My Sorcerer

Chapter 20

“Not only were we able to enter the wolf pack,” the Fairy Queen informed them, a pleased look on her face, “but we actually found Cora’s birth parents. Our fairy trackers are quite good at what they do.”

“You found them?” Cora breathed.

She wasn't sure whether she felt excited or worried. The people she had once believed were her parents had turned out not to be who she thought they were. But perhaps this was the final piece of the puzzle.

“When can I see them?” she asked, suddenly feeling homesick for a home she had never known.

“Well, we’ve made contact with them,” the Fairy Queen explained. “Unfortunately, they’re a little reluctant to believe that the daughter they’ve been raising isn’t actually theirs. So we've reached something of a standstill.”

The Fairy Queen paused before continuing.

“However, I believe that once they see you, they’ll know immediately that they have the wrong daughter. Luckily, we were careful not to make contact with the false daughter. We didn’t want to risk alerting whoever placed her there and create an even bigger problem.”

“So when can I see them?” Cora asked again.

“We’re not entirely sure when we’ll be able to arrange a proper meeting. However, we could simply bring you to them at any time.” The Fairy Queen’s expression grew more serious. “Before you make your decision, though, I want you to understand that things could become complicated very quickly. Once you reunite with your parents, you may not be able to return to Peirceton’s home immediately. We don’t know how they’ll react when they discover you are their real daughter and that the other she-wolf is not.”

“Can Peirceton come with me?” Cora asked immediately. The thought of being separated from him made her chest tighten.

“I would strongly suggest leaving him behind,” the Fairy Queen replied. “Because of his past actions, there are still many wolves who are wary of him. Some are still furious with him. Unlike the fairies, they haven’t fully let go of what happened.”

“I understand,” Cora said with a sigh. Her heart felt a little heavier than it had moments before.

“Then can we leave now?” she asked. If she was going to do this, she would rather get it over with. She wanted answers. She wanted to know where she came from.

The Fairy Queen nodded. “Of course. However, I won’t be the one taking you there.”

She pointed toward the wolf who had arrived earlier and was still sitting comfortably on the sofa, wrapped in a blanket. “He will. That’s the other reason I sent him.”

“I see.” Cora nodded before turning to him. “Actually, I never got your name.”

“Oh, my name?” the wolf replied. “Nothing special. You can just call me Wolf.” He laughed as though it were the most natural answer in the world.

“No, I can’t do that,” Cora said. Truthfully, she wasn't entirely sure whether he was serious or simply joking.

“Okay, fine, fine,” he relented. “My name is Tad.”

“Tad?” she repeated. “That’s really your name?”

“Yep. It’s the name my parents gave me.” He grinned. “They were a tad confused when I was born.” He laughed again.

Cora stared at him. She wasn't entirely sure whether he was joking or telling the truth. Either way, she couldn't quite bring herself to laugh. “So you're from my pack, then?” she asked.

“Yeah, I'm from your pack,” Tad replied. “But because I inherited some magical abilities, I was never exactly the most welcomed member. So I tend to spend more time around fairies and sorcerers than wolves.”

He shrugged casually. “That’s how I know these two.”

"Now that you've learned a little bit about me, and now that you know my name, let's get going," Tad told her.

He stood up from the couch, and the blanket immediately began slipping from his shoulders. Cora quickly spun around, looking away before it could fall completely.

"Tad, remember what we talked about," Peirceton said with a weary sigh. "After you shift, you need to put something on. It makes everyone around you more comfortable."

"Everyone is so refined these days," Tad grumbled. "Fine. Can you just whip me up some clothes and throw them on me so we can get going?"

"Fine," Peirceton replied. With a flick of his wrist, the blanket disappeared from Tad's shoulders. A set of clothes instantly appeared in its place, while the blanket folded itself neatly on the sofa. "There. Now you can go." Peirceton's expression hardened as he looked directly at Tad.

"However, if anything happens to her while she's with you, I will personally make sure the remainder of your life is spent in misery."

"You're as warm and friendly as ever," Tad replied with a cheeky grin and a chuckle.

"Well, I suppose we'll be off then."

He gave a small nod to Peirceton and a respectful bow toward the Fairy Queen. The Fairy Queen stepped aside, and the front door swung open.

"Please tread carefully in wolf territory," she reminded him. "We both know that you aren't exactly welcomed by every member of the pack."

"Of course, of course," Tad replied, waving away both her warning and her concern. He turned his attention back to Cora. "Now, Cora, we're a tad bit far from where we need to go." He paused and grinned at his own choice of words. "There are two ways we can get there. We can ask Peirceton to teleport us, or we can shift and run." His grin widened. "Whichever you prefer."

She looked at him, uncertain whether she was ready to shift. The last time she had been in wolf form, she had almost been captured.

"I don't know," she muttered, more to herself than as an answer.

"Is there a reason you don't want to shift?" he asked, his expression growing more serious.

"Last time, I was almost..." Her voice trailed off. The memory alone made her stomach tighten.

"It's okay. You don't have to tell me." His voice softened. "I can tell it wasn't a pleasant experience." He paused for a moment before continuing. "If you want to shift, then shift. If you don't, that's fine too. We can travel by other means."

She took a deep breath. This was part of who she was. She couldn't let one bad experience control her forever. "Okay, let's shift," she said with a sigh, trying to calm her nerves.

A grin spread across his face. "I knew you wouldn't let fear stop you." He gave her shoulder a reassuring pat. "Now that's enough talking about feelings. We've got somewhere to be."

Before she could respond, he shifted. His form blurred and changed until a large black wolf stood where he had been. After a moment, she followed suit. The familiar rush of sensation swept through her as she shifted into her wolf form. Once the transformation was complete, she noticed something unexpected.

She was larger than he was. Tad seemed to notice it at the same time, his ears twitching as he looked her over with obvious surprise. A moment later, they were off.

She was going home—or at least to a place that was supposed to be her home, with people who were supposed to be her parents. Whatever waited for her there, nothing would be the same afterward.