by Linsey Hall
I took one slow step forward, then another. Everything inside me screamed with anxiety, but I kept going, walking into the darkness. The future was unknown and so was my role in it, but if I just kept moving forward and trying, then I would get somewhere.
The air grew colder as I walked deeper into the tunnel but, somehow, I felt less alone. The future beckoned to me, and I knew the tunnel would end.
Almost abruptly, it did. I exited into a glowing white room, feeling my body return to the leader’s chair in the Shadow Guild tower.
All around me, figures appeared. Men and women, most of them dressed in ancient garb. I spotted Evangeline, standing next to a woman who looked just like her. Her daughter, maybe. The baby I’d seen, all grown up.
A feeling of warmth and love surrounded me. This was my family. The long line of them—gone, but not entirely.
A woman stepped out from the crowd, immediately recognizable, even though I’d never seen so much as a photo of her.
My mother.
I surged upright, moving toward her. She held open her arms, hugging me tightly. Joy exploded inside me, warmth and strength.
“You are strong,” she whispered against my ear. “You can do anything.”
“I love you.”
She hugged me tighter. “I love you, too. More than anything. I’m always with you, even if you don’t see me.”
My soul seemed to expand, filling with the love and support of the family I’d never met. I wanted to stay like this forever, hugging my mother in the perfect silence of this magical space.
But Grey.
I couldn’t stay.
He needed me.
The Shadow Guild needed me.
As if she understood, my mother drew back. She looked at me with such love and pride that I thought I might explode on the spot.
“You can do this.” She squeezed my arms tightly, then disappeared.
The rest followed, leaving me in the real Shadow Guild. My friends stared at me, eyes wide and concerned.
My family.
I had more than just my blood family. I had them. My chosen family.
18
Carrow
Suddenly, everything felt so much better.
“Carrow? Are you all right?” Mac asked.
“Fine.”
“You look a bit pale.” Beatrix frowned. “And you zoned out there for a while. Very weird.”
I stood, my soul full and my magic strong. Everything was calmer in my mind, though fear still nipped at my heels. I shoved it back.
“You look good there.” Mac gestured to the chair. “Real natural.”
“Feels okay, too.” I smiled, though it wasn’t a large one. My heart thundered as my mind raced. “I need to find Grey.”
“I don’t think he’s with me,” Eve said. “Not the way Beatrix was. I haven’t seen anything out of the ordinary.”
I clutched the book, my mind racing. Where would Grey go for strength? For the energy required to stay on this plane?
Suddenly, it occurred to me.
“I need to go.” I stood, shoving the book into the pocket of my full skirts.
“Care to clarify?” Mac asked.
“I think I know where Grey is.”
“Want company?” Seraphia asked.
“Part way there?” I looked at them all. “To his tower?”
“Sure,” Quinn said.
The rest nodded. I hurried from the building, unable to keep myself from running. I sprinted through the quiet streets of Guild City, scaring pigeons and annoying night-hunting cats when I disturbed their prey. My friends kept up with me as we raced along.
Not a single one of them had any idea what was going on, but they stuck with me. It gave me strength, the same way that seeing my mother and other members of my family had.
Finally, I reached the courtyard in front of Grey’s tower. The building rose tall and dark against the night sky, the glass a deep, blood red. The doormen stood by the entrance, their gazes impassive.
They still had no idea about Grey.
I wouldn’t tell them.
Both bowed, then opened the door for us. I hurried into the lobby, spotting Miranda by the front podium. She wore a long black silk robe, her hair piled on her head. Her eyes were red, as if she’d been crying, and she stood still as a statue.
“You know,” I said.
She nodded, gaze vacant. “I felt it.”
“I need to go to his quarters.”
Her gaze sharpened on me. “Why?”
“I’m going to try to bring him back.”
Confusion flickered in her eyes, but she asked no questions. “You’ll find it unlocks for you.” She gestured to my friends. “They can wait in the bar.”
I nodded. She was right. As much as I valued their support, they shouldn’t be in Grey’s private flat. I turned to them. “Thank you for coming.”
“Duh,” Mac said.
Everyone else’s expressions reflected the same. Of course they had come. Miranda led them away, and I turned and raced down the hall. When I reached his door, my heart began to thunder, my skin chilling.
Please work.
I prayed I was right about this.
Quickly, I pressed my palm to the door. Magic sparked under my hand, and the locking charm broke. I pushed open the door, stepping into the quiet silence of the room.
It was so different than how I’d seen it last. Modern and clean-lined. The contrast reminded me that I was still in the heavy dress, but it didn’t matter.
I strode to the bedroom, moving quickly toward the massive, enchanted window that revealed an expansive view of the Carpathian Mountains.
I’d admired this view since I’d first been in this room. Only recently had I learned what it meant to him.
Please be right.
I strode toward it, already anticipating the cold. When I reached it, I didn’t hesitate. I just stepped toward the huge window, praying that I wouldn’t smash my foot on glass that I didn’t fully believe existed.
It went right through the glass as if there were nothing there at all. My foot sank into cold snow on the other side, and I stepped fully through the window.
