My dreams were deeper and darker than they had ever been. I wasn’t me in them. Instead, I fell into strange bodies, inhabited strange lives.
First, I was a man sitting in an old pub. The floors were dark and stained from a lifetime of ale and dirt. The chipped wooden chairs told stories of alcohol-fueled fights. The smell of fire and sweat filled the air. The low hanging beams in the ceiling made it feel small and cramped—less room to maneuver with no easy escape route. I sat with my back to the wall like I always did. No one would be able to sneak up behind me again. I had to compensate for the left eye I’d lost that way.
I drank my pint of Stiegl and leaned back. Did my best to appear like any other man seeking a pint and some shelter, but this wasn’t just any other night for me. Everything depended on this meeting. I promised I’d save Ellie. If he didn’t show up, she was doomed.
It wasn’t safe out in the open, so I kept to the shadows even though I knew what lingered in the darkness. I stared down at the dagger that hung from my belt. The sheath was decorated with a diamond and a ruby and a star sapphire in an intricate triple spiral design. The large emerald embedded in the end of the hilt glinted back at me, letting me know it was ready for whatever we would face.
The dagger was all that stood between me and death.
A dagger like that in a place like this would make most men a target for thieves. But Sarah had put a cloaking spell on it years ago. I could wear it anywhere and no one outside our four families could see it.
I shifted and my gaze went to the door. I saw him before he saw me. He took his time, ordering a pint and then meandering over. At least Jonas had sent a better messenger this time. One that wouldn’t get us killed tonight.
Suddenly, the room blurred and everything shifted. I left the pub behind. Now, I was in a hotel room, lying in bed. Not my bed at Dumbarton. And not my body. This one was smaller. A child’s. My brow was drenched. Every time I wiped my hand against it, fresh sweat sprang up.
I was so cold. It didn’t matter that three blankets were piled on me; I couldn’t get warm. Percy and I had had to travel fast. We hadn’t had time for boats and carriages. It had taken all the strength I had to open the portal and pull Percy here with me. And now I was paying for it. The fever wouldn’t let me be. I’d fought it all week, and the days were tolerable, but the fever was still winning at night.
My magic wasn’t powerful like Sarah’s. She’d promised that, in time, I would grow into mine. But we didn’t have time. Sarah had said that I had to run and Percy was the only one who could keep me safe. I begged him to stay with her, but there was nothing anyone could do—not even him. She was dying.
I’d always wanted her ring, but not like this. Never like this.
***
Bright sunlight snuck through the curtains. I rolled away from it and buried my face in the pillow. It smelled of roses. I dozed for a while. Eventually, I woke up to flu-like aches throughout my body.
I sat up in bed and groped for my glasses on the nightstand. I slid them on to see where I was. The walls were the palest mint green. There were four sets of windows, all with forest green velvet curtains. I looked down at the intricate pattern of dragons and phoenixes that twisted over the duvet cover. Throw pillows were scattered on the floor, clearly victims of my tossing and turning.
A vanity sat in the corner of the room, but I wasn’t quite ready to see how I looked. A chaise lounge hugged the wall to my right. Next to it stood a tall antique bronze lamp. Perfect for reading.
Across from the end of my bed, my bag stood neatly beside the armoire. There was a desk beside it. It seemed important, but I couldn’t remember why. And then I got distracted by my need for the bathroom. Luckily, there was one attached to my room. I could see part of the giant white tub from my bed.
When I stood up, I felt like I wasn’t anchored inside my body. A wave of nausea followed. After I used the toilet, I pressed a wet washcloth to my neck. Then I sat on the cold tile floor and waited for my stomach to settle.
As soon as I was sure I wouldn’t throw up, I got my toothbrush from my bag and brushed my teeth. Glancing in the mirror, I almost spit toothpaste all over it. My hair looked like pixies had spent the night tying it into knots. I wasn’t sure a brush would make its way through that mess, but I went back to the bag to grab mine.
I pulled the brush from the bottom of my bag, but, instead of going to the vanity, I found myself drawn to the desk. Something tugged at the back of my mind—a memory of this room from last night. Jacqueline had stood where I was standing now, mixing some concoction.
Last night. It all came flooding back. I dropped my brush and froze in place. In my mind, I saw blinding headlights bearing down on me. That car had meant to hit me. If Evan hadn’t pushed me out of the way, I’d be dead right now. And Evan wouldn’t be a new target.
Evan. My stomach tightened with fear and another wave of dizziness passed over me. I held onto the desk to stay upright. I twisted my ring and called for strength. A dull pain hit me in the belly. I sank back onto the chair and waited for it to stop.
When it did, I felt colder, like a chill had taken hold of my bones. All I had on was a long nightgown. It wasn’t mine. The great aunts must have put me in it. I needed something warmer, but I had to find Evan. I looked for something, anything, to keep me warm. I saw a blanket balled up at the end of the bed and grabbed it.
I flung open the door of my room, and a long hallway stretched in front of me. Just beyond my room, there were two doors on either side of the hallway. At the end of the hallway, there was so much light that I was disoriented.
Focus, Kat. Last night Vivian had said Evan was next door. I tried the door to my left and peeked inside. The bed was perfectly made. No one was in here. I tugged the door shut and tried the one to my right.
It swung open.
Jacqueline was leaning over Evan, whispering words and rubbing his forehead.
I clutched the blanket around my shoulders and padded into the room. “What are you doing?”
“Making sure he gets better.” She continued her work as though I wasn’t there.
The cuts on Evan’s face were almost healed. I hoped everything inside him was healing at the same speed.
