CHAPTER 370: _AN AUNT’S CONFESSION

"I’ve dreamt of this moment for a long time." Ryker stepped away from the pool, the black liquid trailing behind him.

But that wasn’t just any "black liquid".

I could sense it from here, calling out to me, the dark sigils in my magic reacting to that call.

That pool was the part of the Vein Ryker had torn open.

"Dreamt?" I scoffed, my lips curling into a sarcastic smile. "You’ve always been a creep, Ryker. Cause what the fuck are you doing dreaming about me?"

He used his right hand to wipe the water from his face, giving me a glimpse of his expression. "Masking your true feelings behind sarcasm and humour is not going to change your destiny."

My eyes flitted to Althea, who slowly got to her feet, clutching her staff tightly. We locked eyes for the briefest second before my gaze wandered to the soldiers and witches.

Ryker was still very much a hybrid at the peak of his powers. Not to mention his proximity to the black pool seemed to have changed his anatomy.

He was something beyond even a hybrid now.

"My ’true feelings’ right now are putting you in a casket and flinging it into the deepest parts of the Mariana trench." My fists clenched beside me, hair flipping around my face as my magic sparked to life.

Ryker’s face scrunched in a frown but I ignored that, continuing. "And destiny? I’ll be the one to control that today."

There was a long silence between us, the soldiers keeping shut like they were afraid of drawing Ryker’s attention.

Well, they should.

As I stared into his red eyes, my mind focused on one thought.

Or rather... One person.

Kaelos.

I had expected a reunion with him after coming to this dump but now there was no sight of him. And I’m pretty sure I sucked him out of that pocket dimension before it collapsed.

’Don’t tell me you zapped our mate to another realm...’ Sirena whined and I couldn’t help feeling dread at the idea.

That’s unlikely... right?

’I can still sense him through the mate bond.’ I noted. ’He’s weak but close. Maybe he’s—’

Suddenly, a powerful burst of red energy erupted around Ryker, surrounding him like flames and rising like a pillar. The aura was pressuring enough to crack the ground underneath him. Some amongst the witches were forced to create force bubbles.

When I felt the power pulsing from him... I knew then that this was a battle I must face alone.

"Everyone leave!" I boomed, my fingers sparking with magic. Glancing over my shoulder, I fixed my eyes on Janelle and the others. "Now!"

Isaiah stepped forward, shaking his head. "Are you feeling the power coming off him? You... You can’t face that on your—"

"Exactly." I interrupted, my voice curt. "We’re both hybrids. You know what they say about a hybrid’s power. Now imagine two clashing."

Adrenaline coursed through my veins, forcing me to swallow saliva from the pressure.

I turned my head back to Ryker who now had a mocking smirk on his lips.

"Who says we have to fight?" He sniggered, shaking his head. "You know working together would be most beneficial."

Gosh, I so wanted to blast the fuck out of him—but I couldn’t risk an all-out attack that could put the soldiers and witches at risk.

"Odessa." Caroline grabbed my arm from behind just then, almost making me glance back. "We can’t let you face him alone. I can’t. He’s—"

"Vengeful ghosts are currently plaguing Blood Oak as we speak." I countered, my voice softening. "Car. Can I trust you and the others to go back and protect our home?"

Her fingers loosened on my arm with hesitation. I looked over my shoulder, meeting her sharp hazel eyes.

"Caroline. Can I trust you?"

Her jaw tightened, the silver light coating her spectral form dulling like candlelight. Then she nodded. "Fine. Is there anything else I should be aware of? Or—"

"Marcellus is back there as a ghost." I blurted quickly in hopes that she wouldn’t panic. "But he’s not an enemy. At least not now."

Awkward silence.

I felt Caroline withdraw her grip on my arm. I didn’t need to glance back to sense the instant rage at the mention of Marcellus.

"What—?" She was about to speak when Ryker yawned.

"Seriously, this is getting boring." He gestured at me and Caroline. "Why don’t you come closer so we—"

I didn’t let him finish.

My right hand blazed with violet flames, swirling from my fingers to my upper arm like snakes. I punched forward, sending a huge blast of violet flames at the bastard.

He reacted quickly, creating a shield of red energy and black runes.

BOOM!

The impact of the flames hitting the shield sent shockwaves through the throne room, shaking the pillars and blowing out wind gales.

"RUN!" I roared, the dark sigils under my skin coming to life as I added my other arm, pushing the blast to the extreme. "Open portals to Blood Oak and get out of here!"

Caroline lingered for a moment but the soldiers and witches were already fleeing away from Ryker and the blast, heading for the exit behind me.

’You’re pushing things, girl.’ Sirena whispered. ’Do too much and—’

’I’ll be tapping into the Vein’s magic.’ I completed the sentence knowingly. ’And that’s the plan, Sirena.’

Soon, Caroline ran as well, yelling out to Regina behind me. The ceiling trembled, dust falling. The ground beneath me cracked like a mirror.

Yells, screams and protection spell chants echoed through the throne room as the leaders of the Luminari created portals leading to Blood Oak.

Finally, when I could no longer feel anyone in the throne room, I extinguished the flames with a twist of my wrists. My heart stuttered, my chest heavy as I tried catching my breath.

Squinting, I kept my eyes locked on the spot Ryker had been standing on seconds ago.

Smoke and remnants of the flames swallowed the area, engulfing the black pool and everything around it.

"Where the heck did he—"

"Bravo!"

I raised my head, just in time to spot a huge blast of red flames falling from the ceiling. And heading for me.

My fingers flared with violet light as a force bubble flickered into existence around me. The flames hit, pushing with a pressure so powerful that I could feel the heat from inside the force bubble.

But I wasn’t losing this fight.

At the speed of thought, I teleported out of the force bubble, appearing above the black pool. I stared into it with a frown, keeping my levitation spell active.

