by Alicia Rades
“I’m so glad you’re all okay,” Sondra whispered.
Teagan stepped forward and joined in their hug. Venn stayed back and wrapped an arm around my waist. I leaned into him, welcoming his comfort.
Ryland cleared his throat and stole a glance at Matias, who’d stopped in front of the double doors to watch us. Creep.
“A lot has happened since you’ve been gone,” Ryland said.
Sondra caught my eye. She tilted her head, as if trying to recall where she’d seen me before. I wondered if maybe she’d visited Bloodstone, the spell shop I worked at—used to work at.
“I can see that,” she said. “I’m Sondra, but I guess you knew that already.”
I shook the hand she offered and nodded.
“We can get to more formal introductions later,” Venn said. “Let’s get you somewhere comfortable.”
“Agreed,” Sondra said quickly.
Matias’s eyes followed us all the way to the elevator. Every time I looked back, he was staring at me. Shivers tickled down my spine like a thousand tiny spiders crawling across my back. I itched for him to give me a reason to pick a fight. The guy was pompous as hell. Every instinct told me to run far, far away.
Or punch him in the nose. One of the two.
Venn must’ve noticed my discomfort, because he pulled me closer. “It’s okay. We’ll be out of here soon enough.”
We filed into the elevator, and I whispered to Venn under my breath. “That guy creeps me out.”
“I know,” Venn agreed. “He creeps everyone out.”
The hair on the back of my neck rose as we exited the building. It was as if Matias’s eyes were still on me. Normally, vampires didn’t scare me, but in that moment, an all-consuming fear hit my chest like a freight train. What if he was watching me?
“What do you think he’s going to use the Leora Locket for?” I asked. I knew it could be used to tell the future based on a person’s current intentions, but I couldn’t help but wonder what his end goal was. Did he want the locket as a novelty item, or was there something bigger going on here?
“It doesn’t matter,” Fiona said as we descended the steps in front of Vayne Tower. “I told you it’s pretty useless anyway.”
“It depends on how you use it,” Sondra mumbled under her breath.
“What do you mean?” Teagan asked.
Sondra hesitated and glanced around at the bustling street. “I have something to tell all of you, but we need to find somewhere safe to talk. I don’t think—” Sondra cut off.
“Think what?” Venn asked.
“Does anyone else feel that?” Sondra whispered while quickening her step.
Ryland looked around to follow Sondra’s flickering gaze. He glanced to the darkening sky. “Feel what? A storm rolling in?”
“No,” Sondra said. “That tingle on the back of your neck, like—”
“Like you’re being watched?” I cut in.
Sondra swallowed. “Exactly. We need to get to the car now. I think we’re being followed.”
2
“What the hell’s going on?” Ryland demanded the second we were back in the car.
Fiona shifted into her fox form and curled up on Sondra’s lap next to me in the back seat. It was the only way we’d all fit. Venn sat on my other side with his comforting arm around me. It helped slow my pounding heart that had followed me on the long walk back to the car.
Teagan turned in the passenger seat to face us. “They didn’t hurt you, did they?”
“No,” Sondra said in a rush. “Just start the car, and let’s get out of here.”
Ryland turned the key and shifted into drive. I had no idea where he was headed. I only knew that none of us wanted to hang around Vayne Tower. As soon as we were moving, I felt like I could finally breathe again. The tingle on the back of my neck had vanished, but there was still a feeling in the pit of my stomach that told me I shouldn’t let my guard down just yet.
“So, Sondra, about Rae…” Venn started.
“We can talk about what happened while I was gone later,” Sondra insisted. “Right now, we have more pressing matters. I overheard some things. I know why Matias wanted the locket. We have to stop him.”
Every muscle in my body tensed.
Ryland glanced to Sondra in the rearview mirror. “I thought you said this was a harmless job. You said he wouldn’t even know how to use the locket.”
