Page 29 of Langiappe & Lost Legends

"And using us as batteries," Kota added as she swayed slightly when another temporal wave hit. "The more we fight back..."

"The more power they harvest," I finished, watching blood drip upward from my nose. Fun times.

Kaitlyn studied us with that intense look that meant her brain was cooking up something either brilliant or fatal. Probably both. "Your powers are bleeding out," she said. "The temporal exposure is literally tearing you apart."

"No shit," I muttered, then grabbed Dani's arm as she started to fade from view. "Any suggestions that don't involve us becoming quantum confetti?"

"Not exactly." Despite the denial, Kaitlyn's eyes lit up like a kid at Christmas. "We need to find a way to freeze time around you. We need to put Phi's powers on steroids."

"And how exactly do we do that?" Lucas demanded. His hand was warm on my shoulder as another wave of dizziness hit.

"That answer is going to take some research," Kaitlyn replied with a shrug. "We're going to have to break physics. Maybe reality. Definitely several local ordinances."

I looked at my sisters, all of us bleeding, all of us existing partially in multiple moments, and managed a grin. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get those answers."

“Break it MORE, you mean,”Adele projected. She had a point. At least this time, we had energy drinks.

CHAPTER 11

DANIELLE

We were knee-deep in setting up an elaborate trap, and party prep at the plantation when Marie called. I'd just finished arranging my third set of crystals for the premating party. They were pretty but useless chunks of quartz that Kaitlyn had helped us enchant to sparkle like we’d capture starlight. I couldn’t stop the grimace when my phone lit up with her number.

"If this is about not telling you we found Viktor slithering around the council archives like a snake in a library, I'd like to point out that technically, we were a little busy trying not to get scattered across multiple timelines," I said by way of greeting.

"This is about what I found after you left my house," Marie replied. Her voice was tight with an urgency I'd never heard from her before. More often than not, throughout our relationship, she was threatening and trying to kill us. "Get your sisters and come to my house. Now."

I looked around our barn, where Operation Magical Mousetrap was in full swing. Lia was chugging yet another energy drink while Lucas helped her finish up the custom glasses and pretended not to notice. Phi had transformed one corner into what looked like a mad scientist's Pinterest board. Kota wassorting through enough spelled herbs to stock a supernatural pharmacy. Dre and Dea were arguing about the best placement for Kaitlyn's increasingly concerning collection of magical lures.

"We're kind of in the middle of—" I started.

"Now," Marie repeated. "Unless you don't want to know about the prophecy that specifically mentions six sisters and a crystal."

Well, shit. “We will be right there,” I sighed and hung up.

My sisters jumped into action when I told them what Marie wanted. Twenty minutes later, we were piling out of my vehicle in front of Marie's latest house. Lucas and Noah had insisted on coming along. Our history with Marie was difficult to ignore. I didn’t blame them for not trusting the Voodoo Queen. Her history wasn’t good.

"Your worry is adorable," I told my mate as we walked up the path, "but unnecessary."

"Says the woman who got kidnapped the last time she underestimated Marie," Noah replied. His dimples showed despite his concern.

"That was different. She blindsided Lia and I when we were leaving the store. We had no idea she was going to attack then."

"And we're sure she’s not going to now?"

I couldn't argue with that. Especially when Marie opened the door before we could knock. She looked like she hadn't slept in days. That was highly unusual for her. Her usually immaculate appearance was slightly disheveled, and she had ink stains on her fingers.

"Inside," she commanded. "And someone text Cyran. He needs to hear this too."

Great. Adding the Light Fae leader to this mix made my stomach lurch. My flight instincts kick into overdrive. Dre’s fingers flew over the screen of her phone while Lia called Xinar. If we were about to dive into prophecies and ancient history,having a UIS agent's perspective couldn't hurt. Plus, he was good to have in a fight.

Marie led us into her study, which looked like a librarian's fever dream had exploded. Books and papers covered every surface in organized chaos that probably made sense to someone who'd lived through several centuries. Ancient scrolls perched on MacBooks like they were staging a timeline rebellion.

"Tea?" she offered as she gestured to an ornate silver service that definitely predated the Louisiana Purchase. The liquid inside shimmered with more than just heat.

"I'm good," I said at the same time my sisters did.

If that bothered Marie, she didn't show it. "After you left," she began without preamble. "I kept digging. I scoured my family's books for anything about the Lost Legends or the Larmes du Bayou. The timing of their awakening fits with Samedi's storm. However, that felt like too much of a coincidence."

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