by Shona Husk
The blue in the flame started to swirl, and she prayed it wasn’t going to turn into that thick black smoke. What if she couldn’t do readings anymore and it was her magic that was broken, not her future? Just as fear started to wake, images formed.
One man stood alone in the middle of the flame. Julian.
The dark-haired woman walked past him—Emily, she was easy to recognize because Leira had seen her in the flesh—Julian didn’t reach for her even though she put her hand out to him as if to draw him away. Then from the edges, shadowy people stepped forward until Julian was surrounded. Leira got a really bad feeling about what was going to happen next.
The Julian in her vision fell. He didn’t get up.
Leira lifted her gaze to look at him. He was still staring at the flame. “Did you see that?”
“Was I the person in the middle?”
“Yeah.” She’d been hoping for good news.
Julian pressed his lips together. “That doesn’t look very promising.”
That was one way of putting it. “Remember that’s just the most likely outcome. It’s where you are heading now. You can change it. We can change it.”
She took a few seconds to look for herself. Still nothing but smoke. Her magic was going to kill her. Maybe she should stop trying to learn how to use it. She didn’t need magic, but she couldn’t imagine a life without magic. She let the flame shrink down to its natural size.
Julian lifted his gaze. “How’s changing your future working out for you?”
“Not well.” There was no point in lying about it. “I thought learning more about fire magic would change something, but it hasn’t. I thought having lunch and getting to know you would change it, but it hasn’t.” She rested her elbows on the table. “I feel that it’s not something I can change right now.”
“You think I can?”
“I know you’re part of it.”
He looked away and leaned back. “I need to do something, or it looks like I’m dead.”
“Alone and dead.” The alone bit was key. No one was helping him in the vision, but in reality, he had plenty of people who would help.
His expression became grimmer.
“She reached for you, Julian, and you didn’t reach for her. Emily is still involved even though you don’t want her.” That wasn’t pleasant to say. She didn’t want to be pushing Julian into the arms of a Guardian…or anyone’s arms really. She wanted her chance with him. “We weren’t meant to meet yet. Maybe we should stop seeing each other.”
She was hoping it was as simple as that.
“No. That is ridiculous. I’m not having my life decided by a Guardian and a vision.”
“It’s a vision of the result of the path you are on.” Now she was sounding just like Saba.
He was quiet for a moment. From beyond the curtain, Quinn’s phone buzzed. He took the call, reminding them that they weren’t alone and that they didn’t have all night to sit here and debate possibilities. Although this was possibly the safest place to be.
“Then I will step off that path. I’ll do something.” He leaned forward and mirrored her with his arms on the table. “We met on a train and then what?”
Heat crept across her cheeks. She would have loved to blame the candle. “You don’t want your life dictated by visions.”
She didn’t see it as dictating; she saw it as a warning if things were going to go bad. They’d had the warnings. And things were bad.
But it wasn’t as easy to change as she’d thought it would be.
However, that didn’t mean they had to wait for the future to arrive neatly packaged on their doorstep—or train station. Why not skip that bit and jump ahead to what should have been?
“I don’t. But I’m not going to ignore them either. If I’d got one done earlier maybe this whole thing could’ve been avoided.”
“Maybe. Or maybe Emily would have killed you sooner.”
“Then your vision wouldn’t have been right, because I’d have been dead and not on the train.”
“True.” Leira frowned. “Then what was supposed to happen?”
“Emily tried and failed and she was arrested. We met on the train and lived happily ever after?” He gave her a half smile like he was hoping she’d agree.
Leira watched him for a moment. The flame flickered in his eyes and made the silver in the blue gleam. “Where are you staying tonight?”
His lips curved as he held her gaze. “No idea.”
She’d invited him around before because there was nowhere else he could really go. But now it was starting to make more sense, or was that just begging for more trouble? Did it matter when nothing she was doing at the moment was changing a damn thing? She wanted to know what she was missing out on by having her future yanked away from her. No matter what else had been going on in her life that had been her safety blanket that all would be well. “We’ve missed the train ride, but we could skip ahead?”
He nodded slowly. “We could, but is it wise?”
“I kind of feel like it doesn’t really matter. Plus, if I’m going to die, then I might as well have some fun first.” He was supposed to be her fate and she was going to take it.
“You aren’t going to die. I won’t let that happen.” He gripped her hand.
She wanted to believe him. He had control of his magic and his life. He didn’t have to prove himself the way she constantly did. It would be ever so easy to fall for him. She should. She was supposed to. But she couldn’t let herself fall for a man who she’d just seen die in a vision.
They were both going to die.
Maybe nothing mattered anymore. She should quit practicing her magic and stop worrying about assignment due dates and meetings with her adviser. She could just blow the whole thing off and do nothing but lie in bed and eat chocolate.
Except that she’d never been good at doing nothing. “I won’t let you die either.”
He smiled, still holding her hand. “Good. Before we go I want to test something out.”
