Page 15 of A Dawn Of Blood

Shivers run down my spine.

“You run, Anna,” Nuala repeats as Jaeger returns to her seat. “Are we understood?”

I nod. “Understood.”

There’s a moment of silence before Nuala clears her throat. “So, suffice to say, we won’t be indulging your self-destructivewhims. We’re proceeding with the mission we’ve been planning for the last two weeks, and you’re not coming. The last thing we need is for Cain to get his hands onyou.”

I grit my teeth. “Come on, people, I understand it’s dangerous, but you can’t expect me to lounge around the Main Hall while you’re all out there fighting for us all.”

The senior Embers all exchange a glance. When they look at me again, Nuala’s eyebrows pinch in annoyance, and there’s so much reluctance and worry on Jaeger’s face. But de Groot seems downright intrigued by the possibility, and Dryden… It’s much softer, the way he’s observing me now.

It gives me hope, my lips starting to curl into a smile.

“Fine,” Nuala finally relents. “But you’re expressly forbidden from using your Aurora magic, and your orders are to stay back and let the rest of us execute the plan.”

The smile slides right off my face, not returning even after Alaric says, “Now, about that initiation party…”

Chapter 10

It’s in my new room in the Academy that I get ready for the party. Despite the room being an old classroom turned into a cozy bedroom and despite the fact that I’m in for a few hours of celebration before we’re scheduled to go on the mission, I’m still deflated.

After all, they won’t be letting me actually help them, which is making me wonder how exactly I’m supposed to make my contribution.

It’s a knock that snaps me out of it. “Come on, everyone’s already in the Main Hall,” I hear Alaric’s voice from the other side of the door.

“Coming,” I call out.

I finish buttoning up my shirt, check my reflection in the mirror and get going.

It’s on the way that I keep thinking about what’s troubling me. I guess this is just one mission, and I should be thinking long-term.

Long-term, there’s plenty I can do. I can train to get better in combat, I can work on awakening my vampire powers, I can find ways to get information on how to kill Baldur…

It takes me by surprise, when I enter the Main Hall and see how they’ve decorated it. It’s festive and warm, the people already mingling.

Alaric and Raven are standing in one corner, Alaric seemingly trying to reassure Raven about something. Ah. She’s probably still worried about his role as a double agent. Jaeger looks almost happy while talking to de Groot, Dryden and Nuala around the central table.

They all greet me when I walk in, Jaeger calling me over. I exchange a glance with Dryden, happy to see he’s warming up to me.

But I just come to briefly greet them, because I’ve spotted Lorcan sulking in one of the armchairs, a glass of whiskey in one hand and his eyes on Nuala.

I take a moment to try to reassure him, but he’s not being receptive.

Then I catch a glance from the fae. The words suddenly enter my mind. “To the ends of the universe, that’s how much I love you, Anyi,” Orpheus’s words ring in my head. “Like I found you in your original timeline, like I found you in this one, I willalwaysfind you.”

They make me sad, but they also give me an idea. If I really want to make sure I contribute as much as I can, I should start work on trying to find my mate, as soon as possible.

“Lorcan.”

“Yes?”

He still seems distracted, but I choose to pester him nevertheless. “If I went about finding my mate, where would I start?”

This seems to snap him out a little. “With the bloodline. It’s in an order that they reincarnate.”

My eyebrows shoot up. “Which order?”

“If your last mate was a shifter, the next one would be a fae, then a vampire.”

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