Chapter 111: CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND ELEVEN

MOIRA

I sit cross-legged on the cold stone floor of the large cell Caius assigned us, my back pressed against the rough wall, trying to ignore the persistent nausea churning in my gut. The air feels thick and heavy with an unnatural static that prickles along my skin like needles. Across the room, separated by a makeshift barrier of glowing runes we etched into the floor earlier, are dead rogues. One is alive but he’s chained and snarling faintly under its breath. Their presence alone drains us. The closer we get to them, the more we risk giving them life.

We’re lucky that the room is big enough for us to maintain safe distance from the rogues. Elaine paces a few steps away, her movements clipped with irritation.

“We can’t even get within ten feet without feeling like our souls are being vacuumed out,” she mutters, rubbing her temples. Her dark hair falls loose around her shoulders, strands sticking to the sweat on her forehead. “If we insist on ignoring the pain and trying to do something, we risk giving them life. How could the priestess do this?”

Aliyah sits beside me, knees drawn up, her fingers tracing idle patterns on the floor. “I’ve been going through my memories year by year but I still cannot find anything that can help us.” She says, sounding very defeated.

There are four other witches with us—Linda, Syren, Tessa, and Mara. We decided to take turns with them so the room is not full. When they get tired, the others will come in.

“We need a way to understand how they’re made without being affected.” I say.

Linda suggests a scrying mirror enchanted with separation wards, projecting images so we can examine the bodies from afar and we all agree. It feels like the safest option.

I push myself up, ignoring the dizziness, and join Elaine at the edge of the rune line. It hits me as I watch the rogues that we do not have a scrying mirror in this pack. “How do we get the mirror? Going back is not an option.”

“We can find a mirror and make it a scrying mirror.” Aliyah says.

“Can’t the spirits whisper something helpful to you?” Elaine asks Aliyah.

Aliyah sighs. “I know you’re frustrated but please don’t take it out on me.”

We all leave the room to ask the wolves for a mirror and to take a breather before we go back in. Elaine prepares the mirror while Aliyah instructs us on the spell to use. When Elaine finishes, we drag one dead rogue away from the others and put the mirror near it, then we link hands, forming a circle around it.

Power flows between us — familiar and comforting, but as we chant the words, directing our intent toward the dead rogue, the drain intensifies. The mirror goes up and remains suspended on air. My voice falters mid-incantation. The projected image wavers and disappears. The mirror that was floating falls to the ground and breaks. A wave of vertigo hits me, and I stumble back, breaking the circle.

“Damn it,” Elaine hisses, catching my arm. “We can’t beat this spell except we use dark magic.”

“Don’t say that.” Aliyah warns.

“It’s the truth. Three very powerful, very old dark witches did this. How do we expect to undo their spell with what we’re doing?”

“No one said we’d get it right immediately but we’re going to keep trying. If you use dark magic once, you can’t come back from it. It takes a hold of your soul and refuses to let go.” Aliyah continues.

“Well somebody else suggest another thing because I’m tired of not being able to end these creatures! I’m tired of being at someone else’s mercy just to survive.”

Hours pass by without us getting anywhere and we finally set the four witches free. There’s no use for them to be stuck in this room watching a mad rogue snarl and growl. We send them off to keep pouring over some of the book the wolves gave us. The three of us remain in the room, going through our memories for something we’re missing.

I rub my aching temples, frustration turning into quiet anger. “We’re missing something fundamental. These aren’t ordinary rogues.”

Elaine groans beside me. “I need to get out of here. You’re just stating obvious facts. Of course they’re not normal rogues. If they were normal, this wouldn’t be happening.”

Aliyah leans her head against the wall, eyes half-closed, ignoring our bickering.

“Yes, maybe you need to leave if you’re going to keep taking out your frustration on us.” I say.

The door creaks open suddenly, hinges protesting. Cool air rushes in from the corridor, carrying the faint scent of herbs and earth. Raina steps inside, the werewolf healer’s presence both surprising and oddly grounding. Her clothes are stained with what looks like poultice residue, her dark braid swinging as she takes in the room.

“What in the moon goddess’s name is happening here?” she asks, voice calm but edged with concern. She doesn’t approach us or the rogues. “You all look like you’ve been drained by leeches. Alpha Caius mentioned you needed space to work, but this…”

“The rogues,” I explain, gesturing weakly. “They suck the power right out of us. We can’t get close enough to do anything.”

Aliyah opens her eyes and glares at the she-wolf. She’s still bitter that the wolf refuses to teach her anything. “Why are you here? I told your Alpha that we didn’t need you.”

“You obviously do. You all look like death.”

“Leave please. We’ll handle this on our own.”

The wolf shakes her head and leaves and we return to going over our memories in silence. Twenty minutes later, the door opens again and the wolf comes in with a little bowl in her hand. Aliyah sighs but doesn’t say anything. The wolf comes close to us, takes a spoon out of her bag, and scoops mixed herbs from the bowl.

“Open up and chew very well before swallowing.” She says as she puts the spoon in my face.

I do as she says and she smiles. She moves to Elaine and does the same thing.

“What are you giving to us?” Aliyah asks.

“Chew or don’t chew. That’s your problem.” The witch says.

The herbs taste bitter but I chew it and swallow. Aliyah makes a choking sound when she puts the herbs inside her mouth but she swallows.

“Do you feel better?” the witch asks me.

It takes a second for me to realize that I do feel better. The nausea has stopped and I no longer feel like I’m about to die.

“Try to walk towards the rogues again.” She says.

We all walk to rogues and we don’t feel the usual draining feeling we usually feel. We all turn to the wolf with looks of shocks. “How?” Aliyah asks.

“It’s not a cure. You need to take it every two hours when the effects expire but it should make it easier to study them now.”

“You have to teach me.” Aliyah says and the wolf rolls her eyes.