by Jenn Stark
“I thought he had windows on the world,” I said, shaking my head. “He’s never seen a fountain before?”
“He studied everything deeply and at great length,” Armaeus said. “Modern history to him stopped at World War II, however. At that point, he determined he needed to go back to the beginning again, to see how the human race had come to such a point.”
“Well, he’s got some catching up to do, then.”
“He will do so quickly, I suspect.” The Magician eyed me. “And he can provide you the information you seek, though I can as well, at least in part. The magic that binds the Houses is very old. Each was separate from the other, careful to remain fully hidden, and over the centuries, the separation grew entrenched. There has been endless speculation about them, but few proven facts.”
“Uh-huh. And you never thought of mentioning this?”
“No one has sought to bring the Houses together for over a thousand years. The language to do so has fallen out of use.”
“Which is great, except you’ve been kicking around for about that long, so I’m thinking you knew exactly what—”
“The House system is built for war, Miss Wilde. You were not a part of that war.”
Armaeus’s words stopped me cold. He was right. I hadn’t been a part of the war. I’d fed money to it, fought for it, sacrificed my time and talents to it—at least my part of it. But I wasn’t in the war, as Soo had said. I was on the sidelines. In the shadows. And then she’d given me this legacy that I’d neither asked for nor desired, and suddenly the war was all around me, threatening to consume me.
“You knew, didn’t you?” I said, staring at Armaeus. “You knew Soo was part of a House.”
He shrugged. “There were many paths to follow, through the centuries. One of those paths kept returning to the syndicate of her family. It was a likely possibility. And one it was time to pursue.” His gaze shifted to me. “I know you possess two amulets of that House, Miss Wilde. I can surmise that Soo gave them to you. Along with their burden. There is much you should know before you accept that burden.”
“Which now you’re going to tell me?”
“Of course,” he said. “As I said, I have merely been waiting for you to ask the right questions.” His eyes glittered darkly. “Even if you will not like the answers.”
We turned then to look at Michael, the most unique of all the Council members, staring at the play of sunshine and water and the glittering rainbows created by the fountains. To him, this day was magic, filled with new experiences, tastes, sounds, and the joy of all things utterly human.
To me, this day was the start of something entirely different. I would not forget nor forego my promise to Soo. I would not excuse nor allow Gamon’s desecration of the innocent to continue. I would not hide on the fringes of this conflict any longer, helping without committing, giving without engaging. Soo’s gift to me of the twin jade amulets meant more than honoring the wish of a dying woman, gaining vengeance for a kindred soul. It meant finding Gamon and bringing her to justice. It meant rooting out the source of fear and evil that had given birth to SANCTUS and allowed it to flourish in a world twisted with power and corruption. It meant finding the source of my own abilities and following them to their ultimate, doom-filled end.
It meant war.
Aces Wilde
The war on magic heats up when Sara is drawn into her unexpected new role as the head of the House of Swords. Don’t miss Aces Wilde, Book 5 in the Immortal Vegas series, coming August, 2016!
A Note From Jenn
Sara’s second reading in the opening chapter of Wicked And Wilde provides clues to the mayhem about to unfold. The cards’ general interpretations are below, suitable for everyday reads—or for those moments when you find yourself face to face with a sky kraken. These are equal opportunity interpretations!
The Moon
As Trump 18 of the Major Arcana, the Moon is a card of mystery and obfuscation. With ties to the occult, or the nighttime world of dreams and psychic understanding, it urges you to connect with your intuition for the answers you seek. Something remains hidden behind a veil, and hard facts elude you, which can be frustrating unless you’re willing to go with the flow. However, this card can also mean that your spiritual life is deepening, and any creative projects will experience a burst of positive energy and success. Look to your dreams and premonitions for clues about what’s to come!
The Five of Wands
The fight is on! The Five of Wands indicates that you are about to be immersed in a competition, or an intense activity that feels like a contest—lots of action and rivalry. You can overcome your opponents, but you must act with intention and focus. This card can sometimes mean a minor injury received in the course of physical activity, so be careful out there—don’t move so fast that you do something foolish. In matters of business or the heart, others want what you want…but the challenge excites you and you know you have what it takes to achieve your goals.
The Hanged Man
So many ways to read this card, so little time… except actually, you have more time than you want. Trump Twelve of the Major Arcana, the Hanged Man is the card of transition, postponed plans, and your life being held in suspension. There could even be some self-sacrifice involved as you struggle to make a change. You’re being forced to stop and consider something from an entirely fresh perspective, and perhaps even question the deeper meaning and purpose of what you’re doing. Expect delays, but know the impasse is only temporary. Want to speed things along? Change your point of view! That fresh look or willingness to sacrifice negative beliefs will break things open.
Acknowledgments
Once again, Wicked And Wilde would not have been possible without readers in the U.S. and abroad, who asked for another book in the series by sharing the story of Immortal Vegas with their friends and encouraging sales and reviews. Thank you for allowing me to continue to tell these stories! As with every book, I am deeply indebted to Elizabeth Bemis for your friendship and mad formatting/design abilities. Gene Mollica once again did an extraordinary job with the photography and cover design/illustration for Wicked And Wilde, and my editorial team of Linda Ingmanson and Toni Lee once again excelled at wrangling my story into shape. Any mistakes in the manuscript are, of course, my own. This book is dedicated to Kristine Krantz, because she literally walked through Hell with me for this book, and lived to tell the tale. I’m completely blessed to have found you in this lifetime, my friend. We won’t talk about what you did the last time around. Finally, sincere thanks go as always to Geoffrey—for your vision, insight and guidance, every step of the way. It’s been a Wilde ride.
About Jenn Stark
Jenn Stark is an award-winning author of paranormal romance and urban fantasy. She lives and writes in Ohio. . . and she definitely loves to write. In addition to her new "Immortal Vegas" urban fantasy series, she is also author Jennifer McGowan, whose Maids of Honor series of Young Adult Elizabethan spy romances are published by Simon & Schuster, and author Jennifer Chance, whose Rule Breakers series of New Adult contemporary romances are published by Random House/LoveSwept and whose new modern royals series, Gowns & Crowns, is now available.
You can find her online at http://www.jennstark.com, follow her on Twitter @jennstark, and visit her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/authorjennstark
Table of Contents
Copyright
Other Books By Jenn Stark
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapt
er Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Aces Wilde
A Note From Jenn
Acknowledgments
About Jenn Stark