I looked at my hands, small and fragile of a ten-year-old child. I closed my eyes and tried to remember what my mother had said. Breathe. I held onto those words and listened for my name. She would come back. She had to come back.
“Lynn.” It was muffled but there it was. I snapped my head toward it. The voice of the only person I trusted. I looked at my hands, no longer a child, but I was still there, waiting.
I listened hard for my mother, but felt the grip of hands on my arm, yanking me. I opened my eyes, and the memory faded. The hard rocks under my background into my skin. I let out a breath as he pulled me up, my feet unwilling to hold my weight. The ringing in my ear replaced the peace I’d just been in.
My gaze slid to the two others in front of me and the man holding me up. I could see they were yelling something, but couldn’t register what it was. I blinked and glanced to the muscled man dragging me behind a burned-out wall from an old gas station. He sat me down and put his hands on either side of my face, making me focus on him. I looked into his deep blue eyes. His dark hair was cut short. He wore jeans and a light brown T-shirt. He remembered to carry the utility pack and, of course, his pistol, which was missing.
I grabbed his hands and pulled them away as the sound of gunfire finally filled my ears.
“What happened?” I managed. My gaze slid to the other two people as everything started to come into focus, including the pain in my side. I groaned and put my hand on the wound, but it was almost too large for that.
“We’re pinned down.” The man shook his head and glanced at them. “We can’t stay like this, Miles. They’ll pick us off.”
Miles glanced at me and then back to him. “We’ll do the best we can, Jared.”
“No, I’ll slow them down.” I attempted to pull myself up, but the pain made me slide back down the wall.
“You can’t. You’re too hurt,” Miles said.
“Do you want to live?” I asked, and he looked away. “Help me up.”
He reluctantly grabbed my arm and pulled me to my feet.
I hobbled towards the others and leaned against the wall. I pushed the throbbing pain in my side away and focused on the earth. The way it smelled and the way it felt against my body when I laid on it in the summer, the flowers and the grass as it would tickle my skin. In that moment, I was standing there in the middle of a clearing with my feet wiggling in the dirt. I smiled and let that faint memory take hold. My energy shifted downward into the ground, and I let it fan out around them and out towards the ones shooting at them. It built up until I felt the shifting of the surrounding earth.
And then pulled it back.
As fast as I focused, it was gone. The pain was more than I could push away, but the silence told me I had done the job. It didn’t matter. All that mattered was the girl.
I glanced at Miles. As soon as I met his gaze, everything went black.

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Miles

I knew she was going down the minute her eyes closed, and I grabbed her to keep her from hitting the ground too hard.
“We have to go,” Jared snapped at me. “Can you get her?”
I gave him a look. This wasn’t the first time I’d carried her out of the battlefield. Lynn had a habit of getting herself hurt with her rush-in-first-ask-questions-later attitude. It was something I’d grown used to but found insanely frustrating.
I picked Lynn up and threw her over my shoulder as gently as I could. The last thing I wanted was to cause more damage, but I also had to move quickly. The crater she’d created would only hold them back for so long.
Jared led the way as we pushed through the heavy branches and brush on the forest floor. I was silently thankful we had such good cover so close to where we’d been ambushed. Nora, the other survivor, was out of sight scouting ahead.
“Once night comes, we should have better cover,” Jared said. “Too bad the only one with magick left alive is thrown over your shoulder.”
“Guess we’ll have to do it the old-fashioned way, then.” I let a slight laugh escape my lips. “Good use for that military background.”
The sound of howling made us stop in our tracks. Jared and I glanced at each other. “What are the chances those are what I think they are?”
“Pretty big,” Jared said. “We gotta go.”
We hurried through the brush, avoiding the gopher holes and toppled trees, until I stopped and looked around me. “Wait, I know this place.”
“What are you doing?”
“This was the edge of a campground. There’s probably cabins still here,” I said.
“You want to stop and stay in a cabin? What about Nora?”
“What about me?” The young woman came up behind Jared, shaking her head. “We can’t go that way. They have units on the roads,” she said. “We’d do better staying out of sight for the night.”
“I agree,” I said. “They’re this way.” I started toward the base of a hill. I remembered it from the family camping trip I’d planned years ago. I could almost see my son playing on the hill. It brought a smile to my face before the sting of not knowing where they were, took it from me.
Jared pushed in front of me as we got to the small cabin almost entirely hidden by overgrowth. The dark wood still held a beauty to it, and the roof looked more worn than many of the other buildings we’d taken refuge in, but it would work better than being out in the forest waiting to be picked off by the enemy—or worse.
I took point on the steps, and Nora pushed the door open. The whole place looked like it was the scene of a horror movie. There were food and items strewn about on the floor. A shelf was knocked over, throwing a plant a few inches from it. The dirt was dry and the plant long dead, but Nora picked it up anyway.
I carefully laid Lynn on one of the cots in the corner and checked her breathing. She was still alive, but bleeding a lot. Before I could ask, Jared was standing there with bandages. I took them and bound the wound the best I could. It wasn’t like what Sam could do, but it would have to hold until we could get back.
“The sun is going down,” Nora said as Jared barricaded the door.
“We’ll make it. We have to,” I said, not meeting Jared’s eyes.
“What was the point of all this? We don’t even know why we came out here. She’s the only one who knows anything, and she’s half dead,” Jared snapped.
“We follow orders,” I answered, pulling myself to my feet. “You should know better than anyone about that.”
“I didn’t enlist in this.”
“Then why are you here?” I asked. Jared looked away. “You’re here for the same thing we all are. A way to survive this and maybe get back something we once had.”
We all are. I gritted my teeth and grabbed a dusty blanket from a second cot. “We should rest. Jared, you take first watch.”
I leaned against the wall, pulling the blanket over me, hoping Lynn would make it through this. There had been so many close calls, but every time she’d made it through. She had to get this name to Sam, and I had to get Lynn to Sam no matter what it took.
My thoughts drifted to my family. I wondered if my wife was somewhere making pancakes for my son and if she still wore her hair the same. I smiled slightly. The pain of knowing they were out there somewhere but I didn’t know where made life that much harder. When Lynn found me, half dead and alone in a city I didn’t know, she made a promise to help me find them. So far, we both turned up empty-handed.
I’d find them, eventually. I had to, even if it meant betraying everything I found.