Icy wind buffeted me, snow pricking against my skin. In front of me, mountains rose high against the sparkling night sky. A full moon and thousands of stars shone on the snow, making it look like the earth was frosted in crystals.
“Grey!” I screamed, my voice becoming lost in the wind. “Grey!”
There was silence. I staggered forward, sinking up to my shins in the powder. It slipped down the tops of my tall boots, chilling my skin. I barely noticed.
My heart began to pound as I searched for Grey. How would he appear? Was he even here?
No.
I couldn’t doubt. I wouldn’t.
He was here. I would find him.
He’d said this place gave him strength. That it spoke to something in his soul, rejuvenating him. This was his Eve.
I drew in a deep breath and called out again, tears pricking my eyes. I might be confident he was here, but I was terrified I wouldn't manage this. Not because I didn’t believe in myself, but because I couldn’t face a life without him. It wasn’t a world I wanted to live in.
Snow fell all around, sticking to my hair and dress. The cold seeped into my veins, but I welcomed it. It made me feel alive. Present.
I fell to my knees in the snow, sucking in a huge lungful of cold air. Magic sparked through me as I took in the mountains ahead. Cold, hard, strong. But beneath them, far in the earth, was a core of heat.
Just like Grey.
Of course this place spoke to him.
This place was him.
I stared at the mountains through the snow and called on my magic, pulling the book from my skirts. Evangeline’s face whispered though my mind as I clutched it tight. My mother’s face. The faces of all of my family.
Power surged through me, strong and fierce. Just like when I’d tried to bring back Beatrix. My soul fi
lled with it, warming me from within.
The wind began to circle around me, the snow swirling in a cyclone. Energy crackled on the air, joining with my magic. It was so powerful that I felt like I was flying, my entire being lighting from within.
All around me, I could feel Grey. His strength, his honor, his kindness. He was with me. I sank my free hand into the cold snow, clutching a handful tight.
Power flowed between me and the night, between me and Grey. Determination replaced fear.
I could do this.
I would do this.
Suddenly, I could smell the firelight and whisky scent that was so distinctly Grey. Could hear the thunder of his magic, despite the fact that the night was clear.
The wind whipped faster and faster, so much magic contained within it. Energy exploded within me, my power going wild. Tears poured from my eyes, grief and hope and terror and joy.
The wind began to slow, the snow so thick that I could no longer see the mountains beyond. It coalesced in front of me, forming the shape of a man. Forming Grey.
One moment, there was only whiteness around me.
The next, there was Grey.
Healthy. Whole.
“Grey.” I fell toward him through the snow.
He pulled me up, his hands strong and warm and real.
I threw my arms around him, hugging him tight. “You’re okay. You’re okay.”
He clutched me close to him, his warmth surrounding me. His scent and strength filled me. “You brought me back.”
“Of course. Of course.” I pulled back and kissed him, my lips cold against his warmer ones. “I was so scared I’d lost you.”
He kissed me again, seeming to try to absorb me into him. I hugged him close, never wanting to let him go. He was having none of it, though. He pulled back and looked at me, his eyelashes now studded with snow. I could only imagine what I looked like. A snowman, perhaps.
“Why the bloody hell are we in the freezing cold?” he asked.
“We’re in Carpathia. In the mountains you love. I went through the portal in your flat.”
Confusion wrinkled his brow. “Why the bloody hell would you do that?”
“This is the place that gives you strength. You said it yourself. Just like Eve’s magic kept Beatrix going until I could find her again, this place kept you going.”
He smiled, shaking his head. “You ninny. It wasn’t mountains or snow or cold that kept me here. It was you. Since the moment I died, it was your light that kept me here.”
“What?” Confusion flashed. “But I tried to bring you back before. It didn’t work.”
“You didn’t believe in yourself yet. You hadn’t fully embraced your magic. You needed to find yourself fully at the Shadow Guild for it to work. I could feel the difference in you once you had.”
“Oh, my gosh.” I looked around at the snow, at the freezing landscape that could have killed me. “So I imagined that this place did it?”
He nodded. “I believe so. I love these mountains, but they aren’t you. They aren’t what kept me going.”
I threw my arms around him again, so blessedly grateful to have him back with me. He pulled me up into his arms, sweeping me out of the snow. I clung to him, my enormous skirts covered in snow. He strode through the drifts, exiting the freezing landscape and arriving back in his flat.
I leaned up and kissed him, determined never to let him go ever again.
19
Carrow
Two days later, after we’d cleaned up the snowdrift in Grey’s flat and confirmed that we hadn’t changed any of the present while in the past, Grey and I returned to Silviu’s Castle. I raced down the stone stairs into the depths, Grey at my side. We needed to see the seer—needed the confirmation that we’d broken the curse.
I was certain we had, and Grey no longer felt the beast inside him, but I needed to hear it.
We’d approached the castle under the cover of night like last time, but we’d come with a better plan. Meeting Silviu again was out of the question, so the Shadow Guild had come along. Mac, Eve, Seraphia, Quinn, Beatrix, and Cordelia were all currently outside, creating a massive disturbance on the side of Silviu’s mountain.
