by Lexi Ostrow
Epilogue
Closing the doorway after he stepped through it, he sat down on the couch and waited for his brother to show up. The actual door closed and he turned his head to see his brother pulling off his leather jacket and sitting down next to him.
“You had to fucking step in didn't you?”
His brother's sneered words didn't phase him like they normally did. He'd never helped a Word Speaker before and it felt damn good to help, not use them for just this once.
“You couldn't have swayed her anyway. Somehow, she was Stryder's from the get go. Which meant mine, given the path those particular demons had chosen. Not just Word Speaker to Guardian, but mate to mate. Maybe her name was connected to his from the author. We'll certainly never know. But you never would've had her powers. So what did you lose? Dale?” He felt a bit bad putting the guy down, but up until recently he'd been a bad seed and had it not been for Ciara's belief in him, well who knows where he would have fallen without her.
“Yes. Stupid of you to not just let her go missing and stay in the demon’s world. You're slipping brother. My side is growing stronger with each and every Word Speaker who tires of not knowing the truth. When this war finally comes, it will be my side that wins.”
They'd had this argument every time a Word Speaker sealed their path at twenty-seven. His brother always insisting his would win. Regardless of what was thought, it was clear the path his brother walked was dark and by all standards evil. But that was a conversation for another night.
“I had hoped when you showed up, there would be some sign of my brother. Of the twin I used to be fond of. But he's gone and I'm tired from today. So get out.”
With a mock salute, his brother left using the physical door. So his brother was home. Home, a place outside of the worlds as a whole, with the gods of their people now.
He had work to do. A missing person’s case would sooner or later be opened for Ciara and it was on him to come up with a clever solution to put an end to her life in her world. For death was the only way she would never be sought out. He had a feeling when the war truly began, he would see Ciara Miller ping on his radar again.
* * *
Dale had been growing used to the power day by day. Little by little he had played with it. When Nessa had failed to show up during an assault, he'd been able to handle it on his own. He had so much power. He knew that he wouldn't ever lose any gifts from his Guardian's now either. Plus he could come and go between the worlds like Ciara had.
He smiled as he placed his glasses on. “Power is good.”
“This just in. News of the missing girl from Southern California, Ciara Miller, has been received and the search is over.”
Dale damn near tripped over his feet getting to the TV in the living room. Pushing the volume button till it was loud enough to make his ears bleed, he stood and stared at the screen.
“Authorities note that the body of Ciara Miller was found today just outside her childhood home. Cause of death is unknown and she has no known relatives to release the body to.”
“So that's what he meant by closure.” Dale shuddered at how the deception could have possibly been pulled off. “Goodbye, Ciara Miller. I know you're most certainly in a better place. You will be missed.”
Shutting the TV off, he focused and opened a doorway, ready to see more of what his power could do, he stepped through and left his world behind, just as Ciara had.
Acknowledgments:
I wanted to say thank you to everyone that has helped me get to the release of my first novel. To Ms. Burns, my second grade librarian, thank you for showing me the amazing world of writing. To all of my professors and teachers at UCR and Emerson, thank you for teaching me the ins and outs of the craft so that my imagination could take shape. A special thank you to all my family and friends who supported me while I complained, flip flopped and talked nonstop about this book for not only the past few months, but the past few years as I wondered if I would ever be lucky enough to enter into this amazing world. Without all of you, my dream would not have been possible. The biggest thank you of all to Hot Ink Press and the amazing and talented team there for taking a chance on me and welcoming me into your family.