Chapter 64: Chapter 64

JASMINE

The air around Silverclaw felt different, heavier, darker, as if it was trying to push us away. The land felt off—clouds churned in the sky, and the ground pulsed beneath our feet as if it was alive with something sinister. My heart raced, and I could feel the tension from my mates on either side of me, their silent support bolstering my courage.

We stepped onto the eerily calm streets of Silverclaw, our army and wizards close behind. I led the way, feeling a deep-seated need to guide us. My mates formed a protective shield behind me, their presence a comforting weight.

The stone fortress of Silverclaw loomed ahead, a nightmare surrounded by jagged cliffs, cut off from the rest of the world. Runes and wards, glowing an unhealthy green, were etched into the ground at its base. Aaron moved forward, kneeling to examine the symbols, his fingers tracing the intricate patterns.

I watched him, trusting his ability to decipher the dark magic woven into these runes.

“These aren’t just protective spells,” he said, standing and meeting my eyes. “They’re designed to weaken intruders. It’s a trap.”

Erik’s jaw tightened as he surveyed the fortress. “We can’t let that deter us. Jasmine…” His voice softened, his gaze filled with determination and a hint of worry. “We’re ready for this—all of us.”

I nodded, my grip on the dagger tightening, feeling its weight—the strength of the Seraphium we fought for, the power of the love that created it. I closed my eyes, letting myself feel the unshakeable bond between me and my mates, the courage that pulsed with each heartbeat.

The dagger warmed, seeming to respond to the energy of the wards, as if it was awakening to the magic around us.

My heart pounded as I stepped forward, the dagger gleaming with a silvery light. I brought its blade down onto the first symbol. Energy surged through me, the ward pulsed once, then flickered out. A narrow gap formed between the wards, opening the path ahead.

As I broke each ward, Erik, Aaron, and Sebastian stayed close, their strength and trust enveloping me. We were all on edge, but we were ready. I could feel it in the air—the understanding that there was no turning back now.

Finally, we reached the fortress entrance. The silence was unnatural, suffocating, as if the land itself was choked by Morgathis’s darkness. The massive iron gates groaned and trembled as we approached, a wave of cold, wicked energy rippling out as if to repel us.

But I stood firm, refusing to let fear paralyze me. My grip on the dagger tightened, my knuckles turning white.

I looked at each of my mates, their determination fierce. Aaron’s intellect, Erik’s strength, Sebastian’s resilience—they were all here with me, their bond a lifeline in the face of the darkness ahead. Taking a deep breath, I stepped forward, their love and our shared strength buoying my spirit.

Together, we pushed open the gates and stepped into Silverclaw’s shadows, ready to confront whatever horrors Morgathis had in store.

As we entered the heart of the fortress, the air became oppressive, like a thick, poisonous fog. My chest tightened as we moved deeper, my fingers clenching the dagger, my mates close and alert. The silence was eerie—so complete it felt like the world was holding its breath.

Then a voice, cold and mocking, echoed from the shadows. “So, you finally came to play.”

Morgathis stepped forward, a wraith emerging from the darkness. She was both beautiful and terrifying, her figure draped in dark, tattered robes that seemed alive, shadows writhing around her. Her black hair flew over her shoulders, her eyes sharp and glinting with a malevolent power—an ancient darkness that churned my stomach.

“Welcome, Jasmine,” she sneered, her gaze flicking over my mates with disdain. “And your loyal guard dogs. How quaint.”

Erik’s body stiffened, a low growl vibrating in his chest, while Sebastian’s eyes squinted, his hand twitching toward the spells he was ready to unleash. Sebastian was like a tightly wound spring next to me—every muscle taut as he assessed her, ready to strike.

But Morgathis didn’t even blink—she just observed us with a smug smirk, as if she had been anticipating this moment, as if she had already claimed victory.

I raised the dagger, its glow piercing and intense in the dim light, the Seraphium’s power pulsating through it like a heartbeat. “Your reign of darkness ends here, Morgathis,” I declared, injecting strength into my voice.

She cackled, a harsh, empty sound that bounced off the walls. “Oh, sweetheart. You believe that tiny trinket will stop me?” Her gaze latched onto mine, and her voice dropped—icy and intimate. “You have no clue what’s in store for you, Jasmine. I’ve been orchestrating this for centuries.”

My confidence faltered as she grinned—a grin that sent a chill down my spine. “You really thought you’d catch me off guard, sweetheart…” Morgathis released a deep, malicious laugh that made my bones shudder. “All of this, every single bit, was part of my scheme.”

And if I thought I was scared before, it was nothing compared to now. Now I was petrified.

“My invasion of Wolfheart, allowing Sebastian to live so he could relay my message—it was all calculated. And just to clarify, if I truly wanted him dead, I would have done it in a snap.”