Jacqueline’s eyes looked pinched. Tired. In daylight, they were the darkest brown I’d ever seen. Almost black. A few strands of hair had escaped her bun. I’d swear there were new streaks of white, too.
“Can I help?”
“No.” She whipped around and her gaze was so intense I took a step back. “Every spell has a cost. You’re lucky you survived. You need to let your body rest and recover. No spells for a few days.” She pointed to the new white streaks in her hair, as if she had read my mind. “This is the cost of healing for me. I lose some of my vitality. My life flows into you and Evan.”
“But Evan—”
“—is recovering. Because I’m healing him.” Her tone slammed the door on this discussion.
I waited until she seemed to be finished to ask, “Are you a priestess like Toria?”
“No. We aren’t all priestesses.”
I bit my lip. “Am I?”
“You’re on your way to becoming one.”
“You’re casting spells. Are you a witch?”
She gave me a look of disgust. “I’m far more advanced than a witch. A witch is the most basic magic worker.”
I hadn’t meant to insult her. “This is all really new to me.”
“Well, I suppose you’ll have to learn quickly then.” Her words came out cold.
I tried to connect with her. “Spells can be draining.”
“Doing so many healing spells in a day certainly has been.”
“I’m sorry we came here needing your help.”
She just nodded.
Everything I said to her was the wrong thing. “Thank you for saving him, and me.”
“You’re welcome.” She gathered her stuff. “When you’re done in here, make yourself presentable and ring for Vivian and me. We have a great deal to discuss.”
She shut the door behind her.
Alone with Evan, I pulled a chair close to his bed and sat down. To look at him now, you’d never know how near to death he’d been. My throat constricted. I’d never forgive myself if he died because of me. I took his hand in mine and felt his blood beating in his veins. Relief trickled over me. “Thank God, you’re okay.”
“Thank Kat, actually,” he murmured with his eyes closed.
“How long have you been awake?”
“A while. But it’s bloody difficult to get my eyelids open. Like when we time-traveled at Castle Creighton.”
I squeezed his hand. “Don’t worry. I had the same reaction. Must have something to do with being near death.”
“Were we?” His eyes finally opened.
I gripped his hand tighter. “You were dying.”
“But you were okay.” He said it like that made the rest acceptable.
I leaned closer. “My life isn’t worth yours. Trust me.”
“Kat, you matter.”
“So do you.”
He studied my face. Whatever he saw there must have worried him because his brow tightened. “What you did to save me—are you okay?”
“A bit tired, but I’m in much better shape than you are.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Have you seen your hair?”
I reached up self-consciously. “I’d have bedhead every day if it meant you were okay.”
He gave me a lopsided smile. It faded away as he said, “The car didn’t slow down.”
“The driver meant to hit me.”
“You don’t sound surprised.”
“I’m not.” I told him about the Dark One coming for me. How I was so busy protecting Joshua, I forgot about Evan. That this was my fault.
“Kat, none of this is your doing. You saved me.”
“But your life was at risk because of me.”
“Because of who we are. I’m a Kingsley. It sounds like saving Joshua this summer made us a lot of enemies amongst the unbelievables.”
I stared out the window next to Evan’s bed. A bright blue sky waited for us. Everything looked fine. I should have come to Dumbarton alone. If I had, Evan would be safe. “I should have kept you out of this.”
“I wouldn’t let you.” He squeezed my hand. “We’re in this together.”
“Maybe we shouldn’t be.” I tried to pull my hand away, but he wouldn’t let me.
“It’s too late for that now.” He held my gaze until I nodded.
His eyes slipped shut. He struggled to keep them open, but eventually they stayed closed. I waited until his breathing slowed. Once I was certain that he was asleep, I ignored Jacqueline’s warning against working magic and asked my ring to heal him.
It glowed. Bright light radiated out of it and over Evan. Pain stabbed me in the stomach. I gasped and doubled over.
Toria’s ghost appeared beside me. “You need to listen to Jacqueline. You’re weak right now, and that makes you vulnerable.”
I held my stomach, waiting for the ache to become bearable. When it did, my skin felt clammy-cold beneath the blanket. “I broke the curse on the rubies and removed the retribution spell in a single day at Castle Creighton. Jacqueline doesn’t know what I can do.”
“A soul-sharing spell is different, Kat. A lot of people don’t survive it. If they do, they need a week of bedrest afterwards. You shouldn’t do any spells for a few days.”
“I don’t have time to rest.”
“If you keep pushing yourself, we won’t have to worry about the Dark One because you’ll do yourself in.” She put her hands on her hips and glowered at me.
“Wouldn’t that be the best ending for me?” At least it wouldn’t be insanity or a gruesome death at the Dark One’s hands.
“You’re too important. You must listen to your great aunts. They know so much about magic, and about our family. They can teach you things I can’t. They can train you properly.”
“All right.” I held up my hands in defeat. “Do you have any idea who hit Evan?”
“I don’t. And that worries me.” Her lips compressed.
“Do you think it was the Dark One?”
Her expression was soaked in uncertainty. “Driving that car? I don’t think so, but it could have taken control of a human to do its dirty work, to test how strong you are.”
“So, there will be more attempts on my life?”
“You’re safe here.” She sounded so certain that I almost believed her. “Dumbarton is protected with the strongest wards. Anyone who wishes to harm a Langley cannot break through our protective barriers.”
“What about Evan? Is he safe here?”
“All our allies are granted protection at our family homes.”
So maybe we really were safe. For now. “What happens when we leave Dumbarton?”
“The Langleys can help you with that.” As suddenly as she had arrived, Toria faded away.