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“You’re sure about this?” Annalyse whispered as Jakob loaded Isla’s bag into the car.
I nodded. “If Isla isn’t here in Splendor, she won’t have the future I’ve seen,” I said, giving Isla a squeeze as she perched upon my hip. My heart lurched as I thought about the impending goodbye. I love this child more than life itself.
I’d never known my future-walking ability to prove incorrect—but I would do my damndest to make it happen.
I’m going to change the future.
My ability wasn’t infallible. I didn’t see every moment on a person’s timeline—there were gaps. I didn’t know every step that it took to get from point A to point Z, only that Z was ultimately reached. It remained logical that if I could fill the gap with events that didn’t allow for the final act, I could prevent that ending—my plan hinged upon this.
I hugged Isla close.
“I love you so much, dear one.” I kissed her, holding her to my chest once more. “You are going to be so good for Annalyse, aren’t you.” A lump lodged in my throat. “I’ll see you soon, baby. Okay?” My voice broke on the last few words. Isla’s blue eyes stared up at me. Her brows drew together, clearly confused by my sadness.
Jakob wrapped his arms around the both of us, dropping his head to my shoulder. “It’s time,” he whispered.
Letting out a shaky breath, I nodded before passing Isla to him. She immediately began to cry, tearing at my already shredded heartstrings. Putting my palm to my heart, I watched as Jakob strapped her into her car seat.
Pulling a unique necklace from my pocket, I stepped forward and draped the thin chain with a glimmering amulet around Isla’s neck. Her appearance changed immediately, taking on a new identity that was completely unrecognizable. Her hair shortened and turned lighter, her facial features growing more rounded. Isla giggled at the sensation.
“That’s quite remarkable,” Annalyse said as she stepped up beside me, appreciating Isla’s disguise. I nodded. Wrapping me in a warm hug, she whispered, “Good luck. I’ll call you when we land.”
I squeezed her back and kissed her cheek. “Thank you. For everything.”
I am still the leader of our people—despite what my daughter thinks.
Walking inside the front entrance to our building, the Luciano Towers—located in the heart of downtown New York City, I turned to Jakob. “Gather the Elite and meet me in the war room. Now that Isla is safely away, we’ve finally got our chance.”
Jakob nodded, leaving me behind to assemble reinforcements. I was the Magnate, the ruler of our people, which should have meant that I was the most powerful mage in Splendor—the magical territory spanning most of the continent. But my daughter was arguably the most powerful mage in the world. Her unique Ruling Powers—the magic she inherited by being my Heir—made her nearly unstoppable.
Where my Ruling Magic allowed my consciousness to travel into a person’s future and perform magical imprinting, Victoria’s allowed her to control others with a simple command. Where I needed touch, Victoria only required a certain distance.
Jakob found me a short while later. Eight people trailed behind in a tight formation, dressed from head to toe in dark blue combat uniforms with gold trim. They were powerful mages—members of our elite guard. The position had always held a place of respect in our world, and these before me were no different.
“The time has come to do something about Victoria.” My stomach twisted into knots as I stood in front of the small group, hands behind my back. “While she’s had her powers for just over a year, she has only used them to wreak havoc on our world. What’s worse, I’ve seen the future with her at the helm. You do not want that future.” I paused. “You all know how powerful she is. Our only advantage will be our speed. We must catch her off guard.”
I held up a small glass bottle; its purple contents bubbled and swirled. “One drop, and you will be protected from her control—temporarily. My ancestor made it, and this is all we have. There is only enough for one attempt, so we’ve got to make it count.”
Sara, my team lead, stepped forward. “We won’t fail you, Magnate. What’s the plan?”
“I’ve asked her to meet me in the grand hall.” I looked at my watch. “About eight minutes from now. We must apprehend her and move her to the no-mag holding cell, where I hope to reason with her until she can be released.”
Sara gave a curt nod.
Jakob spoke up, “Is there no other way? Ripping away her magic like that—even temporarily—could kill her. She hasn’t been conditioned to it.”
I sighed, shaking my head. “She’s too powerful. We do anything else, and she’s in control.”
He took a deep breath, his face downtrodden.
I stepped forward, taking his hand. A lump lodged in my throat, making it difficult to speak. “I understand your hesitation, my love. She is our daughter. Our flesh and blood. We will never stop loving her. But I have seen things. Terrible things. She must be stopped.”
He kissed my cheek, nodding. By the determined look on his face, I knew he was bracing himself for what was about to come.
I was too.