Page 66 of Of Flame and Fate

“It wouldn’t have made a difference,” Genevieve says. “When their magic calls, they must answer. It’s too powerful to resist. They would have found a way to meet.”

“All right. They met. But what if we keep them separated?” Emme offers. “If we put enough distance between them, perhaps Destiny can recover.”

“Impossible,” Ines replies. “The world can only have one Fate or one Destiny, its magic has insisted upon it since the formation of magic itself.”

“What if Fate goes and Destiny stays?”

The malice behind Tye’s question is so blatant it reeks of poison. The wolves gather around him, closing their circle.

“Uh-uh,” he says, pointing at Johnny when he scrambles back. “You weren’t supposed to live,she was.”

Tye leaps,changing, his large claws protruding and aimed at Johnny. The wolves collide against him, trying to hold him back, their bones crunching from the force of the impact.

Johnny takes off in a sprint. As Shayna and I rush after him, the eagle inked into his shoulders sprouts from his back, growing as it extends and flaps its wings. He separates from Johnny, clutching his arms and lifting him away.

My lightning builds as my arm shoots out, sending a bolt straight into the now immense bird. Johnny screams, and the eagle explodes in a wash of color, dropping Johnny on the hard forest floor.

The small stones and debris dig into my feet. I ignore the sting, anxious to reach him before he attempts his next great escape. We find him trying to crawl away, the skin on his shoulders where the eagle emerged raw and blistering. He’s sobbing, but I don’t think it’s just from pain.

“I’m sorry,” I say, knowing I hurt him, and recognizing how much he hurts in return.

“I didn’t ask for this,” he says, thick tears dripping onto the ground in front of him. “I didn’t ask for any of it.”

Shayna rubs her nose, trying to beat back the tears. We know how he feels, just like we know there’s not a damn thing we can do about it. “I’m sorry,” I repeat quietly. “But we can’t let you leave.”

“Tye,” Genevieve says, her voice tense and stern. The wolves have secured him again, and he’s returned to his human form. But he’s still fighting, making it hard to keep him in place. “It’s not in your charge to kill a Fate or a Destiny that duty, as witches, is ours alone.”

“But you won’t fucking do it, will you, Genevieve?” Tye demands, the skin on his face and neck straining with each word. “You’re going to keep him alive now that Destiny’s dying because you need a new royal to worship. Even though most of you bitches shunned the one who was always there—always. No matter how many God damn times you’d rip her apart the moment she turned her back.”

Emme gasps. I don’t blame her. This isn’t the Tye we’ve known.

Genevieve raises an elegant brow, ignoring the insult. “Our laws only permit the execution within that first year. Killing him now would be murder and could potentially send the world on a collision course.” The small crease along her forehead relaxes when he doesn’t appear to budge. “Don’t you see, Tye? Fate and Destiny are as much a part of the world as the magic that defines us. Without either, there’s no predicting what will happen.”

“That’s all you care about, isn’t it?” he yells. “Some pussy lackey to give you the heads up!”

“Tye, listen,” Genevieve urges.

“No, you listen.Hedid this to her!” Tye growls. “He made her sick and he’s making her die. If he goes, she’ll live.”

“We do not know that, young lion,” Ines interrupts.

“One way to find out,” Tye says, lunging forward.

“You kill me, the tigress and her babies die.”

My head whips in Johnny’s direction, sparks of fire exploding from my fingertips. “What did you say?”

“You heard me,” he says, his reddening face meeting Tye as he answers me. “There’s a tigress. Not awere, but a woman who becomes one. I’ve seen her and the wolf she calls her mate in my visions. Those children they’re supposed to have, they’ll meet their fate with me.” He huffs. “You listening? Hurt me and they’re the ones who’ll pay the price.”

“You’re lying,” Tye accuses.

“Am I?” Johnny fires back. “Why don’t you try me and see?”

“Don’t,” Emme says, veering around her eyes brimming with tears. “Tye, you can’t risk anything happen to Celia.” He doesn’t respond. “Destiny is your friend,” she tells him. “But Celia is, too, and there’s a great deal riding on her survival.”

“No,” Tye says. “That’s straight out shit and you’re all eating it up. He needs to die. Don’t you see? It’s the only way to save Destiny!”

I’m so out of my mind right now, it’s all I can do not to light Tye up like a torch. He lunges forward again, and again, his animal side taking over all reason the man within him knows.

---