Page 79 of Surrendering Hope (The Hope Legacy)

“Archan is the Primordial?” she clarifies.

“Yes,” he nods.

She runs her hand over the book and mumbles something before slamming it closed. “Done.”

I frown. “How is it done?”

She smiles as she places the book back on the shelf. “It’s magic.”

I snort a laugh and shovel the crunchy, buttery base of the cake in my mouth. “You two are clearly related,” I point between Duncan and Julie with my fork.

She grins. “We all have our secrets.”

“We do,” I mutter.

Her mouth tugs down as she sniffs the air. “Why does it smell like one of you has had a trip to hell?”

I choke on the final forkful of cake, Zee smacks my back. I glare at him as my eyes water.

Duncan deposits Robert on Julie’s knee. He tugs Zee’s hand away and rubs my back in slow circles. “Breathe, Locks. You aren’t there anymore and nothing was real.”

“She’s choking, not panicking,” Zee mutters, rubbing at his own chest with a frown.

“She’s doing both,” Duncan deduces.

My throat clears, and I suck in oxygen. I blink my eyes open to find Julie in front of me, her eyes scrunched as she studies me. “Hell will always leave a mark on your soul, Natia. But you don’t have to let it be a dark one. The most beautiful things often come from a place of darkness.” She grabs my hands and tugs me to stand. “Me and Natia need some girl time.” She pulls me towards the kitchen and waves at the guys. “You boys entertain yourselves.”

We enter a shoe box kitchen with a table big enough for two shoved against the wall. She points to one of the two stools. “Sit, Natia.” I fall onto the stool, clutching my tight chest as she rummages around in a cupboard, muttering to herself.

She turns around with a 12-inch tall, clear crystal in her hand and places it on the table before sitting opposite me. “You want to talk about it?” she asks.

I shake my head. “No, thank you. I just need to move forward.”

She pulls my hands between us. “I understand. You don’t need to talk about the time you had in hell, but I can sense your fear for your friends and family?”

“The King of Beasts and The Prince of Violence keep threatening them, so yes, of course I’m terrified.”

“What do they want from you?” she asks.

“My power. They want me to abandon mankind and help them wipe out this world and make a new one.”

She sits a little straighter and frowns. “You aren’t talking about your elemental power? You are speaking of the hope you cherish and protect for us?”

“They want me to swap loyalties.”

“It would be so easy to give in,” she says as I stare into her eyes, “but you can’t, you must fight with everything you have. This battle will take everything you have and more, but you will prevail.”

I smile. “I wish I had your confidence.”

She sighs and releases my hands. She flips open a small wooden box and pulls out an object wrapped in a deep purple silk scarf. Unravelling the package, she reveals a set of cards. Tarot, I realize. She hands them to me. I stare at them with a frown.

“You have a question you need answering, it’s something specific. Ask your question whilst you shuffle them. Stop when you feel it’s right.”

I shuffle, focusing on the nagging yet fundamental question which becomes more prominent with every hour. My mind flashes through the minuscule time I’ve known Archan. I know in my heart I will never experience that depth of connection to another person in this life or the next. My eyes sting and threaten tears. I blink and place the cards on the silk.

“Now cut them,” Julie says.

I do as she says and sit back. I’ve never had a tarot reading done before, so I’m not sure what to expect. She pulls the top card off the pile. A stone building on fire, with people jumping out of the windows is pictured. Julie bites her lip and frowns. “The Tower. This signals a shocking change and chaos. You will need to be stronger than you have been before to make heartbreaking decisions. It will seem like all hope is lost, but know it is your fear, not your reality.”

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