We’d waited while they set off hundreds of Eve’s fireworks. Unlike human fireworks, they formed monsters and armies, all made of light and fire. It looked like a legitimate attack. It would act like one as well, fooling Silviu for at least a little while. Long enough for us to get our answers, hopefully. And as expected, Silviu had run outside, along with Remington and all the guards in the castle.
Grey and I had made our move, darting through the main entrance and heading toward the seer’s underground lair.
“This is how we should have entered the first time,” he said as we raced down the stairs. “I never should have expected him to be reasonable.”
“It worked out in the end.” I panted, exhausted from the all the sprinting. “How far are we?”
“We’re nearly there,” he said. “Only a couple more flights.”
“Thank God.” There were so many that I’d lost track. If we ran into Silviu, we could fight him. With the Shadow Guild at our backs, we could take out the creepy vampire and all his guards. But it’d be better to avoid it.
Finally, we reached the bottom of the stairs. The enormous cavern echoed with our footsteps, the cool mist making goosebumps rise on my skin. Long icicles hung from the black rock walls.
“I can’t believe it lives down here,” I said.
“I’m not sure live is the right word for it.” Grey reached for my hand, and I gripped his tightly.
As we walked deeper into the cavern, I prayed the seer would come to us. Prayed it would have the answers we sought.
The mist surrounded me, touching every inch of my skin with an inquisitiveness that shouldn’t be possible. But this mist was the seer. It began to swirl, a breeze making my hair rise off my neck, then coalesced in front of us, thickening until it fell to the ground with a loud splash and formed a puddle. The opalescent water lapped at the tips of my boots.
It was all so eerily similar to last time, when we’d started out on this journey.
The water rose upward, forming the same ethereal figure with indistinct features and no discernable gender. Wisdom radiated from the seer, making me feel warm inside.
Grey and I bowed, rising slowly.
“You are back,” the seer said, its voice slow and steady.
“We’ve broken the curse,” I replied.
“We believe,” Grey said. “But we would appreciate if you could confirm it for us.”
The seer moved around us, circling us slowly. My heart raced as it drifted, its magic wafting around us. When it returned to stand in front of us, its form slipped into Grey, the white mist disappearing.
He stiffened, his brow furrowing. I shivered, remembering the odd sensation from our last visit.
After a few minutes, it drifted back out of his body.
Well? I bit back the words.
“The curse is indeed broken,” it said. “Your death severed that dark bond, though you are still mates.”
Joy, warm and bright, filled my chest. “And when I brought him back, everything went okay?” I hoped I hadn’t screwed something up for him.
“He is as he should be,” the seer said. “No longer immortal. Still a vampire, but mortal now, like born vampires.”
Grey’s shoulders relaxed, and I knew it was with relief. He’d been worried about living forever, having to watch me die.
“Is there anything else you could possibly tell us?” I asked.
“Hmm.” It watched us, crossing its arms. Clearly debating something. “Did you cause the commotion outside a short while ago?”
Grey hesitated, then said, “Yes, that is our doing.”
It was impossible to be sure, but I thought it smiled. “Good. That Silviu is a miserable bastard. I enjoy his annoyance. Therefore, I will tell you that you will grow old and die together. When your time on Ea
rth is up, you’ll travel to the same afterlife.” Its voice sharpened. “But don’t use that as an excuse to go do stupid, dangerous things.”
Elation exploded inside me. It was more than I could ever hope for. More than I could dream.
“Thank you,” I said. “Thank you so much.”
Grey inclined his head. “You have my sincerest gratitude.”
The seer nodded. “As I should. Now I suggest that you leave here before Silviu’s guards return.”
We thanked the seer again, then ran from the cavern. As I raced up the stairs, my heart felt like it was going to explode from the joy of it.
We’d done it. Broken the curse. Saved our own lives. And we had a future together. An amazing, beautiful future.
A few moments later, we raced out the front door and away from the fireworks on the west side of the mountain. Silviu and his men appeared to be figuring out that it was all a trick. In the distance, behind a rock outcropping, I spotted my friends. Cordelia sat on Quinn’s broad shoulder, and the others gathered round, peeping their heads up from behind the rocks.
They waved, gesturing us closer. We sprinted toward them.
“Well?” Mac demanded as we neared.
“We’re good!” I said, grinning wildly. “It worked!”
“Then let’s get the hell out of here.” Eve scowled up at the scene in the distance. “They’re going to start looking for the cause of that little show soon.”
I nodded, beaming at them all. My eyes met Beatrix’s, and she smiled widely. “This is crazy,” she said.
“Isn’t it?” It made me so damned happy to see her here. To see them all here. “Come on. Let’s go.”
The seven of us raced down the mountain, with me leading the way.
Epilogue
Grey
The coast of Cornwall was bloody lovely on a sunny afternoon. Sunlight sparkled off deep blue waves, and wildflowers dotted the green grass that topped the cliffs.
Beside me, Carrow looked impossibly beautiful, her golden hair gleaming like the sun. She was the sun.
“I think we’ve almost found it.” She pulled me along the coast path. “I can feel it.”