering her skills. Clara even told her that if she kept it up she'll complete her training in no time.

Pulling her arm from Nathan's iron grip, Elara let out a sigh "I didn't know there was a difference. Magic is magic isn't it?"

"No, it's not. you could be a great witch without tapping into your darkness, or you could be a dark witch like the queen and be able to shapeshift into anything you want by losing yourself completely and crossing the bridge."

"She can do that? How?"

"I don't have details and don't even want to. But my aunt uses human sacrifices in her spells. That's the definition of dark magic. That's what I don't want you to get to. You got here with the purest heart and the brightest smile, your eyes were alive. Now you seem emotionless and careless. It's starting to eat you alive Elara."

He was right, there was no denying it. Elara could feel herself changing. She wasn't driven by love anymore but by hunger for revenge. She wanted to get out even if it meant hurting other people. Her mother knew this would happen and she tried to warn her about it. Did it happen to Jenna Bell as well? Was she still using dark magic? A hundred questions started racing in her mind again.

"What do you suggest?"

"Well, for one, stop using dark magic. Tap into your good side, you know like the yin yang? It's practically the same. Think about the good things in your life, the people you love the things that make you happy. It could be a song, it could be a person, you just have to find a motivational aspect that would keep you centered, grounded."

"Easy for you to say, Nathan. Every time I think about my life I get mad and madder. I was taken away from my dreams, from everything and everyone I love."

"How long has it been since you thought about your grandpa? It's been a while since you spoke about him."

Her body started itching as guilt ate at her. Elara gasped with a frown realizing how long it's been since she even had a mere thought of her grandpa or friends. Or even Nolan. She shook her head as a tear slid down her cheek "I... I don't know what happening to me! Fix me, Nathan! I haven't thought about any of them in so long, not even Nolan..."

"Is he your boyfriend?"

"No, well maybe? I don't know, it's complicated, he's my mate, and even with the bond I distanced myself from him and everyone else. It's like I took them out of my mind!"

"Come again? Your mate?" he whispered "You mean as a werewolf soulmate? Or a fiend mate?"

Elara hid her face with both hands stifling her sobs. She let her guard down. She talked about Nolan. Clara and her mother told her not to trust anyone and here she was spilling her guts to the Queen's nephew. She calmed herself down with the spell Sophie taught her and took a deep breath in and out. I'm okay, I'm okay, I'm okay.

"It's nothing Nathan don't worry yourself. I'll work out something..."

"Stop rambling! I'm here to help okay? Just answer my question. Do you have a fucking soulmate?"

She saw the sincerity in his eyes and nodded.

"Why the fuck didn't you say anything before you idiot?"

She frowned oblivious to everything and every rule.

"He is your ticket out of here! No werewolf's mate is to be kept here. If he wishes you back the Queen has no other option but to let you go Elara. You can get out of here, all you have to do is mind-link him and tell him where you are. He'll come for you." he paused "You can mind link him right?"

Speechless Elara nodded while studying Nathan's face searching for more answers, her mind racing, and her heart was beating so fast she thought it would thrust out of her chest. 'I had the chance to get out of it when I met your father'. Her mother's words came back to her making more sense now. Was her father a werewolf?

"Won't it start a war? Look around you! They are all training as if there was a war coming. I don't know much about Nolan's pack, I know he's to be alpha but what if he comes here and the Queen starts a war against his pack? I would never forgive myself."

"She won't as long as she's certain you're his mate. He has already claimed you right?" When she said nothing Nathan sighed "Have you mated?" Again, nothing but silence. She seemed oblivious. "Shit Elara have you had sex with him? Has he bitten you to claim you as his?"

She shook her head "He rejected the mating bond."

"Shit!" he ran a hand through his hair. "But how can you still talk to him through the bond? You're not a werewolf that should have been gone with the bond."

"He rejected me but the bond seemed to become stronger. We were going to finally accept it when you guys kidnapped me." She glared at him.

"I wasn't even there! Anyway, that's good, some bonds are unbreakable no matter how much we try. Contact him and tell him where we are, the Queen will have to see him. She'll test your bond and let you go."

Elara sat down for a minute, looking at the gates, seeing her freedom, but something was missing. She wasn't as happy as she should be. She looked up at Nathan "My father..."

"He's a werewolf. So is your grandpa."

"That... makes sense now. But how come I'm not?"

"Your witch blood is strong. Your mother was a powerful witch coming from a powerful lineage that transferred to you. Her witch genes won over your dad's wolf. That's all."

She bit her lip flipping a small rock with her foot. Nothing seems what it really is. She never even doubted her grandpa, she knew he was hiding something but never thought of this.

"You need to contact your mate. If he's an Alpha, she won't be able to deny the rules."

"I can't." she shook her head.

"What do you mean you can't?"

"I can't leave you and Clara behind. He's my ticket out but not yours or hers. So I'm not going anywhere without you. Not before I figure out this spell I'm working on. It worked when I was a kid, it should work now."

"You told me you discovered being a witch just a couple of months ago?"

"Yes, but I did magic when I was little and someone erased my memory but it got back a few days before my birthday."

"You unlocked hidden memories?" She nodded looking at Clara who was glaring at her from afar. "You're this powerful El, you need to believe in yourself and try tapping into your good side, your spell might work. But I give you three days. If it doesn't work I'm telling the Queen you have a mate. I'm not letting you rot in here."

Elara gathered her things and walked away. She made her way to Clara who was still watching her like a hawk. Once she stood next to her, both girls walked silently to their cabin.

"I thought I told you to stay away from him." Clara broke the silence.

"He's training me, how should I do that?"

"By not being too friendly."

"Why do you care?"

"I care! I have my reasons."

"Clara, I have a way out. But I'll need your help."