Page 5 of Immortal Burden

That distinct, sexy raspy quality of Mia Snow’s voice, along with that deep, all-commanding baritone of a certain other that reviled me as much as I did him.

What the hell was he doing here?

I cast a quick auditory enhancing spell and listened in.

“It is clear to me that you have neglected to inform him.”

“I can’t.”

“You have evaded it for long enough. The time has come, Mia.”

“I won’t let fate control who I love.”

“That is not the case. You know I vehemently dispute the existence of fated love.”

“I know. Your quest to uphold free will.”

“If free will was merely a ruse, any action we take would be irrelevant, and, thus, the very idea of living a life would be pointless, wholly redundant.”

“What about the dreams I’ve told you about then? The inexplicable pull between us?”

“You loved him before you knew about this. You broke from him once you became aware of it. Therefore, your worry of a fated love is disproved, because it has pushed you away from him, rather than solidifying your union in any way.”

“You really have an answer for everything, don’t you?”

“It comes with age. Wisdom, if you will.”

“I don’t know about this, even if I believe what you’re saying. I don’t want this burden to bear.”

“You were born to do great things. Your power comes with a cross to bear.”

“But, how do I tell him that this pull is not just about us, as lovers, that it is part of a greater responsibility? And, what about Lucian Black’s part in all of this? That won’t go down well with him.”

“Broach it and take it from there. Do not turn away from this any longer. You are needed. They are needed.”

What. The. Fuck?

I ended the spell and pushed off the tree, only to trip on a damn rock, my glass jolting from my hand and smashing loudly on the large root of another tree beside the willow.

The next thing I knew, silver magic parted the hedge maze and Mia stepped through with her companion in her stead. Her eyes shot wide when she saw me standing there.

As for him, he pulled his magic back, then flipped down the hood of his pearl-white robes and glared hard at me.

Cornelius Martel.

Chief Guardian.

The uber, big boss man.

“It seems he has heard much of what you had planned on telling him already,” he commented, still giving me that severe look.

Some things never changed.

The old bastard had never liked me, never approved of my relationship with Mia.

Then again, I hadn’t really expected him to.

It was a rarity for any father of a daughter to do so.

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