Forgotten Destiny 4

by Odette C. Bell

  “What have I got to do with this?”

  He looked away, casting his gaze to the view. “The prophecy.”

  That goddamn prophecy. Every time I heard about it, I hated it more. “What does the prophecy have to do with Internal Affairs?”

  “It’s not Internal Affairs – it’s the location of the city. The prophecy speaks specifically of Madison City.”

  “So what? That led the powers-that-be to allow Internal Affairs to stockpile Hidden Grimoires in Madison City?”

  “That led them to be prepared,” he said opaquely.

  I sighed. I’d gone from being emotional and angry to being defeated. “I don’t need this right now.”

  “None of us do. But you need to tell me what you meant earlier.”

  I frowned, having no idea what he was talking about. “What—”

  He looked right at me, and I swore I got that faint impression of a hand pressing into my shoulder. I took a breath. “You mean the comment about the visions?”

  “Yes,” he said, and he sounded as if he was out of breath. “What kinds of visions were you talking about? What—”

  “I haven’t told anyone else yet,” I said. “Even Jason,” I added. I don’t know why I said that – if I was trying to emphasize to Max that this was a secret that he shouldn’t share, or if… what? I wanted to point out that I still trusted him more than his brother?

  Max looked at me evenly, though there was a worried edge to his gaze. “What did you see? And where and how did you see it?”

  “I’ll answer the where and how first. It was when we were in that room, tracking down the Hidden Grimoires set in the infinity tunnels. It was when Jason was finding it, to be specific. He opened some kind of… God, I don’t know, magical circle? I’d never seen anything like it,” I said as I shivered.

  “And you’d never felt anything like it too, ha?” Max asked perceptively.

  I nodded. I brought my hands up, locked them on my arms, and began to brush my fingers up and down the tingly flesh. “So much magic poured off that circle… it did something to me. Though Jason had asked Hayden to take me far enough back that the magic wouldn’t affect me, it didn’t work. And I… I guess I reacted to it.”

  “And what did it do, exactly?” Max had the tone of a worried doctor. No, sorry, that wasn’t right. He had the tone of a worried friend. One who cared for you about as much as it was possible to care for someone.

  I took a breath. I couldn’t believe I was actually sharing this. But I couldn’t exactly back out now. “I think… I know this sounds utterly crazy – but go with me. I think I went back to the past. I had this… vision. I was standing on the top of a castle, and there was a storm pressing in from above. It wasn’t a normal storm. It was…” I shivered again, but this time it was a strong move that threatened to shake me off my feet, “otherworldly. As if it was coming… from some other place. Someplace of chaos,” I added.

  Max didn’t say a word. I wouldn’t look at him, either, but out of the corner of my eye, I could tell that his expression was one of terrified captivation.

  I took a deep breath, trying to grab hold of my nerve. “There was… somebody else in my vision,” I managed. When it came to sharing this particular detail, I suddenly became clammy.

  “… Who?”

  “I don’t really know,” I said. “No… that’s a lie. I….”

  “… It was Jason, wasn’t it?”

  “I think so.”

  “… I see.”

  “Do you? Because I don’t.” I stared at the view glumly.

  Max appeared to take several seconds to compose himself. Which of course led to the question of why he had to compose himself at all. “And what did Jason tell you in your vision?”

  “That we had to run away. The time would come in another lifetime. Or something like that.”

  “Do you remember his exact words?”

  I shook my head. “The gist of it was that we were fighting something, and we couldn’t fight it in that lifetime. We had to wait for another.”

  “I see,” Max said again.

  This time I didn’t bother asking him if he did see, because I was starting to question if he really could see something different from me. As I looked at his eyes, his attention was… elsewhere.

  “You know something about this vision, don’t you?” I suddenly asked. There was no reason to suspect Max did – but the question popped into my head, and I went with it.

  Max looked at me sharply. Then he let out a soft chuckle. “You’re becoming too good at finding hidden truths, Bethany Samson.”

