Once Betrayed Never Forgotten

Chapter 42: Into the Crypt

The villagers forming a perimeter around the graveyard remain oblivious to our presence for now, their clamour growing nearer as they approach. We can hear the sounds of the rest of the villagers, no doubt led by Father Codrin, whipping the mob up into a frenzy. They are approaching, and soon they’ll come into view carrying their pitchforks and makeshift weapons.

“What do we do?” I plead, scanning our surroundings for any potential escape routes.

Mircea’s expression shifts, torn between choices, before a determined resolve takes hold. “There’s no other choice,” she declares firmly. “I know another way. Follow me.”

Luka steps forward. Tll hold them off. You two get a head start. ll be right behind you.”

“No!” I protest, grabbing his arm. “Don’t be crazy! Come with us.”

But his mind is made up.

he shouts.

1 hesitate for a moment, and Mircea seizes my hand, urging me forward into the heart of the cemetery.

Mircea drags me deeper into the cemetery. As we venture onward, the graves become older, and we pass beneath a gnarled thorn tree adorned with swaths of emerald moss and grey lichen. Before us looms an ancient crypt, a mausoleum standing like a sentinel, shrouded in an eerie stillness.

Within, the air grows dense with foreboding. Mircea extends her palm, uttering a few words that conjure a radiant hall of fames floating in the air before us.

The floating fireball leads the way, guiding us through the crypt’s narrow central corridor.

We hurry through the initial corridor into the heart of the crypt.

In a shadowy corner at the back of the crypt stands a statue of an angel. Its stone hands are extended, cupped as if waiting for something. Mircea produces a silver knife from her robes, slicing her palm deeply and allowing blood to drip into the angel’s hands. The blood pools, and then something strange happens. The stone absorbs the blood, triggering a hidden mechanism in the flour. A large panel of stone shifts, sliding with a horrible screeching groan, mechanically or by magic, I am not sure which. There are stone steps leading down into the dark.

“Hurry,” Mircea urges, descending the stairs. She looks back at me impatiently. “Why aren’t you coming?”

“Wait,” I say, casting a nervous glance back toward the crypt’s entrance. “How will Luka find us? We should wait or maybe even go o back for him.”

“He’ll find you,” Mircea reassures me. “No matter how far we go. Trust me.”

“But how?” I insist.

“Well besides his impeccable sense of smell – which is part and parcel of being a wolf shifter – there’s also then mate bond,” Mircea says reassuringly

“You two are connected now.”

“Well even if that’s true and he figures out the way, won’t the door close behind us and shut him out?” I inquire, still uncertain.

“No, it won’t,” she says. “And before you ask, no, there’s no risk of the villagers finding the door open and following us. They’d never step foot in this tomb- they’re afraid of this place.”

“Should they be?” I hesitantly inquire, peering down into the gaping darkness of the hole.

Mircea offers a wry smile instead of any real answer. “Just follow. We have a long way to go.”

And so, I follow her and descend into the chilling unknown.

The staircase beneath h my feet is wet and uneven and slimy in places, almost causing me to lose my balance or slip on several occasions. We continue descending for what feels like an eternity, until finally, we reach a long, cramped tunnel,

The tunnel continues, looping and twisting, rendering any sense of direction obsolete. Our enchanted fireball continues leading the way, floating just ahead, casting a warm, unwavering golden light in the darkness.

“Where is it taking us?” I inquire hesitantly.

Chapter 42 Into the Crypt

“We’ll emerge about a mile from the village, far from where even the bravest villagers would dare venture, Mircea explains. “We’re actually beneath the village right now, as we’ve been for some time.”

“And you’re sure Luka will find us?” I question, my mind racing with thoughts of why he hasn’t yet caught up with us. Has he been overpowered by the villagers, captured, or worse? Is he dead?

“There’s no need to worry. He’ll be able to find you anywhere in the world from now on, now that you are mated,” Mircea says reassuringly.

