Whatever Evan imagined the supernatural library to be, this wasn't it. Maybe he had too high of expectations, but even the library at their school was bigger than this. Moreover, Evan had no doubt that if he looked closer, he'd find more dust than they had in their attic at home. It was obvious that no one went here regularly, and maybe that was why no one cared at all when Ryan and Evan decided to come here. Luckily, Evan had learned not to judge a book by its cover, so he wasn't about to be put off by the unglamorous appearance of this library. After all, these books were supposed to hold the secrets of the supernatural world.
"Where do you want to start?" Ryan asked, looking around. He also didn't seem particularly dazzled by the place, and that made Evan wonder what the library looked like in their area.
"I have no idea," Evan admitted. "I don't have high hopes that it'll be sorted somehow, so we'll probably spend the whole day here." He sighed. Although he loved books and was no stranger to disorder, the idea that he was going to spend half the day looking for something he really needed didn't sit well with him.
"It's still a date." Ryan laughed and leaned over to press a kiss to Evan's cheek to confirm his words. This, of course, caused Evan's mood to instantly improve.
"Let's do this," he declared enthusiastically, making his way to a random shelf. Laughing, Ryan immediately joined him, and for now, they opted for the method of sticking close together.
"So... Books about human partners, soul mates, and witches. If it was alphabetized, our best chance would be W," Ryan assessed. However, they quickly discovered that his plan wasn't going to work, as chaos prevailed in this library, and no one seemed to want to bother with the alphabet.
"What about this one?" Evan turned to look at what he was showing him.
"Humans as part of the supernatural world," he read aloud the title of the blue book Ryan held in his hands. It was a good start, so he nodded immediately, and Ryan went to set it down on the table they had decided to work at. So far, they only had a notebook and pen on it, as they naively thought they would need them.
After Ryan's success, Evan decided not to be embarrassed. His eyes had scanned the wooden shelves with intensity before, and although he was already quite irritated by them, especially when some of them were turned the other way, making it impossible to know what book it was without it being selected, he didn't give up on his search. Not only did he want to help his best friend, but his own curiosity drove him.
"We should split up." Ryan reappeared behind his back, and Evan just nodded without turning around. The thought of it being supposed to be a date made him even more frustrated, and he didn't want to ruin Ryan's good mood with his impatience.
"Love." Ryan addressed him, and Evan's cheeks instantly turned crimson. Not that Ryan had never called him by a nickname, but not like that. His affection flooded him even more when the black-haired boy crouched down to be the same height as him and kissed him on the cheek.
Evan didn't resist and turned to face him. Ryan's smile had always been contagious to him, so he immediately found a smile forming on his lips as well.
"Don't be so hard on yourself. I know you want to help Rory, but we might not make it today." Evan had discovered one important thing in the time he'd known Ryan - mates apparently always knew what to say.
"Thanks." He pressed a small kiss to his lips, showing him how much his words had helped. "Anyway, you're right. We should split up."
And so they did.
Evan's hands roamed the shelves, pulling out each badly turned book just to be sure he hadn't overlooked anything important. So far they only had one usable book and two others they weren't sure they'd ever use, but they took them for backup. One was called "Foundations of the Supernatural World" and the other was "Traditions and Customs of Mythical Beings." Evan wasn't sure if the second book was even going to be real and not just a figment of someone's imagination, since he'd never heard anyone call supernatural creatures that. Well, no one who belonged to them, that is.
He let out a sigh and stood up. He'd been squatting for too long, and his knees liked to remind him. Though he wasn't happy about it, he needed a break.
"Everything okay?"
"I need a break," Evan admitted, and Ryan was at his side in a second. Evan gave him a grateful smile and together they reached the table.
"Do you want to take a break break, or shall we go through these for now?"
Evan thought for a moment, but he was too eager to be useful to choose the first option, so he pulled the nearest book to him, and Ryan followed suit. The book they thought was the most important was left between them, and Evan thought it was a good plan to save it for last, since that way they wouldn't have to leave disappointed.
Opening the first pages, he was delighted to find the Table of Contents. There were chapters on wolves, vampires, and witches, and each had a subsection on soulmates. It sounded promising, and Evan immediately started looking for the page about Weaves. What he found, however, wasn't so promising anymore. He should have guessed that there wouldn't be much there, as the book itself was pretty thin, but he hoped to find more than two pages.
Trying to suppress his initial disappointment, Evan began to read.
"The term "Weave" refers to a profound and rare spiritual connection between two souls, most commonly observed between a witch and another being, though it can also occur between two witches or a witch and a supernatural creature. Also known as the "Essence Companion," the Weave represents a symbiotic bond that goes beyond mere emotional or physical attraction.
In this mystical connection, the Weave serves as a source of vital energy for the witch, effectively enhancing her magical powers. Analogous to the bond between vampires and their Bound, where the vampire receives sustenance through blood, the witch relies on the Weave to bolster her magical abilities. The strength of this connection directly impacts the potency of the witch's powers, rendering her more formidable as the bond deepens."
Evan stopped reading for a moment, thinking about the sentence he had just read. Did it mean that Rory was a potential source of power for his warlock? If that was true, it made it all the more incomprehensible to Evan why Alexander hadn't told him about it yet.
"The bond between the Weave and the witch goes beyond a mere exchange of energy; it extends into the realm of shared emotions, thoughts, and experiences. The connection is so deep that the partners can sense each other's presence even across great distances, and their feelings and intentions resonate with uncanny synchronicity."
Evan thought about everything Rory had told him so far, but he was sure he'd never heard of Rory hearing Alex's thoughts or being able to sense where he was.
