Chapter 1
“This is the best chance we have, even with Leonora missing.”
It wasn’t as though the Embers were powerful, but missing one of the Council could be a problem in the future.
“We could wait.”
“She’s the sole dissenting voice. I don’t want her to be able to convince the others.”
“If we don’t have the twelve…”
“We will, one way or another. You have nothing to worry about, Anne, because it’s never not worked out in our favour.”
Titus never had doubts. He believed they were doing what was right, both for them and the Council. Anne chose not to argue.
“This may be the first time.”
“You worry too much, little sister. Everything will work out the way it’s meant to.”
“Draining the strongest every lifetime has affected the others.”
“Yes, it has, and the more we do it the easier it will be to step into position.”
“In time it will make this impossible, Titus. You know that as well. A couple more lifetimes, and we’ll have taken everything from them, so we need to be thinking about the future.”
“By then I’ll have found the solution.”
“What happens if you don’t? Have you thought about that?”
“Anne…”
“We have to be prepared for the possibility there is no way to make us immortal, unless we want to become vampires or werewolves.”
“That’s not happening.”
“I know, but…”
“No, there is going to be a way. I’m closer to it than I’ve ever been before. Once more.”
“You’ve said that before, brother.”
“I am certain this time.”
Anne shook her head. “How many times do we need to go round in the same circles, Titus?”
“Enough for me to find the magic I need.” His eyes met with hers. “When I promised to protect you I meant it.”
“By seeking immortality?”
“Nothing will be able to take you from me then.”
It was more than immortality. Neither of them would be in any danger of dying, their bodies strengthened by magic. Both in control of the Council, teaching those who deserved to learn, the weak banished.
“Titus…”
“You’ll be able to live the life you always dreamed of, little sister.”
The life she’d never been able to live before, although there were times when it mattered less. Anne only needed Titus, the same way he only needed her, the way it had always been.
Life by life her focus changed. A husband, children, the kind of future she believed she’d have during that first life, until magic changed everything. Titus simply accepted it, and Anne didn’t have a choice. It was how things were… until it became their only dream.
Finally becoming immortal, being who they were meant to be, the way they’d ‘always’ dreamed, until she didn’t.
“When is that going to happen, Titus? You know what I want.”
There was a flicker of anger, but he controlled it. “Am I not enough?”
“I’m not you, brother.”
“Anne, I know, and this… it’s not how I expected things to be. I am sorry for how long it’s taken.”
“Sorry doesn’t mean anything, Titus.”
“I will find the answer. You have my vow this will be the last life we’ll be searching for it. Our next life will be our future.”
Titus studied Anne. What they had wasn’t enough for her. Hearing those words made his greatest fear real. For as long as they’d lived she’d been his focus, the only person he truly cared about, magic transforming their first lives. It left them alone, their parents too weak.
“Have you Seen it?”
“In a way.” There were gaps, moments of confusion, but enough to make Titus certain their future would be different. “None of us See everything. What I know is our next bodies will be the last.”
Not that she believed, the doubt in her eyes painful. “Titus…”
“Please don’t. What we need to do is talk about the ritual.”
“It’s going to be the same as always. You’ll drain the magic of the Council, gift us the chance to live another life, and then we’ll be the only ones left.”
“Other than Lenora.”
“Do you need me to talk to her?”
“Don’t worry about her. She made her choice, Anne, and she’ll understand why going against the Lockwoods was a mistake.”
One of Titus’ abiding beliefs was there were many things worse than death. Lenora would learn, and she’d regret the decision she made to speak against them.
“Give me one chance to convince her to join us.”
“You’d rather she died?”
“Compared to what you’ve done in the past? Yes, I think it would be better for everyone. Let’s not forget both the werewolves and the vampires exist due to you, brother.”
“It was necessary.”
“Necessary?”
“They know better than to go against us, little sister.” A smile touched Titus’ lips, reminding her how callous her brother could be, because they didn’t matter. “Soon enough the Embers will be the same. I don’t quite know what I want to do to her, though.”
“Let me try. One conversation. That’s all I’m asking.”
“You don’t normally care this much.”
“It’s either Leonora, or Emory.”
“Our weak uncle.”
“He’s a Lockwood.”
“Who shouldn’t have been given the name, little sister.”
“Either way he has it, and he’s the one who’ll pass it on.”
Anne still didn’t know, which was for the best. If she found out… well, there was no changing the past. Titus nodded.
“Fine, you can have your conversation with Leonora. If you don’t convince her…”
“There has to be another solution.”
“Emory may be the only option.”
“Killing off the Lockwoods, unless you’re planning on doing something about it, brother.”
“Should it become the only way then I will do what needs to be done.”
From the way Anne stared at him Titus knew they were the wrong words. “You get to have a child, and I don’t.”
“You know it’s for the best, little sister.”
“Do I?”
“If you were to have children you’d also want them to be immortal. Then we’d need more sacrifices, and I know you’re unhappy with things as they are.”
Anne stared at Titus. “Sometimes I hate you.”
“You can hate me.”
“What happens if I say no?”
“You’re not going to, are you? I know you, Anne. Every life we’ve worked together toward the same future, and you’re emotional right now, which is understandable. We have to do the ritual the same way we have done before. It’s not good enough.”
“Titus, it’s not about that. Every life I give up something in a way you don’t. I don’t think you ever wanted to be a father, but I always wanted to be a mother.”
“You didn’t care.”
“No, I cared. I just put something else first, and now… I can’t keep doing it.”
“It will be the last time. I promise.”
“How many times have you said that?”
“Anne…”
“This can be the last one. We don’t need to do the ritual. Rather than taking the power of the Council to live again we can move forward with things as they are.”
“Not good enough.”
“Please…”
“We die, and it’s over. I don’t think so. Lifetimes I’ve searched for true immortality. Giving up now would be a waste of the time and lives sacrificed, little sister. Like we always have we keep moving forward with things as they are. Next time you can play family.”
“After all this time…”
“No, we aren’t having this conversation. This is how things are, Anne. We do the ritual, we live out this life, and the next one will be the last one. It’s how it has to be.”
“I’m tired.”
“So am I. This has all been for you, from the beginning.”
Resting her head on her hands, Anne breathed in deeply. Settling her emotions had to come first, to find a way to mitigate the damage her honesty had done, because Titus didn’t want it. All he wanted was for her to follow his lead, the way she always had. No room to be herself.
“You’re doing it for yourself too, Titus. I know you want immortality.”
“For the greater good. The Council can’t be trusted. I’ll do what needs to be done, the way I always have.”
Words, nothing more. It was how he saw things, but the honest truth was Titus wanted control.
“No matter the reason it’s not only for me.”
“Originally it was, Anne. I remember your face when you realised our parents were gone, and the time would come when the same would happen to you, which was when I knew what I had to do.”
“Every child goes through that. It’s normal.”
“Normal wasn’t good enough. I had to find a way, and we’re closer than we’ve ever been before.”
“What happens if you fail next time?”
“I’m not going to.”
Titus wouldn’t let her walk away. She was trapped, unable to live that life. Dreams lost to time she might not truly want.