The Matchmaker - The Arrax Saga Book 1 Chapter 142

Jed glanced at the map one last time, his eyes scanning the boundary lines with a final flick of focus. Then he pushed back from the table, the legs scraping softly against the stone floor. “I’ll leave you two to it,” he said, voice low but steady. “Let me know if anything shifts.”

Saphira gave him a nod, watching as he exited the room. The door clicked shut behind him, and the silence that followed was heavier, more intimate. The kind that didn’t need words to be felt.

Nikolas still had his arm loosely around her waist, his thumb brushing absently against her side. She turned slightly, studying his face, the tension in his jaw, the distant look in his eyes.

“What are you thinking?” she asked, her voice quiet, almost hesitant.

Nikolas exhaled, his gaze drifting back to the map. “I’m not sure,” he admitted. “We need a way to counter them if they arrive. But until the spell is up and triggered… it’s a waiting game.”

Saphira frowned, her fingers trailing along the edge of the table. The parchment crinkled beneath her touch. *Waiting always feels like losing time. Like giving them space to move while we hold our breath.*

“Do we have extra patrols in place?” she asked, her tone sharpening slightly.

Nikolas nodded. “Yes. I’ve doubled the coverage around the northern and eastern ridges. I’ve asked for regular updates, even if there’s nothing to report. I want eyes on everything.”

Saphira nodded, her jaw tight. “That’s good. Smart.”

She paused, her gaze dropping to the map again, but her thoughts were already drifting. The lines blurred, replaced by the memory of Amara’s face, pale, trembling, brave. “I still can’t believe what the Silvermoon pack did to her,” she said, voice thickening. “If I’d known before we left Cassandra at the top of that waterfall…”

Nikolas turned to her, his expression soft but firm. “Your emotions would’ve been clouded. You might’ve gone too far. We may not have made it back safe.”

Saphira sighed, her shoulders sagging slightly. *He’s right. I know he’s right. But it still burns.* “I know,” she said. “But it isn’t right.”

Nikolas was quiet for a moment, then his voice came low, thoughtful. “My mother had books. Old ones. On unnatural magic. She kept them hidden, but I know where they are. I’ll dig them out. See if there’s anything in them that can help.”

Saphira’s eyes lifted, a flicker of hope breaking through the storm inside her. “Do you really think there could be something in them?”

Nikolas nodded. “They’re ancient. Likely similar to what the elders would’ve used. If there’s a way to undo what was done… it might be in there.”

Saphira reached for his hand, squeezing it gently. “Thank you,” she whispered, then leaned in and kissed him. His hand slid up to cradle her cheek, and for a moment, the world narrowed to just them.

Then a knock broke the quiet.

Nikolas straightened, releasing her hand as the door creaked open. Asher stepped in first, his expression alert. Zafira followed, her gaze sharp and unreadable. Anastasia came last, her eyes sweeping the room with quiet concern.

Saphira stepped back, her spine straightening.

The door opened fully, and Asher stepped in with Zafira close behind, their hands already linked. His thumb brushed gently over her knuckles, a quiet reassurance. Zafira’s gaze flicked around the room, alert but softer than usual. Anastasia followed, her eyes sweeping the space with quiet precision, taking in every detail, every expression, every shift in posture. She didn’t miss much. She never did.

Saphira stepped forward, her smile warm and genuine. “Good to see you,” she said, her voice lifting just enough to ease the tension in the room. “How are you feeling now that Asher’s back?”

Zafira’s grip on Asher’s hand visibly tightened, her fingers curling around his like she was anchoring herself to the moment. “More relaxed,” she admitted, her voice soft but steady. “For now. But I’m not sure I’ll ever let him leave my side again.”

Saphira let out a gentle laugh, the sound light and real. “Fair. I wouldn’t either.”

Anastasia chuckled as she lowered herself into a chair, her movements graceful despite the weariness in her eyes. “Young love,” she said with a fond smile. “It’s fierce. And stubborn. And sometimes smarter than the rest of us.”

Nikolas stepped forward, his tone shifting as the moment turned. “What can I do for you?”

Anastasia leaned in slightly, her elbows resting on the table. “We wanted to discuss the plan. If Silvermoon comes.”

Nikolas nodded and gestured to the chairs around the table. “Sit. Let’s go over it.”

They settled in, the scrape of chairs against stone echoing briefly. Saphira took her usual seat beside Nikolas, her fingers brushing the edge of the map as he began.

“Raven and the witches have started the boundary spell,” he said. “It’s layered to alert us if breached. We’ve expanded it to cover the northern and eastern ridges, anywhere they might try to slip through. Patrols have been doubled. Updates are coming in regularly.”

Zafira glanced toward Saphira, her brow furrowed. “Should Finn be here for this?”

Saphira shook her head gently, her voice quiet but firm. “I’ll speak to him soon.” *I don’t want to interrupt him and Amara. And I don’t want more people knowing yet, not until I know what can be done.*

Zafira gave her a look, not judgmental, but probing. Then she nodded and let it go. “Alright. So what happens if we get the signal? If they arrive?”

Nikolas leaned forward, his fingers tapping the edge of the map. “We capture them. Put them in the cells. Then we dig. We need information about the elders’ plan, about the matchmaker. Silvermoon’s the smallest piece in this, which makes them the perfect place to start.”

Asher frowned, his arms crossed. “What if they arrive with an elder?”

Nikolas shook his head. “I doubt it. This will be personal for them. They’ll want control. But if they do… then we need everyone sharp. Ready to fight.”

Anastasia’s arms folded across her chest, her expression hardening. “And how do we capture them? If they bring the witch again, it won’t be easy.”

Nikolas nodded slowly. “We’ll need an unexpected advantage. Something they won’t see coming.”

Saphira’s voice cut in, calm but firm. “We already have one.”

She met his eyes and tapped her chest lightly. “Me.”

Nikolas didn’t hesitate. “No.”

The word landed hard. Final. His tone left no room for negotiation.

Saphira didn’t flinch, but her jaw tightened, her fingers curling slightly against the edge of the table. *He’s protecting me. I know that. But I’m not fragile. And I’m not done fighting.* She held his gaze, the silence between them thick with everything unsaid.