- Nicole? – the witch’s surprised tone was replaced by cold disdain at the sight of the strong physique of a man who smelled like a werewolf.

Urum behaved with restraint, as promised to Nicole. She, in turn, assured him that she would be able to solve everything peacefully.

Nicole threw off her former tension and greeted her acquaintances with all her composure. Two of the five witches were familiar to her from the witch school, and the other three looked a little older and more skeptical.

- I haven’t seen you for a long time. Where have you been? – although the girl was addressing Nicole, her gaze was brazenly, without pretense, nailed to the Urum.

- I had an important assignment, Ashley. - she replied calmly. – This is not what they shout about on every corner, do you understand?

- Will you explain? – demanding, but gently, the witch asked. – I see you have wonderful company.

Nicole took a deep breath, casting a brief glance at Urum, silently telling him not to enter into conflict.

- You must already know that a war with vampires is coming, right? - The other witches listened to her attentively. - I had to enlist the support of the werewolves. The supreme witch demanded it.

- And how? Was it successful? One of the witches asked with a slight malice.

- As you can see, we have concluded a premature agreement, it remains for a small matter – to discuss the nuances with the supreme witch. - Nicole swallowed a sarcastic throw in her direction.

- And where are your friends Temi and Adeline? - asked the second familiar witch, whose name was Trish. – Don’t you go everywhere together? No one has seen them for a long time either. I find it weird, you know?

- On the way to the northern lands, we were attacked by bliars... - Nicole began and it was partly true.

- Do you know about a bliars? - Ashley was surprised.

- Is there someone who doesn’t know about them yet? - Nicole chuckled. – There are so many of them that they cause trouble for everyone. In particular, Adeline and Temi suffered and are now recovering under the supervision of a pack of werewolves. That is why we must return from Lourdes as soon as possible.

- There’s no point in going there. - Ashley said with a note of excitement in her voice. - There’s no one else left.

- What do you mean? - Nicole asked with fright and felt the touch of Urum’s hands on her shoulders.

- Have the witches started acting? - his voice resonated sharply with low frequencies, against the background of high girly voices.

- It’s none of your business, werewolf. - One of the witches hissed.

- Well, and why? Your supreme witch was so desperate to write letters to our Alpha every week that I would argue with this statement. Without our help, it will be more difficult for such fragile little girls to defeat vampires. - He gave all five of them a haughty look.

Ashley, who looked the most sensible of the five, rolled her eyes and exhaled slowly.

- In any case, only those chosen by the supreme witch remained in Lourdes, everyone else was given tasks to disperse. - Ashley began.

- Aren’t you telling them too much? We don’t even know where she’s been all this time? – one of the witches was indignant.

- Calm down, it’s our Nicole. – she tried to calm everyone down. - We have no reason not to trust her. Moreover, she is a strong witch and will help us.

- And where are we going to put his? - the witch with a cutting look walked through Urum like butter, radiating negativity.

- He’s coming with us until we can meet Lillian. - Nicole came to his defense.

- In that case, it will have to be postponed for a while, but in the meantime you will come with us. As soon as the Supreme Witch summons us, you can return to Lourdes. - said Trish with displeasure.

Nicole was experiencing a nervous overload, restraining her own heartbeat, which was living its life out of excitement. But so far she was glad that there was no skirmish between them, which is unknown how it would have ended.

Still, she couldn’t help but wonder why Lillian had sent all the witches out of Lourdes, leaving only a select number. And who were these chosen ones? She didn’t like it at all.

- And where are we going? - Nicole asked, feeling that she would have to avoid falling into the trap of her own lies.

- To Abion. - Trish said with a mysterious smile laced with an evil glint in her eyes. – Do you want me to show you what we have learned during your absence?

She ran her tongue over her lower lip and bit it, taking out a small jar of dried red-black... roots... from the bag that hung on her shoulder. What was that?

Trish, stuck one red and black thing between her teeth and bit hard, because it seemed to be chewing with difficulty. She swallowed the thing and took out her wand, drawing a circle with it in the snow and whispering a spell.

Nicole felt Urum’s strong hand grab her by the waist and pull her back, away from the strange action. He never took his eyes off for a second and was extremely wary.

The rut drawn by the witch’s wand began to turn black and boil, like a viscous muddy liquid, increasing in size and spreading along the edges.

- What is it? - Nicole gasped at the sight.

It was something abnormal. Something they never learned in school.

- Try this. – Trish handed the dried snag to Nicole, but she completely refused to take it until she heard an explanation.

- You shouldn’t be, Nikki. - Trish chuckled. - It’s what makes us stronger and less vulnerable to other magical creatures. If you do not pay attention to the taste, then you can eat.

- God, Ashley, at least you tell me what all this means? – a viscous black substance smoothly crept up to her feet, forcing her to move even further away from the drawn circle.

- In your absence, we studied an additional subject. - She replied a little awkwardly. – We were trained by manush.

- No, you must be joking? Seriously? - Nicole gasped, clutching her hair.

- Black magic. - Urum chuckled with a smile.

Of course, there was no reason to smile, but it was part of their plan to gain the trust of these witches. He had to win them over by showing that this news was something good for him.

- It’s a golem. - he calmly answered Nicole’s unspoken question. – Stupid creatures, but quite serious opponents, since they absorb any magic. Anything but fire.

- The fire dries them. - one of the witches agreed. - But the catch is that witchcraft with fire is the most difficult, so with these golems, the chances of our victory increase dramatically.