“Okay.”
He pushed the candle aside. Leira’s breath caught. She didn’t need to look into the future to know what was about to happen. He leaned forward and she met him halfway. Their lips met.
There were definitely sparks.
That little bit of her that had doubted if he could be the one went up in flames. She wanted Julian. He was hers, the way she’d known for years. Her lips parted hungry for more. She’d waited for so long. And then he was easing back.
His blue eyes had turned silvery as though he could feel the magic too. She hoped he could feel it through the bond the way she could. He blinked a couple times, his eyes becoming blue again. “Can you check my future again? I’m pretty sure that something just changed.”
Leira nodded and brought the candle close. It took only seconds to see that nothing had changed.
Julian swore. “What about yours?”
No change. Just smoke. But there had been fire. Her lips still tingled and her heartbeat was still fueled by lust.
It was just lust. Not love. Love didn’t happen like that. Or at least she didn’t think it did. She’d never been in love. Had he?
“One kiss wasn’t enough to do anything.”
“It did something, Leira. I have never been kissed like that before.”
“Maybe it was just because we share an element. Or the blood bond?” Her toes curled. She wanted it to be more. She wanted more. “Stay at my place.”
“I’ll put you in danger.”
“I’m already in danger. We might be safer together.”
He frowned. “We don’t die together.”
Not at the moment anyway, but that could change. She had no plans to die. She was going to fight that fate until her last breath. “Let’s steal back what fate has stolen.”
His lips turned up in a grin, but there was something about the way he was looking at her that suggested he was going to say no or at least
thinking about saying no. “Do you think it will be that simple?”
She shook her head. “I wish it was.”
“I like you, and I think that if we’d met at the right time—”
She didn’t need to hear him say the right words. “We aren’t going to have a right time anymore. All the things I wanted to do, I’m not going to get to do them unless everything changes. Your hopes and dreams are also gone.”
“Life is fragile even without Guardians. My mum didn’t expect to die. None of my patients expect to end up in hospital. Some of them are there for months and facing years of therapy or surgery, assuming they survive the initial burns.” He was quiet for a moment. “But you’re right, we should be making the most of each day, not wait for the worst to happen.”
“What does that mean?” She’d put herself out on a limb and he was neatly sawing it off while she stood there.
“I don’t know what we should do.”
There was a rap on the wall. “Come on. I need to get moving.”
Leira put the candle out with a pinch and dropped the circle. She tugged open the curtain. “We’re done.”
* * * *
Julian sat for a moment after she’d walked out. He’d screwed up. He knew that. But he couldn’t be what she wanted. People close to him got hurt. She was already in Emily’s sights because of him and he didn’t want to drag her in further.
It was already too late to protect her from Emily by staying away.
He could stay at her place and nothing needed to happen. He wanted something to happen. She wanted something to happen. But in his experience jumping into bed too fast didn’t make for a long-term relationship, and that was what she’d seen in her future.
It was a weird situation to know the woman he was supposed to end up with, but not be sure about why or how it happened. He hadn’t lied. He did like her. She was far stronger than she realized and smarter. He wanted to follow her into battle, trusting in her vision.
Joan d’Arc hadn’t survived. She would’ve if she’d been a fire user, not an earth user.
His father peered into the room. “Bad news?”
Julian didn’t bother answering. He got up. “How much faith do you put in knowing the future?”
“Enough to know that it can be changed. Don’t keep doing what you are doing if you don’t like what you saw.”
He wanted to ask if his mother had seen her death or had it just slammed into her with no warning. Not everything could be seen coming from a distance. He didn’t say anything. He just nodded.
Fine. His first instinct had been to keep it friendly with Leira, not give in to temptation until the danger was over and they could get to know each other. He’d do the opposite. He wouldn’t waste time by trying to do the right thing.
Leira was leaning against the counter, looking none too happy. He smiled at her and she looked away.
“What are we going to do about Emily?” He wished Leira had been able to see Emily’s future. If they knew what she was planning, it would be easier to catch her.
“So far nothing. She’s vanished,” his father said.
“If I hadn’t destroyed my phone, I’d be able to call her. I should be able to log-in and e-mail her though.”
“If she hasn’t done the love spell, then you doing anything will be suspicious.” Leira picked up her bag. “And no spell will take effect in here.”
“How strong is that love spell?” Did he need to be worried? Although if they were selling heavy duty magic to humans, he was sure that his father would have stepped in and said something.
Leira gave him a tightlipped smile. “I’m sure you can brush it off.”
“Before we step outside and make ourselves easy targets, you should know that there has been a fatal house fire in Dover, England. The Albah family were all pronounced dead at the scene. The authorities are calling it an accidental house fire.” His father was grim and clearly didn’t believe that.
Julian swallowed. Leira paled.
