Allegiance (Causal Enchantment #3)(21)
Sofie snorted. “Maybe … I used my magic to isolate the werewolf gene and create a male replica, thus turning her into an alpha and bringing the species back.” She explained it so matter-of-factly that it sounded like a basic “baking soda plus vinegar equals cool fizz” science experiment. I gaped at her, my mouth hanging open.
“What?”
“There’s nothing you can’t do!” I said.
A glimmer of despair sailed across her face. “I hope you’re right …” Then, as typically mercurial as Sofie was, the sadness disappeared, replaced by a stubborn set of her jaw. “Eat!”
I finished the food, thinking about Yeti One in wolf form. A beautiful, fierce creature standing stock-still, quietly observing us in the mountains that day, just before Ursula attacked. He didn’t growl or snap at us; he didn’t attack. He was just there, peacefully watching.
“Why would the vampires care about werewolves?” I asked with a mouthful of flaky pastry. “They seemed pretty harmless to me.”
Sofie chuckled, shaking her head in that Oh-Evangeline-you’re-so-naïve way. “I wouldn’t call them harmless. They aren’t immortal or as super-powered as vampires, but they’re tough as titanium. And if they get a bite in beforehand … it’s fatal.”
“Really? I thought the only way to kill a vampire was to take their heart out or burn them. Or burn their heart …” I tried to remember what Amelie and Fiona told me. “Something involving burning and hearts.”
“Yes … and a werewolf bite. It’s so rare that we don’t normally even worry about it, and no one worried about it once they were extinct.”
“Well, if it’s so rare, why would the vampires bother? Sounds risky …”
Sofie smirked. “Did I forget to mention that Viggo was the one who did the eradicating?”
My forehead dropped to the counter dramatically. “Oh …” Now it made sense. Anything maniacal involving Viggo made sense.
“Of course, if Viggo hadn’t, I’d imagine the witches would have sooner or later,” Sofie added.
“Why? Does a wolf bite kill them too?”
Sofie shook her head. “They don’t like anything they can’t control. Wolves aren’t easily influenced by their magic.”
I sighed heavily. So much hunting and killing for both the witches and the vampires. If they spent less time trying to kill and more time minding their own business, maybe we could avoid this entire war! A new thought dawned on me. “What did Viggo say when he found out you brought werewolves back?” Surely he couldn’t have been happy about Sofie undoing his work.
Sofie smiled, defiance twinkling in her eyes. “I guess we’ll find out soon enough. They’re on their way here to help us … Eat up!” Sofie slapped the counter as one of ladies slid a bowl of cinnamon-laced, creamy rice pudding in front of me. “Giselle has been stirring that pudding for two hours!” Sofie hopped off her stool and rhymed off another sentence to the ladies. On her way out, she threw over her shoulder, “Caden’s in the glass room, when you’re finished.”
At the mention of Caden, I scrambled to my feet, ready to dash off after her. With remarkably swift movements—as though expecting my reaction—the two plump ladies moved to stand opposite me, arms folded across their chests, morphing from sweet French cooks into stern-faced food sentries, guarding over me until I finished my breakfast.
4. Transformation—Sofie
“It’s getting worse,” I proclaimed to Mage the second I spotted her jet-black hair in the hallway. “I just left her in the kitchen and … it’s getting worse.”
“How so?” Mage’s soothing voice, normally a godsend, sparked fury in me.
“Because she has started to change!” I screamed. Mage didn’t even flinch at my reaction, as if expecting it. I immediately felt guilty. “I’m sorry … I didn’t mean to …”
She lifted a hand to quiet me, shaking her head, brow furrowed, dismissing my apology. “That’s all right. What exactly has changed since last night?”
I took a deep, bitter breath. “When I went to see her in the kitchen, when I got close, something started pulling on my magic. Draining it. Only slightly. Not to the extent of the Tribe’s people completely sapping my magic, but it was there.”
Mage nodded slowly, as if registering my words. “Did you tell her?”
“No!” I exclaimed in horror. “There’s nothing to tell yet. We don’t know ... I don’t know …” But I knew. Deep down, I knew. How could I tell her that her touch might soon be lethal to all those around her? This was exactly something that the Fates would do! “We can’t tell her yet …” I stalked off toward the glass room. “But I do need to warn Caden.”
5. Break—Evangeline
Three poinsettia-covered corners and one set of garland-lined stairs later, Max and I stepped into a room entirely made of glass—glass walls, glass ceiling, glass doors. Tasteful furniture in light suede and wool sat in the center, illuminated by an enormous crystal chandelier. Off to the left stood the largest evergreen tree I’d ever seen indoors, its fresh woodsy scent filling the room, the branches covered in beautiful antique-looking ornaments. Boxes of empty packaging and bubble wrap lay scattered everywhere.