Chapter 61: Chapter 61

The moment Stephania arrived at home she knew something was wrong. The smell of magic hung strong in the air, not the type of magic she did, it was way nastier, White magic.

It couldn't have been Khloe. Khloe couldn't do a spell to save her life. She moved toward the stairs freezing suddenly, glancing at her portrait, the one she was so very proud of. She squinted her eyes taking a few steps back walking toward the painting. She reached out to touch it but stopped midair, her eyes widening.

She knew that type of power from anywhere. The Magic of a protector.

She could feel her heart beginning to beat fast, how? How could Abigail know where she was? Why was the mother in her house? Had she seen anything?

She glanced at the painting again, of course she had. A protector could sense black magic faster than a dog could track a human scent.

She quickly marched up the stairs, her heart racing wildly, this was not part of the plan, but what went wrong.

She flung the door open, wondering if there could be some way the Mother Protector could have gotten through her barring spell, although highly unlikely, she could never be too sure.

She hadn't gotten to live for more Four hundred years without wit. One can never be too sure.

She sighed in relief when she couldn't pick up any scent or trace of magic up the stairs glancing at the single burning candle at the edge of the table.

This meant the barring spell was still intact. She put her hand over her forehead with a deep sigh. At least they didn't come in.

But still, this was a problem, this was definitely a huge problem. If Abigail was here it means she knew something, and if the smell of magic was littered all over the mansion it means magic was done here, a revealing spell.

They knew she was here.

She bit her lip trying to cool herself down. However did they find out? Her magic was powerful and had never failed her.

The door suddenly swung open and an angry Khloe walked in, "mother!" She screamed at her and Stephanie rolled her eyes.

This was not the time to throw a temper tantrum, things were crumbling and she didn't know why. She glanced at her daughter only for a moment before completely ignoring whatever she was saying as she began to check every spell.

The barring spell first, just in case it had been tempered. She had to think about how Abigail would come here and do magic.

"Mother?! Are you listening to anything I just said?!" Khloe asked super speeding to her mother and smacking the little book Stephania was holding in her hands.

Stephanie stared at her empty hands trying to cool her temper but failing miserable, "shut up" She yelled at her daughter causing Khloe to freeze in surprise.

Stephanie gritted her teeth picking the book up, "I have no time to listen to your little tantrum, there are bigger problems than you and Azians little fights, I've told you a million times, every lover has fights, there is no perfection. Mate or not, you are going to have differences. If you tried to agree with him on stuff and not fight maybe then you can strengthen the bond, not that it needs strengthening, oh. Not even magic can help you when it comes to your little tantrums, maybe that's why she's pushing you away!"

She studded across the room leaving a speechless Khloe, grabbing something’s off the shelf as she tried each magic spell she had out up to see if they were still intact.

"You don't get it mother! It's not about that! Believe it or not Azian doesn't talk so much, hence we don't ever fight. He's just been so distant lately, he pushes me away. I'm pretty sure Alpha hates me and Edwin gives me funny looks,”

Stephanie sighed, "you are overthinking things, Khloe, it's just a phase, you and Azian are connected for life, nothing can tear you two apart unless...” She trailed off chuckling to herself, "that's impossible, " she muttered shaking her head, "please leave mother alone so she can figure out why Abigail decided to pay us a visit today when we weren't around"

Khloe's eyes widened, "what? Abigail came over?"

Stephania nodded flipping through some items, "her magic is intoxicating," she muttered lifting up a cracked mirror checking it then pitting it back.

"Yesterday, Abigail asked Azian for a strand of his hair," Khloe commented thinking back.

At this Stephania froze, "what?" She asked slowly turning around.

"Now you want me to speak" Khloe replied rolling her eyes.

"Khloe." Stephanie stated holding her arms

"I tell you Azian doesn't pay attention to me, Alessia even asked me the other day why I'm so distant with my mate! Me like I'm the one that's distant! And you don't listen to that bit when Abigail asked for a hair it's suddenly so much more interesting, see this is why I throw tantrums! You don't listen to me! What does it take for you to give me the attention I deserve?" She yelled panting harshly. She was surprised to see Stephania was giving her, her full attention at the moment.