“And I also said the locket’s power lies in how you use it,” Sondra clarified. “I thought for sure he was going to use it to watch his competitors. The locket only shows a possible future. It’s very hard to use it to predict someone else’s intentions.”
Ryland pressed the brakes as the cars in front of us slowed at a stoplight. “What’s he going to use it for, then?”
“He’s not going to use it to predict someone else’s intentions,” Sondra said. “He’s going to use it to predict his own.”
My brow furrowed. Did she mean he was going to use it to gamble?
“What does that even mean?” Teagan asked.
Sondra swallowed. “He’s going to use the locket to predict the outcome of his decisions so that he can find the thing he really wants.”
“Which is…?” Venn prodded.
“He just called it the Artifact,” Sondra answered. “From what I heard, it’s an ancient object that’s been hidden for centuries that’s capable of wiping out magic again—for everyone except the owner.”
“Wait,” I blurted, my whole body igniting in alarm. “Matias wants to be the only person who can use magic?”
Pompous ass.
Sondra nodded.
“That doesn’t make any sense,” Teagan pointed out. “He’s a vampire. How’s he going to use magic?”
“I don’t know,” Sondra admitted. “He could retrieve the artifact now and wait for reincarnation. That’s what I’d do.”
“Hold up,” I stopped her. “Reincarnation?”
Why hadn’t anyone mentioned this to me when they told me about Synchrony?
“Yes, reincarnation,” Sondra confirmed. “It’s the only reason Matias hired us to find the locket in the first place.”
I stared at her, completely baffled.
“Sondra was the witch who created the Leora Locket,” Venn explained.
“I thought the Leora Locket was centuries old,” I said. “And Fiona told me the witch who created it was named Leora.”
“Yes,” Sondra agreed. “That was my name, in a past life.”
I pressed my fingers to my temples. Holy crap! Past lives? It was a lot to wrap my head around, though I shouldn’t have been surprised by anything these days.
I lifted my head, my curiosity piqued. “How’d you create it?”
Sondra glanced to Venn, as if wondering how much I already knew and how much she could trust me to share.
“Magic can be bound to everyday objects,” Venn explained. “It usually happens over time when an object is long associated with strong emotions, which could be good or bad. That’s why houses can be haunted or a rabbit’s foot can bring luck. Things like family heirlooms or old wedding rings tend to have a lot of positive magic tied to them. A weapon used in murder would have a lot of bad energy surrounding it.”
I shuddered thinking about it.
“That’s not the only way to create a magical object,” Sondra said. “Witches can infuse magic into things, such as by using them in a powerful spell. For most people, these magical artifacts will affect their emotions, depending on the energy they give off. For witches, they can be incredibly valuable. They can be used in certain spells or can amplify a witch’s abilities. They can be very dangerous if the wrong witch gets their hands on them.”
“When you say you created the Leora Locket in a past life and found it in this one… you just remembered where you left it?” I asked. “And if Matias finds the Artifact in this life, he’ll remember in his next?”
Sondra shook her head. “It’s not that easy. As a high witch, I
’m able to remember bits and pieces of my past lives, but they’re not as strong as my memories of this life. The memories come to me in in flashes or in dreams. It took us months of gathering clues from visions of my past life to find the locket.”
“So, Matias would have to be born a high witch in his next life to even have a chance of using the Artifact?” I asked, relaxing slightly.
Sondra frowned. “That’s not how it works. You aren’t born a witch by chance.”
What she said completely shocked me. If I wasn’t a witch by chance, how did I become one?
“Excuse me?” I asked.
“Witch magic is connected to your soul,” Teagan told me. “It’s all about how closely connected you are to Synchrony. If you were a witch in a past life, you’re more likely to be a witch in the next life. You don’t get to become a high witch without lifetimes of practice under your belt. That’s why, even though the rest of us understand magic, none of us are any good at it… yet. But we’re all working on it.”
“Anyone can become a witch?” I asked.
