Chapter 333 Miracles and Miracles

Chapter 333: Chapter 333 Miracles and Miracles

Emilia’s POV

So the first time I walked into this glass tower, Vesper Crane had tossed out a casual warning that the spell might put my life at risk, as if she were telling me to wait for a hot drink to cool.

No wonder Sebastian and Uncle Chuck had kept making the same point. Witches couldn’t be trusted. This whole arrangement looked like a scam. They dangled a fortune in front of you and whispered about how rich you would be, then conveniently left out the part where you had to hand over everything you owned first. A promise of wealth built on the chance of losing everything.

Listening to her now, the odds of the spell working seemed about as good as getting a wish granted. And failure didn’t just mean death. It meant waking up hollowed out and powerless, reduced to an ordinary woman and dragged back to the girl everyone in the Frostridge Pack had sneered at and walked all over.

Whether I could still talk Sebastian into this, I honestly didn’t know. I had walked in ready to fight. Now my hands were cold, and I had to admit that Vesper had shaken me.

Vesper noticed the hesitation on my face. Maybe she caught the fear underneath it, too. She leaned toward me before I could pull myself together.

"Miss Taylor, there’s still a chance it will work. It simply requires the right time, the right place, and the right people. All three have to come together."

"Elaborate it."

"Well." She spread her hands. "The working can only be performed on the night of a blood moon. That is the time when wolf blood runs strongest and witch magic runs weakest."

She paused to watch my face.

"The location must be the exact place where you first shifted, the place that still carries the mark of your wolf blood awakening. We use that mark to call the wolf blood back after the witch blood has been drawn out."

Her fingers folded together.

"And then there is your blood of origin. We need blood from your mother’s or grandmother’s side of the family. Whichever branch your witch blood came from, that same line must be the one to reclaim it."

"Hmm." I smiled sweetly. "Sounds easy, doesn’t it?"

"Yes, exactly. I’m glad you see it that way."

Vesper was making the danger sound smaller and feeding me reassuring words because she could already see the money.

A blood moon was rare enough on its own. She spoke as if I could simply arrange one whenever it suited me.

I was desperate. I wasn’t stupid.

"So." I narrowed my eyes while keeping my smile in place. "Tell me. When exactly will this year’s blood moon appear?"

Vesper hadn’t expected that question. Her expression faltered, and her polished calm slipped for half a second.

"That, ah, that would require me and my team to perform some careful divination and calculations," she managed.

I leaned back and folded my hands.

"Miss Crane, I am still genuinely interested in working with you. But you don’t seem ready to move forward yet. So here’s what we’ll do. You and your team will prepare a detailed plan for me. Include the timing you just mentioned, the location, and every other requirement."

I tapped one finger against the table.

"From everything I’ve read, a working like this requires materials, personnel, and a dozen other details. Put all of that into a proper proposal, tailored specifically to me. If I review it and decide the spell can actually be performed, then we have a deal."

"That will take time. And money." Vesper’s voice caught slightly.

"True." I gave her a pleasant nod. "Which is why I had my lawyer prepare a second contract."

My lawyer slid the papers across the table.

The terms were simple. Vesper would provide a full feasibility study and risk assessment for the spell. I would sign nothing further until the proposal had passed my review.

"A hundred thousand dollars? For this?" Vesper’s voice rose.

"I’d call that generous," I said. "It should be enough to cover your immediate expenses."

My lawyer stepped in smoothly.

"Miss Crane, the moment you sign, one hundred thousand dollars will be transferred to your account. If you deliver the detailed proposal within two weeks, we will consider that an accelerated deadline and add another one hundred thousand. Miss Taylor is prepared to compensate you fairly."

Vesper flipped through the pages, running her thumb along the edge as she read.

"It’s not bad, I suppose," she muttered. "Though our craft is a secret art. It should be worth more."

I stood and slid my sunglasses down from the top of my head.

"I’m aware there will be a confidentiality agreement. My lawyer can discuss the details with you. Miss Crane, money isn’t the problem. Meet my conditions, and there will be more."

I turned and left her staring at the contract.

Down in the parking garage, I slipped behind the wheel. As I started the engine, Eve stirred at the back of my mind.

"You really think she’ll do the work properly?" she asked.

"Probably. Nobody ignores a paycheck." I pulled out into traffic. "I’m hoping she’s smart enough to find every way to reduce the risk. Then I’ll have something solid to put in front of Sebastian."

"But the risk is enormous, Emilia."

"I know, Eve." My grip tightened on the wheel. "That’s why I’m not taking a single word she says on faith. Hopefully Uncle Chuck turns up a lead. We need to get south, and soon."

I had barely returned to the pack house when a guard intercepted me in the entrance hall. He held out an envelope.

"Luna Emilia, this came for you."

"Who’s it from?"

He shifted his weight and lowered his voice.

"Please don’t tell Alpha Sebastian. It’s from Alpha Damien. I know the Alpha ordered us to throw him out if he ever showed his face, but...well, you know how Damien is."

I understood his dilemma perfectly.

"OK. Your secret is safe with me."

He nodded and hurried away.

I tore open the envelope. Strange. What business could Damien possibly have sending me a letter?

The note inside contained a single line.

[Richie is in contact with Abigail. They’re coming after you.]