Disguise 133_The Matchmaker

The Matchmaker

 CHAPTER 133

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 Saphira burst into the room, boots skidding across the dusty stone as she dropped hard to her knees beside Asher, Talia, and Sam. The impact jarred her bones, but she barely registered it. Her hands hovered, trembling, over the rusted chains that bound them. He gaze darted from face to face–bruises, blood, exhaustion–but they were conscious. Breathing. They’re awake. They’re here. They’re real. A breath caught in her throat, sharp and aching. Relief surged through her chest, chased immediately by dread.

 “Asher,” she whispered, reaching out but stopping short of touching him. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

 His eyes met hers, wide and urgent, and something in his expression made her stomach twist. “You shouldn’t be here,” he said again, voice low and strained. “You need to leave.

 Now.”

 She flinched, her fingers curling into fists. Leave? After everything? Jasper stepped forward, his stance rigid, jaw tight.

 “Why?” he demanded, voice clipped. “Why is it wrong that we came for you?”

 Talia shifted, her wrists tugging against the restraints with a metallic clink. “Because it’s a trap,” she said, her voice tight with frustration, eyes flicking toward the door like it might explode open at any moment.

 Raven, still near the threshold, turned sharply. Her cloak swirled around her ankles. “What do you mean?” 

 Sam lifted his head, his expression grim and hollow. “They knew someone woulde. They were hoping it would be Niks himself.”

 Saphira’s jaw clenched. Of course they were. Of course they wanted him vulnerable. That’s what this was always about. She shook her head, her voice low but steady. “Well, it’s not Niks. It’s me. And we’re not leaving without you.”

 Asher’s eyes darkened, his shoulders sagging as if her presence added weight to his chains. “You don’t understand. You need to go before it’s toote.”

 9:42 Fri, Sep 5

 Saphira rose slightly, her knees protesting, but her voice was iron. “That’s not going happen.”

 Talia’s gaze flicked to the door again, her breath quickening. “If we step outside, it’ll trigger an rm. Their witch will know. We’ll be surrounded in seconds.” 

 Jasper’s fists clenched at his sides, his knuckles whitening. “So what? We leave Let you rot with the enemy? That’s not the answer.”

 you h

 Behind them, Raven was murmuring under her breath, her fingers glowing faintly wit soft violet shimmer. The air around her pulsed. Saphira turned, sensing the shift. “Raven? What are you doing?”

 Raven’s lips stilled, her expression taut. “Trying to break the spell. But whoever cast i they’re powerful. I can’t break it.”

 Jasper didn’t hesitate. He dropped to his knees beside the captives, fingers already working at the chains with practiced urgency. “Then we need a new n. We won’t ha long. Once the excitement about Finn dies down, they’lle looking.”

 Asher’s head snapped up. “Finn?”

 Talia and Sam both looked confused, brows furrowing.

 Raven stepped closer, her voice low. “He’s the distraction. He and Amara went in throug the front. It’s drawing the pack’s attention.”

 Sam gave a short nod, rubbing his wrists as Jasper freed him. “Smart. Risky. But smart,

 The chains ttered to the floor one by one, Talia flexed her fingers, wincing, then turned to Saphira. “What’s the n now?”

 Saphira’s mind raced. We can’t go out the front. We can’t trigger the door. There has to be another way. Her pulse thudded in her ears. She turned to Raven. “Does the spell cover the whole building? Or just the doors?” 

 Raven frowned, her fingers twitching with residual magic. “I’m not sure. I’ll check. But I need silence. If I’m not careful, I could send a signal to the witch who cast it.” 

 2/5 

 9:42 Fri, Sep 5 

 Saphira nodded, her throat tight. She stepped back, Jasper mirroring her. “You’ve go space,” she said quietly. “Take what you need.”

 Raven knelt, her hands already glowing, and the room fell into a tense hush. Saphira eyes stayed locked on her, breath shallow.

 Raven exhaled slowly, the glow around her fingers dimming to a faint shimmer. Swea clung to her brow, and her shoulders sagged as if the spell had drained something deeper than magic–resolve, maybe. Her voice came out low, almost reluctant.

 “It covers everything,” she said. “Walls, doors, even the floor. But not the ceiling.”

 Saphira’s breath caught. Not the ceiling. Her gaze snapped upward, tracing the cracked stone and timber beams above. Dust driftedzily in the air, catching the light like as There’s a way out. Maybe. Her pulse quickened, hope flickering like a match in the dar Jasper let out a dryugh, rubbing the back of his neck. “Unless we can fly, we’re stuck

 Saphira turned to Asher instinctively, and their eyes locked. His expression was unreadable, but the silence between them was weighted–familiar, ancient.

 Her lips curved, just slightly.

 “Technically,” she said, voice quiet but edged with mischief, “we could.”

 Asher gave a small nod, the corner of his mouth twitching. No surprise. No protest. Just quiet agreement.

 Jasper’s eyes widened. “No. Absolutely not.”

 Raven stepped forward, arms crossed tightly over her chest. “He’s right. I wouldn’t be able to shield you mid–air. And the pack would notice two dragons flying over their territory. It’d be suicide.”

 Saphira’s jaw tightened. Her fingers curled into fists at her sides. Then we need another way. We’re not leaving them. We’re not leaving anyone. She scanned the room–the broken stone, the flickering torchlight, the faces watching her. The tension hung thick, like smoke before the fire.

 3/5 

 9:42 Fri, Sep 5 

 “Then we break the barrier,” she said, voice steady. “Hope we get out before they find If not… we fight.”

 Sam’s head snapped toward her, eyes wide. “That would be suicide.”

 Raven didn’t argue. Her silence was agreement.

 Saphira began to pace, boots crunching against loose stone and debris. Her thoughts spun, fast and sharp. The tree line. It’s close. If we can just get there… She stopped abruptly, turning on her heel.

 “The forest isn’t far behind us,” she said. “If we make it to the trees, we’re covered. Maybe we don’t need to shift. We could climb out through the roof and jump over the barrier.”

 Raven hesitated, brow furrowed, fingers twitching with residual magic. “It’s risky. The barrier’s high. You could still trigger it.”

 Saphira stepped closer, her voice dropping. “Can you make a gap? Not take it down–just open a space. Enough for us to get through. Without triggering the trap to the witch wh cast it.”

 Raven’s gaze drifted, distant and calcting. Her fingers moved unconsciously, tracing invisible sigils in the air. “I could try. I can shape the magic, bend it. But I can’t promise the witch won’t feel it. It’s risky.”

 Jasper shrugged, his tone grim but resolute. “Everything we do is risky. But this… this might be the best n we’ve got.”

 Talia nodded, her voice quiet but firm. “Agreed.”

 Saphira looked around the room, meeting each gaze in turn–Jasper’s steady defiance, Raven’s wary focus, Ta’s quiet strength, Sam’s guarded hope. They’re ready. They’re with me. She drew a breath, slow and deep, steadying the storm inside her chest. 

 “Then we do it,” she said. “Together.”

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Disguise 133