The Matchmaker - The Arrax Saga Book 1 Chapter 209

The office was quiet, the morning light slanting through the windows in pale gold. Saphira sat at the table beside Nikolas, the book open between them, its pages worn and waiting. Her fingers tapped lightly against the wood, heart steady but expectant.

A knock sounded at the door.

“Come in,” Nikolas called.

Raven entered first, her hair swinging over her shoulder, followed by Jed, who looked mildly curious. They both paused at the sight of Saphira and Nikolas already seated, the atmosphere heavier than expected.

Raven raised a brow. “You two look serious. What’s going on?”

Jed dropped into the chair across from them. “What’s up?”

Saphira folded her hands. “Firstly, did everything go smoothly with Lupus last night?”

Raven nodded, her expression neutral. “Yes. I bound him. He didn’t take it well, obviously, but it held. Jed and the guards escorted him off pack lands without incident.”

Jed added, “He didn’t speak much. Just glared. But he’s gone.”

Saphira exhaled. “Good. On that note… there’s something you should see.”

Nikolas slid the book across the table; open to the page they’d marked. The parchment was faded, but the words were clear. Raven and Jed leaned in, confused.

Jed frowned. “What are we looking at?”

Nikolas gestured to the passage. “Read the section about binding a person from their wolf.”

They did.

Raven’s eyes widened. “Wait, this says only a witch with Elder blood can perform a true binding.”

She looked up, alarmed. “But I’m not an Elder. I’m not...” Her voice faltered. “Does that mean the binding won’t hold?”

Saphira shook her head. “No. It worked. We checked with Damon, and he is still severed. The spell held.”

Raven blinked, confusion overtaking panic. “Then… what are you saying?”

Jed leaned forward, voice calm but firm. “They’re saying you are of Elder blood.”

Raven stared at him. “That’s not possible. I was banished from my coven before I was old enough to remember anything. I don’t even know who my parents were.”

Nikolas nodded. “Exactly. You’ve always been powerful, Raven. More than you should be, given your training. Some of the spells you’ve cast, most witches wouldn’t even attempt them.”

Saphira added gently, “This explains it. The binding spell is ancient. Specific. And you did it without hesitation.”

Raven sat back, stunned. “So, you think I’m descended from the Elders?”

Jed nodded. “Not the corrupted ones. The original line. The ones who built the foundations before the Core twisted them. The connection could be through your parents, it depends how strong the bloodline is.”

Raven looked down at the book, her fingers brushing the edge of the page. “I don’t know what this means for me.”

Saphira leaned forward. “It means you’re more than you thought. It means you’re strong, powerful and a rightful Elder. The question is, are you willing to find out just how powerful you are?”

Raven looked up, her voice quiet. “I... It’s a lot to process. And with our history with the Elders, it doesn’t feel like a good thing. But as we’re rebuilding. I guess I need to know.”

Nikolas met her gaze. “Then we start your training. I’ll get my mother’s old spell book. I’m sure there are Elder-level spells in there, we can begin with those.”

Raven nodded slowly. “Thank you.”

Jed’s phone beeped. He pulled it out, glanced at the screen, then sighed. He looked up at Raven, then at Saphira and Nikolas. “We’d better get moving. The Core meet in three days.”

Saphira stared at Jed, the weight of his words settling in her chest like a stone dropped into deep water.

“Three days?” she echoed, her voice sharper than she meant. “Are we even going to be ready by then? Should we wait, hit the meeting after this one instead?”

The room held its breath.

Jed shook his head immediately. “Too risky. They’ll be rebuilding fast now that the Elders are gone. Every day we wait gives them time to tighten their defences, recruit replacements, maybe even vanish again. We lose the element of surprise.”

Saphira’s stomach twisted. The thought of rushing into something so massive, so final, made her pulse spike. But the thought of waiting, of giving the Core time to regroup, was worse.

Nikolas nodded, though his expression was grim. “He’s right. But it’s going to be tight. We’ll need every hour between now and then. No wasted time. No hesitation.”

He turned to Saphira, voice steady but urgent. “Can you mind-link the others? Asher, Zafira, Anastasia, Sam, Jasper, Talia, Finn, and Amara. We need them here. Now.”

Saphira closed her eyes, reaching inward. The bond flared to life, threads of connection stretching out like silver cords. She felt each presence.

*“Everyone, meet us in the office. Immediately. It’s urgent.”*

She opened her eyes. “Done. They’re on their way.”

Jed leaned back in his chair with a sigh, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “I wish we could all mind-link. It’d make this battle a hell of a lot easier.”

Nikolas gave a dry chuckle, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “Agreed. Coordinating in the middle of a fight would be a lot simpler.”

Saphira glanced between them, her mind already racing. “I can relay messages between everyone. It’s not perfect, but it’s something.”

Nikolas frowned, concern flickering across his face. “It’s a good idea, but I don’t want you distracted. You’ll be in the thick of it, Saphira. You can’t afford to split your focus.”

Raven, who had been quiet until now, tilted her head, eyes thoughtful. “Unless… you try something different.”

Saphira turned to her. “What do you mean?”

Raven leaned forward, her voice low and speculative. “What if you could open an active channel between everyone? Like a shared mind-link. Not just one-to-one, but a group thread. Like a psychic conference call.”

Saphira blinked. “Is that even possible?”

“I don’t know,” Raven admitted. “But with everything you’ve been able to do lately… it’s worth a try.”

Saphira nodded slowly, the idea settling into her bones. “You’re right. I’ll work on it. See if I can build something stable over the next couple of days.”

Before anyone could respond, a knock sounded at the door.

Nikolas stood and opened it. Asher, Zafira, Anastasia, Sam, Jasper, Talia, Finn, and Amara filed in, their expressions a mix of confusion and quiet worry. They exchanged glances, sensing the tension in the room like static in the air.

“What’s going on?” Finn asked, eyes flicking between them.

Saphira stood, her voice calm but firm. “Take a seat. We have a lot to cover.”