After dinner, Talia went to the garden to meet with Yasmin.
Damon, Axel, and Keith were in the archives, looking at the maps and documents that Yasmin found about the area where her father disappeared. Guys were planning tomorrow's expedition.
Keith was glad that he was included in this activity. Since he came to the realm of witches he barely slept, and he was always alert. Now he finally felt useful, and with Damon and Axel around, witches didn't dare get too close.
Talia found Yasmin standing next to the Silver Flame fountain and staring at the water.
"Am I interrupting something?", Talia asked when she approached Yasmin.
"Not at all."
Talia looked around. The garden was usually lively, but this was different. "Where is everybody?"
"They have a meeting to discuss ceremonies and what they learned."
Talia thought how that made sense. "What are you looking at?", Talia asked when she realized that Yasmin was focusing at the same spot where Evanora was looking earlier that day when Talia came to ask her about the portals.
Instead of answering, Yasmin gestured toward the water and asked, "What do you see?"
Talia wanted to say that there was water in the fountain, but she knew that it wouldn't be something so obvious. Was there something else? How much she knew, there were no fish, and witches cleaned the fountain with their magic as part of their practice to control the energies.
The water was rippling from the center of the fountain in all directions. Ripples were reflecting the silvery flames that danced at the top of the statue that was in the middle of it all.
It looked beautiful, but Talia didn't see anything out of place.
It took Talia a few long moments to notice an area on the surface of the water that didn't reflect silvery flames when the glowing ripple passed through it. It was the spot where Yasmin was staring at.
"What is that?", Talia asked.
"That's where Damon was standing last night during your ceremony."
Talia was not sure if she heard Yasmin right. "What?"
"Mom told me about this", Yasmin said, and she looked at Talia. "She is hoping that we can repeat the ceremony and do some other tests for the two of you. Well, mostly on Damon. Your reaction during the ceremony was exceptional but not unexpected. Damon acted like a black hole that couldn't be touched by magic. We can't detect any remnants of your power here, which is normal because all spells dissolve if not maintained artificially. However, where Damon was standing… You see."
Yasmin was talking in a friendly tone, but Talia saw red flags that made her uneasy.
"You said that Evanora wants to do tests. What about you?"
Yasmin realized that Talia was tense, so she quickly explained, "I must admit that I am curious. However, I would object to anything that might harm my mate, so I won't waste my breath persuading you if you are not willing. Actually, I should be talking to Damon, but I thought of checking about this with you first."
Talia was alerted. "Evanora wants to do harmful tests on Damon?"
Yasmin raised her hands defensively. "The tests won't be harmful, but since we never saw anything like this, we can't predict how he will react to our probing." Yasmin gestured toward the dark patch. "We tried to affect it with our energies, but there was no reaction…"
Talia didn't hear the rest. The idea of Evanora doing tests on Damon was extremely unsettling. Talia's heart pounded wildly in her chest, and she felt like the air was thinning around her.
'Lis?', Talia called.
'We won't know unless we try', Liseli said, knowing what Talia had on her mind.
Talia's instincts for self-preservation kicked in, and they included Damon because he was her other half. It was to do whatever it takes to protect mate. Destroy evidence. Remove witnesses. Liseli had no objections.
Yasmin's voice trailed when she saw that Talia's hand was lighting up in rhythmical pulses.
"Yasmin?", Talia called without looking away from the dark patch in the water.
"Yes?"
"You said that Damon and I are your family."
Yasmin confirmed. "I did."
"Family sticks together and they won't harm each other. Do you agree with that?"
Yasmin swallowed hard. Talia's solemn tone told her that she would regret it if she gave a wrong answer. "Yes."
The silvery flames at the top of the fountain started dancing wildly, and all the light that was pulsating in the fountain now converged around the dark patch, but not a speck of light penetrated it.
Talia narrowed her eyes while focusing and a beam of light shot from her palm to the dark patch, hitting it right in the center.
Yasmin's eyes widened when she saw that the dark patch was getting saturated with light that came from Talia's palm.
Yasmin knew very well that several witches chanted to channel the energies of the fountain in there, but it was in vain… and here was Talia, doing it on her own without any chants and magical items.
A few seconds later, everything returned to normal. The surface of the water in the fountain was pulsating rhythmically in rings of light that were expanding from the statue to the edge of the fountain. The dark patch was gone.
"Woah…", Yasmin said breathily.
"Yasmin", Talia called, and Yasmin swallowed hard when she realized that not everything returned to normal.
Talia's eyes were glowing in silvery light, and even Talia's hair turned silvery. She looked like a Goddess. But why did the Goddess appear to be hostile?
Now that the evidence was gone, Liseli was ready to get rid of witnesses.
Talia looked at Yasmin and she thought of Axel and two lives sprouting inside Yasmin and Talia couldn't do it.
"Can I trust you?", Talia asked.
"Yes!", Yasmin exclaimed in a squeaky voice.
"If you consider us as a family. You will not mention this again. If anyone asks, say that it dissolved naturally."
Yasmin nodded in small choppy movements.
"Thanks", Talia said stiffly and walked away, while fighting against that small part of her that told her to get rid of witnesses. She couldn't kill, not without a reason, and especially not Yasmin.
Talia disappeared out of sight and Yasmin resumed breathing.
Yasmin wiped her forehead which was drenched in sweat and she shivered uncontrollably. Why did it feel like the grim reaper was right behind her?
Yasmin turned to look at the fountain with a complex expression on her face.
Talia's performance confirmed Yasmin's suspicion. Other than being a she-wolf, Talia was something else, and that else was not a witch. No matter how powerful a witch is and how much energy she channels, she never turns into a silvery Goddess that can perform spells without any chants. Talia was different.
Yasmin's mood dropped when she remembered her mother. Evanora told her to talk to Damon and convince him to take tests. Knowing Damon's temper, Yasmin thought of talking to Talia first, and considering Talia's icy response, Yasmin was glad that she didn't go to Damon right away.
But... how will she tell her mother that she failed? Evanora is not a person who will give up. Will she scold Yasmin, or will her mother try something on her own?
Yasmin didn't want to deal with this so she decided to say how she didn't get a good opportunity to talk to Talia. Yasmin bobbed her head at this idea. It was perfect: postponing her mother's anger. Hopefully, until they leave this place.
