Page 41 of Of Fate & Forbidden Desire

“Scotland.” I answer quietly.

“Ok,” she said, looking at each of us in turn as though trying to figure out what she’s missed. “When do we leave?”

“Now, if you’re ready,” Dina snapped, clearly still angry even though this latest argument had nothing to do with the poor girl.

To her credit Ally just nods in response, unfazed by the angry vampire as she asks another question that I was also curious to know the answer to, “And how long is it to Edinburgh?”

“About eight hours,” Dina answered quickly.

“That’s a long drive,” Ally commented, a sad look flashing across her face before she hid it with a smile.

“We’ll have breaks,” I found myself interjecting uncertainty, not really sure if Dina had planned any rest stops on our journey.

Glancing at the woman in question, I waited with the others for her answer, “Sure,” she promised gently.

That is until Jace’s voice pipes up, “And what’s in Edinburgh?”

“Hopefully information,” Tilly took over explaining, as Dina’s nostrils flared, and motioned for us all to get moving by wafting her hands from us to the door.

“And how does this help us find Lilah exactly?” Ally asked, her grip tightening on her bag.

Who’s this Lilah,I thought, silently watching Ally as she walked past me,and what does she mean to the Fae?

“Once we’ve found the Coven, we can ask them to scry for her.” Dina stated, like it was the most simple thing as we all filed from the hotel room.

“And why would this Coven help us? It’s not like they know us.” Ally pointed out.

“Trust me, everyone wants your kind gone from Earth,” Dina grumbles.

“Why?” Ally queried, her eyes widening.

Stopping before the lift, I waited to see if anyone was going to answer her question and just when I thought no one would, Dina did, “Because you cause trouble.”

Ally’s mouth worked, like she wanted to say something before thinking better of it and thankfully the dinging of the lift doors opening stopped all conversation. None of us spoke again until we were standing outside. I barely paid Jace any attention as he bounced up and down beside me, my attention fixed on Ally and the small frown she’s wearing.

“What’s the matter?” I asked, startling her when she didn’t realise I'd moved to her side.

“Nothing” she muttered, giving me a small smile, jumping into the front passenger seat.

I waited for Dina to reach us, grateful when I saw that she carried not only her own bag, but mine too, that I’d forgotten to pack in my hurry to meet Ally. Giving her a grateful smile as she went round the back of the car and placed them both in the boot, I lowered myself into the back seat, and shuffled over to the opposite side, giving Dina plenty of room alongside me and putting me behind the driver’s seat which Jace had already claimed. I didn’t pay much attention, instead staring out the window, as Dina gave Jace the address for our first rest stop. Lost in my thoughts, I ignored everyone as we made our way towards the closest motorway.

Dina’s angry growl grabbed my attention, “So what powers do you have?”

“Um, I dunno,” Ally answered, shrugging.

“Well we know you have fire and you mentioned something about air at the hotel,” Dina snorted, trying to smother a laugh, making Ally look back at her in surprise as I also looked at her in shock. “What else have you used?”

“Alyssa has loads of powers,” Jacin suddenly interjected, “She’s been trained in all types of combat, magical and physical. She just doesn’t remember any of it.”

“Well that’s helpful,” Dina remarked, sarcastically stating what I knew I was thinking.

“She just needs to train, it’s more than your defective witch can do.” Jace remarked back snidely, making me shrink back into my seat, hoping it would swallow me whole.

He’s not wrong, what good am I?I wondered.

“She needs to learn that’s all,” Dina sniped back, “Charleene’s had no training, it’s not like she was made to forget.”

“And Ally just needs to train,” Jace fired back confidently.

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