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Lynn

My eyes fluttered open. The surrounding darkness was confusing at first. I tried to focus my eyes on something, anything, but there was nothing. I could feel the cot under me and a thin blanket thrown over me.
I slowly turned my head to see Jared staring back at me. He was leaning against the closed doorway. I swallowed hard.
“What happened?” I asked, realizing how dry my throat was.
He held up his hand. “Whisper. They’re out there looking for us.”
“How far did we get?”
“Not far enough,” he snapped. “Are you okay?”
“I’ll live, probably.” I felt the makeshift bandage and pulled myself to a sitting position.
“What are you doing?” Jared shook his head. “You shouldn’t be moving around.”
“There’s another room, right?”
“Why?” Jared kept his eyes on me.
“Shouldn’t you be watching for the enemy?” Miles broke in from the seat he’d taken at the foot of my cot. “Are you going to do what I think you’re going to do?”
I gave him a look and let my feet touch the floor.
“You were hurt, you can’t just use more magick,” Miles said, staring at me.
“Sam needs to know in case…”
“In case we die tonight?” Miles finished.
I didn’t say anything. I pulled myself to my feet, and the pain shot through me. It was blinding and mind-numbing, to say the least. I started to fall back, and Miles caught me by the arm, steadying me.
“If you’re going to do this, at least let me help you.” He didn’t look at me.
I sighed. There was that disapproving part of him that I hated and loved at the same time. One of my only true friends and the one that would call me out on my bullshit.
We made our way through the tiny room into what would have been the bedroom in good times. He eased me to the floor and kneeled down with me.
“You can go now. I’ll need to do this on my own,” I gritted through the pain.
He watched me. “You don’t need anything to cast it?”
“No, just my own magick.” As I spoke, a line of fire circled me, cutting between us. As fast as it had happened, it was out, leaving a burned line. That was all I needed. The safety of the element. One of the few I actually could control.
Miles raised an eyebrow before turning and walking to the door.
“Keep an eye out. If they’re looking for magick, this might lead them straight to us.”
He nodded and closed the door behind him. As soon as I was alone, I let myself feel the pain. It was a large wound, not something I usually walked away from, but somehow I had this time. I put my hand on the floor to steady myself and pulled myself together. I couldn’t let this stop me, not yet. Once the mission was over, I could fall apart.
I closed my eyes and connected with the elements. I pulled away from the four main ones to the hardest one to use, Spirit.
As soon as I grabbed hold of the power, I called to Sam. I had to tell her before I lost the connection; that was so hard for me on my best days.
I found her.
Her name is Tara.

***

I waited, hearing only my heartbeat and my breathing. Something tickled my nose, and I realized I was sitting. My back was against something hard, and I inhaled the sweet smell of something familiar, but that shouldn’t be possible. Not here.
I opened my eyes and let the sight of the cherry blossoms falling in front of me make me smile.
“They are beautiful, even here,” a deep voice said, chasing all the happiness right out of my mind.
I glanced toward the voice to see the familiar face of the one man I could never get rid of no matter how hard I tried.
“Go away, Kalerian.”
He laughed and walked towards me. “You know I can’t. This is our place.”
“Was,” I snapped. “Lifetimes ago.”
“But still the place you retreat to when you don’t want to deal with pain.” He smiled and leaned against a tree next to me. “Why do you think that is?”
I sighed and stood, not feeling pain for once. Maybe he was right about that. “What do you want?”
“You already know the answer to that,” he said without looking at me.
I studied him for a moment. He hadn’t aged since the last time he’d invaded my dreams, or in real life, for that matter. His dark hair, usually pulled out of his face, hung loose down to his shoulders. His green eyes focused on the dancing petals falling from the surrounding trees. He almost looked like someone I once knew. Almost. Behind those beautiful green eyes was a killer, plain and simple, and I knew it better than anyone.
He let a blossom fall into his hand and slid it into his dark jean pocket before meeting my gaze.
He smiled, and I turned away.
“Why can’t you face me in the real world? Why is it always here?”
“Is that an invitation?”
I snapped my gaze to him and crossed my arms. “Yeah, it is.”
He sighed and walked past me toward the long path of cherry blossom trees lining a winding dirt path.
“I’ll tell you a secret.” He turned back to me as he spoke. “This was the life that changed everything for me.”
“Right, you’ve been a horrible person from day one. There has never been a change in you,” I snapped.
“You have no idea what I am,” Kalerian said, his demeanor suddenly changing.
There he is, I thought.
And just as fast, it was gone.
“Why don’t you just kill me already and get it over with?” I said, walking toward him. “Enough games.”
He smiled and cocked his head, letting some of that straight black hair fall slightly into his face. “Because what fun would that be?” He snapped his fingers, and my eyes fluttered open, the pain in my side catching me off guard.

