“You’re serious about this?” His voice was soft. "About… about teaching me?"My heart trembled and cracked at the uncertainty in his voice.“Yes," I said and gestured over to a nearby table. "You can… if you want."He bit his lip, looking so young in that moment. So eager. He crossed the room, took
VioletHis tone was light, but there was an edge beneath it.I tilted my head. “Do you have a plan, or are we improvising?”His lips curled. “A little of both.”I arched a brow, intrigued. “Go on.”Theodore closed the book gentle and met my gaze.“We make sure that by the time he steps foot in that
"You want to Owen to show up at your house? Likely with Lucas?"I set me jaw."Something tells me that the Donovan wards wouldn’t even let him inside."I blinked and looked up him. "You… You can feel their hostility?"He grimaced. "I think I might be feeding it, actually."I sighed. "Okay, but… what
VioletTime seemed to slow. My voice echoed through the area. His hand was raised, reading toward the pillar that was emitting a swirling white light. He was too close. It was drawing him in.I could feel it but I ran faster, launching myself at him."No!"I slammed into him, my full weight knocking
A muscle ticked in Theodore’s jaw. “Fuck.”I huffed out something almost like a laugh, shaking my head. “Yeah. Exactly.”He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. I could see the anxiety building in his shoulders.“So what do we do?”“Wait for the High Priest to come. His presence should hel
TheodoreThe rush of power was heady, but the sight of what that magic was doing stole my breath with awe. The stones we'd had transported lifted into the air as if lifted by a giant invisible hand, melting, molding and slotting into place with perfect precision into the phantom constructs I'd seen
Tonight was the night of the parry, just a few days before the Capital Court date had been set, and while I wasn't worried about the court date or whatever Owen would pull out of his ass, there was a sense of unease that I hadn't been able to shake all day.From the grand window of the main chamber,
VioletThe view from the main chamber was striking. Midnight Castle, newly restored, loomed over the flood of guests arriving through its grand gates. The glow of lanterns illuminated the winding path leading up to the entrance, their golden light catching on polished carriages and gleaming jewelry.
Violet’s POVPart of me wondered it not worrying Theo was an excuse. If the years with Lucas not being the partner I needed had subconsciously trained me to stay independent. To never lean on anyone, even temporarily, because they couldn’t be trusted to hold me up. Even still, Theo was right. So I
We pulled out of our kiss, my head dizzy with love and hope. We would find the answers we needed. We would find a future together.“You said there were answers to four questions.” I looked between the two of them, tallying the three they’d already shared. “What’s the fourth?”Violet thought for a mo
Theodore’s POV“Alari, please wake up!”I held Violet’s head in my lap, her jaw terrifyingly slack. I dared a glance at the High Priestess who had collapsed in a heap at the same time that Violet’s body had gone completely limp. “High Priestess?!”This wasn’t happening.I reached for my phone, thank
Theodore’s POVIn one breath, the love of my life laying still in the grass let out a gut-wrenching scream and the High Priestess dropped to her knees. I lunged for my wife but was thrown back by an invisible force. When I pulled myself upright, the High Priestess had a hand outstretched, clearly us
Auntie folded her hands in front of her. “Altrosis is an attempt to control magic enough to pin it down and examine it. One could more easily pin down the wind.”As if to illustrate her point, a cool breeze swept through the clearing, though not a hair on Auntie’s head swayed in its drift.“Magic is
Violet’s POVThe jungle outside the village my family lived in was beautiful. It was lush and alive, humming with magic like the air itself was breathing. I had only visited this village and its surrounding area a few times in my life, but I’d always made time to come stand among the ferns and frond
By the Goddess, Violet had been right to send me down here. When we pulled out of the hug, she cupped my face in her hands, worry clouding her eyes. “Are you safe, boy?”My brows furrowed in confusion. She sighed and let go of my face.“I’m sorry, I’ve just always worried for you so, especially aft
Theodore’s POVIt felt wrong walking away from Violet when we had so little time together as it was. But she did need to rest. And she had made a good point about whoever knew my mom possibly having answers we needed.Marcy led me to the front porch and the woman who waited there. “If you’d like to
Theodore’s POVMy chest constricted at Marcy’s words and at the sympathy in her eyes that I hadn’t seen before this moment. Someone who knew my mother…My stomach churned with emotions: the pain of my mother’s loss, the joy in possibly finding out more about her, and the fear of Violet’s and my futu