The Matchmaker - The Arrax Saga Book 1 Chapter 179

The heat of the water wrapped around Saphira like a second skin, sinking deep into her muscles and quieting the hum of adrenaline still lingering from training. Every ache softened, every breath slowed. She leaned back into Nikolas’s chest, her head resting just below his collarbone, the steady thrum of his heartbeat soothing her more than the water ever could.

His arms looped lazily around her waist beneath the surface, fingers tracing slow circles against her stomach. He nuzzled her temple, his breath warm against her skin. “You know,” he murmured, voice low and teasing, “I think you’re just using me as a floating cushion.”

Saphira smirked, eyes closed, her body melting into his. “Obviously. You’re warm, solid, and conveniently shaped like a raft.”

Nikolas chuckled, the sound vibrating through her spine. “I’m also extremely offended.”

She tilted her head up, her cheek brushing his jaw, eyes sparkling. “You’ll survive.”

He dipped his head and kissed her nose, then her cheek, then the corner of her mouth, each kiss slower, more deliberate than the last. “Barely.”

Saphira turned in his arms, water swirling around them, and looped her arms around his neck. Her fingers slid into his damp hair, tugging gently. “You’re very dramatic for someone who just built me a secret hot spring.”

“I’m dramatic for someone who’s in love,” he said simply, and kissed her again, deeper this time, with a quiet hunger that made her toes curl beneath the surface.

They drifted like that for a while, bodies half-submerged, steam curling around them in lazy spirals. Saphira let herself relax fully, her fingers tracing idle patterns along Nikolas’s shoulder, her head tucked beneath his chin. The weight of the world slipped away, replaced by the quiet rhythm of breath and water and the steady presence of him.

Nikolas reached for her hand beneath the surface, lacing their fingers together. His thumb brushed the back of hers. “Do you think they’ll be ready?” he asked softly.

Saphira didn’t answer right away. She watched a droplet slide down his jaw, catching the light before falling into the water. “They’re learning fast,” she said finally. “And they’re starting to trust each other. That’s the part that matters.”

He hummed in agreement, then leaned back against the smooth stone edge, pulling her with him until she was curled against his side.

They stayed like that, wrapped in warmth and each other, the future stretching out before them, not as a battlefield, but as a promise. For now, the world could wait. Here, in the quiet hush of steam and stone, they were just two souls in love, dreaming of everything still to come.

The wind rushed past Saphira’s wings as she flew beside Nikolas, the sky streaked with the last blush of sunset. The warmth of the hot spring still lingered on her skin, but her thoughts had sharpened into a blade. Below them, the familiar sprawl of the pack’s territory came into view, rooftops nestled between trees, the training fields quiet in the fading light, the world deceptively calm.

*We need to act on the situation with Zafira and Ignis,* she thought, glancing sideways at Nikolas. *Before it happens again. Before someone else is pulled under.*

They descended in tandem, wings folding as they landed near the central compound. The shift rippled through her body, bones reshaping, skin reforming, until she stood barefoot in the grass, breath misting in the cooling air. Nikolas shifted beside her, already watching her with quiet attentiveness.

Saphira turned to him, brushing a damp strand of hair from her cheek. “I want to speak with you about the situation with Zafira,” she said, her voice low but resolute. “And I think we should bring in Jed and Raven. They might be able to help make sense of what happened with her dragon.”

Nikolas studied her for a beat, his expression unreadable, then nodded. “Alright. Let’s get them.”

Minutes later, the four of them gathered in the office. Saphira stood near the window, arms crossed tightly over her chest. Nikolas remained close, his presence a steady weight at her side.

Raven entered first, her boots silent on the stone floor, eyes already sharp with curiosity. “What’s going on?”

Jed followed, his usual easy posture replaced by something more alert. He scanned Saphira’s face, reading the tension there. “Is Zafira alright? She looked ok earlier.”

Saphira turned to face them, her fingers tightening briefly around her elbows before she let them fall to her sides. “She’s fine,” she said, voice steady. “But something happened during the illusion battle. I spoke to her dragon this morning.”

That landed like a stone in still water. Raven’s brows lifted, and Jed straightened, his arms falling to his sides.

“She told me the reason she withdrew wasn’t fear,” Saphira continued. “It was confusion. She felt like someone else was controlling her. Not Zafira. Not the bond.”

Jed frowned, stepping closer. “Controlling her how?”

Saphira’s hands moved as she spoke, trying to shape the feeling into words. “Like a thread pulling her in a direction she didn’t choose. She said it felt wrong, like Zafira wasn’t in control anymore. Luckily, Zafira had enough will to pull her back in. But it was close. I think it was a hidden layer in the illusion spell, something designed to override her will.”

Raven’s eyes narrowed, her arms folding across her chest. “That’s advanced magic. Subtle. Dangerous.”

Nikolas stepped forward, his voice low. “Which means it wasn’t random. Zafira was targeted.”

Saphira nodded, her jaw tight. “And if they can do it to her, they can do it to any of us.”

Jed exhaled, rubbing a hand over his jaw. “We need to understand how. And why.”

Raven’s gaze sharpened. “Then we talk to the witch who did it.”

Saphira met her eyes, unwavering. “The one we captured during the battle.”

“She’s still in containment,” Raven said. “Hasn’t spoken since we brought her in. She’s weak from the blow she took, but she’s awake.”

“Then it’s time she did,” Nikolas said. “If she knows how that spell works, we need answers.”

Jed nodded slowly. “We’ll need to be careful. If she’s powerful enough to embed layered control into an illusion, she’s not just a foot soldier.”

“I’ll go with you,” Saphira said, stepping forward.

“We’ll all go,” Nikolas corrected gently, his hand brushing hers.

Raven studied Saphira for a long moment, then gave a single nod. “Alright. We’ll question her. Together.” She paused, then added, “I’ll bind her before we enter. She’s weakened, but we can’t take any chances. If she tries anything, I want her locked down before she even thinks it.”

Saphira exhaled slowly, the knot in her chest loosening just enough to let her breathe. *Time to question the wicked witch, and we will get the truth.*