***

I met the dark eyes looking down at me.
“What happened?” I asked. My vision swirled as pain pushed through me again.
“Don’t move, you’ll undo your stitches,” Miles said, putting his hands on my arms, holding me in place. “We made it back. Everything worked out.”
“How many?”
“How many what?” Miles said, his eyes held mine and understanding crossed his hard features. “Too many.”
I shook my head. “We lose more and more every time,” I whispered. “They knew we were coming.”
“I know,” he said. “That’s a problem for another day.”
“Help me sit up,” I said, but he didn’t move.
“No,” he said. “You need to rest. Two inches to the left and you’d be dead.”
Maybe that would be better than living through this.
“You concentrate on resting,” he said. “The coven can wait.”
“They need to know,” I countered, concentrating on his features to fight back the throbbing pain in my side.
He still didn’t move. “I’ll debrief them. Give yourself at least a couple of damn days before you go trying to jump into another fight.”
I sighed. There was no point in fighting him. He was right. In my condition, I’d be of no use to anyone. Least of all the coven. It didn’t help I was the least powerful witch in this camp. But at least I could fight and wasn’t too scared to go out with the others.
“Fine,” I said, and he nodded his head, letting my arms go.
“When I get back, you better be right here where I left you.”
“Yes, father,” I mocked, and he gave me a look. “I’ll rest, just come back after and tell me what they said.”
“No doubt it will be some garbage about how ineffective we were,” he said with a slight smile.
“They don’t understand what it’s like out there,” I answered.
“I left some whiskey for you to help with the pain. It’s not much, but it’s what we have,” he said, motioning to a small table to the left of me. I groaned at the sight of the bottle. It would help, but nothing beats the old days of painkillers and ibuprofen.
“Stay alive. I’ll be back soon,” he said before walking out of the makeshift tent door. I stared at the ceiling. The dark green military tents were good at keeping out the Wyoming cold, but it wasn’t like my old place. The house I’d dreamed about my entire life. I was there, living a normal, boring, fucking life, and then in an instant, it was gone, and I was fighting a war we had little hope of winning.
But the fight was all I had.

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Miles

The chill air greeted me as I stepped from the tent and adjusted the door as best I could. Lynn deserved some rest, and I’d take the heat from the coven for today. Whatever bullshit they were ready to blame on her, I’d take. She’d seen enough today.
“Miles, it’s good to see you,” a voice said from my right. I turned by head to see a squad loaded and ready to go walking through the camp.
“What’s going on? Are you guys going out?” I said, glancing from Trevor, the blond I recognized from training, to the twenty or so men that followed him. They walked past, and Trevor stopped in front of me.
“There’s trouble up north. We’re going to help some people get out,” he said. “I’m glad you made it back.”
“Not everyone did,” I said.
“They never do,” he countered. “How’s Lynn? She looked pretty fucked up.”
“She’ll live,” I answered.
“She’s a tough one.”
“Yeah, you have no idea,” I said with a slight smile.
“Tough enough to get you out,” Trevor said. He glanced at his men and back at Miles. “Look, it’s hard out there, but we’re keeping people alive. As many as we can. You know that.” He put his hand on my shoulder.
“I know,” I said. “Stay safe out there.”
“It’s a quick retrieval. We’ll be back by tomorrow night,” he said and gave my arm a hard pat. “Don’t do anything crazy while I’m gone.”
“Can’t make any promises,” I said with a smirk.
Trevor gave a laugh and walked away.
I watched him as they loaded onto the truck and started to drive away. He hoped it wouldn’t be the last time he saw him.

***

The moment I walked through the tent door, the group of witches got quiet. The four of them looked at me and then at each other. I met their gaze even though the tent was filled with things that made no sense to me. Cards were placed neatly in boxes on a tall shelf to one side of the tent wall, and a huge black mirror was placed carefully on a side table with a thin cloth thrown over it.
“We expected Lynn,” the oldest of the coven said, eying me and taking a seat at the large table they placed in the center of the tent. It was old oak wood, and I had no idea how they managed to get it in here, nor did I want to know.
“Lynn was severely injured,” I said, sliding my gaze to the other women. They each looked like they’d been through their own version of hell, but in my mind it didn’t compare to the hell Lynn encountered every time we ventured out into the field. “I’ll speak for her and relay anything you need to say.”
“Did she agree to your speaking for her?” A dark-haired woman spoke from my left, and I glanced her way. Her name might have been Leah. I didn’t spend much time with the coven, but they all had their purposes for being here.
“She did.”
“Fine,” the older woman with light hair and blue eyes said. She was wearing an old knit sweater, purple with a flowy skirt I was sure she made herself. “Can you explain what happened?”
“Sure, pretty simple really. We were ambushed,” I said. It was the truth. “The moment we stepped into that building, we were taking fire from all sides.”
“Did Lynn do a sweep with magick before you entered?” A younger woman with light brown hair falling in tight curls down her back said. She was dressed more like what I’d expect in a situation like this. Jeans, and a t-shirt with a dark jacket pulled over her.
“Yes,” I answered. The truth was, I wasn’t sure. She didn’t tell me when she used magick normally. Not unless she needed to. A snicker from a dirty blond leaning on a table at the back of the room caught my attention.
“You’re a terrible liar,” she said. “That’s the problem then; she didn’t even do a sweep. We might as well have sent a normal squad there instead of one of the elite ones.”
“They would have died just the same,” I snapped. She stepped closer, and I shook my head.
Sam.
“She got you what you needed. She got you that girl’s name. Any other squad would have failed, and you’d lose the one shot you have at finding out who she is.”
“The name is just the beginning.”
“But it’s something,” I countered.
“Enough,” the older woman said. I wasn’t sure of her name, Paige maybe. “This isn’t helping anyone.” She glanced at the dark-haired woman to my right. “Go see if you can speed Lynn’s healing. We have another job for your squad. But you’ll need replacements for the ones you lost.”
“Just send me and Lynn. The smaller the group, the better,” I said. The last thing I wanted was to lose more people. Lynn and I could look out for each other.
“You don’t even know what it is yet,” the older woman said.
“Paige, they can meet them and bring them in. Should be easy enough,” Sam said with a slight smile. “Unless you think that might be too hard for you and your precious Lynn?”
“Not at all,” I said, my gaze fixed directly on Sam. I could never figure out what her problem was with me, but she was the one witch I never crossed in this place, mostly.
“Great, in a few days, you two can go bring a group back for us.” She cocked an eyebrow.
“What’s so special about this group?”
“They may know something, and there are some pretty powerful witches in it. The more we have here, the better,” Paige finished for Sam.
“Sounds like a plan.”

