The Matchmaker - The Arrax Saga Book 1 Chapter 181

The fire in the office had burned low, its glow painting restless shadows across the walls. Nikolas’s words still hung in the air, *We’ll be ready.* For a moment, no one moved, the silence taut as a bowstring. Then Nikolas straightened, his voice decisive, cutting through the stillness.

“Call the others. They need to hear this.”

Within minutes, Asher, Zafira, Anastasia, Finn, and Amara filed into the room. The air shifted with their arrival, concern, curiosity, and the faint hum of unease settling over them like a storm cloud. Zafira lingered near the door, her arms wrapped tightly around herself, her gaze fixed on the floor. Asher moved instinctively to her side, his hand brushing her arm in quiet reassurance. Anastasia’s sharp eyes flicked between faces, already dissecting the tension in the room. Finn and Amara took seats opposite the fire, their expressions grim, the flames throwing hard lines across their features.

Saphira pushed away from the table, her palms flattening against the scarred wood as she faced them. Her chest felt tight, but her voice came out steady. “We interrogated the witch,” she began, her gaze sweeping the room. “She admitted she cast illusions and disorientation spells during the battle. But the deeper magic, the attempt to control Zafira’s bond, that wasn’t her. She isn’t powerful enough.”

Zafira’s head snapped up, her eyes wide, her voice trembling. “Then who?”

“It was an Elder,” Raven cut in, her tone clipped, her arms folding across her chest. “It had to be. That kind of magic requires power and knowledge only they possess.”

A ripple of unease moved through the group. Finn muttered a curse under his breath, running a hand through his hair. Amara’s hands clenched in her lap, her knuckles pale.

Saphira’s gaze swept across them, her throat tightening. “And that means the Elders are closer than we realised. They’re watching us. Every move. Every weakness. And they’re closer than ever to achieving their goal, pure-blood dominance. They want to erase hybrids, dismantle mixed packs, and force the world back into their vision of purity.”

Zafira flinched, her arms tightening around herself. Asher’s hand settled firmly on her shoulder, his voice low but steady. “So I was just… a test,” she whispered, her eyes glistening.

Saphira’s heart clenched, but she met Zafira’s gaze firmly, her own voice soft but unyielding. “No. You were their mistake. Because you survived it. And now we know what they’re capable of.”

Nikolas stepped forward, his presence filling the room, his voice hard as steel. “Which means we don’t have time to waste. They could strike at any moment. We need antidotes ready, and we need a battle plan. Now.”

The room shifted, the weight of his words settling into action.

Raven lifted her chin, her eyes flashing. “I’ll work with the witches on counter-wards. If the Elders are embedding control into illusions, we need protections strong enough to hold.”

Jed nodded, his arms folding across his chest. “I’ll drill the pack. Mental resistance, formation changes, bond exercises. If they come for us again, we’ll be harder to break.”

Asher’s voice was steady, though his hand never left Zafira’s shoulder. “I’ll stay with Zafira during training. If they target her again, she won’t face it alone.”

Zafira swallowed, her voice quiet but threaded with determination. “Then I’ll train harder. If they come for me, I’ll be ready this time.”

Anastasia leaned forward, her sharp gaze locking on Saphira. “I’ll work on intelligence gathering. If the Elders are this close, there will be signs, shifts in energy, traces of their magic. We need to know where they’re watching from.”

Finn spoke next, his tone practical, his jaw tight. “I’ll coordinate patrols with the warriors. We can’t afford to have any blind spots.”

Amara nodded firmly, her voice calm but resolute. “And I’ll work with the healers. If the poison is used again, along with a bond break, things could be catastrophic. We need to be ready to stabilise immediately.”

Saphira listened, her chest tightening with both fear and pride. They were already stepping into their roles, already weaving themselves into the beginnings of a strategy. She straightened, her shoulders squaring, her voice carrying through the room with quiet authority.

The fire popped softly in the hearth, the last of the flames licking at the charred logs. The room was still heavy with the weight of their planning, everyone poised to leave when Nikolas lifted a hand.

“Before you go,” he said, his voice steady but commanding. His gaze swept the room, catching each of them in turn. “The plan is solid. It’s exactly what we need. But don’t let it overshadow the basics. Physical training has to remain our top priority. If we can’t hold the line with our bodies, no strategy will matter. From tomorrow, I want training sessions daily. No exceptions.”

There was a murmur of agreement. Jed gave a sharp nod, Raven’s lips pressed into a thin line of approval. Asher squeezed Zafira’s shoulder, murmuring something low that made her straighten a little. Finn and Amara exchanged a glance, then both inclined their heads.

“Understood,” Anastasia said crisply, her sharp eyes already calculating schedules.

Nikolas’s expression softened just slightly, but his tone remained firm. “Good. Then we’re aligned.”

Chairs scraped back, boots scuffed against the floor as one by one they filed out, voices low, the tension of the meeting trailing with them. The door closed behind the last of them, leaving only the crackle of the fire and the quiet rhythm of Saphira’s breathing.

She exhaled slowly, her palms still pressed against the table. The silence between her and Nikolas was comfortable, but her mind was already racing ahead. She turned to him.

“We need scouts,” she said, her voice low but urgent. “We can’t fight the Elders blind. We need to know where they are right now, whether they’re together, spread out, or hiding in plain sight. If we don’t have that advantage, we’re walking into a slaughter.”

Nikolas studied her for a moment, his eyes dark with thought. Then he stepped closer, his hand brushing her arm before sliding around her waist, pulling her against him. The warmth of his body steadied the storm inside her.

“I’ll get right on it,” he murmured, his lips brushing her temple. “We’ll send scouts tonight. You’re right, we need eyes on them before we make a single move.”

Saphira let herself lean into him for a heartbeat, her forehead resting against his chest. *We can’t afford mistakes. Not now. Not with the Elders this close.*

She drew back just enough to meet his gaze, her voice quiet but fierce. “It all just got real, I just hope we can win this.”

Nikolas’s arms tightened around her, his jaw set with the same resolve that burned in her chest. “We will… together,” he said simply.

And for the first time that night, Saphira allowed herself to believe it.