  “I’m right? You know something about this vision?”

  “I suspect I may. Is that the same?”

  “With you, your suspicions usually turn out to be right. So what is it?”

  “Jason and I are only half-brothers,” he suddenly revealed.

  “What?”

  “We share the same father. And our father… is a sorcerer. He’s the man I spoke of before.”

  “What man?” My mind raced as it tried to fill in the gaps. “Wait – the only people we talked about recently were your ex-girlfriend and the director of Internal Affairs.”

  “That’s right, he was the old director of Internal Affairs,” Max said quietly.

  “Your father was a sorcerer? And wait – he was the director of Internal Affairs? Then—”

  “Why didn’t I tell you this earlier?”

  “Why don’t you know more about Internal Affairs?” I questioned instead. “Why are you pretending that most of your suspicions are just that – suspicions? They must be founded if your dad was the old director,” I pressed.

  Max smiled. If you could call it a smile. His lips were a little too twisted. “A good comment.”

  “It wasn’t a comment, Max—”

  “It was a question. Yes.”

  “Yes to it being a question, or yes to your suspicions being more than simple hunches?”

  He looked away sharply and breathed hard. “You’re not going to let this go, are you, Bethany Samson?”

  I looked right into his gaze, and I shook my head. “I can’t, Max. You were right about me. I suppose I do have an internal sense of justice, and right now—”

  “It won’t let you back down. I understand. Though you may not want to hear this, the prophecy seemed to be right about you, after all.”

  That comment derailed me, and I paled. “What are you talking about? What exactly does this prophecy say, anyway? I’ve never seen it—”

  Max put up a hand, obviously realizing that another one of my tirades was about to spill forth and presumably drown us both. “It spoke of a sorcerer and a finder who weren’t willing to let go of the truth, and would track it down, no matter which dark corners it took them to.”

  I frowned. For some reason a chill raced up my back, one that told me I was missing something here. But right now, I had bigger fish to fry. “So why didn’t you tell me that your dad was the old director of Internal Affairs? And why didn’t you mention that he was a sorcerer? And what exactly—”

  “Does this have to do with your vision? I’m afraid it has quite a lot to do with your vision. Because… I might’ve read it in a diary before.”

  I shook my head, the move so jarring, I swore I felt a crick develop in my neck. “I’m sorry? You’ve read about my vision before? In a diary? What—”

  “Before you suggest some time traveling magic is going on here, the answer is simple.”

  “It is? Are you somehow suggesting that Jason was one of your forebears? But how the hell does that make sense? I thought my vision was just some kind of past life? I mean, if one of Jason’s past lives was one of his own forebears – God, that’s kind of creepy. That makes him his own great great great—” I gave up and shook my head.

  “I didn’t say one of my forebears was the man in your vision,” he corrected. “I simply meant that one of my ancestors had acquired that diary.”

  I frowned. “What does tha
t mean? And who was the man if he wasn’t Jason? And how can you trust this diary? Where did you get it? What—”

  Max brought up a hand, obviously indicating that I needed to take a breath so he could answer. “I actually don’t know the story of how we acquired the diary. As for whether we can trust it?” He cast his gaze up and appeared to lock it on the clouds rushing across the horizon. They were still being chased by the wind, and I still sympathized with them. Maybe Max did too as his features slackened. He looked back down at me. “We can trust the diary. It’s one of the most ancient, rarest books my family has.”

  My nose scrunched up until it was a surprise I didn’t force the damn thing back into my skull. “Sorry – ancient? I don’t understand. How can it be ancient? Surely, it’s only,” I ticked my gaze to the side and tried to figure out from what time my vision was. “A couple of hundred years old?” I hazarded.

  “You’re assuming that was the only lifetime in which you tried to defeat the chaos,” he said simply.

  “Chaos?” I asked as a thrill chased down my back. “I only referred to it as chaos by accident. You seem—”

  “To know what I’m talking about? I do. Or at least the diary does. It refers to the force – the storm you saw – as the chaos. It is… hard to explain.”