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Paige

“Why would you let her get away with that?” Sam leaned against the chair as she spoke, her arms crossed.
“Lynn isn’t just some witch,” I said, gauging their reactions. I was always very careful how I talked about her power. If they knew, they would demand I send her away, but she needed us even if she would never know why.
“You have a soft spot for her. Why?” Sam kept pushing, and I gripped the edge of my chair.
“I made a promise to her mother,” I said. That much wouldn’t tip them off too far, but it was enough they’d understand.
“Her mother?” Sophie shook her head. “She’s been dead for years.”
“She was one of my closest friends,” I said, letting my thoughts drift to her for a moment. The way she protected Lynn, even though she knew what she’d become. What she could become. “I told her I’d take care of Lynn when she…” I struggled with how much to confide. Charlotte was running for her life when I found her, with the little girl hiding.
“I know you feel responsible for her, but she’s been nothing but trouble,” Sam said, shaking her head. “Stubborn and pig-headed. She doesn’t know how to fight a war.”
“And you keep having us send her out there, why?” Leah leaned forward in her seat, her dark hair falling forward in waves. “If you care so much about what happens to her. It doesn’t make any sense.”
“I hoped it would remind her how to fight and to care for the people we fight for every day,” I said.
“It did,” Sophie said with a slight smile. “I can see her thoughts when I heal her. She cares about every person in this camp.” She stepped forward and shook her head. “I don’t know why you are so hard on her, Sam.”
“She’s a liability,” Sam said simply. “Look at all the people she got killed just because she didn’t do one thing.”
I sighed. “You’re right.”
“She needs taken out of the field. At least for a while,” Sam said. “Maybe you could work on her magick.”
“Let her do this last mission and I’ll tell her after,” I said. Maybe if I was able to see what she would become, I’d have a chance to help her find the right magick. Maybe she’d have a chance.
“I know you see things I don’t. That you understand way more about what’s about to happen, but you’re blind when it comes to Lynn,” Sam said. “She needs guidance, not coddling.”
I smiled slightly. Maybe there was hope for Sam yet. “You understand people. It goes with your gift.”
“I wouldn’t call shape shifting a gift.” She sighed, and the others started filing out. “Every time I take on another person’s form, I don’t just look like them; it’s like I’m in their head. I see and feel everything.”
“That’s why you haven’t done it in a long time,” I said and pointed at the chair next to me. “You can’t fight your greatest weapon.”
“I was a spy, Paige.” She couldn’t look me in the eye for some reason even though I’d never judge her for her past. We all had our demons. “I killed people for them.”
“And now you don’t.” I put my hand on hers. “You are so much more than you think, and they will need you soon.”
She glanced at me and wrinkled her nose. “They have you.”
“I won’t be here forever, Sam.” I glanced at the door to the large tent and back at her. “I already know who you are, but it’s time you knew.”
She smiled slightly. “You had faith in me when the rest wanted to kill me.”
“I always will. You’ve proven yourself in so many ways. Don’t forget that, no matter what gets thrown at you.” I held her gaze. “You are important in what happens next.”
I wanted to tell her what I’d seen. The directions this world could go and who they all could become, but if I did, it would only make it harder for them when the time came.
It would destroy them.
I had to have faith they’d make the right call.
They had to.
Sam had to.

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Kalerian

My eyes flew open as the scene faded from my mind. A smirk formed on my lips as I thought about all the ways I wanted to break her. From the first moment I’d laid eyes on her, even with my mission at stake, I wanted her.
My door opened, and a younger woman with platinum blond hair walked in.
“What, you can’t be bothered to knock?” I snapped and turned to face her. She wasn’t spooked by my words, but she should be.
“I did, but you didn’t answer,” she said, taking a step towards me.
I pushed myself up from the velvet chair I was sitting in and put my hand on the four-poster bed in my room. The intricate designs bit into my hand, but I didn’t move. “What do you want?”
“He needs to see you,” she said, cocking her head to the side, her hair falling into her face slightly. She blinked her light eyes, and there was almost a childlike essence to her. If you didn’t know all the horrible things she’d done, you would almost trust her.
“Tell him I’m doing more important things,” I said, walking past her towards the dresser on the other side of the room.
“Like tormenting that woman?” She said with a slight laugh. “Let it go, Kalerian. It’s been how long?”
I snapped my gaze to her. “You have no idea who she is or how powerful she will be.”
“She’s not going to come to you,” she said, taking a step towards him, her long hair falling over her shoulder. “Why are you so obsessed when you have someone just as powerful right in front of you?” She ran her finger down my chest. I kept my gaze on her, but she was trying my patience.
“I have a man to see,” I said, pushing past her and out of the room.
The hallway seemed unusually quiet. Of course, that little group of pains in the ass witches wasn’t the only ones we were dealing with. Maybe this human, who thought he ran things, knew something I didn’t.
I stopped at the end of the hallway. This building was so old and reminded me of the castles I’d once roamed. Sometimes I missed the old days of this world. When humans bowed to the right beings and monsters didn’t have to manipulate them to get what they needed.
I pushed the door open and walked inside the large room these people used for pretty much everything.
“Kalerian, there you are,” an older man with graying hair said from behind a large desk. Behind him was a massive stained-glass window. I was surprised it was still intact with the way the war went here originally.
“You wanted to see me,” I said, not stopping until I was standing in front of his desk. At this range, I could slit his throat before he’d even know what happened, but I needed him. For now.
“How are we coming with that group in Wyoming? I know you had a particular interest in them,” he said, crossing his hands on his desk and keeping eye contact with me.
Bold.
“It’s coming along. They are a complicated group. Maybe the biggest threat to us yet,” I said, letting my hands mess with some of the odd things he kept on his desk. The ball he’d squeeze when things were too hard or the pen he’d used to sign all the documents humans seemed to think they needed to rule.
“It would seem. I’ve heard from our spy that they mobilized north. There’s a group they are particularly interested in,” he said.
“You want me to stop them?” I asked, my interest piqued.
“I want your little white-haired witch to make them think twice about picking up strays,” he said. “The last thing we need is a more powerful group to deal with.”
“You really are scared of them, aren’t you?” I said with a smirk.
His eyes snapped to mine. “You should be too.”
I couldn’t hold in the laugh. The idea of these witches or humans could do anything to me was laughable.
“You think that’s funny?” he said. “You are as crazy as they say.”
“Not crazy. Calculated.”