Stephanie thought for a second slightly tilting her head, "has anyone else noticed this, or is it just you?" She asked very calmly. So calmly it made Khloe confused for a while as her mother looked back at her seriously, "uhmm…yeah I guess. Like that other day when I tried to touch him and he stopped me. It was pretty embarrassing and everyone saw it. Anna tried to play it down but Alessia was looking me very curiously"

Stephanie breathed out harshly, "okay...” She trailed off moving toward the shelf.

"Okay? Just okay?" Khloe began feeling her temperature rise, her mother had gone back to ignoring her as usual.

"This is ridiculous, I shouldn't be thinking about this. It isn't even possible" Stephania mutter taking a small jewelry box from the very top of the shelf as Khloe watched her curiously, realizing she had never seen that small peculiar box before. It looked wooden and rough as Stephania placed it on the table.

"What's that? I've never seen it before.

" Khloe asked.

Stephanie nodded, "but you have, everyday actually, it changes till it's needed, sometimes it's just a shoe, or a piece of cloth," she murmured running her hand over its rough edges in satisfaction.

She looked at her daughter, "you say you believe your bond is weakening I'm about to show it's just in your little mind. In here lies the eternal spell that binds you to Azian"

Khloe stared at the box curiously, "the bonding spell?"

"It's not an ordinary bonding spell Khloe," Stephania spat repulsed by her daughters blunt question. Nothing about the magic she did was ordinary

"This Bonding spell is of my own recipe mixed with another spell and bound with magic that should not be spoken of, nothing can break through this spell. Nothing at all."

"Except of when Azians real mate comes along, isn't that so mother? Whatever century she decides to show herself" Khloe muttered.

"No, not even that. See Soul Magic feeds on the soul, when you combine it with a bonding spell and a simple love potion you create an eternal bond, a connection.  For that connection to grow it needs to be natured. And of course since he will believe you are his true mate, he will all by himself nature the bond, intertwine your souls, and little by little with each passing day, each year, his soul is taken and made yours, " she trailed of focusing on her daughter, "so when his real mate appears a century later or whatever century she deems worthy, the connection cannot be savored because it is too deep and has done for way too long, he doesn't have his soul anymore, you are in complete control over it, his mate will be useless" she grinned turning back to the box.

She took a small knife from her belt cutting her finger and trailing the blood over the box making a big X over it.

Then she sucked her figure clean waving her hands over the box in a twisted manner as she closed her eyes.

The words that came out of her mouth where dark and ancient, the box began to rattle tremendously before it suddenly stopped and she opened her eyes. "I hope you are happy Khloe, I would never open this box but it seems I have to show you how strong your connection is,” she murmured trying to hide the slight shake in her hand.

Somehow deep inside, she was doubting something. Taking the lid off, Khloe peered in to see what was in there but all she saw was a thick black cloud that covered the contents. It looked like a small thunderstorm was happening in that box with its random electric flashes.

"Selahr" Stephania said and immediately the cloud began to dissolve as they watched.

That's when the smell came. It was horrid.

"Impossible!" Stephanie yelled as she looked into the box.

"W-what? What's wrong?" Khloe asked before she looked in? There was a rose, a single Rose, but it was unlike any she had ever seen before, it had black petals and was placed in a small puddle of blood. Another thing that was strange about this rose was that it was burning, but a very low burn like at any moment it would go out"

And it stunk, real bad.

So bad she had to take a step back.

Stephanie lifted the rose from the box, "Are you crazy mother? You'll get burnt!" Khloe yelled horrified but was shocked when it didn't hurt her, however half the petals turned to ash and disappeared into thin air,

"T-this c-can't be happening,” Stephania stuttered out placing the rose back in the box, shutting it a fast as she could as if it was poisoning her.

She started at her daughter giving her a look Khloe had only seen twice in her life, and it had never been a good sign.

"Mother? Is everything okay?" Khloe asked.

"Okay?" Stephanie repeated failing to process what was happening, "okay? Let's see, is everything okay?" She asked trying to think it failing.

"Mother you are scaring me, is everything alright?!" Khloe asked moving toward her mother before Stephania suddenly turned, "NO! NO NOTHING IS OKAY! NOT ANYMORE!!" She yelled slapping her hand over her forehead as she paced around the room her fists unclenching and clenching.