The red flames stopped, revealing Ryker who had his right hand pointed at me.

"You really want to go head-to-head with me?" He sneered, his fangs bared. "I’ve been perfecting spells before your diapers were first changed. I’ve had witches bow before me... Including your pathetic aunt."

Suddenly, he swiped his right hand forward. I gasped, creating a force bubble around myself when I saw a crescent energy blast shoot out of his fingers.

But it didn’t hit me.

Instead, it struck a pillar to my left, the preceding explosion sending dust and debris hurtling.

I frowned, eyes fleeting from Ryker and the pillar repeatedly.

Something’s wrong.

"Odessa..." A strained voice whispered through the dust as a figure stepped out of it, hands clutching her stomach.

Althea.

My heart skipped a beat when I saw the blood pooling from a crescent-shaped burn mark branded into her stomach. Her robes shimmered weakly with protective runes—which were clearly not enough to save her.

"Hoping to jump a sneak attack on me while I’m occupied with your niece?" Ryker cackled as Althea’s eyes slid to me. "Go ahead... Why don’t you tell Odessa the real reason she was ’born’ a powerless witch?"

My body spasmed, torn between rage, confusion, despair... And fear.

Althea’s lips trembled as blood spilt out. She fell to her knees, still clutching her stomach with desperation.

It was at that moment that all the warm memories I’ve shared with her came crashing down. I no longer saw the woman who poisoned me and killed my baby.

I saw the only mother I’ve known in over fifteen years.

"Althea..." My voice cracked as I dropped to the ground, rushing to her.

Ryker stood a good distance away, his red eyes glinting mockingly when I crouched beside my aunt.

She rasped, her fingers shaking erratically as she raised her bloody right hand to my face. "I’m... I’m sorry, Odessa. You... You deserve the truth." Her voice cracked, raw with pain and regret.

I grabbed her shoulders, subconsciously forgetting Ryker’s existence for a second. "It’s... It’s okay. We need to work on reserving your strength and—"

My voice caught in my throat when I saw the wound up close. Not only was it a gaping burn mark... But it also festered faintly with corruption.

Vein magic corruption.

"M–My time is already running out..." A bitter laugh rolled out of her mouth alongside a heavy cough. "I... I’m sorry. Your father had... He had wolf blood. Dormant from his mother."

My fists clenched, but I kept silent, my eyes flicking to Ryker. He just stood there.

Like he was certain no matter what—he would come out on top in all this.

"... Wolf blood which remained dormant in him... But it still awakened in you." Althea swallowed hard, her forehead slick with sweat. "A hybrid. Half witch, half wolf. Your human side became the dormant side..."

Ryker grunted just then. "You don’t have all day, Althea."

I glared at him, sending an invisible force his way. His eyes widened as the force slammed his chest, sending him to the other end of the throne room.

"Your mother and I..." Althea continued weakly, breath shuddering like she was on borrowed time. "We... We cast a spell that hid your wolf blood. Made it dormant. But in doing so, your magic was also affected."

Chills ran through my blood, my chest tightening.

My mother. And my aunt.

They’re the ones who locked my wolf side away all these years?

Althea coughed again, a dark streak of blood painting her lips. "It wasn’t... meant to harm you. We—"

Her voice cracked. "We wanted to protect you, Odessa. From our coven, from the wolves... and from the prophecy that said you would either save or destroy us."

Her trembling hand gripped my wrist. "The Vein chose you before you were even born."

My throat tightened, the words cutting through me like blades. "So you decided to cripple me? Take away my wolf—my birthright—because of some prophecy?"

Tears spilled down her cheeks. "I thought... if you never awakened your wolf, the Vein would forget about you. That you could live... free."

The irony hit me so hard I almost laughed. Free? I’d spent years hating myself, thinking I was broken—when they were the ones who’d broken me.

"I wanted to tell you," she whispered. "But when your powers began to return after your mate bond with Kaelos ignited, it was already too late. The Vein had already—"

Her voice faltered as Ryker’s bootsteps echoed closer.

He was smiling again. A smile that made my bones want to crawl out of my body.

"Well, isn’t that heartwarming?" he drawled. "A dying aunt’s confession. Touching, really. But now that the family secrets are out, can we get back to—"

I didn’t let him finish.

The floor beneath him cracked open, violet energy shooting up in a pillar. Ryker grunted, deflecting most of it with a swipe of his arm, but the blast still sent him stumbling back.

"Stay the hell away from her!" I screamed, magic blazing from my skin like wildfire. Every sigil under my skin flickered as I pulled from the Vein.

I didn’t care what it cost.

Althea tried to grab my arm, but her voice was fading. "Don’t... let it consume you..."

Her hand fell limp. Her eyes—once fierce and calculating—dimmed to stillness.

Something inside me snapped.

The throne room shuddered with my scream. Energy exploded outward, cracking walls and shattering the remaining pillars. The black pool writhed like it was alive, reacting to the chaos in my soul.

Ryker only smirked, brushing ash from his skin. "Now that’s the Odessa I want. The perfect vessel of the Vein."

"Vessel?" My voice was no longer mine—it was layered, echoing with hundreds of whispers. "You’re about to find out what happens when the vessel stops holding back."

Ryker’s grin widened. "Then come on, little goddess."

He lunged forward, but before I could even summon my next spell—

A blast of silver energy tore through the throne room, colliding into Ryker’s back.

The explosion was deafening.

Ryker roared, stumbling forward as searing light scorched his skin. Smoke billowed through the air. I shielded my eyes, blinking rapidly to see who—

And then I saw him.

Standing amidst the haze, shirtless, covered in blood and ash, his shoulder-length black hair falling messily over his face. His silver eyes glowed like a storm restrained by will alone.

Kaelos.