Forgotten Elements

As we waited for a response, we left Matilda’s house and headed toward a wider building that was the size of three houses combined. The smell of old books filled my senses as I stepped inside the small library.

The library was cramped with as many bookshelves and books as possible. The space had a cozy feel to it, with a soft carpet that reminded me of plush grass. There weren’t many areas to sit, only a couple of small, round tables with a few chairs surrounding them.

Matilda guided us to a bookshelf on the far left wall, which was full of old leather-bound books with gold-foiled letterings. “If there’s anything about sucking all of the magic out of someone, it’ll be in here.”

The tomes were handwritten in a flourishing script, and none of them were in “English” as humans called the language. A good chunk of them were written in the elemental language, the writings elegant with the interconnecting symbols and letterings. Unlike with the sorcerers and sorceresses runes, these couldn’t be spoken out loud.

Parker could read the language, as could most from our realm. We were taught the basics of each language, but from the way he began rubbing his eyes and temples after what felt like a couple of hours, it was clear he wasn’t completely fluent.

The handwriting of the book I was currently reading was cramped, making it harder to read, and soon, the words began swimming on the page. Letting out a small groan, I dropped my face into my hands to allow myself a small break.

From what I gathered, it was impossible to suck all the magic from a body. The book I was reading kept going on and on about how stealing magic was a slow, arduous process and had many steps that you had to follow to a T. One of the steps was that the Mythic you were stealing from had to be alive. The act of stealing the magic and life essence from another was a disgrace and was one of the most vile things you could do, according to this book—I could think of a few more vile things, but that was neither here nor there. By stealing the magic from another, the thief became forever changed.

I brought this up to the others, wondering if this was why Heath described the man as a thing. Maybe stealing so much energy changed him. Of course, that would suggest this thing was a Mythic or at least Mythic adjacent.

Parker wiped his hands down his face as he let out a long, weary sigh. “It’s possible, but I can’t help feeling like it’s too simple. We’re missing an important piece of information, a piece of context that will help us figure out what this thing is.”

Matilda pursed her lips as she considered something. “Have you ever heard of the cursed sisters?”

My face probably showcased my confusion at her sudden change in topic.

Growing up, I’d heard a few of the legends about them, told in hushed whispers late at night the way humans told ghost stories. All I knew about them was that there were four, representing the four races—not including the necromancers or death mages since necromancers were only a part of the Mythics—and that Solaris had been the one to engineer their deaths.

In essence, they were the big bad wolf, the monsters hiding under the bed.

“They were enemies of the ruling class. Their powers rivaled the deity’s,” Parker said as he leaned back.

Matilda nodded like she expected that answer. “You’re correct, but you’re missing all the important details.”

“Enlighten us.”

Matilda rubbed her hand over her shaved head and sighed. “First off, cursed sisters isn’t a fun nickname. It’s a description. The four of them are sisters, and no, I don’t know how that works. All I know is they all shared the same blood. And because of that, they shared an unparalleled loyalty.”

Parker wiped a hand over his mouth as he considered her words. “How do you know this?”

Matilda waved her hand dismissively. “From a friend.”

“While it would be interesting to hear a new legend about them, I don’t see how they’re relevant.” I didn’t mean to be dismissive of Matilda, but I saw no correlation between the sisters and this thing draining elementals.

“The sisters came from powerful family lines, but the power wasn’t enough for them.” Matilda adjusted in her seat as she rested her forearms on the table. “They didn’t drain anyone of their magic, but the lengths they went to were arguably worse. When they did this, their powers grew, but there were side effects. A price they hadn’t realized they had to pay.”

“Cursed sisters,” Parker muttered, having the same realization as me.

To say I was intrigued was a vast understatement.

What did these sisters do to become cursed? What could they have done that was worse than draining someone of their magic? Did they kill their own mother?

Parker shared my sentiments, asking before I could what they did.

“Two of them tortured others until they went insane and eventually killed themselves—there’s more to it than that, but that’s the gist of it. Another tortured and brutally killed a man.” Matilda had been tapping her chin but paused to meet both of our gazes. Whatever she had to say next was important and had me sitting upright. “They weren’t normal torture sessions. They used some serious magic against them.”

“And the last?” I could feel a frown pulling at my face. These didn’t sound worse than slowly draining another.

“She killed her fated mate.”

I was wrong. I was so fucking wrong.

“How?”

Matilda slowly nodded like she’d been expecting this response and was now pleased I was on the same page as her. “Now you understand why they were feared and despised. Why they had to be stopped.”

Parker didn’t show any outward reaction like I had. He was reclined in his chair, his legs stretched out under the small table and were parted so they went on either side of my legs. I tried not to focus on how his legs pressed against mine, but I was failing miserably, even with this new knowledge about the fabled sisters.

“I’ve also heard that story,” Jade called out as she and Koa entered the library. “It’s fake. The thought of your mate being harmed is enough to cause a panic attack, much less being the one to do so.”

She and Koa looked the same as the last time I saw them, with no new signs of injury or blood, and I let out a silent exhale. At the back of my mind, I’d been worried about them being out there with a killer that we hadn’t confirmed whether or not they were only going after elementals. The only thing that kept me calm and sane was the fact they were all together in a group.

Although, it didn’t appear to be that way anymore. Ari, Reed, and Wyatt hadn’t followed them through the door.

“The only way one could kill their fated mate is by accident or if the bond isn’t formed,” Koa confirmed, pulling me from my musings and worries. Jade and Koa wouldn’t be so calm if something happened to the others.

“My source has never been wrong,” Matilda defended with a shake of her head, denying Koa and Jade’s words.

“No offense, but I’m more inclined to believe those who have experienced a fated mate bond over your mysterious source,” I said with a shrug. Koa and Jade had been mated for almost seven months. If anyone knew the effects of the bond, it would be them, along with Ander and Starling.

Matilda shook her head again, her frustration apparent. “You don’t understand. If you met him, you would change your opinion. He knows what he’s talking about, and he’s never wrong. While most can’t fathom hurting their fated mate, that rule doesn’t apply here. Emeria was a monster, it’s a simple fact.”

The beginning part of her statement and how this guy almost sounded like a cult leader was pushed aside by the name she uttered. All four of us had varying reactions, with Koa going still, Parker’s body tensing, and Jade gasping.

That was the one thing all the conflicting legends about the sisters had in common: their names were never to be spoken. To do so was to bring them back from the grave, or so the stories said. Over the years, their names had been forgotten, lost to history.

I’d always thought the legend about using their name was ridiculous. Saying someone’s name couldn’t bring fictional sisters back from the dead. Even though I was firm in my stance the legends were bullshit ice still skittered down my spine at hearing one of their names.

Through my shock, I distantly wondered how her source knew one of their names when they hadn’t been spoken or even written in thousands of years.

“Your source knows their names?” Parker asked softly.

Matilda steepled her hands on the table as she met each of our gazes. “Emeria, Miseria, Allivrielle, and Gabsrielle.”