His father continued speaking. “They hadn’t lodged complaints with their local police or me. It may be an accident, but in light of recent events and the discovery of several corpses drained of blood in London, indicating another Albanex has been made, I’m inclined to believe it was a Guardian attack. I’m going to alert the others. The family that were killed had dropped out of contact a decade ago. However, they were clearly Albah from the pictures released to the media.”
“The truce is truly over then,” Julian said softly.
Quinn nodded. “Yes. I don’t want to declare war on the Guardians, though, as we don’t know who is a Guardian.”
“But we can look for signs. Emily has an unfilled trident tattoo.” Leira was looking at Julian as though he’d personally invited the Guardians over for a killing spree.
“Initiate,” his father said. “Common gang practice.”
“We need to lure them out. Set traps. Emily wants Julian. Let’s offer him to her.” Leira’s lips were almost in a smile, but he couldn’t tell if she was being serious or making a bad joke.
“So that makes me bait?” He did not want to be bait. He’d been fishing; the bait got eaten even though the fish got caught and killed.
“Just keep your heads down for the moment. I need to talk to others to see if they are coordinated attacks or random.” Quinn opened the door. “Let’s see if she’s worked that love spell.”
Julian let his father and Leira go first. He stopped as soon as he was out of the shop and frowned. He took a step back into the shop and then out again. There was definitely something reaching for him.
“What did you feel?” His father glanced around the empty walkway that serviced the stores and linked two streets.
“I’m not sure.” Something was trying to hook into him. “Like a grasping.”
Emily was reaching for him with some of Leira’s magic. That wasn’t messed up at all. “I’ll play along, but I don’t want this spell getting a hook into me.”
“Take hold of it. So you remain in control,” his father said, but he was already linking hands with Leira to form a protective circle around him.
Leira narrowed her eyes as though she could see the magic. “It’s interesting that she got it to work. Though it’s not the first time a Guardian has tried to turn our magic against us.”
Julian put his hand in his pocket and found the tip of the pocketknife blade. Blood beaded. He used it to draw a circle on the palm of his other hand. The bloodied circle heated as he pushed magic into it, then deflected the questing magic, knotting it on itself. But instead of sending it away, he kept it. It was neutralized and if he was keeping his enemy close, he wanted to know what was going on.
His father narrowed his eyes. “You’re rusty.”
“Thanks, Dad.” He did healing magic, not defense against attacks. The Albah didn’t attack each other and he’d had no reason to ever practice.
“Are you going to be okay alone with that?” His father said as he and Leira stepped back. If anyone had walked by, they’d have given them some very strange looks.
“I won’t be alone.” He glanced at Leira and she gave a small nod. “I’m going with Leira.”
Quinn looked at Julian, then Leira as though he knew exactly what was going on. “You’re going to stay with Leira? Is that wise?”
Probably not. But most definitely wiser than hooking up with Emily. “For tonight. I’m not going to your place. That’s what Emily wants.”
“A hotel would be better. She can’t track you now.” His father had that look, as though he was concerned, but not quite ready to start issuing orders. More orders.
“Mum’s house is well warded and Emily probably already knows I live there. Safety in numbers?” Not even Leira sounded convinced.
“I’ll get a patrol to go by.” His father still didn’t look happy. “We’ll end this.”
By that his father meant end Emily. That was the only way to stop
a Guardian. They believed in their mission to stop the Albah and protect humans.
Julian looked away. He saved people; he didn’t kill them.
Now he was bait to lure Emily to her end.
Chapter 11
The car trip had been silent, Julian lost in his thoughts and Leira caught up in hers. Eventually she had to speak. “The house is a bit of a mess.”
“At least it’s not on fire or full of iron.” He rubbed his temple. “I have never done anything that would attract Guardian attention. I have spent my life helping people, and this feels like a massive kick in the face.”
“I don’t think they care about the quality of your life, only that you have one. They don’t need a reason to hate.”
“But Emily didn’t seem to be hate filled. How could she? How could she lie in my bed and be thinking about killing me?”
“I don’t know. Dale might know. He deals with killers all the time.” She gave a little shake of her head, not sure how her light, bright sister had ended up with a man who dealt with darkness every day.
Julian glanced at her as if he expected her to be joking, but she was being serious. Anyone who would happily kill another person had issues that she couldn’t begin to understand—and she’d read plenty of accounts of the historical witch hunts that had killed so many Albah. Delusions of grandeur that somehow they had the right to decide who lived and who died was a place to start, the other was fear. Fear of those who were different.
“If Dad was right, and she isn’t a full member, maybe she won’t be able to go through with it.” He didn’t sound convinced. She didn’t believe Emily would stop. This had become personal when Julian had ended their relationship.
“Good point, but it doesn’t make me feel any safer.” She’d feel a whole lot better when Emily was locked up and facing charges.
Unlike the Guardians, the Albah played by the laws. They didn’t run around killing people. Although if the Guardians were all neatly marked with a trident, it would be super easy to round them up and see how they liked being threatened.
“Your dad was right. The Albah need to start reporting everything. Only then can we really see what is going on.”