Chapter 194
Lily’s POV As I watched Maya and Rose chatter away like two squabbling sparrows, recounting the events (interspersed with copious complaints about each other’s behavior), my first thought was: Holy crap, I seriously need a jumbo-sized ice cream sundae right now, topped with a mountain of chocolate sprinkles. Suppressing wolf nature? Summoning forest witches? This sounded like the script for some low-budget fantasy flick, not something happening in my own backyard. I massaged my temples, glancing between Maya’s stern expression and Rose’s still-righteous demeanor, then recalled Celena’s lifeless eyes… Alright. “So,” I summarized, “what you’re saying is there’s some ancient (and probably fake) witchy fairy tale ritual that might (but probably won’t) summon something that could (in theory) fix Celena’s problem, and one of you opposes it while the other supports it, so you come running to me?” Both witches nodded simultaneously. I sighed. Honestly, for us werewolves who solve problems with claws and teeth, magic was more mind-bending than college calculus. But… seeing Rose’s eyes brimming with (unreliable) enthusiasm and Maya’s (exasperated) resignation, I made my decision. “Fine,” I agreed. “We’ll go with Rose’s plan.” Maya stared at me in surprise. I shrugged. “Listen, even if this ritual only makes Celena feel like we’re trying for her, giving her an afternoon free from those awful thoughts, it’s worth it. Plus,” I curved my lips into a smile, “I’m kinda curious to see how you two ‘perform’ this ritual.” So ten minutes later, Maya, Rose, and I appeared in Celena’s room, each holding a bowl of ice cream we’d scavenged from the kitchen. Celena’s POV Seeing all three of them walk in together—especially Lily, which surprised me at first, then a faint warmth washed over me. They were here to help me. Lily, Maya, Rose… They were among the few people here I could truly call friends. When Lily told me they’d all agreed to let me try this ritual, to see if it might offer a way forward, I nearly cried. Someone understood me. Someone was willing to help, even if the hope seemed faint. Rose and Maya got busy. They traced intricate patterns of spirals and strange symbols on the ground using white salt and some kind of glowing powder. The air filled with the mingled scent of burning sage and sandalwood, a bit choking, yet strangely soothing. They arranged crystals, lit specially made black candles, and murmured ancient syllables I couldn’t understand. Everything felt so… professional, so mysterious. Lily watched it all unfold and whispered to me, “Just to be safe, should we call Ren too? She’s a doctor, just in case.” I nodded. They were being thoughtful. Thɪs chapter is updatá´‡d by