Page 47 of Road To Runes

I pushed my empty plate away and released a long breath, easing a little more of the tension that had built within me. The occasional screech of tires and horns honking in the distance was music to my ears. Little distractions that kept my brain from spiralling into absolute chaos. It gave me room to think.

All that had happened with Penny and Asher had nearly thrown me off my path; the path to discovering what Romilda had seen about my future. I had Troy’s power tucked away in my cabinet and although I still had to learn how to use it, the hard part was over. Of stage one, anyway.

I ran both hands through my hair, planting my forehead onto the table and squeezing my eyes shut. Everything in my life tugged me toward it and pushed me away at the same time, and all I could do was allow it all to shake me like an angry child with a rag doll. All the while I reached for something I wanted so badly but kept vanishing from between my fingers, turning into smoke whenever I drew near.

When Asher and Hecate had helped me escape from my old family, I had finally built a life just the way I wanted it. But whileI had everything I had ever wanted; a family that loved me, best friends I could talk to about anything, and a job I was in control of that I enjoyed whole-heartedly. Better yet, it brought out the sinner in me, and that was someone I had needed to see far more since escaping my imprisonment.

But everyone, even Edward, had expressed their wishes for me to stop what I was doing and get a “normal job”, and the urge to learn about my prophecy never dwindled. If anything, it only grew from glowing embers back when Asher and I had been together, to a full on inferno that consumed everything.

I raised my head and dug my hand into my pocket to retrieve my phone. There was only one thing to do, and that was push on.

I scrolled through my phone to the number I had stolen from Asher a few days before, my thumb hovering over the ‘call’ button.

Past conversations with Asher surrounding this contact of his circled my mind, like a vulture waiting for me to give in.

“Why can’tItalk to them?” I had asked, as we lounged together on Asher’s bed, me pressed to his chest and his arm curled around me. “I know what you want. Let me ask for it.”

“Because this is someone I spent ages building a relationship with.” Asher pressed a kiss to the top of my head, before returning his attention to his phone. “They get skittish easily. We need to keep things nice and predictable for them.”

I pulled a face at him. “When are you going to trust me to be an actual partner in all this?”

“Don’t I already?”

“No. You do all the important stuff, and I just tag along for the ride.”

“Bea.” Asher squeezed me tighter against his chest. “This contact isn’t safe, okay? You put a step wrong with them and they’ll have you sign your whole life away. Just trust me.”

The memory sent a fresh wave of agony gushing through me and I squeezed my eyes shut as if that would help block it out.

I had wanted to become a part of Asher’s life in more ways than his girlfriend. I wanted the kind of charismatic ease that he exuded and all the perks it came with; to learn how to become so in control of my life that I could become an asset to us both. We were going to become the dream couple: connected, assertive, and effortless in achieving our goals. And we were going to do it together.

Or at least, that was what I had thought. But Asher leaving me hadn’t changed the fact that I wanted those things. Now I just wanted them for myself, and learning my prophecy would make it all happen. Everything I needed to do to get hold of it would turn me into the person I wanted to be, and I would do it all without Asher.

Swallowing the last of my reservations, I pressed ‘call’ and held the phone to my ear. Dangerous or not, this contact would help me get what I needed to climb out of this hole.

Chapter 24

Aprickle rose up the back of my neck as the phone rang. All I had to do was keep my wits about me and nothing would go wrong. This was going to be a simple business transaction; I would get the info I needed and they would get paid. No selling my soul or whatever else they demanded.

“How did you get this number?” A sly voice answered on the other end so abruptly I nearly dropped my phone.

“Stole it,” I said. No need to beat around the bush. Besides, if anyone should understand theft, it was this person. “I have a proposition for you.”

A long pause made me wonder if they had hung up.

“And who did you steal this number from, little dove?” they asked.

I tried my hardest not to bite back at their chosen nickname for me. “Asher.”

A wry chuckle on the other end had me massaging my forehead. Whenever Asher spoke to this person, they always seemed to just do business in the space of thirty seconds andthen call it a day. There was no doubt about it, I needed to earn this person’s respect.

“Oh, please tell me I’m speaking with Beatrix Bishop.” They spoke my old name as if they were enjoying a decadent truffle.

“Not Bishop,” I said, sharply. “Silver.”

“That’sright, you want to put some distance between them, don’t you?” Why did they sound so delighted? “I’msoglad you called. I’ve been asking Asher to get me in touch with you for such a long time.”

Discomfort slithered around in my gut like a venomous snake. What would this person want withme? What did they already know about me and how?

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