Page 107 of Winterfall Destiny

Andrei glares at me, and Maeve squeezes her fingers around my hand. "The First never gave Andrei a deadline."

He chokes. "Right. And what if she returns, pissed off that I haven't… done what she asked?"

"The First is obsessed about not changing the future, right?" asks Ash. "It's given us a deadline to perform a task, a point in time. Maeve's change must happen after that."

"What the fuck?" Andrei shoves at Ash where he's sitting and Ash springs to his feet. "Do you distrust me that much?"

I take a sharp breath at how Andrei doesn't budge an inch when Ash shoves him back. "Stop that," says Maeve. "Andrei, calm down."

"I'm not saying I don't trust you, dickhead," snarls Ash. "I'm saying that's how the First sees the future. The one we'll change."

Nobody mentioned Maeve's vision and the 'Jamie won't die' topic recently. She has total confidence that won't happen, but I don’t a hundred percent share her confidence.

"While we're waiting for Tobias to return, can we scry, Jamie?" she asks.

I frown. Maeve and I aren't telepathic the way Matt and Amelia are, but often our thoughts coincide.

"Maybe we can find something further into the future," she suggests.

"You can't control what visions come to you, Maeve," I say quietly. "You've only recently re-found the ability."

Maeve presses her lips together. "You triggered the last major vision with your thoughts and fears for the future. Focus on those emotions again and see where that leads us—Gabriella, the First, anything."

A new thought bites me. Did my frustration and fear for all our lives prompt Maeve's vision because we connected? If that's a skill I now have to aid Maeve's magic, I've plenty more in my mind I'd love to see.

39

MAEVE

Since the accidental vision, I've slept with rose quartz beneath my pillow, hoping to attune myself more to the crystal that I've used to help with visions in the past. Back in my room, I dive a hand beneath the pillow and pull the smooth stones out.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" I ask Jamie, as I turn back. "I know you think crystals won't help, but anything is worth a shot."

Jamie's blue eyes recently held the same haunted edge as last time I predicted his death, but at this moment they're softer, and his silent scrutiny flips my stomach.

"Just watching you and thinking how beautiful you are," he says softly. He crosses to me and brushes my hair over a shoulder, running his light fingertips along my neck. "But also, how much I hate when the world weighs you down."

I touch his lips. "I'm okay."

He smiles wryly. "And I'm bonded to you, so I know that's a lie. Before we focus on the scrying, tell me what else happened with Tobias."

I can't avoid this conversation, although last night I tried. After Ash's help, I've processed the events and I’m more prepared to field any bad reaction from Jamie. I'd considered telling Jamie and Andrei together, in public, later. But if I lie now, I'll piss off Jamie.

"Promise not to lose your temper," I say and squeeze the stone in my hand.

"Oh, fuck." He sits on the edge of the bed. "Go on."

"He told me something new." Jamie raises an expectant eyebrow. "Years back, when Tobias worked with the Dominion, he had a relationship with one of them," I continue cautiously.

"Right. Not a surprise. The guy buried himself deep in their world."

"Someone important."

Have I paled? Jamie's eyes search mine, then go wide as he stands. "Not Gabriella. Fuck, Maeve, I couldn't deal with that." He lowers his voice, darting a look to the bedroom door. "Can you imagine how Andrei will react? We’ll definitely see what the guy's capable of now."

I can't help but laugh, but the sound comes higher pitched, false. "Omigod, Jamie. Tobias prefers witches, remember?"

My heart pounds in my ears as loudly as Andrei's does sometimes as I watch Jamie and wait for the penny to drop.

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