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Lynn

“Why does healing magick have to hurt so much?” I seethed as pain burned through me. I could feel every pull of my skin as it reformed and the flesh underneath.
Sophie didn’t look up from the work she was doing on my torn flesh. I guess over the years she’d learned I wasn’t the nicest person when it came to pain, but then, is anyone really?
“I’m almost done,” she said.
The pain intensified and then subsided some. Whatever she did, it was working. The pain became more bearable, and I took a deep breath.
“See, much better,” she said, scooting the chair back and finally looking me in my eyes. “It’s little more than a flesh wound now.”
“Thank you,” I said, my tone a bit softer. The truth was, it was hard to
Imagine a life without pain anymore.
The tent door opened, and Miles walked through. He stopped and glanced at me before glancing at Sophie.
“I figured you’d be done by now,” he said. “I can leave.”
“No, I’m finished,” she said and stood. “She needs rest tonight for the magick to stick.”
Miles nodded, and I pulled myself into a sitting position. “What are you doing? You heard her. You need rest.”
“I can rest just as well sitting up. I’m not running a marathon,” I smiled, and he scowled.
“Just till I’m done briefing you,” he said, grabbing the chair Sophie was sitting in a minute ago.
“Fine,” I relented. When Miles made up his mind, there was no changing it, no matter how hard you tried. That was one of the things I admired about him.
“They want us to go on a recovery mission,” he said plainly.
“What kind of recovery?”
“A group that has a few powerful players,” he said, leaning his arms on the cot.
“They want more magick in the camp?” I said, my mind trying to filter through what they were planning. We were all supposed to be in this together, but they loved doing things their way.
“They think one of them has information,” he finished.
“Like who Tara is and where we can find her.” I nodded. “We shouldn’t wait.”
“Whoa, you know what Sophia said. Rest. We can leave in the morning.”
“And what about the others?”
“The coven?” He shook his head. “What about them?”
“They didn’t tell you what they had planned?”
“No,” he said with a shrug. “They never tell me anything.”
“Same,” I said. They loved telling me I was one of them, but never treated me like I was. In a way, I preferred that. It kept things neat, and I didn’t get focused on keeping them alive.
“Who’s going?”
“Just us. We’re keeping it small. The fewer people that know, the better.”
“Agreed.”
“Get some rest,” he said, standing. “I’ll get you when it’s time to go.” He started for the door.
“Miles,” I said, and he turned to face me. “Thanks.”
He smiled and nodded. I guess that was his way of telling me, no problem.
From one fight to another.

***

As soon as we were outside the camp, I felt like I could relax. Being out here in the field was more my style, and I had fewer people trying to tell me what to do.
“I still think we should have waited another day to let your side heal,” Miles grumbled from the driver’s seat.
I couldn’t help but smile. I glanced at him as he struggled to drive the small black car I’d picked up from the nearby town. It was older, and a little broken down, but it worked and was easy to hot-wire.
“I’m fine,” I said simply. I mean, it still ached, but when you remember I was so close to death not even two days ago, I was way better. “Healing magick works wonders.”
“We need her in the field,” he grumbled, and I laughed again.
“She wouldn’t last five minutes out here.” I reached into the bag I’d grabbed and pulled out water. “Too delicate. I’d only end up getting distracted.”
“Because you’d have to keep her safe?”
“What do you think the coven would do if she died out here under my watch?” I made a face and drank some of the water. “It would be a disaster. They’re better there.”
He huffed to himself, and I cocked my head.
“You don’t agree?”
“I think you just don’t want to care about anyone else. You keep people at an arm’s length so you aren’t torn up if they die,” he said, and I put the water back in the bag.
“I keep you close,” I countered.
“And if I die?”
“You won’t.”
“I might,” he said simply. “You can’t see the future.”
“No, but Paige can.”
“Would she tell you?”
I didn’t answer. The truth was, she wouldn’t. She valued the mission and saving the right people. Not my feelings.
“Maybe let people in now and again,” he said, taking a turn onto one of the main roads going north.
“We’re heading north?” I said, surprised.
“Yeah, that’s what they told me. Stay on the highway and we’d run right into them,” he said.
I sighed. “I guess they did tell you something more than me,” I said.
“Just so we went in the right direction. That’s the extent of what I know.” He glanced at the map folded open on the dash. “You should get some rest. We’re safe until nightfall.”
“That’s when all the creepy things come out,” I finished.
“That’s when all the hunters come out,” he corrected.
He was right. The things that hunted witches weren’t just hellhounds and weird monster things; they were people who didn’t care if you were a kid or unarmed. They’d kill you in a second. Or worse.
“Fine, I’ll rest to make you feel better,” I said, leaning back in my seat.
“Not to make me feel better, it’s so you can take first watch tonight,” he said with a smile.
“Self serving asshole,” I said before closing my eyes. Maybe a little sleep would be nice.
Maybe I’d wake up and all this will be nothing but a nightmare.

***

There I was, sitting in my favorite place in the world. That damned cherry blossom forest. The only difference this time was I was alone. At least for now. The smell of the blossoms as they slowly drifted to the ground was oddly comforting, and the darkness of the star-filled sky reminded me of a memory I couldn’t quite place.
“What is it about this place?” I said to myself. The distant sound of blades connecting caught my attention. I turned towards it and stood. The sound got louder with every step, but the ground turned wet and muddy as I walked. My foot stuck in the mud, and I looked down as I tried to pull it free.
The once dry dirt path was covered in red. The blossoms falling from the tree stuck weirdly in the concoction. Movement caught my eye, and I shook my head. That asshole was here, waiting like always.
“I know you’re there, Kalerian,” I said, but nothing changed. No movement. No sound.
The bloody mud under my feet shifted, and I started sinking. I fought it, but the more I moved, the faster it dragged me down.
Until it was all around me.
Hands grabbed my wrists, pulling me further into the darkness. This is your future. This is your destiny.
I fought against the grip, pulling my hands free. Still falling in the darkness, I reached for anything, a hand, a tree root, anything. A hand grabbed mine, but I was still falling endlessly.
You will kill them all.