"H-How could this happen? It's impossible. I must be dreaming. But then again i haven't dreamt for 200 years. No but it can't be" she mumbled to herself nervously

"Mother!" Khloe screamed tired of her mother’s pacing. She began to feel dizzy just watching her.

Stephania snapped her head toward her daughter, “you saw it? I'm not crazy right? The rose. The puddle?" She asked with wide eyes.

Khloe nodded feeling scared, her mother was acting in ways she never thought was possible.

"Oh no, oh no, oh no,” Stephanie groaned, shaking her head, “but then…No. . .It’s not. How? How could he have?-no-it should be years. Years! Year's till he finds her. No, centuries should have passed like history says....but that's the only way it could have happened. Then it means. It couldn't be! This is ridiculous...preposterous! One in a million chance! But what if it is, then...oh this can't be happening! Cos that's the only way. Then who? Who could she be? No...Still. It’s something else, it has to be...anything but that! But there's nothing else that could possibly! It’s her. She’s here." Stephanie finally concluded the conversation she had with herself in her panic mode.

"Who is here?"

"Azian's mate..his real mate" she replied walking to the box.

"Mother are you okay? You’re saying things that you know can't happen"

"I thought so to. It shouldn't be happening. It goes against history itself. Who could she be? What is she that I haven't sensed her power yet? For a golden dragon it means she is very powerful, her aura should have been sensed for miles. Unless she's masked it, but I could felt something!"

"Mother I don't understand what you’re saying! What's all this talk about Azians what? Real mate?!"

Stephania took a deep breath in, trying to maintain herself, "you saw the dim rose?" She asked.

Khloe nodded.

"That's the eternal burn, a flower plucked from a sacred rose bush in Vigra the under realm, that burns forever and will burn even after time itself seizes to exist. To get this rose I had to do many things, it's one of a kind, few have ever even seen it, talk about touch it," she trailed her hands over the lid, "precious are the things eternal. Love has always been a symbol of a rose, to create a love spell with an eternal burn is to seal a soul with another till the end, for this life and the next till time dissolves, Soul magic in itself. It thrives in the blood of its lovers and this spell could have never been broken"

"But his mate? You said not even with his mate"

"Yes, that is after the spell is done, time is needed as the final ingredient, the longer the time the more dangerous the spell. It was a perfect recipe. See till a dragon finds his mate, centuries could have past and this would have been more than enough time for the spell to seal itself and the mate would be useless"

"But what if there isn't enough time?" Khloe asked finally seeing where her mother was going with this.

Stephanie shook her head, "it shouldn't be happening, it defies history itself, the cycles and laws of nature, but his mate. If she were to appear before any good time, the bond would be too weak and wouldn't survive for long"

"So Azians mate is weakening the bond...”

"Yes, that could be the only explanation, it was a one in a million chance. The odds that something like this would occur was insignificant! I can't believe that. We must find who she is before she destroys everything!" Stephania boomed.

"But if she is as powerful as you say, doesn't she already know Azian is her real mate?"

"It depends, Soul Magic is hard to sense for those not born by blood, and she might not even know Azians her mate. But she may be able to feel a pull, whoever she is, she's close for it to be working this fast! She could be powerful, more powerful than you Khloe, or she could be a mere wolf or first level witch. She might just be a random supernatural at your school, could be the reason I can't sense her aura, because it's too common and insignificant, the gods like to twist fate here and there, " she turned to her daughter, " we must find her, survey each girl at school that keeps looking at him-"

"That would be every girl mother, do you know what you’re asking?!"

"I'm asking you to find the damn girl Khloe! She could destroy everything! Everything for us! All those things I promised you mean nothing if we don't have Azian anymore, on our side, find the little wench! Every supernatural creature at the high school, turn it upside down, you'll know when you see her!"

Khloe nodded rattled by the fact.

Stephanie moved closer giving her daughter a small smile, "find her sweetheart and leave the rest to mother dearest and all your little riff raffs with Azian will be a thing of the past. The bond is still alive, not thriving but with it still functioning we do have some sort of leverage, and a little, very little time if nothing drastic is to occur. We find and eliminate her, then it could be as it was the first time he claimed you as his mate remember?"

Khloe nodded remembering just how caring Azian used to be, protective and defensive.

"The quicker, the better child, time waits for no one."

$Chapter