Page 112 of Of Flame and Fate

Each verse takes a life of its own, breathing air into the wounded crowd, and giving my heartstrings a pull. Be it magic, or simply Johnny, his talent is unmatched.

I wrap my arms around myself and bow my head. He called me mama bear. I’m not his mama, that’s for damn sure. But between the way he fires my need to protect, and how I feel every time I see Celia stroke her pregnant belly, I’m starting to think that maybe being a mama is a fear I should no longer shy away from.

I think of Gemini, and how he held me last night as we slept.

Maybe it’s time to try a new adventure.

My focus returns to Johnny, the light reflecting like a halo against his skin. It’s amazing to see the way the darkness surrounds him while he stands untouched in the light. He turns back to me and offers me a wink. I smile, flattered.

My phone buzzes in my hand. I expect it to be Gemini, only for Tye’s face to encompass the entire screen.

A horrible chill runs down my spine. “Hello?”

Static fills the line.

“Hello?” I repeat, plugging my opposite ear.

Tye speaks fast, but I can’t understand what he’s saying. The line isn’t clear and his speech is garbled.

“Tye,Tye? . . . I can’t hear you. Slow down.”

I make out only a few words, and I hate every one.

“Dead . . . Destiny is . . . Celia’s children . . .”

“Destiny is dead?” I ask. I cover my mouth, waiting for him to clarify, but the call drops.

I ring him back, only for it to go straight to voice mail. My hand is shaking as I phone Gemini, speaking quickly when he answers. “I think Destiny is dead.”

“What?”

I edge away from the curtain. “Tye just called me. He was upset. The connection was bad and I couldn’t make out what he was saying. He said something about Celia’s children and Destiny being dead.”

He shouts orders to his wolves canvasing the perimeter. “Taran, I need you to stay with Johnny, something’s wrong.”

My thoughts become a muddled mess, thinking Destiny’s demise has started a chain of events that no one could have predicted. “What do you see?” I ask him.

“Nothing. But Destiny can’t be dead. None of myweresguarding her have called.”

“Then call them!” I yell.

“We’re trying.” There’s a pause as a slew of voices speak to Gemini at once. He curses and switches back to me. “No one is getting through, Taran, the texts go unanswered. Someone picks up the line, but no one can hear what they’re saying.”

“What if something attacked them—”

“Then they would be fighting, not answering their phones or trying to make calls. Something is happening. I’m coming for you and Johnny now—”

My phone buzzes again, signaling another call. “It’s Tye,” I say to Gemini. “I’ll call you back.”

“All right, just stay with Johnny. I’m on my way.”

I switch over to Tye’s call. Again, nothing but white noise. “I can’t hear you,” I yell into the phone. “Tell me what’s happening.”

My back slams into the wall and I drop my phone, inundated by an onslaught of magic that paralyzes me.

Destiny appears in my line of vision, her voice hollow and echoing from every direction, and her image a staccato of movement.

“Taran, hear me,” she says.

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