“From now on…” I repeat her words, a knot of anxiety tightening in my chest. “How long exactly will Luka and I be… uh.. mated?”

“What do you mean?” Mircea asks, never slowing down her pace as we walk briskly down the cold dark tunnel following the ball of flame.

“Well, it’s only temporary, right?” I ask hopefully. “I get that you had to cast a spell or something ”

“The hair fasting spell of binding,” Mircea interjects. “The only way to create a mate bond by magic.”

“Yes, that,” I say. “I get that you had to do that so that Luka could break through the magical wards around the village that kept him out,”

“Exactly, a mate bond is the most powerful spell in existence, stronger even than the arcane hexes put upon this village centuries ago,” she explains, “] knew I wasn’t strong enough to break you out of the cell myself, so I needed a strong ally. When I detected the wolf shifter for on your clothes, it sparked an idea. I needed a way to get him into the village, past the barrier. And only a mate bond could overcome the enchanted barrier. So I had to

create a mate bond.”

I think back to that vivid dream I had last night, the chant whispered by Mircea about binding two souls together through strands of their hair. She must have been performing the spell at that very moment that I dreamt it

“The mate bonding spell was the only way to save you,” she murmurs. To free you. I did what I had to do.”

“And thanks for that, seriously,” I say, hoping that what I’m about to say next won’t come off as unappreciative. “I can’t even tell you how relieved I am to be out of that prison cell. But, umm… I was thinking that maybe after Luka finds us, when you get a chance, maybe you could… uh… undo the spell and break the mate bond?”

Now Mircea does actually stop walking. She stops abruptly, midstep, and turns around to face me.

“What?” She asks “Why on earth would you want to do that?”

“Well, it’s just a bit awkward,” I admit. “I don’t even know Luka. At all.”

“Is he not to your liking?” Mircea asks, her brow creasing in confusion. “He is handsome, strong, brave, honourable, loyal-

“I know,” I interrupt her, thinking about how undeniably s*xy he looked when he transformed from his wolf form into his human form earlier – just as handsome as any male model, perfect body rippling with muscles, silver eyes, and those tattoos..

“I just feel uncomfortable with it, is all, I admit. “Like, does he even want to be mated to me?” ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

“Of course,” Mircea says, a small mischievous smile curling up her lips. “Who wouldn’t? You’re very beautiful, you know.”

“Thanks,” I murmur, feeling my ch*eks tum red at the compliment.

“But, does he know you cast a spell to create the mate bond?” I ask, and she turns back around and continues hurrying down the passage, motioning for me to follow her.

“It doesn’t matter,” she says. “All that matters is that the Moon Goddesses has given us her approval. If she didn’t approve of the pairing, she wouldn’t have allowed it. It’s as simple as that”

Hmmm…. so I guess that means that Luka doesn’t know about Mircea’s involvement. That might come back to bite us later… literally, I bet, if he’s upset enough when he finds out.

Finally, we reach a round chamber hewn out of the stone. Several other passageways lead off it, a labyrinth. The ball of flame has stopped in the centre of the circular space, hovering in place as if undecided on the direction to take.

“Which way?” I ask

Mircea peers into the darkness of every passage, before seeming to settle on one.

Chapter 42. hito The Crypt

“This-” she begins saying, before stopping mid–sentence.

Mircea’s response is interrupted as she suddenly halts, her expression turning tense.

“What’s wrong?” I ask, but she raises her hand to silence me.

“Quiet!” She whispers urgently. “Just listen.”

She is listening intently, hearing something I can’t.

Gradually, I hear it too- footfalls drawing closer along the stone passages.

“Is it Luka?” I whisper hopefully, imagining him dashing towards us in his graceful and light footed wolf form.

“No,” Mircea says with a deadly calm. “Get behind me.”

She produces a small silver dagger from her robes, and together we stare into the darkness, waiting

I can barely believe my eyes when I see the surprising sight that emerges from the shadows moments later.

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