Chapter 1
Glimmerbrook, finally. Next was Anne, and the library was as good a place as any to potentially find her, although so far it was mostly empty. Then again it was early. From the way things had seemed during the walk most people were still asleep. Anne might even be one of them. More of a night owl.
New magic. There was no doubt about it. Max studied him, feeling the power coming off him in a way it only ever had Titus, but then he wanted people to know he was capable of anything. With the new arrival it was likely more because he had no idea how to hide it, or who might feel it.
Well, whoever he was there was no doubt how Titus would react. To him all new magic was a problem, and anyone who made the journey to Glimmerbrook was in danger, including the person sat right in front of Max. It was best to warn him of the danger, although Titus was focused on the ritual.
“Good morning.” Dante stood, and stepped around the table, eyes on a mage he’d never dreamed of. “I was hoping you might be able to help me find Anne.”
The mage raised an eyebrow. “Anne Lockwood?”
Even though it might not be Anne Lockwood, she’d never given her family name, Dante nodded.
“Why do you want to find her?”
Silence followed the question, Max still studying the new magic. “I know her.”
“No, you don’t. If you did you wouldn’t be looking for her right now.”
“Getting her away before the ritual is the only option I have.”
“You know about the ritual?”
“I do.”
“Then you know what’s to come.”
“Only if it goes ahead. It is still possible to stop it, but in order to do that I need to get to Anne.”
“Anne won’t help you.”
“She will.”
“Look, if you know about the ritual for the reason I think you do you haven’t Seen Titus. He’s the one in control.”
“Titus?”
“Anne’s older brother. I’m sure she would have at least mentioned him, if she told you anything about her lives.”
“How do you know about them?”
“You aren’t the only Seer.” Max shrugged. “Not that it’s going to change anything. Anne is more likely to choose Titus, the way she always has.”
“Why haven’t you tried to stop it?”
“I know better that to do something quite that foolish.”
“Look, I understand it’s dangerous, but…”
“How about we start at the beginning? You don’t know Glimmerbrook. I’ve grown up here. Almost every family is loyal to Titus, because they’re scared of him.”
“Fear shouldn’t stop you from doing what’s right.”
“Shouldn’t, but does. Especially as the rituals have had an effect on all the original families. Our strength has waned, while his has grown. No one has been capable of stopping him.”
“Anne mentioned it.”
“You believe you can do something more.”
“Not believe. I know I can.”
Max could hear the truth in the words, but it was never as simple as that. The truth could be used however someone wanted it to be, and he did know he could, because he’d probably Seen it, but that didn’t mean it would actually work out.
“I’m Max.”
“Dante.”
“We should sit, talk things through properly.” Max gestured to where Dante was originally. “You need to understand what you’re trying to do, because things are much more complicated than it might seem. The dreams can only tell you so much, especially as you didn’t know which questions to ask.”
“What questions didn’t I ask?”
“You came here for Anne, because you have some kind of connection.”
“She’s my soulmate.”
There were many who didn’t think soulmates were real, and Max studied Dante again. If he was Anne’s soulmate it would be much more complicated, if they met. Maybe they shouldn’t.
“You’ve Seen what can happen if you’re able to stop the ritual?”
“So have you.”
“Unfortunately Seers can’t See other Seers. Titus can’t See either of us, and we can’t See him. He doesn’t know I’m a Seer, a decision we made for the most logical reasons, once we realised what he was capable of.”
“Capable of?”
“It’s likely he killed his own father in order to become the leader of the Council.” Max sighed. “There’s no proof, but… until you stepped into Glimmerbrook neither of us knew it was possible you’d exist. Now you’re here… well, if Titus finds out you’re going to be dead soon.”
“Due to me being new magic.”
“Although, technically, no one is new magic. The reason magic exists outside of Glimmerbrook is the original families. It’s simply a way for Titus to keep control. Someone like you can change everything, so he makes certain it will never happen.”
“He can’t kill me.”
“He can.” They didn’t look at each other. “Look, Dante, I’m doing what I can to help you, because I don’t think what Titus is doing is right. However the only way Anne’s existence can help you is if the two of you meet, and then… if it happens you need to think about how it’s going to affect her.”
“Affect her?” Dante turned to look at Max, more certain than before the two of them weren’t going to be allies. “I love her.”
“You don’t know her. The woman you’ve Seen isn’t Anne. She may become that person, in time, but you need to get through Titus.”
“Where am I most likely to find her, Max?”
“Let me talk to her first. She might not want to meet you.”
“Don’t get between us.”
“Acting like Titus will get you nowhere.”
“I understand your worries, but Anne is my priority. The future we could have together…”
“No one ever Sees definites, Dante. You’ve Seen a possibility, maybe two.”
The way Dante spoke was a sign he didn’t know enough about being a Seer, but he’d had no one to teach him. Whichever family his was connected with, potentially even the Lockwoods from the strength within him, it was likely a long time since they’d had someone born with magic into the family.
“Anne and I have a future.”
“Potentially, yes, but I know there is also a potential future for Anne and I.”
“One that can’t happen now I’m here.”
“It’s really not that simple. Soulmates don’t always make the decision to be together, Dante.”
“You think she’s going to choose you?”
“No, I think she’s going to choose Titus, the way she always has.” Max’s eyes met with Dante’s. “You want her to be who she was in your dreams, but I know her better than you do. After Reuben died it was the two of them, Emory no longer welcome in the house, because that’s the way it always was.”
“This time it’s going to be different.”
“You have no idea what choice she might make. Even I don’t know, which is why I want to talk to her first, to get an idea of how she might feel about this.”
“What difference does it make?”
“Soulmate connections are strange. They’re a kind of magic.”
“I know that.”
“Soul magic, like the kind that naturally creates the soulmate bond, is uncontrollable, and incredibly powerful. People can use it in many different ways.”
“How do you know so much?”
“One of my friends is an Ember. Celeste knows more about soul magic than most. I can talk to her, too.”
“You think I need her help?”
“Both you and Anne will, if you’re right. Until you see Anne there’s no way of knowing for certain whether or not the dreams are right. They might not be.”
“They are right.”
“Dante…”
“I know what you’re doing. You’re trying to keep me away from her.”
“Fine, if that’s what you really think…”
“Why else would you want to talk to her first? Are you in love with her?”
“Honestly, Dante, I think a lot of people are a little bit in love with Anne, but that’s not the reason for my choice. I don’t want her to get hurt. She’s been through enough.”