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Kalerian

I waited at the edge of the path for him. The sky was cloudy, and the wind whipped up around me, but I wasn’t bothered by that. Maybe a part of me was glad I could stand here away from the war and the calculations it took to manage it for a moment.
“Kalerian,” a voice said from behind me.
I turned and took in the witch I worked with for this kind of delicate work. “Have you read the briefing of what needs done?”
“I have.” He stepped closer, watching me with his dark eyes. “Are you sure you wouldn’t rather do it yourself?”
“I have places I need to be, Liam,” I said, pulling my hand out of my pocket. “But this should send the message I need.” I opened my hand and handed him the pink blossom I’d snatched from Lynn and I’s place, our home. “Make sure this is where they will find it.”
He slipped it into his pocket and nodded. “What will you do?”
“Prepare things for when she remembers.”
“You really think this will trigger that?” He asked.
“No, but it will bring her to me, and then I’ll have a chance to show her who she really is,” I said with a slight smile. The thought of her finally being by my side when my brothers came back was all I needed.
“Consider it done,” he said with a smirk. “I think I’ve been there long enough; they trust me. They have no idea I’m working with you.”
“Keep it that way.” I watched him as I spoke. “You are not my only spy in their ranks.”
He laughed and shook his head. “Of course I’m not. You’d never lay all your schemes in one persons hands.”
“Not schemes, plans.” I turned back to the edge of the path and watched the lights flicker of the camp not far from us. It was out of range of their magick, but still easily seen. “I’ve been working on these plans for centuries, and no one is going to mess them up.”
No one.

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Lynn

My eyes shot open, and I sucked in a breath. The contrast between the last of the day’s sun falling behind the mountains and the blood-soaked dream I’d just had was awkward. I glanced at Miles, who didn’t seem to realize I was awake, and back to the mountains to calm my fluttering heart.
“Sleep well,” Miles asked
I swung my head to look at him. He hadn’t stopped once and had to be exhausted. “I’m good.”
Just my past life coming back to haunt me.
He glanced at me before pulling the car to the side of the road. “I think this is it.”
“Why would you say that?” I kept my eyes on him, and he pointed in front of us. I slid my gaze to the road and walking was a large group of people. They all looked tired and broken, like this was the last chance they had to get anywhere safe. I glanced back at Miles. “This is bad.”
“Yeah, I thought a few people, not more than twenty,” he said.
“We should have brought the truck,” I answered. At least we could have driven the young ones and the people who couldn’t keep themselves safe. Now we had all these people out on a highway just as the sun was going down. “Is there anywhere we can go for cover around here?”
“There’s a little town about a mile back,” he said. “We won’t make it before dark.”
“Then we split up. You take the young ones. As many as you can fit.” I glanced at him and nodded. “I’ll stay with the others.”
“No,” he said. “We stay together.”
“They have some magick users, yeah?”
He nodded.
“I’ll use them to protect the others. You get the kids to safety and we’ll catch up.” I jumped out of the car before he could protest and headed to the group.
This was going to be a long night.

***

“Who the hell are you?” That was the first thing I heard when I walked to them.
I put my hands up and shook my head. “I’m not a threat. We were sent here to get you.”
“By whom?” The same voice asked. I saw a tall, dark-haired man making his way towards me. “This is my group.”
“It’s hard to explain,” I said. “My coven, we were alerted you were coming and might need some help.”
“Are you the group Laura was talking about?” He said, finally stopping in front of me and crossing his arms. He was tall, way taller than most of the soldiers even, and that was saying something.
“I don’t know a Laura,” I admitted.
“She’s my wife,” he said.
“Great,” I said. “I don’t have any names. Only that I was to meet you here with my friend and get you back safely.” I lowered my hands, and he took another step towards me. The way he was studying me was off-putting. Like I was something he didn’t know what to do with.
“We don’t have a lot of time,” I said, pushing a little.
“Fine,” he finally said. “You seem harmless enough.”
I cocked my head and crossed my arms. “There’s a small town up the road about a mile. My friend can take the kids and anyone else that will fit and get them inside before dark.”
“And the rest of us?”
“I hope you don’t mind walking,” I said.
“Why the kids?” The man asked, still studying me.
“The hunters target them first. They can’t get away and are easy to kill or…” I didn’t know how to finish that sentence without freaking them all out. The truth was, they should know what these things can do. They’d been through all the same things I had. The hiding, the running and maybe even some of the fighting.
He turned to his group and motioned for the kids. Luckily, there were only a few, and it was easy to get them into the little car. A couple of adults went with them too just to make sure we weren’t stealing them away, I was sure.
I sighed as Miles glanced at me one last time before getting into the car and driving away. He’d take care of the kids, but that left me out here alone and with a group of people I didn’t know if I could entirely trust.
“Now what?” The man said. “Moving at night is tricky.”
“We don’t have a choice.” I glanced at him as the group started to walk around us. “What do I call you?”
“Chris,” he said simply.
“Lynn.”