My face instinctively turned to Sebastian. I saw him swallowing hard, and I could feel the despair if she had really killed him. His blue eyes met mine. Sebastian, who had always been my rock, now seemed rattled, and it made my legs quiver.

“And your mates’ visit here was also part of the plan. Lucius betrayed Theodore too, anyway…” Morgathis said, grinning. “I must admit that I didn’t anticipate you discovering the Seraphium and crafting this dagger—quite lovely, by the way—that you hold with such determination… But every move you’ve made so far has been following the path I laid out.”

“But you didn’t anticipate this,” Aaron interjected, waving his hand in the air.

“To the attack!” Erik added.

It was the catalyst everyone needed.

Suddenly, shadows engulfed our surroundings. Our army launched their attack. The mages started to cast spells, and I sensed the witches retreating. For those initial few seconds, I felt a glimmer of hope that, despite everything being Morgathis’s plan, we might have a shot at defeating her.

I just needed to bypass her defenses to be able to strike her with the dagger.

For a few minutes, the battle was intense. I waited for our army to push forward so I could get past the witches and reach Morgathis. And it was when I started to see our soldiers and some mages being hit—bodies dropping around us—that I started to lose hope.

But then, with a bone-chilling laugh, Morgathis raised her hands. Shadows spiraled around her, forming a vortex of dark magic that struck out like serpents. Shadows spiraled around her, forming a vortex of dark magic that lashed out like living tendrils.

Sebastian yelled a spell, casting a shield around us, but the darkness slammed into it, shattering it with a force that rattled my bones.

The next moment, everything was a blur. Erik lunged at her, his fists glowing with energy, but she brushed him aside with a flick of her hand, sending him crashing into the wall with a sickening thud.

Sebastian and Aaron were both trying to reach me, but Morgathis’s power was unyielding, striking out in every direction. Then her dark magic suspended the three of them in the air, motionless. They looked like marionettes.

And then I felt it—a tug, dark and unyielding, wrapping around me like chains. I gasped, struggling to resist it, but Morgathis’s eyes fixed onto mine, her magic seeping into my veins, immobilizing me.

My mates cried out, their voices raw with panic and rage, but they were held back, helpless against her grip.

“Don’t worry, Jasmine,” Morgathis purred, stepping closer, her voice a poisonous whisper. “This is exactly where I wanted you.”

The darkness swelled around me, constricting my breath as it tightened its grip. Aaron’s frantic cry echoed in my ears. Erik’s futile resistance was a blur in my peripheral vision, and Sebastian’s despair was a tangible weight on my heart.

Yet, I felt as if I were caught in a limbo, my sight wavering as Morgathis’s power engulfed me, drawing me closer to her.

Morgathis’s hand clamped around my throat, hoisting me into the air. I struggled against her hold, but my body felt like a marionette under her control.

“I want this,” Morgathis declared, prying the dagger from my clenched fist. My fingers were numb from the tight grip, but her magic forced them open.

“You know, Jasmine, I considered killing your mates first—to watch you suffer,” she taunted, levitating the three of them with her dark magic. Their fear and despair were reflected in their eyes, and it chipped away at my soul.

“But I think killing you will be even more satisfying,” she added, brandishing the dagger I had painstakingly crafted for my new tribe.

Woscibella.

A dream that now seemed foolish and unreachable.

As Morgathis raised the dagger, I fixated on the gleaming blade. A chorus of despairing screams filled the air, but I didn’t need to look back to know who they belonged to. I couldn’t bear to see the terror in their eyes.

A cruel smile played on her lips as she drove the dagger into my abdomen. Pain erupted through me—sharp and scorching. My vision blurred, my knees gave way, and a warm wetness spread across my uniform, staining it with my blood.

Tears streamed down my cheeks. The pain was overwhelming, but a surge of energy coursed through me. I glanced at Sebastian—his life force ebbing away—transferring to me.

His protective spell. His life would extinguish before mine did.

“No, Sebastian…,” I cried out, just in time to see his blue eyes meet mine. His lips moved, forming the words: ~I love you.~ His life force flickered out, his body held aloft by the dark magic. Fear, pain, panic, and guilt consumed me.

He sacrificed himself for me. His mark seared my skin, my body echoing the despair in my heart.

Sebastian was gone.

I didn’t realize I’d screamed until my throat ached and the piercing sound reached my ears. Morgathis twisted the blade deeper into my stomach, draining my energy.

I looked at them one last time. Sebastian’s lifeless body floated in the air, Aaron beside him, his brown eyes locked on me. I could feel his pain.

Erik fought against the dark magic, tears streaming down his face. His honey-colored eyes met mine one last time before everything went black.

Their voices echoed in my mind, their bond reaching out to me like a lifeline. My world faded to black, their voices growing faint, swallowed by the encroaching shadows.

All that was left was Morgathis’s cold, victorious smile.