Trixie:
Mary had donned her clothes. Trixie turned to smile at her but Mary just gave her a cold look and stalked off in direction of deep forest.
"I don't think she is going to get over it anytime soon." Cassie murmured staring at her retreating back. She then turned brightly towards Trixie and said, "You are very stubborn. If you are his mate then you should accept it. Not because it is a rule or something. But because it makes you complete and brings you the greatest joy you will ever know." Cassie smiled at Jade. Jade was also looking at Cassie with just the same kind of love in her eyes.
"Come, I will show you the pack grounds."
"I must leave too." Sam said and kissing Liz on top of her head, left. Liz stared openly at his retreating back, longing to go after him.
Trixie was following Cassie as she showed them around. So far they had visited the pack lands surrounding the house. There was a beautiful lake where several kids from the pack were training in combat skills as well as swimming. Some who were wolves were generally afraid of water but their other species friends encouraged them or just playfully pushed them in water. Here Trixie met Nadia, she was a water nymph.
Her skin was light bluish in colour like the water of lake and her clothes were made of plants found in water. She wore a blue sapphire pendant. She was very welcoming of the three witches. She couldn't leave water entirely so she sat on a rock in the lake while chatting with them. "I wish I could leave these waters then I could go in search of my mate. It's lonely out here on lake. Without the company of these kids, I would very likely have been bored."
"How did you come to be here?" Trixie asked out of curiosity. Nadia's face fell and her eyes reflected her sorrow.
Jade nudged Trixie. "You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to. I didn't mean to intrude" Trixie hastily corrected.
"It's okay. It was a long time ago." Nadia smiled sadly.
"Many centuries ago, there was a tribe living in the open sea called Merpeople. We sold fish to the people living on land in return for not harming us in any way. They assumed that we were powerful and so they kept to themselves.
One day my great, great, great grandfather and the chief found the Heart of Sea on an excursion. They brought it back to the tribe with them. It was a powerful stone, one that held many secrets in its core. Blue as deep sea and harder than earth, it was worshiped by our people for the power it held. It enabled us to travel outside of water or for land people to breathe underwater for as long as they wished. Many of its powers were still hidden. The males of our family were a kind of priest who looked after the stone along with the chief.
Its power attracted many evil creatures. Our tribe fought to save the stone. Finally when our numbers had started dwindling we decided to go in hiding. We found a deserted island with an inlet of water and coves. The stone helped us mask our presence from humans passing in ships. We were safe and didn't need human interaction anymore. We were happy with our life.
Then a couple centuries ago everything changed, a powerful evil wizard found us and demanded the Heart of Sea. When we refused he threatened to kill the tribe people mercilessly. He said he would be back in two days and then we better hand it to him. Apparently the Heart of Sea could even increase the life of a person.
My father and the chief at that time decided to break the stone so that the stone might not be used for evil deeds. They broke it in several pieces and scattered all the pieces to sea. But my mother had actually sneaked one of its pieces before they were scattered.
When the wizard returned, he demanded the stone. The chief told him about their actions. The evil wizard was so incensed, he killed everyone mercilessly. He didn't spare women or children. My mother had woven the piece of stone into a necklace. She put it around my neck and made me swim away as fast as I could.
I swam a distance but stopped to turn back. I could see fire and hear explosions and cries of people. I was frightened and wanted my mom and dad. But I heeded my mother's advice. I swam and swam. I reached the other coast and passed out on the sand due to sheer exhaustion. Jack's father found me and brought me to this place. When he saw that I was a water nymph, he ordered his pack to build a lake for me. Since then I live here.
The stone has lost some of its power. I can no longer walk without water. But as long as I wear it, I won't die of natural causes and my wounds are faster healed."
Another wizard after immortality, thought Trixie sadly. Trixie was experiencing anger and grief at Nadia's story.
"What was the name of that evil wizard?" Liz asked.
"Angara." Nadia said with a shiver.
Trixie froze and her hands went cold and clammy.
____________
Jade:
"Angara." Nadia replied. Jade tensed. She was holding hands with Cassie so she noticed Jade's anxiety.
"What's wrong?" Cassie asked Jade. Jade paused for a second contemplating what to tell Cassie.
'Not now. Let me tell Jack first. The Alpha will decide whether they should know this.' Trixie's voice sounded in Jade's mind.
"Nothing. Just... sad story." Jade replied. Cassie smiled and held her close.
Trixie said, "We still have to see the house. Come on." Jade could tell Trixie was feeling apprehensive. She stood in close proximity to Liz throughout the rest of journey occasionally commenting on the rooms and spells used on house.
Jade too became preoccupied. She thought about having to consciously conduct a search in future for presence of that evil man. Cassie seemed to notice her preoccupation so her excitement on showing the house also dimmed a bit.
After the tour was over, Cassie pulled Jade to their room. She shut the door and turned to her.
"Baby, what's wrong? And don't tell me that it's Nadia's story. You don't get shaken up that easily." Cassie asked concerned.