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Paige

The air felt different, like the warmth was sucked out of it and all that was left were the icy fingers of winter. I sat in my seat at the old oak table with my tarot. Each card told me what the next move was from our enemy.
The Moon. Secrets that challenged everything we are. My fingers brushed the card, and the cold got more intense. In all the years of my life, I’d never seen more and less at the same time.
The Five of Wands. Infighting and discord could threaten everything we’ve built. Everything we were doing to save this world and bring back the one we once knew. I shook my head. We were fractured, and we didn’t even know it yet.
The Devil. Old ways that threatened to pull us back if we let the chains we think we have on us win. I let out a breath, and the air was so cold it formed a cloud.
I held the last card as I finally saw a figure at the other end of the table. It watched me for a moment.
“I wondered when you’d come for me,” I said, still holding that card.
“You saw me coming. Interesting.”
“You didn’t think I would?” I said, not bothering to move. “I’ve seen my death since I was a child.”
“Even before the fall of everything you knew.” The dark figure stepped closer.
“You’ll never unlock it. The power she was given,” I said. All those years I’d tried to keep her safe from him, from herself.
He stepped closer, and I stood, with the last card still in my hand. He moved a strand of gray hair out of my face and smiled. “I won’t have to.” He pushed a blade into my stomach and twisted before pulling it back. My breath caught, and the pain pushed through me. I kept my eyes on his. If this were my death, then he was going to watch every moment of it. Something in his green eyes shifted. This was not who it appeared to be. My feet gave way as my life faded. I watched him set a single pink blossom on the table where the cards were and disappear.
My eyes drifted to the final card.
The Tower.

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Lynn

The sun set behind the mountains, and the only light was from the moon. It was incredibly dark and a little unnerving.
“Maybe we should just hunker down,” Chris said from my left.
I glanced back at the group and nodded. “That might be a bit safer at this point. We can’t see anything, but I’m sure if there is anything out there, it can see us.”
“We’ve been lucky so far,” Chris said, motioning for everyone to go to the side of the road. At least the ditch would offer some cover if anyone or anything traveled this way.
A small woman with light hair walked up to us. My guess was this was the Laura he talked about.
“What are we doing?” She glanced from her husband to me and back to him.
“It’s better to stay put at this point. Too dark,” I answered.
“Is that you, what you think is best?” She practically ignored me and asked Chris.
“I do,” he said simply.
She slid her gaze back to me and cocked her head to the side. “I thought you’d be different.”
“What do you mean?” I crossed my arms, confusion all over my face. Why would she even know anything about me?
“My contact mentioned you, but not much else,” she said.
“Mentioned me?” I guess maybe she’d had a meditation with one of the others at the coven. Of course, they wouldn’t tell her much about me; they hated me.
“She said you’d be here soon,” Laura smiled slightly. “I’m glad. Your being here keeps us safe.”
“If you say so,” I said to myself.
“It’s going to be cold, but fires are not a good idea,” Chris said. “Tell them to huddle up until morning.”
Laura looked at me and then back to him. “Of course.” She walked away, and I just kind of stared at her. There was something not quite right, but now wasn’t the right time to deal with it. Tonight I had other issues.
“I’ll keep watch,” he said before I could say anything.
“We both can. You watch the front and I’ll take the rear. That way the group has protection on both sides.”
“Agreed.”

***

I guess I should be thankful I wouldn’t be sleeping and potentially having that asshole show up again. It was like every damn time I closed my eyes he was there, messing with the little peace I had.
I sat at the edge of the ditch I’d moved the group into. They were huddled together to stay warm. At least it was the summer and even in the mountains, the temperatures would stay above anything life-threatening. It was quiet and dark, but I kept my eyes on the distance for anything.
That’s when I felt the shift.
“Shit,” I said to myself and glanced at the group. No one moved, but I could see Chris on the other side perk up.
I reached out with my magick, searching for the source or at least where the hell they were. It didn’t take long to run into it, but I couldn’t place what kind of being was out there watching us. It wasn’t making a move, not yet, but it also wasn’t leaving.
A hand rested on my shoulder, and I almost jumped. I glanced back and saw Chris kneeling beside me.
“It’s a hunter,” he said.
“How do you know that?” I asked. “I can’t pinpoint what it is.”
“It’s waiting.” He glanced out into the darkness. “The hellhounds don’t wait.”
‘It’s making me nervous,” I admitted.
“I think that’s the point,” he said with a slight smile. “He’s waiting for orders.”
“Are you a mind reader or something?”
He glanced at me and snickered. “Something like that.”
“Then tell me what he’s thinking,” I said. “It might help me to fight him.”
“I just sense the intentions. I can’t actually read what he’s thinking, but the moment he shifts to ready, I’ll know.”
“You said he’s waiting for orders.” I fought the anxiety of where those orders could come from, and he glanced at me, cocking his head.
“I don’t think it’s from where you’re thinking,” he said. “You have a connection to a leader there?”
“Something like that,” I countered. The last thing I wanted was to get all therapy time with a dude I didn’t know right before a fight.
I felt something shift and reached for my weapon, only it wasn’t there. I’d forgotten to grab my knives when I left camp. How was I so stupid? I’d have to rely on the magick I barely could use. Chris grabbed my arm and shook his head.
I squinted in confusion. “He’s doing something,” I said, pulling my arm back. “I felt the energy.”
‘No, you felt the leader. They’re here,” he said.
“Just the two? That is unexpected,” I said.
“I just want to chat,” a woman’s voice rang from the distance. “Promise not to kill all these people if you show yourself.”
I glanced at Chris. The look on his face told me neither of us knew who the hell she was talking to, him or me.
He stood and took a couple of steps towards them.
“Not you,” she said with a slight laugh. “That wife of yours already bargained for your safety.”
He glanced at me, and I shrugged. “My wife wouldn’t do that.”
“Ah, love is so blinding when you completely trust your wife and not your instincts.” She waited. “You know I’m right.”
Chris glanced at me and stepped back. I walked past him and stopped a few feet from the others. “Get on with it,” I snapped.
“You want me to kill you?” She laughed again. “Oh, I could.”
“But you won’t,” I countered. Before I could even think, she was standing in front of me. Her light hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail.
“I might,” she said, grabbing my arm and sending shock waves of pain through me. I pushed through the pain and stayed standing somehow, but tears welled up at the edge of my vision. “So fragile.”
“Is that your point? Just to tell me I’m some fragile thing you could kill?” I straightened up and pulled my arm away.
She smirked. “What does he see in you?”
“Beats the hell out of me. Why don’t you ask him?” I stepped back, and she cocked her head. There was a shift in the energy, and the man she was with came into view. He’d somehow cloaked himself but was very gracelessly letting me know he was there.
“I can’t kill you, but no one said he couldn’t,” she said and stepped back. “I’d run if I were you. He’s good at his job.” She cocked her head. “Oh, and I wouldn’t worry about these people. They’ll be dead before you even get a chance to scream.”
I glanced at him and back at her. I turned and headed back towards Chris. Before I could reach him, I felt something wrap around my leg and yank me down. “Get them out of here,” I managed before turning onto my back, but I was already being pulled towards the guy.
The moment I got close enough, I kicked him in the face, and he stumbled back a couple of steps. It wasn’t much, but it was enough time to get free and roll to the side.
That’s when I felt a surge of energy all around us. More men in military uniforms appeared, but they weren’t interested in me. They raised their weapons and pointed them straight at the group I was trying to protect.
I pushed to my feet, but the blond bitch was right on me, grabbing my arm and sending wave after wave of pain through me.
“No, you get to see what your protection earns them,” she said, not letting up.
The men didn’t wait. The sound of firing rang through the little valley, and I struggled through the pain to stand. If I could stop one, just one, maybe someone had a chance.
Everything moved slowly. People huddled on the ground, blood spraying as bullets pushed through them. Screaming. Something about the sound of those screams made me shrink in panic. Some lucky people at the back were running, but not fast enough. The bullets punched through them as if they were paper.
I watched, knowing there was nothing I could do. I was helpless, and the only thing I could do was to witness the death, the blood pooling under them, and their fading screams and cries.
Then anger ripped through me. A flicker of the fire element flared to life, and I pushed hard. It engulfed the two shooters nearest to me, but it wasn’t enough to go further.
Before I could grab at it again, I felt hands on my neck pulling me to my knees. Blackness filled my vision, and memories flooded me. All the death. All the pain.
Pieces of memories that didn’t make sense, and some that did. Pain, and darkness threatening to consume me.
She was right.
It was my fault, even if I didn’t know why.
Then it let go, and I fell forward.
Flickers of lightning in the surrounding air strangely illuminated the area, but only for seconds. The blond looked behind her. The man who’d had a hold of me darted for something before lightning pushed through his shadowy form and he fell.
The blond glanced back at me with a smirk before breaking a bottle of something and blinking away. I rested my head on the ground for a moment, trying to piece together what happened and get a grip on my breathing. My thoughts were scattered. I didn’t know whether I wanted to cry or scream. I glanced at my shaking hands and balled them into fists, willing them to stop, when hands pulled me up to a sitting position.
I took a breath and focused my vision, realizing who it was.
“What the fuck are you doing here?”

