Abigal didn't have to be told what to do. She knew instantly that when the witch took the relic from Tany's hands, she was to open the portal.
Kara watched Sous cradle Tany in her arms unsure and confused on why Tany would allow herself to be slapped around like that. She was more than powerful and could have easily pushed Sous off of her.
The wind in the throne room became powerful, pulling their hair and forcing their clothes to glide with the pressure. Kara covered her eyes watching the medium open the portal. Her hands wide open, her eyes focus. A white sphere open, a mystical emission.
Abigal backed away as the portal continued to open and swirl. A being stepped forward, a woman walked down the stairs all the while Sous was wiping Tany's face.
The woman stopped walking and looked aound her. All over her body were dark seals like tattoos. Kara knew who she was immediately. "Hacate," she whispered.
The witches eyes were black slits and they averted to Kara when she heard the witch speak her name. The other witches in the throne room stepped back, bowing their heads to the woman.
Tany opened her eyes looking up at Sous. She grinned. "I'm surprised you hit me. Didn't think you had it in you," she said leaning up.
"I'm sorry," Sous said standing up and giving Tany some space.
"Don't apologize. Get stronger."
Hacate walked toward and met eye contact with Tany. She smiled at the woman. She then looked over at Sous, her smile faltering.
"Why is there a wolf here?" Her voice was soothing yet delicate, and demanding at the same time. Her accent was an ancient one.
Tany turned around and looked at Sous. "I don't know...why are you here, Sous?" The blood still covered Tany's face.
Abigal walked over to Sous, having closed the portal once Hacate had exited into the throne room.
The witches were silent, heads bowed, bodies trembling under the oppressive and excitement of the weight of Hacate's presence. Kara remained frozen, her breath caught in her throat as she watched the ancient witch's gaze sweep across Sous. The air tasted metallic, thick with old magic and the sharp tang of Tany's blood drying on stone.
Shadows deepened unnaturally around Hacate's feet, swirling like ink in water, while the seals etched into her skin pulsed with a faint, ominous glow. Kara noticed how the throne room's braziers flickered violently, casting erratic shapes that danced like fleeing spirits on the walls. Every instinct screamed at her to run, yet her limbs refused to obey, locked in place by primal terror.
Sous shifted subtly, muscles coiling beneath her cloak, her eyes never leaving the ancient witch's face. Abigal's knuckles whitened as she gripped the edge of her robe, her gaze darting between Sous and Hacate. The oppressive silence pressed down, thick enough to choke, broken only by the frantic heartbeat pounding in Kara's ears.
Hacate tilted her head, a serpent studying prey. Her nostrils flared, inhaling the metallic scent of Tany's blood mixed with the ozone tang of spent magic.
Shadows coiled tighter around her ankles, whispering across the polished obsidian floor like living smoke. The witch's gaze lingered on Sous, tracing the lines of her jaw, the tension in her shoulders, the way her worn boots dug into the stone.
Kara felt the scrutiny like a physical weight, a dissection without touch. Tany, still seated on the cold floor, wiped blood from her chin with a trembling hand, her eyes wide and unblinking.
Sous and Kara laid in bed that night having come back after dropping Abigal off back at her village. Both the Alpha and Omega laid quietly. Their kids were sleeping peacefully in their beds, glad to have their parents home.
Kara turned to look at her mate remembering what she wanted to ask her. "Sous," she said quietly, moving her placing her hand on Sous' bosom.
"I got so worked up. I shouldn't have hit her."
Kara shook her head. "That whole situation was weird. I'm not sure what would have been the best practice but-"
Sous looked at Kara. "But what?"
"I smell the scent of an Omega," she said to the Alpha.
"The Princess," Sous was honest. "She wanted to mate with me and I rejected her." Kara nodded her head, choosing to believe her Alpha.
They didn't make love that night. They went to sleep a couple of hours later waiting for a morning to come. Then the morning came...
Sous sat on the side of the bed. Her ears twitched when she heard Kara waking up. The Omega stretched and yawned. She looked at Sous, rubbing the Alpha's back.
"Sous?"
"Will you train me, Kara?"
Kara's eyes became wide, never expecting to hear such a request.
"I'm just," Sous started looking at her hands, feeling her seals. "I just feel so weak. Like I can't do anything. I don't even remember any spells. I couldn't even protect Shadow. I could only slap Tany and even then she was mocking me!"
Kara sat up. Her mind went back to the throne room, to Hacate and her power. She looked at Sous' hands. She took a hold of them and kissed them.
Sous felt her mates lips on her knuckles. She felt her mates love. She closed her eyes and leaned her head against Kara's shoulder. Kara wrapped her arms around Sous and held her.
Kara rubbed Sous' back. She felt the Alpha's body tremble. She felt the Alpha's heart beat fast. Kara held Sous tighter.
"Okay, I'll train you," Kara said.