  I didn’t press Max. I just shot him the kind of look that told him even if it was frigging impossible to explain, he needed to try.

  He obviously picked up on that, and he nodded. “How much do you know about the dynamics of magic?”

  “Only what Hayden taught me. But he was a pretty good teacher, and he seemed to understand the more esoteric side of magical physics. So just try to explain, and I’ll ask questions if I have to.”

  Max conceded my point with a hard nod. “Very well. You understand what the Hidden Grimoires do, right? They allow a practitioner of magic to rewrite the natural laws around them, enabling them to access more magical forces. In theory, if someone were to bring all six—”

  “Seven,” I corrected immediately.

  “Very well – seven – grimoire sets together, then they would become the most powerful sorcerer there has ever been. They would also be able to take magic from some and give it to others.”

  Though Hayden had already pointed this out, I shivered. “That sounds terrifying.”

  “Indeed, it does. There is, however, a consequence of their actions.”

  I looked up at him sharply, the corners of my lips turning down hard into my chin. “… The chaos?”

  He nodded. “The chaos. Call it the dimension from which magic comes. Every time somebody uses the Hidden Grimoires to rewrite the natural laws to allow themselves to gain more magic, the chaos surges. It is the source of all power, and yet, it is the source of all destruction, too.”

  “What does this have to do with my vision, though? And… why are you implying that I’ve spent… God, I don’t know how many lifetimes trying to combat the chaos?” Though I was technically capable of forcing those words out of my mouth, I felt goddamn foolish. Because none of this made sense. Or at least it wouldn’t have made sense to the old Bethany Samson. The new Bethany Samson had gone through a heck of a lot because of these damn Hidden Grimoires – enough to understand how powerful and dangerous they were.

  “Yes. The short answer is yes. You and your partner have spent many, many lifetimes attempting to draw the chaos under control. And to do that, you must find the Hidden Grimoires and finally destroy them.”

  I blanched. “Destroy them? Nobody mentioned anything about destroying them. Why are you telling me this now?”

  “Because you only convinced me to be honest several minutes ago. Until then I… foolishly thought I was protecting you by hiding this fact. But if you’ve already started to have visions, I suppose there’s no point. You’re remembering your past lives, and you’re being drawn back into the battle now.”

  I shook my head. It wasn’t that I didn’t agree with what Max was saying. It was that this entire situation was goddamn crazy. I brought up a hand and pressed it into my brow, pushing my fringe back as I let out a tense sigh. “This is insane. I still don’t know if I want to believe any of this. But I guess I don’t have any choice, do I?”

  Max didn’t appear to know what to do with that comment, so he simply kept his gaze locked on me. “The important thing to realize, Bethany, is that you are not alone.” His voice shook.

  “… You mean Jason will be with me?” I asked. Even as I asked it, I realized it was a mistake. From the sheer emotion rushing through his tone, it was damn clear that what Max meant was that he wouldn’t leave me alone.

  At my comment, he stiffened. Then he shrugged. “Indeed, my brother won’t leave you alone. But I… I’ll be here too. I may not have that much knowledge or power compared to my brother,” he conceded with an empty shrug, “but what I have I will use.”

  I stared at Max. 1001 things rushed through my head, but I couldn’t find the breath to say any of them. This was insane on every level. And yet… I wasn’t freaking out as much as I should be. And the reason was that Max’s steady gaze was almost as good as a steady grip on my hand.

  I tilted my head back and sighed. “Can I ask what happens next? Or is it just going to be more of the same? More frigging danger, more uncertainty, and more of me being pulled around like a puppet on strings?

  “Though it is sometimes tempting to believe that the future has already been decided, there is choice, Beth. There is always an element of chance.”

  I thought that was rich considering I apparently had a destiny I couldn’t get out of, but I managed a smile. Then I arched an eyebrow. “You’re telling me there’s still hope yet?”

