Page 95 of Luna Rising

I smiled at him sweetly. “Because I’m not doing your dirty work. Be a man and tell her yourself.”

Another Realm

We arrived in Traitor’s Hell with just enough time to reach Walter’s hotel and settle in before the start of the up-down hours. Having visited the creepy little supernatural town twice in recent months, I was prepared for the otherworldly screeches and utter dread that came with the darkness. Of course, on both previous occasions, I’d still been mortal and couldn’t hear the shrieking once inside. My super sensitive vampire ears heard every hiss and snarl from outside, making me even more agitated and restless than I already was.

Since Mat knew we were coming, I expected to find him waiting for us. Maybe with a sign or a beer. That didn’t happen. When my phone rang about an hour after our arrival, I was positive the unknown caller would be him. It was a woman. Her voice tickled the recesses of my memory.

“Hello, Zosia. How are you?”

Ewan and I sat together on the leather sofa in the living room of our suite. I hit the speakerphone button on my phone.

“Who is this?” I asked.

“I have gone by many names over the years,” the woman said.

Alarm flooded the bond, and I saw recognition on Ewan’s face. He recognized her voice, too.

“Madame Malia?” I asked.

“Just Malia will do,” she said.

“What do you want?” I asked.

“To offer my services.”

Ewan and I exchanged glances. “We have plenty of magic-users, so thanks, but no thanks,” I said.

“Stavros? I know you’re there. Are you going to let Zosia speak for you? Surely one of you has figured it out by now?” Her melodic laughter filled my ears, so irritatingly familiar.

“You’re the royal seer, aren’t you?” I asked. “You predicted the prophecy.”

“I relayed the words of the prophecy to this realm,” she said, sounding very haughty. “And the only living person capable of performing the ritual.”

“What’s in it for you?” I asked. “Why are you so interested in helping all of a sudden?”

“I think if you look, you will see that I have been helping you reach this end for quite a while.”

I met Ewan’s eyes, searching for some sign that he had any clue what she was talking about, but he was just as confused. “Does Mat know you’re talking to us?” I asked Malia.

“Who is to say?” she replied. “The enchantments surrounding Demi have begun to fade. We should begin the ritual at the top of the up hours. The storms are coming. We wouldn’t want them to derail us now, would we? Meet me at the mouth to hell, children.” Peals of laughter came through the phone, and then stopped abruptly when Malia ended the call.

Ewan and I sat staring at one another, the silence surrounding us deafening. With the added advantage of hindsight, I felt a little silly for not realizing sooner who Malia was. Not that immortal casters were common or even really a thing, as far as I knew. Still, it seemed obvious in retrospect.

“Have you ever met anyone like her?” I asked Ewan.

He frowned. “I’ve met her. She was my father’s royal seer.”

“Yeah, I know. I’ve met her too. But I mean, someone besides her who is like her but not her.”

Understandably, Ewan looked confused. “You mean immortal, but not a vampire?”

I nodded. “Yeah. Is that normal?”

“Seers tend to live longer than the average fae or caster, I think. Not for centuries or anything. Maybe like 120ish?”

“How old do you think Walter is?” I asked.

He shrugged. “Over 150? Maybe 200? Where are you going with this?”

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