Page 112 of The Storm of the Empire

“Luka lost his balance and fell, but then he got really weird.” Hazel’s voice trembled like she didn’t want to say it.

“Weird how?” Kiera asked.

Hazel walked us through what she’d seen and heard, and we were both left speechless.

No one said anything for a long time.

“Did I hit my head?” I asked again.

Hazel shook her head. “No.”

“I need to go get Jaxus and Nyx,” Kiera finally said.

“Why?” I demanded, knowing she wasn’t saying something.

“Do you know what this is?” Hazel asked with just as much accusation as I felt.

“I don’t know for sure. I think we need them.”

Hazel grabbed her arm. “Just say it.”

“I’m worried he might have the gift of foresight.”

“What does that mean?” I stared at both of them, not at all liking how they were looking at me now. “Is that bad?”

“Foresight hasn’t been seen in the modern age. It’s considered a power of legends. There is no way…” Hazel wrung her hands, but she didn’t have to say anything else. Her mind told me all I needed to know. She thought Kiera was right and was only doubting it for my benefit.

“So it’s bad then?”

“Not necessarily,” Kiera offered, but I could tell it was just to make me feel better.

“Don’t lie to me please.” I needed the truth.

“In the past, those with the gift of foresight usually weren’t that powerful, so it’s probably fine.” Kiera side-eyed Hazel.

“Usually? What about those who were?” I asked, wanting to know all of it.

Kiera and Hazel exchanged a look.

“Don’t sugar coat it.” I had to know.

“They went mad under the weight of it,” Kiera all but whispered. “It’s too much to bear. We are not meant to know our own fate.”

I shook my head like I could reject it and sunk to a seat. “Go get them then.”

Hazel was by my side as soon as we were alone. “It could be something else. I don’t think it’s?—”

“We both know it’s not something else. All my feelings? Every time I’ve spoken what would come? How else did I know those things?”

“Your gut. You have a good sense of judgment.”

“That often? No one is right that often in that many situations.” The more I thought about it, the more it made sense. How often was I sure of myself to the point of being cocky? How many gut feelings were luckier than any fae should have been?

“But you had your pendant on. It couldn’t have been happening then.”

“Do you know that for sure? It blocked you and me, but what if the foresight was too powerful to be fully blocked and now it’s unleashed.” I wanted to sink into a hole. I knew in my soul it was true. The terrible dreams, the things I felt… It made sense, but now how bad would it get? If it worked that well while I wore the pendant, the potential extent terrified me.

“Let’s see what they say.”

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