“Yes,” Sondra confirmed. “The ability can be nurtured. The more a person studies witchcraft throughout their lives, the more powerful he or she becomes. It’s easier with each lifetime. I think Matias used to be a witch before he became a vampire. It makes sense how he accomplished so much in the business world.”
My head spun. “I’m guessing you know why vampires can’t use witch magic. You seem to know everything else.”
“Vampires are ruthless because the vampire virus damages their soul,” Sondra explained. “But since witch magic is connected to the soul, they’re unable to access magic. No one’s quite sure how badly vampirism damages the soul, but I think that when a vampire dies, their soul is freed from their body’s prison, and they start over in a new life.”
“Killing them is doing them a favor,” Ryland mumbled from the driver’s seat.
Huh. You learn something new every day.
“Why don’t all vampires want to die, then?” I asked.
“Because they don’t all believe the same thing,” Teagan answered. “And they don’t want to lose their immortality. They’d lose any power they’ve already established and have to start over. Which makes me think Matias isn’t going to wait around to be reincarnated to use this artifact. He’s so rich, he could easily pay a witch to do it for him.”
“Why would he do that?” I asked.
Teagan shrugged. “I can think of a lot of reasons. Maybe he wants to eliminate some of his competition. My guess is that he wants to control magic and sell it to the highest bidder.”
Venn turned to Sondra. “Would this artifact allow him to do that?”
“It sounded like it,” she replied. “I think that’s what makes it so powerful, that the owner gets to pick and choose who keeps their magic and who doesn’t.”
“That’s pure evil!” I blurted. “So essentially he’d be the most powerful man alive?” And the richest, too.
Who the hell did he think he was, trying to strip everyone of their magic? No more healing spells from me. No more shifting into a raven. No more super strength so I could protect humans against vampires. It felt like a personal attack. I shook in rage.
“No kidding,” Sondra agreed. “That’s why we have to go after it and destroy it. No one should have that kind of power.”
Ryland’s good hand tightened around the steering wheel. “We should’ve killed him back there.”
“If we killed him, then what?” Sondra asked. “We’d just walk out of Vayne Tower? We all would’ve been executed on the spot. If the chance presents itself, believe me, I’ll be the first to drive a stake through his heart.”
Sondra was fierce. I liked her.
“Why couldn’t you have escaped?” I blurted. “I mean, if you’re a high witch.”
Sondra sighed. “First of all, Matias’s place is heavily enchanted. Second, even high witches have their limits.”
Ryland floored the pedal as we turned onto the freeway ramp. “What if he uses the locket to watch us? He’s at a huge advantage here.”
“I know,” Sondra admitted. “I haven’t figured that part out yet. Either way, we have to find this thing before he does.”
My jaw clenched. What about the promise Venn made to me?
“We’re just going to drop everything to go after it?” I tried to keep the irritation out of my tone, but I couldn’t help it.
“It’s not like we have anything to go back to,” Teagan mumbled.
Sondra sat straighter. “What do you mean?”
Everyone exchanged a glance. Fiona dropped her head. It was clear no one knew how to tell her.
Teagan’s fingers tightened against the back of her seat. “I’m going to be blunt, because there’s no other way to tell you… the house burnt down.”
“What?!” Sondra exploded. She seemed like such a quiet, gentle person that it surprised me to hear her shout.
“We had a run-in with Maliya,” Venn admitted. “She came to the house and… it was the only way we could escape. We were kind of hoping everyone would presume us dead in the fire.”
Sondra pressed two fingers to her eyes. “It’s okay,” she finally said with a sigh. “What matters is that none of you were hurt.”
“Where do we start?” Venn asked.
The breath left my chest. I stared at him in shock. He was just going to ignore his promise to me?
Of course—because he’d known these people a heck of a lot longer than he knew me. Why would he feel any loyalty toward me? Plus, it only made sense to go after the thing that would save a bunch of people rather than going after one person who may or may not still be alive.