  “I suppose I am.”

  I sighed. “I suppose it’s time to get to work. Who is your ex?” I asked, changing the conversation as quickly as somebody doing a bootlegger turn.

  Max stiffened a little. He also got a prying look in his gaze, almost as if he was searching me to see if I was jealous in any way. “I have included a short biographical with several photos in the file I have given Josh. He’s waiting for you in my office.”

  I sighed, shrugged my shoulders, and scratched my neck. “I guess it’s time to go and apologize to him for being a diva. It’s that, or he’ll try to label me as noncompliant.”

  Max got a funny look. “What does that mean?”

  “That Josh’s sense of humor is pretty much all he’s got right now,” I said quietly.

  I walked away.

  Had all my questions been answered?

  No. If anything, the little that Max had revealed had only left more questions burrowing into my mind like parasites. The point was, however, that I’d sensed a change in opportunities. It was time to head out there, find what needed to be found, and, most importantly, try to remember the destiny that haunted me.

  For it would be key.

  Chapter 3

  “Are you sure she’s gonna be here?” Josh asked for what felt like the thousandth time as he shoved his hands into his pockets. He was still wearing his leather jacket, and though usually he wore it proudly, now he seemed to be trying to hide it as he shrugged his shoulders down and ticked his head to the side.

  “Yes, Josh, I’m sure she’s going to be here. I used my magic, and I definitely sensed an opportunity.”

  Josh whirled on me just before we could enter one of the most expensive restaurants in town. It was one of those old, exceedingly posh affairs with actual crystal chandeliers and maître d’s wearing perfectly pressed black and white uniforms. In other words, it was very much not the kind of place where Josh and I usually went for dinner.

  Now? I half closed my eyes and concentrated on the magical opportunity I sensed.

  Josh growled from beside me. “You sensing an opportunity is not the same as you finding Olivia. I shouldn’t need to remind you who we’re finding Olivia for—”

  “No, you shouldn’t. I haven’t forgotten.”

  “Is that a twinge of jealousy
I hear in your voice?”

  I snorted. “Wrong brother, Josh,” I said darkly.

  “Sure it is.”

  Josh never usually drew attention to my crazy love life, and it almost unsettled me enough to pull my attention off my finding magic. But at the last moment, I felt it surge, and I found myself jerking my head hard to the side.

  An extremely rich-looking couple had just walked through the glass doors to our left, entering the restaurant. From the look of the Tahitian pearls practically dripping off the lady’s neck, to the sapphire-encrusted watch the fellow was wearing, they were not short of a penny or two.

  Josh looked like he always did – with his big boots, his torn jeans, and his leather jacket. And I hardly looked better – just a smidgen more respectable in a nice pair of black slacks, some sensible black shoes, a white blouse, and – though it was incongruous – a leather jacket.

  The point was, we were very much not dressed to enter this fine establishment.

  As soon as he walked through the glass doors into the atrium, Josh pointed to the prominently displayed sign that showed the dress code of the restaurant. Funnily enough, ripped jeans and leather jackets weren’t included on the list of acceptable garb. “We’re gonna get kicked out,” Josh whispered.

  A stuffy looking attendant arched an eyebrow and walked over to us. Before he could kick us out of the establishment, I reached around, stuffed a hand into my pocket, and pulled out my own bounty hunter badge. Considering all of the top-level bounties I’d pulled in, Josh had finally deigned to give me one. “Sorry to interrupt you, sir. But we’re currently on a case.”

  “Are you two from the police?” The guy’s thick eyebrows descended hard over his eyes as he looked us up and down.

  “Well—” Josh said, shrugging awkwardly.

  I found it surprising that he could be so hard and forthright in certain company, and crumble in other company.

  Me? I had a mission. If there was one thing this magical world had taught me, it was that to get anywhere, you had to rely on your own steam. I cleared my throat. “We are bounty hunters, sir.”

  “Bounty hunters?” The man’s tone changed entirely. “You do not have permission—”