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Chapter 10
Chapter 9 “We may have a problem.” “Dante?” Cornelius breathed in deeply. “I went to talk to him about the ritual, and he does know more than he should.” “He’s a Seer. It’s to be expected. You knew this when you brought him here, Cornelius, and I thought you understood what it meant.” “As he can’t See you…” “There’s enough he can See.” “Yes, and he said after the ritual there won’t be a Council.” “From the beginning you knew what would happen.” “Obviously I didn’t want to tell him that, Titus. I thought it would cause more problems. We need…” “We?” “Between the two of us…” “Cornelius, you were…
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Chapter 9
Chapter 8 Cornelius knocked on the door. It was a conversation that needed to be had, for Dante to understand what the ritual was, and with Titus busy the task fell to Cornelius. He was the one who knew most about the ritual, but certain elements would need to be kept secret. Dante could see Cornelius through the door. Not answering was the logical thing to do, because it wasn’t a conversation he was ready for, but he still let Cornelius in. It was a necessary evil. Cornelius might not be working with Titus. They stepped silently into the kitchen. Sitting at the table, eyes on Cornelius, Dante waited. “The…
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Chapter 1
Their voices were loud. Julian walked silently down the hallway. Neither would know he was there until he was ready for them to. “We have to do something to help Mother.” “Does Mother want us to help her?” Sebastian was less certain of their plan than Seth. “She chose Father.” “Under duress.” “Seth…” “We know she hates the ritual. It’s not something she’s ever pretended she thought was the right thing to do, but after the first time she felt as though she couldn’t say no.” Only it was more than that. The bond had an effect, even if Titus didn’t use it. Thaddeus’s choice was a mistake. “For us.”…
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Chapter 1
“I’m sorry I came by so early, but I needed to talk to you, and this seemed like a good time to get you alone.” Wolfgang looked at his grandson, gifted the same name by Dieter, as the most powerful of the grandchildren. Although similar in personality, and strength, they had very different features. “What’s wrong?” “The ritual is days away. After Leonora’s warnings…” Wolfgang sighed. “Can you talk to Anne?” Wolfgang studied his grandfather. “Anne and I… after Reuben died she’s kept to herself. Last time we spoke must have been when we were teenagers.” “You know where she spends her time?” “Often she’d spend time in the Gardens.…
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Chapter 8
Chapter 7 Being out of the house was easier. Titus was focused on the ritual, attempting to draw Anne into the process, as though it would have an effect. He wanted her to be who she was, when the reality was she’d never truly been who he wanted her to be. Pretending was easy. Magic changed their lives. Anne saw her parents once more, as they were during their first lives, the memories stronger than they once were. Her birth, after so many losses, was the reason they’d had Titus promise to protect her, and then after their deaths he’d made another. Titus cared about her, and no one else.…
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Chapter 6
Chapter 5 Natalie stepped into the hallway, eyes on Cornelius. From the way he was going to the basement it seemed likely his conversation with Anne hadn’t changed anything. “Why bring Anne into this, Natalie?” He didn’t look at her, but he did stop walking. “She’s worried enough as it is. Asking her to talk me out of what needs to be done… I should have known that would be how you’d deal with this.” “She cares, Cornelius, the same way I do.” “Nothing will change my mind. This is what needs to be done, whatever you might believe. Someone has to stop Titus.” “You’re probably right about that, but that doesn’t mean…
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Chapter 1
It was time. The ritual was days away, far too soon, but Max hadn’t been ready for the conversation he needed to have with Titus. He probably still wasn’t. Waiting longer simply wasn’t possible, because it needed to be done before the ritual. Titus might even make the right choice. Maximillian Villareal, the younger rather than the elder, wasn’t a visitor Titus wanted to have, especially as he shouldn’t have been able to get through the wards. Pretending not to be home was tempting, but that wouldn’t get him the answers he needed. Maybe Reuben was right. “What are you doing here?” “This isn’t a conversation we should be having…
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Chapter 7
Chapter 6 Not thinking about Dante was impossible. There were stories about the connection between two souls, but Anne never entirely believed them. Being close to him… it didn’t change anything. He wanted it to, dreams drawing him to her, until the time came when they met. A moment when she had no choice but to accept those stories were real. Soulmates existed, and hers was in her life, at the worst possible time, although with a brother like Titus there was no right one. Dante was new magic. Even friendship was an impossibility. Titus promised the time would come when she’d be free to live her own life, but…
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Chapter 1
“Anne…” Cornelius’s voice was a whisper in her ear, as he wrapped his arms around her, their meetings carefully planned. Either early or late, when most people still slept, because all it took was one mistake, and Anne didn’t want anyone to know – especially not Titus. His lips pressed to her cheek. If everything worked out the way she planned they wouldn’t still be sneaking around so close to the ritual, literal days away from his death, but becoming pregnant simply hadn’t happened. Anne knew it could take time, but not as long as it had. Cornelius’ lips moved from her cheek to her neck. Anne’s silence wasn’t unusual,…
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Chapter 6
Chapter 5 Another family likely lost to Titus’s curses. Unless Anne found a way to convince him not to blame every Ember for Leonora’s decision to shun the ritual. How likely was that? It wasn’t as though he listened when she argued with him. She barely ever tried. There was no reason to. Anne knew Titus. When he made the decision there was no changing his mind, and he’d never liked the Embers. From the beginning he didn’t think they deserved the power they were gifted – they just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Had it not been for the Lockwoods they wouldn’t have…