She’s alive, I told myself. And I finally have a lead. I just didn’t want to do this alone.
I turned my gaze from Venn, hoping he wouldn’t notice my expression. I couldn’t tell him what I was really thinking. It was selfish.
“I want to stop for supplies,” Sondra said. “Remember my friend Amalia? She helped us with a job last year. She lives here in Chicago and can help us get what we need. I’ll run a spell that should help us figure out where to start. And for heaven’s sake, can we please stop for a burger or something? I’m starving.”
Venn pulled me closer and whispered in my ear. His hot breath rushed across the side of my face. It was almost enough to distract me. “What’s wrong, Rae?”
“Nothing,” I mumbled.
“Please don’t lie to me,” he said softly.
A heavy weight settled on my chest. I wonder how he liked being lied to.
“I’m not the only liar in this car,” I snapped in a hushed whisper.
Venn’s eyebrows drew together. “Rae…”
I spoke so quietly that only he could hear. “I just thought…” I hated feeling this way.
“That we were going after your sister?” he finished for me. “We will. We are.”
“Are we?” I whispered.
I didn’t know why I said that. All I knew was that my hopes had been crushed once again. My chest tightened, and my face heated. All I wanted was to shift into raven form so that he couldn’t see my expression.
“Hey, Sondra,” Venn said. “If it’s cool with you, Rae and I have some unfinished business to attend to—”
“Venn, no,” I protested under my breath. It wasn’t fair of me to ask him to do this. I could do this on my own. I didn’t want to, but I could.
Venn lowered his voice again just for me. “I promised I’d help you find your sister after we rescued Sondra. I don’t break my promises.”
My chest suddenly seemed ten pounds lighter, but it still didn’t seem right to accept his generous offer.
“Where are you going to go?” Sondra asked.
Venn bit his lower lip. “I’m not sure, but we have to start somewhere. Rae’s looking for her sister, and we believe she might be at a place called Gregor Island. Have you heard of it?”
Sondra thought about it for a second, then shook he
r head. Of course she didn’t know. Not even the Internet knew anything about Gregor Island. Maybe Maliya had lied to us.
Filthy vampires.
“We believe it’s where the Soulless are hiding,” Venn said.
Sondra’s eyes widened, and Fiona’s pointed ears perked up. Even in her fox form, I could see the frown on her face. She looked terrified for us.
“You know you can’t go,” Teagan protested.
“We already talked about this, Tea,” Venn replied. “Rae’s stubborn, and she’s going after her sister with or without us. I’m not letting her go alone.”
Swoon.
“You know what you’re getting into, don’t you?” Sondra asked, as if in warning.
“Yes,” I answered automatically. And it was worth it. For Jenna. I turned to Venn. “But you don’t have to come with me. I don’t want you to get hurt.”
Who was I kidding? I definitely wanted him to come with me. But it was true that I didn’t want to see him hurt.
Venn brushed a piece of hair behind my ear. “That’s exactly why I’m going with you, Rae.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I swore I saw Teagan roll her eyes from the front seat. Because she totally wasn’t all over Ryland all the time.
“You’re sure?” Sondra asked Venn. “I mean, if you—”
“I’m sure,” he cut her off. “You need to get the Artifact, and we need to find Jenna.”
I shot Venn a small smile.
“How are you going to get around?” Sondra asked.
“We’ll rent a car,” Venn decided.
Sondra raised an eyebrow. “And you’ll stay in touch?”
Venn nodded. “Every step of the way.”
Sondra pursed her lips—like she wasn’t ready to tell Venn goodbye but knew she couldn’t talk him out of this. “I don’t want you going by yourself.”
“But we—” Venn started.
Sondra cut him off. “There may be something else we can do.”
My curiosity piqued.
“We’ll split up for a few hours,” Sondra said. “You can look for information on Rae’s sister while we gather supplies. We’ll meet up when we’re both finished.”
“I’m guessing you know where we should start?” Venn replied.