Fatal Bond (Eden Mercer K-9 Mystery Thriller Book 8) by Paige Black

Author:Paige Black [Black, Paige]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2025-10-02T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 25

The group spreads out across the available spots. Wilder and I select mats roughly halfway between the center and the outer edge—close enough to observe everything that happens, far enough back to hopefully avoid too much individual attention.

I lay out my blanket for Shadow, and he settles onto it with a soft sigh. I’m always grateful to have him nearby, but as I sit on my mat and look around the cavernous space, a pang of guilt tightens my stomach. Have I led us and Wilder into a terribly dangerous situation?

As the last attendees find their places, the volunteers position themselves along the perimeter, blending into the shadows between the candles. From my vantage point, I count thirteen of them including Savannah, all standing at attention.

Archon and Seraphina wait, staring out at the group until the shifting and conversations stop. Gradually, a silence falls over the room, so complete that I can hear my own breathing. There’s a tension in the air, an anticipation. I glance nervously around the dimly lit space, the hairs lifted on the back of my neck.

Archon stalks back and forth in the center space. The bone-and-obsidian collar catches the candlelight as he moves, and the serpent tattoo across his chest seems to writhe in the dancing shadows.

“Beloved souls.” His Louisiana drawl is more pronounced now, each word stretched. “You have journeyed far to reach this moment. You have purified your vessels through sacrifice, opened your hearts through vulnerability, and prepared your spirits through devotion.”

He drops to barely above a whisper, forcing everyone to lean in to catch his words as he continues his slow circuit in the center.

“Tonight, you will experience union with your highest self. You will touch the divine frequency that connects all souls, and you will discover the truth that has been hidden from you your entire lives.”

Seraphina remains still, but her pale jade eyes track her partner’s movements with the intensity of a cat watching prey. When she speaks, her tone is soft, as if sharing secrets with close friends. “This sacred space has witnessed transformations that most can only dream of. Tonight, you become part of that ancient tradition.”

Wilder adjusts beside me, frowning, and I share his discomfort. This all feels unsettling and manipulative.

At some invisible signal, the volunteers produce small wicker baskets from somewhere in the shadows, each one containing what appears to be dozens of small glass vials. The containers are elegant—crystal clear with cork stoppers.

“The magical elixir,” Seraphina announces. “Bespelled moon water, purified through ancient rituals and infused with the frequencies of divine love.”

The volunteers move slowly through the rows, distributing the water to the attendees. People accept their containers with expressions ranging from curiosity to reverence, most of them holding the small bottles like precious artifacts.

Savannah approaches our section with her basket. She smiles broadly. “Eden, Dean,” she whispers as she hands us our vials. “This is it—the moment everything changes.”

She gives us both a wink, but there’s something desperate in her eyes that makes my stomach clench with worry.

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