Chapter 129: Chapter 129

Elena couldn’t sleep. An inexplicable restlessness had befallen her this evening and prevented her from resting. She had spent most of the night tossing and turning while the others had slept soundly in the same room with her. In the early morning hours, Elena gave up and left her uncomfortable bed. She trudged to the bathroom, changed her clothes, and brushed her teeth. The spare clothing she had found in one of the wardrobes consisted of a simple dark shirt and sweatpants.

She had rolled up the ends because they were a bit too long for her. Louis’s clan had only provided the most important necessities for them; the vampires obviously didn’t care about their sacrifices as long as they stayed alive for long enough to complete the ritual. She scoffed and rinsed her mouth, spitting out the toothpaste before she cleaned the toothbrush.

The mirror in front of her gave her a sad reflection of herself and of what she had become in the past days. Green witches like her didn’t take well to being separated from nature. Similar to what had happened while she had been in Aeri’s home, she now felt unwell, and her magic began to wither. The forceful separation from the earth, sunlight, and fresh air exacted its toll on her well-being. She longed to sense the lively auras of her flowers as they basked in the sun’s warm light. Surrounded by cold concrete walls, she was cut off from the very essence of nature.

She touched the mirror’s surface with her hand, covering half of her reflection. Elena wondered if the other witches and wizards were struggling with similar symptoms as her, or if their magic worked differently. At least, they hadn’t mentioned anything so far.

A soft sigh left her lips as she turned away from the mirror and left the tiny bathroom, moving on to the kitchen. It was very early, but she already heard the rustling of bedsheets from the other room—someone else was getting up. Intending to make tea—the only beverage available to them—she boiled water in the kitchen and fetched cups for her friends. A few slices of bread were still left in one of the drawers and some rice as well… it would make for a stale and meager breakfast.

When she was done setting the table, Alan was the first to arrive, rubbing his eyes. His silver-dyed strands were messy, but the wizard didn’t seem to care.

“Good morning, sleepyhead,” Elena smiled, to which he chuckled incredulously.

“Sleepyhead? It’s super early, and I got up a minute ago, so don’t expect me to be awake,” he mumbled and sat at the table, reaching for a cup. Elena put a bowl of rice in front of him and ruffled his hair as she walked past him.

“Hey,” he protested half-heartedly.

“What are you guys doing so early, huh?” Alex asked, sticking his head into the kitchen.

Elena just shrugged. “Couldn’t sleep anymore. Do you want to eat breakfast with us?”

The fire wizard nodded and joined Alan at the table, and it was only a matter of time until Belle and Wendy appeared as well. Charles came a bit later; he must have been exhausted after the ordeal he had lived through yesterday. They began to eat and chatted about random topics. Anything but their predicament and the vampires. In an effort to stay calm, they ignored the elephant in the room and the problem that loomed over them. Only one more element was missing before the ritual would begin. How hard could it be to find a dark witch? Elena wondered whether they were as rare as green witches. Grace had been the only dark witch she had ever encountered, so perhaps this was the case. Hopefully.

Ryder needed more time to find her. It was frustrating that she couldn’t give him any clues about her whereabouts, but she didn’t know where she was. It was a major issue, and she still hadn’t found a solution. Worry about Ryder’s health gnawed at her. After so many days without any blood, he had to have reached his limit. If she remembered correctly, about five or six days had passed since he had drunk her blood for the last time…

Elena was startled when a familiar sensation sparked in her chest. She sat up straight and touched her heart in wonder, glancing at her tingly fingertips. The soothing magic of her soulmate bond came to life like a shy spring flower. She welcomed its warmth since she hadn't felt it in far too long. This could only mean one thing—Ryder was somewhere nearby.

“They’re coming,” she said and got up, receiving fearful glances from her companions.

“What do you mean?” Charles wondered.

“The vampires?” Belle whispered anxiously and inched closer to Wendy, whose expression darkened.

“My soulmate is nearby, and I bet he’s not alone.”

“Then what will happen to us?” Alan asked, reluctant to share her joy. “Will his clan also treat us like prisoners?”

“No. When this is over, you will all be free. I promise.”

“Alright, we should prepare to fight—maybe Elena’s clan needs some help,” Alex smirked. “Ah, I can’t wait to get out of this shithole.”

The magic of her soulmate bond surged and strengthened, enveloping her like an invisible blanket—it felt wonderful after it had lain dormant for days, and she wondered if Ryder could feel it too. He was so close to reaching her all of a sudden. Surely, he sensed her proximity, even if it was just her heartbeat or her scent. Hadn’t he once told her that both were very unique and impossible to miss?

“Do you hear that?” Charles whispered, staring at the doorway. All six of them froze and looked at the very same spot, slowly getting up from their chairs. Loud noises could be heard from the stairway leading down into their prison. Through the thick doors, the sounds of a struggle, distorted screams, and angered curses reached the group.

A smile spread over Elena’s lips. She could feel him. He was almost there, just behind that door. “Ryder,” she shouted at the top of her lungs. “Ryder, I’m here.”