"Something wrong?"
Evan's eyes focused again, and he realized he had unconsciously shifted his gaze to his mate, though he was lost in thought.
"It just doesn't make sense to me yet." He shook his head. "I'm beginning to doubt that Rory is really his Weave."
"Why do you think?" Ryan wanted to know more. After all, it was his theory that had started this whole hunt for the truth.
"It says here that the Weave and the warlock have a link between them that makes them able to read each other's minds and such. Rory didn't mention anything like that," he explained.
Ryan frowned for a moment as if in thought, but it only lasted a moment and it almost seemed like a light bulb went off over his head.
"Maybe they need to start a bond between them. Maybe it's different for witches."
Evan frowned, then nodded, returning to the book without a word to get an answer.
"The formation of a Weave between the witch and her Essence Companion is not a simple or instantaneous process. Unlike conventional relationships, where individuals may be aware of their attraction from the outset, the Weave operates on a higher, more subtle level. Initially, the souls of the witch and her potential Weave do not overtly reveal their connection to each other, leaving both parties unaware of their unique bond.
For the witch, her magic instinctively recognizes her soul mate, and her powers naturally gravitate toward the presence of the potential Weave. This magnetic draw nudges the witch closer to her Essence Companion, though at this stage, she might not fully comprehend the profound significance of the connection. However, as they spend more time together, their souls begin to resonate, and they feel a deep, unexplainable connection growing between them.
For the potential Weave, the process is less direct. They might sense a mysterious pull, an inexplicable longing to be near the witch, but identifying the underlying cause can be challenging. Unlike the witch, their mundane senses might not immediately register the bond. Nevertheless, there are ways to discern the signals and clues that their souls are trying to convey.
Mental and emotional closeness plays a crucial role in nurturing the bond. As with any soul mate connection, the witch and the potential Weave need to open themselves to vulnerability, share their thoughts and feelings, and embark on a journey of mutual understanding. Through these shared experiences, their connection deepens, allowing the Weave to gradually integrate into the witch's life, and vice versa.
Additionally, physical proximity can amplify the bond. Spending time together in person allows the subtler aspects of the connection to flourish. Often, this physical closeness can help the potential Weave recognize the unusual synchronicities and inexplicable coincidences that seem to occur when they are around the witch.
As the bond between the Weave and the witch grows stronger through mental and physical intimacy, the souls eventually reveal the nature of their connection to both individuals."
"This is bullshit."
The ink-haired boy chuckled at his vehement outburst, and though Evan's heated gaze shifted to him, he couldn't control his amusement.
"What's wrong, hun?" Ryan obviously knew what he was doing, as Evan's cheeks quickly changed colour at the sound of that nickname.
"Stop with the pet names when I'm irritated," he muttered, but he couldn't deny that it worked as his anger was quickly quelled.
"Okay, sweetheart. Whatever you say." Ryan chuckled again, and Evan just rolled his eyes at him.
"I read two pages of drivel about Weaves, just to find out what I already knew anyway. It literally gave me no answers, just more questions," he began to complain, unable to hold it in any longer. "Even Jonesy in space made more sense, and that's saying something."
After the last sentence, Ryan couldn't take it anymore and laughed out loud. They were lucky they weren't in the regular library, because with Evan's anger and Ryan's laughter, they would have been kicked out a long time ago.
"It's not funny," Evan immediately retorted, and Ryan put on a serious face for a moment to comfort him, but it didn't last long.
"You're awful," he addressed him, watching him try to soothe the twitching corners of his mouth, but to no avail.
"And you still adore me anyway," was Ryan's response. Evan wasn't going to protest that, so he just rolled his eyes again.
"I should have said Yeehaw when I still had the chance," Evan muttered under his nose. Of course, that hadn't escaped Ryan's wolfish ears, and Evan felt his gaze pierce him, but he didn't bother to look at him. Instead, he focused on the book in front of him again, even though there was nothing else in the chapter on Weaves.
"Aren't you gonna ask me what I found?"
That had grabbed Evan's attention and he had finally remembered that he wasn't the only one who was reading a book.
"What did you find?" he asked with interest.
"The Soulmate Ritual is a mystical practice to identify one's soulmate. It involves a chain adorned with a charged Rose Quartz pendant and a partner's ring. The individual charges the Rose Quartz with their energy, symbolizing their intention. During their loved one's sleep, they gently hold the chain above them. If the chain swings, it signifies a deep soul connection, confirming their soulmate status. This enchanting ritual harnesses the power of energy and intention, offering a glimpse into the profound bond between destined partners," Ryan read aloud.
Evan had to admit he'd heard a lot of stupid things in his lifetime (a perk of being friends with Angie), but this was probably the worst.
"You think it works?" He didn't even try to hide his opinion of the absurdity in his tone.
"Honestly? No. But if anyone can confirm it, it's you and me," Ryan said, shrugging like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Evan would have been embarrassed that he hadn't thought of it himself, but he'd long ago come to terms with the fact that Ryan was the better half of the two.
"Alright, you're not just handsome."
This time it was Ryan who rolled his eyes at his statement.
"So a sleepover?" Ryan suggested. "I just don't know where we can get real Rose Quartz."
Evan just smirked as he knew exactly who to turn to when he needed a crystal. His friends had all sorts of ridiculous things he thought he'd never need to borrow in his life, but apparently, the day had come.
"I know exactly who has it," he stated. Lola wore different types of accessories, but he was sure he'll never forget that time when she refused to wear anything that didn't have crystals on it. And he'd really tried.