“Thank you,” I whispered, the words barely audible in the quiet of the room. Gabriel’s grip on me tightened ever so slightly, almost like a silent reassurance that he was there for me. Without saying a word, he leaned down and pressed his lips to my forehead absently. It wasn’t a kiss…but…it felt l
**Evelina's POV**“Because he didn’t want her to coerce him into using the bond against you,” Amaya revealed, sad eyes steady on me. “Why else do you think he never came for you sooner? One of the reasons was that as long as his mamma was alive, he couldn’t expose you to her. He didn’t want a situat
I was silent, remembering that the first time it had happened to me was actually at a college party. I attended with Robert. While he was playing beer pong, I’d been outside getting some fresh air. A drunk stranger’s hand had grazed my ass, and I’d been so surprised that by the time I’d realized som
A collective sigh of relief escaped our lips as Sister Agnes emerged from the shadows. I shot Amaya a sharp glare, annoyed by her unwarranted paranoia that had caused me unnecessary anxiety. I was going to have blood pressure issues at this rate.“You can never be too sure,” Amaya murmured, before t
**Evelina's POV**My heart pounded in my chest as I watched the strong gust of wind propel Gabe’s body through the air, careening straight towards the hard wooden altar table. The impact sent a sickening thud echoing through the quiet church. A lump of dread formed in the pit of my stomach, eyes wid
From the sky, a man dropped down smoothly. He wasn’t cloaked like all the other dark witches I’d seen so far. My eyes narrowed as he towered over me.“It is time to fulfill your destiny.” He spoke the words ominously. Clear evil blue eyes trained on me. Three more witches dropped down behind him, al
The witches before me pulled their hoods back, smiling in triumph.“It is time!” One of them declared with glee. “Decades of waiting and—”I dropped to my knees, my right hand touching the ground, my left still cupping streams of water dancing around my fingertips. The entire building began to shake
I blinked, head pounding as if someone had taken a jackhammer to the plates of my skull and was spreading them apart.“Don’t tell anyone yet,” I ordered with as much authority as I could muster. “I need…” I trailed off, closing my eyes and trying to concentrate on healing myself slowly. It was harde
“CARAJO!” he yelled in anger. “I just think your mate needs to work on his temper,” Syra added distastefully. “Cursing in the sacred realm of Avalon is frowned upon!” Syra yelled loudly towards Gabe. Gabe looked at her and said something in Spanish that made me gasp in mortification. “¡Que te den
The darkness receded as quickly as it had come, replaced by the vibrant colors of Avalon once more. The stream sparkled in the sunlight, the trees swayed gently in the breeze, and the flowers bloomed in their full glory. I took a deep breath, and then let out a small yelp of surprise when I realized
**Evelina's PoV** The misty air wrapped around us like a nurturing shawl, the soothing sound of the stream a constant background music as the vibrant greenery enveloped me in its embrace, a living sanctuary of peace and magic. Trees towered above us, their vibrant green leaves dancing in the gentl
Suddenly, the trials I had had to face in the forest of reflection made complete sense. It was a trial Syra had faced herself, though in a completely different context. “You cannot blame yourself for your sister's choices,” Gabe finally grunted, crossing his arms. “You are right, Gabriel. I cannot
**Evelina's POV** Apparently she had been in Gabe’s vision as well. Because he immediately moved to shield me with his body and extended his claws defensively, poised to attack Sarah. “You’re the evil witch from the past!” he growled out. “I won’t let you harm my mate!” Sarah looked at Gabe and r
Sarah’s eyes widened in shock and fear as she saw the intensity of light glowing in my hands.“How…is this possible? You wield it…” she trailed off, looking around for the torches we had often used to carry the light of the flame into battle. Looking for the chest that often held a remnant of the fl
And in the next moment, something hit me from behind, rendering me immobile. I fell unconscious and when I awoke some time later, I heard shouts and screams from far off. And sinister laughter. Familiar laughter.It was then that I realized it was Sarah’s laughter.My heart pounded in my chest as I
**Evelina’s POV**I was leaning against a tree, lost in thought. My dark hair flowed down my back, all the way to my knees. I sighed, turning to look at Ramiras. He was the leader of the Order of the Flame. A chivalrous knight. A wonderful person. Pity he loved that bitch Sarah.“Ysabel,” Ramiras sa
Without a word, they raised a hand and summoned forth tendrils of shadow that twisted and writhed in the air, reaching out towards me with malicious intent. With a swift motion, I swung my sword. It glowed with a brilliant white light as it clashed against the tendrils of darkness, creating a blind