Chapter 28: CHAPTER 28- The Price of Trust (Tasha)

The air around us was tense as we faced the witches, the storm battering the coven’s sacred ground. Lysandra’s eyes gleamed with the same suspicion that twisted knots in my stomach. I couldn’t help but glance at Mascot.

The witches surrounded us in a circle, their cold gazes locked on our every move. The Cranum sat between us. Seth stood next to me, rigid, his eyes never leaving Lysandra, the leader of the witches. Clara shifted nervously beside him, her fingers twitching as if ready for anything to go wrong. Ethan, ever calm and collected, remained silent, though I knew he was always watching, analyzing, waiting for the right moment to act.

“We’ve brought you the Cranum,” I said, my voice steady but laced with impatience. "That’s what you wanted. Now help us."

Lysandra tilted her head, a slow, deliberate motion that sent a shiver down my spine. “Trust must be earned, not bought with relics,” she replied coolly, her voice echoing into the night like a spell. I clenched my fists, frustration boiling beneath my skin.

"What more do you want from us?" She stepped forward, her piercing eyes locking with mine.

“Loyalty. We need to know you are not like the others. That you will not betray us.”

Jacob, standing at the back of the group, let out a low growl. “We’ve been through this already. We’re not here to betray you. We’re here to stop Eden.”

Lysandra’s lips curved into a faint, unsettling smile. “That’s what the last one said too.”

“The last one?” I echoed, my heart suddenly heavy with suspicion. Lysandra’s gaze swept over us, lingering on Mascot, who remained unusually quiet.

She nodded. “Yes. A werewolf came to us long ago, promising alliance… but instead, betrayed us to Eden. That is why we need more than words and relics to trust you.”

My blood ran cold. “Who was it?” I demanded, my eyes narrowing as I stared at her. Lysandra said nothing, the silence between us growing unbearable.

I took a step forward. “Tell me!” But she merely turned away, her gaze cold and distant.

“It does not matter. What matters is whether your loyalty lies with us, or with yourselves.” The room fell silent. Suspicion hung thick in the air, and I could feel the pressure of it affecting us all. My eyes flicked to Mascot. He hadn’t said a word since we entered the cave, and now his silence was deafening.

"Why won't you tell us who the traitor was?" I pressed, unwilling to let this go. Lysandra glanced at Mascot again, her expression unreadable.

"Because trust is earned. If you are truly loyal, you will not need to know." I looked back at Mascot, my mind racing. Something wasn’t right. Mascot was never this quiet. Not when we were facing something like this. The pit of suspicion in my stomach deepened, but I couldn’t deal with that now. We needed the witches' help to defeat Eden. And we had no other choice.

"Fine," I said, swallowing the doubt creeping up my throat. "What do you need us to do?" Lysandra’s smile returned, dark and full of secrets.

“There is a ritual. One that will strengthen our magic, but it is dangerous. Only those who are pure of heart and loyal in spirit can survive it.”

Jacob crossed his arms, frowning. “We don’t have time for this. Just help us.”

“You need us,” Lysandra said sharply. “And we need to be sure of your intentions.” I could feel the tension rising around us, but I nodded.

"We'll do it. Whatever it takes."

Lysandra stepped forward, gesturing to the circle of witches surrounding us. “Very well. You will each face your deepest fears, your darkest truths. Only by confronting them can we complete the ritual.”

I looked at the others, feeling the weight of the decision I had just made. Jacob stood tall, his eyes filled with determination. Clara looked uneasy, but ready. Seth gave me a small nod of encouragement, though I could see the worry in his eyes. Ethan remained unreadable, his expression a mask of calm as always. But Mascot… Mascot hadn’t moved. His silence gnawed at me. Something was off. I could feel it in the way he avoided my gaze, the tension in his shoulders. I swallowed hard.

“Let’s get this over with.” Lysandra’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction.

"Very well. Follow me." The witches led us deeper into the cave, past twisting tunnels and chambers that seemed to grow darker with every step. The air grew colder, and soon, I could see my breath in front of me. The others followed in silence.

Finally, we entered a large chamber lit only by the faint glow of strange symbols etched into the stone floor. The magic in the air hummed with energy, crackling like a storm about to break. The witches began chanting, their voices low and rhythmic, weaving a spell that thrummed through the air.

Dark tendrils of magic began to swirl around us, and the temperature in the cave dropped even further. As the magic circled around me, I felt a sudden, sharp pull inside my chest. My breath caught, and in an instant, I was no longer in the cave. I was standing in front of Jacob and Mascot. They stood on opposite sides of me, both staring, both waiting. But I couldn’t move. I couldn’t speak.

Failure. The word echoed in my mind, over and over, until it became unbearable. I was afraid—terrified that I would fail them both. That I couldn’t protect them, couldn’t choose between them, couldn’t keep them safe.

“Tasha!” Mascot’s voice cut through the haze, but I couldn’t respond. The fear was overwhelming, suffocating. I felt it creeping in, the doubt, the insecurity. The guilt. What if I failed? What if Mascot had already betrayed me? What if I couldn’t stop it?

Suddenly, I was back in the cave, gasping for air, the tendrils of magic still wrapping around us. The others were facing their own demons. I could see the strain on their faces, the sweat beading on their foreheads. Jacob’s fists were clenched, his knuckles white. He was facing his guilt—guilt for leaving me when I needed him most. I could see it in his eyes, the self-loathing he tried so hard to hide.

Clara whimpered, her face pale as she relived whatever nightmare the magic had dredged up for her. Seth stood firm, though I could see the tightness in his jaw, the way he was fighting to stay in control. But Mascot… Mascot wasn’t fighting. He was struggling, yes, but it wasn’t just the ritual. Something was wrong. His face was twisted in agony, his body trembling as the dark magic seeped into him more fiercely than anyone else.

"Something’s wrong," I said, my voice barely a whisper. “He’s not—" Before I could finish, Mascot collapsed to the ground, writhing in pain. My heart dropped, and I rushed to his side, panic surging through me.

“Help him!” I screamed, shaking him, trying to pull him back from whatever hell he was trapped in. But Lysandra stepped forward, her expression as cold as ever.

“The darkness reveals the truth,” she said, her voice cutting through the chaos. “He cannot be saved unless he reveals the secret which he holds.” Her words slammed into me like a physical blow. Betrayal? Another betrayal? My mind raced. The ancestors were right after all.

I looked down at Mascot, his face contorted in pain, and for a moment, I didn’t recognize him. Was it true?

“What is she talking about?” I whispered, shaking Mascot again, but he was too far gone to respond. Clara rushed to my side, her eyes wide with fear.

"Tasha, what do we do?" I looked up at Lysandra, my mind spinning. "What do you mean, 'secret'?" I demanded, my voice trembling with fear and anger. "He had already told us everything! We wouldn't be here if he hadn't.”

Lysandra’s eyes glinted with something I couldn’t place. “The magic does not lie, Tasha. He holds a secret. And until he reveals it, the darkness will consume him.” I stared at her, then back at Mascot, whose breathing had become ragged, his body limp. No. This can’t be happening.

Not again. "Stay with me," I whispered, my voice breaking as I gripped his hand tightly. "Please, Mascot… stay with me."