Page 181 of Magic of the Damned

My heart skipped at their intrusion. Annoyance washed over Dominic’s face. Fist clenched, his growl of anger echoed in the intimate space. He cast a furious glance at Callum before standing, stopping his advance.

“Why is he here?” he asked Areleus.

“To settle my worries. With such a dangerous spell, I am concerned about the outcome.” Areleus’s wolfish smile belied his words.

“Nailah wasn’t available?”

Callum smirked, his eyes flickering with amusement. “Nailah is indisposed, unfortunately. But don’t worry, I’m more than capable.”

Dominic’s jaw tensed, the tension in the room thickened, and I couldn’t help but wonder if Nailah had been deemed of no use. I didn’t believe Areleus would hurt her, but I’d grown conditioned to expect the unexpected.

“So, shall you put my mind at ease and allow him to get a peek into what the future holds?” Areleus asked, attempting to sidestep Dominic, who pushed him back and pinned Callum with a warning look.

At Emoni’s confusion and discomfort, Anand leaned into her and whispered something. Hopefully an explanation of what was going on. I’d told her about Seers, but with the influx of so much new information, I couldn’t imagine her being able to keep it all straight.

“Where is Nailah?”

“Safe, of course,” Areleus snapped at the accusation in Dominic’s tone. “Her fondness for you makes her unreliable.”

A dangerous glint flashed in Dominic’s eyes. Displaying his adept control, his hand closed around Callum’s neck, claws extended enough to press into the skin but not break it. Emoni’s shocked gasp poured over the room.

Locking eyes with his father, he said, “What do you see, Callum?”

“Let him go, Dominic,” Areleus demanded. “Or is this overreaction a deception being revealed?”

“Deception?” He released his hold on Callum who pressed his hand to his neck and stumbled back a few steps, panting for breath. Skewering Dominic with a glare, he put more distance between them.

“Yes, deception.” The dark ominous cast in Areleus’s expression faded to a falsely gentle one. “I fear that the vulnerable position you are putting yourself in could be exploited. Or worse, you could die. I want Callum to see your future and that of your—” His eyes slid in my direction. I knew “human” was on the tip of his tongue, but one look from Dominic and he decided against it. “Luna.”

“Callum already predicted our demise and it didn’t happen.”

“Helena was taken. We have no confirmation that his sight hasn’t come true.” The hitch in his voice was the first time Areleus had expressed a human emotion.

“What do you want to know?” Callum asked.

“Tomorrow, what do you see of this place, my son, and Luna?”

Callum stopped massaging his neck and closed his eyes before opening them to reveal his peculiar illuminated violet eyes. His body shuddered slightly before he blinked several times. Shaking his head, he furrowed his brows. The glow of his eyes returned and stayed longer than before, and when they returned to their normal color, confusion swept over his face.

“Nothing. I don’t see a future, just the present as things are now. This has never happened before.” Callum’s suspicious narrowed eyes moved between Areleus and Dominic. He frowned. “Whatever you plan to do tomorrow either has too many variables for me to see an outcome, or the magic is powerful enough to obscure my vision. That’s never happened before. If it’s able to do that, should you be using it?”

Ignoring Callum’s question, Areleus’s quick steps ate up the distance between Dominic and him. “What happens if the Diax isn’t destroyed?”

“That’s not an option. If you want Helena back, to protect this realm, and to end the existence of the Dark Casters’ magic, it has to be destroyed,” Dominic rebutted.

“It’s such a waste to destroy magic that could be used.”

“At the cost of Helena and our future safety?” Dominic asked.

After a few minutes of studying Dominic, Areleus seemed to have come to a concession.

“Of course. It seemed as if you’re in such a rush to protect Luna that you may be using extreme measures. I guess not.”

He beckoned for Callum to follow him out. Dominic kept a careful eye on them as they exited.

We returned to our dinner, but I couldn’t enjoy it what with Callum’s concerns that nagged at me, Emoni’s worry returning in full force, and Dominic’s distracted attention that had him staring out the window with a frown. Areleus was curious, and that made him more of a wild card.

“Is everything okay?” I whispered.

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