She said that while glancing at the werewolves, and Selena growls back as a warning. Still, Ayesha can’t do anything now. Both of her wrists are broken, and probably more bones in her hands too, judging by how she keeps them in a weird position against her chest, almost in a cross.
"Wait... it's not like Silver City has been completely barred to witches," says Nora with a little frown. "There were witches here. Even long before us werewolves came..."
I gasp. Something suddenly clicks in my mind. Pieces all coming together, everything that was said, and now, with what Ayesha just revealed... I keep playing it over and over in my mind, but...
"Moon Goddess... It all makes sense!" I exclaim, turning to Selena. "You guys mentioned that Danica, the Fire Witch that was Queen Diane's friend, sent her adoptive daughter Nephera here. You said it was because her ancestors were originally from Silver City, right? That was Danica's reason, but what if..."
"Nephera was one of Luna's descendants...?" whispers Nora, finishing my sentence.
We exchange a long look, and she slowly nods.
"That would explain a lot," she gasps. "She would have been a target of choice for the curse, but also, one of its biggest threats."
"She could have broken it," I nod, excited. "If it wasn't for her fateful meeting with Judah Black... Nephera was the one who could re-enact the curse, or break it!"
"They said she was sent here to find a powerful source of magic, something that was linked to her ancestors," adds Nora, completely shocked but excited too. "She never found it, but somehow, Danica knew there was something here in Silver City that Nephera had to find!"
We all stay quiet for a few seconds, completely shocked by these revelations.
Moon Goddess... The mysterious source of magic was the origin of the curse. Nephera was completely overtaken by it, but the curse must have felt she was there to end it. She was the prey of choice, a young witch left by herself in a city full of werewolves. The curse acted in the most cruel way. She forgot her mission, got lost in her tragic love for Judah Black, and eventually lost both her man and her child to that horrible curse...
"There you go," sighs Ayesha. "I'm sorry to break it to you, but Silver City isn't just a city all of us witches want for the view or whatever. I mean, there are plenty of cities to choose from, but we purposefully come to this one because of all of the magic power it probably hides. You really think we like to go head to head against werewolves?"
Selena growls at Ayesha's attitude, but... she has a point. This place is complicated for witches to come to from the start. Regardless of Sylviana occupying it before I came, there are tons of werewolves and humans. Why would lone witches purposefully come to such a place? Even more so a Fire Witch, considering how much it rains over here...
I thought it was because of the Royals' presence, but... it's probably not worth all the risks they took. The war from two years ago is the best proof thinking about it. Nephera was strong, probably full of the curse's power, but she still got killed in the end, even after gathering an army of vampires. Moreover, now, there are Nora and Selena, and the Black Brothers too. I remember how scared of them I was... I still am. Why would witches be so obsessed with this place? There had to be a very good and meaningful reason for it, and that reason was the curse.
"So you're saying the curse is actually hiding a lot of magic?"
"The curseismagic, girl," says Ayesha. "Very Dark Magic, but still magic. Breaking a curse is like opening a big box with a lot of gold inside. It's dangerous, but imagine transferring something as powerful as this curse to yourself... let alone the will to actually break it just to save our future daughters, this is the kind of perspective that would make any smart witch greedy for that power. Not even ten Royal werewolves could measure up to that... although they probably come from the same witch to begin with."
I hate to admit it, but I understand her point. Considering how old and powerful that curse is, I can totally get why it would make some... greedy. I've experienced its power first hand. If this is the power of one of the first witches, the one who created the Royals, it couldn't even be measured!
“Mara!”
I turn my head, and Liam, still in his wolf form, runs to me. I immediately hug the huge black wolf, glad to feel him. Moon Goddess, I was so worried for him... He's standing on his four paws, and looking alright. I don't know how much work he gave Nora, but there's nothing left of that burnt fur smell and no visible injury either. He just looks dirty, but damn, I couldn't care less. I hug him strongly, feeling a lot better now that he's there.
"I'm so sorry," I mumble. "I'm sorry I got mad at you and all..."
“It's okay, Mara. I promise it's okay. I get it. And I'm fine, too…”
I nod in his fur. Thank Moon Goddess, he's fine. I don't know what I would have done if something happened to Liam, even more so if it came from my fight. I already feel so bad that he got injured...
“She okay?”
It takes me a few seconds to realize he's talking about none other than me, but to Nora. He probably just let me hear that out of politeness.
"She's just tired," smiles Nora, gently patting my shoulder.
Moon Goddess, I am. I was alright until a while ago, but that fight literally emptied me. I'm tired, hungry, and still an emotional wreck after all that. My life these last few days has been one hell of a rollercoaster...
I turn to Ayesha, still held by Selena. She isn't going anywhere, but if I had to be honest, I wouldn't consider her much of a threat anymore. I probably depleted a lot of her magic too in that fight, and with both hands broken, she's pretty much as harmless as a human.
"So we're sure the curse has to be broken here, in Silver City?" asks Selena, glancing our way.
Nora and I both nod.
"Everything points that way," she says. "I don't think so many witches would be wrong either. Moreover, we were all gathered here... Although our reasons were different, it's probably no coincidence that both you and I ended up here, and Mara too, is it?"
