“Far away,” she replied. “When I realised what he’d been doing, I took Wilder and left. I sought a petition from the Witch Council, and they agreed to hide us. We left everything behind so I could keep him safe. His father was banished.”
“I have to go,” Wilder gasped, his face pale and his body shaking. He turned on his heel and made to leave the room.
“Wilder, wait,” I called after him.
He spun on his heel and snarled at me. “For once in your life, Byron, stay the fuck away.”
There was so much anger and hatred in his eyes that I froze. I just stood there and watched him leave.
“Give him time,” Dara said as she came to stand next to me. “He’s always been a runner, but he’s always found his way home.”
“What did his father do?” I had to know.
Dara sighed heavily. “He continually siphoned Wilder’s magic. Without a vessel, his magic could be taken and replenished over and over again.”
“I don’t understand.”
“When our father figured out that Wilder was a Shadow Witch, he realised he’d be able to force Wilder into the world beyond and steal his magic for himself. With no vessel to contain it, he could siphon it to boost his own power. Witch magic isn’t like any other magic. We have our own source within us so even if we deplete our magic, over time, we can replenish it. But, in order to deplete our magic, we would have to use it. It can’t be taken from us.”
“But Wilder’s can?”
She nodded swiftly. “Yes. He can’t take it beyond the veil so needs a vessel to keep it safe. Without it, anyone could take it. And when he turns twenty-five, he’ll fully step into his powerand be able to consciously travel between the realm of the living and the dead. What he’s experiencing now is a mere fraction of what will happen when he’s at full strength. When we left our Coven, the Witch Council promised they would help us find somewhere safe to set up a new Coven. Misthaven has been that safe space for us.”
“You’re worried your father will find you again.”
“It’s possible. Our father is a powerful man. He’s also patient and determined. I wouldn’t put it past him to discover a way to figure out where we are.”
The darkness stirred within me as I listened to her words. “How did your father push Wilder beyond the veil?”
“How do you think, Byron? He took him to the edge of death repeatedly. Now do you understand why I had his memories altered?”
Yes. I did. No one could endure that sort of torture and not lose their mind. “I’ll kill him for this. Mark my fucking words, he’s a dead man.”
“If anyone can take him down, it’s you, Byron.” Dara placed her hand on my arm. “Just keep Wilder safe. Please.”
I nodded, unable to find the ability to form any more words. Anger had my hands shaking, and I curled them into fists. I didn’t wait for her to say goodbye. I walked out of her penthouse apartment and called the lift. It wasn’t until I was alone in the elevator that I finally let loose the raw scream that had built up inside me.
How fucking dare that man do that to Wilder? He had no fucking right. I paced the small space in the lift, feeling like a caged animal, and planned all the ways I was going to rip pieces of Wilder’s father apart.
Dara must have messaged the front desk because Damyr’s car was already pulled up in front of the building. The valet handed me the keys and scurried away.
I couldn’t see Wilder anywhere.Fuck!
Where was he?
I threw the car into gear, stomped on the accelerator and drove off, the tires screeching as I pulled away at a stupid speed.
As I turned onto the main road, I hit the Bluetooth button. “Call Roxie.”
The phone rang twice before she answered. “Hey babycakes, what can I do for you?”
“I need Wilder’s number.”
The ever-present keyboard clicking stopped. “I can’t just—”
“Now, Roxie,” I barked, unable to keep the annoyance out of my voice.
“Fine, but you didn’t get it from me. And it wouldn’t kill you to say please.” She hung up on me and ten seconds later, my phone pinged with an incoming text. I opened it up and dialled the number.