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Kalerian

I waited in my room with the door closed. The moment Lynn found my little surprise, I’d know. She still didn’t realize how connected we were. So many secrets her family failed to tell her and so many more she just couldn’t remember.

The room around me faded and cherry blossom trees took its place, my mind latching on to the moment I met her.

Japan 1545

She was standing on an arched bridge looking at the water below her. The cherry blossom trees were in full bloom, dropping petals into the water and into her hair. She looked just as she does now, even though it was another life. Her straight dark hair falling on her back and her perfect dark almond eyes staring off into the distance.

I wondered what she was thinking as I lugged my gear towards the gate entrance. Once I had passed, there was no going back. She glanced at me and then turned away, walking to the other side of the bridge.

My eyes stayed on her until she was out of sight, and then I turned back to the dirt path leading into the clan settlement. I took notice of how lax the place was protected. It seemed they were not like a typical clan, who protected everything they had.

I walked with my hand on my sword until I ran into another man about my age. He eyed me up and down, his odd-looking light hair contrasting with the other men around him. I grumbled to myself. He shouldn’t be here.

He watched me, his eyes tracking my movements as I moved past him. No outsider was going to stop me from achieving my goal. Further into the settlement, I passed a few smaller buildings with children playing outside and women chasing them.

But what got my attention most was the sound of metal hitting metal. The training grounds to the center of everything. I stepped into the courtyard and took in the sight. Two men fighting with Katana blades, neither holding back. An older man sat on the other side watching the scene. The taller man disarmed the smaller one, sending his blade flying towards me. I easily sidestep it so it doesn’t hit me and glance back at the fight.

The older man looked my way and shouted at the pair fighting in the ring. “Enough.” He rose and walked to the center of the fighting ring, putting a hand on each of them. “You both did well. Continue your practice.”

I watched them for a moment before setting my gaze back to the older man.

“You must be Kalerian. I’ve been expecting you,” he said with a slight smile. “I’m told you’re quite the mercenary.”

“I haven’t gotten into a fight I couldn’t handle,” I said. “You seem well equipped for a fight. Why do you need me?”

“I want to test my best warriors,” he said. “Too many clans are fighting for power.”

“And you want some.”

“I want peace. But I’m no stranger to war. They must be ready,” he said. “Come, I’ll show you your accommodation.”

I followed the old man through the courtyard. My eyes drifted through to the exit points and where his men might hide when the time came, and standing at the corner was that same woman. She was clearer now, the red Hakama she wore gently touching the ground. My gaze lingered too long, and the older man glanced at me and then at her.

“That is my daughter,” he said plainly. “You will show her the same respect as the other warriors.”

“She trains with them?” I said, sliding my gaze back to him.

“All women of rank do.” He looked at me as if I didn’t know the traditions. While women did train with the men, they had to be born to the right class. Considering he was her father, it made sense she would train but still unexpected.

We stopped in front of a small room, and he slid the door open. “You can stay here.”

“Thank you,” I said.

“You may call me Michi,” he said before turning and walking away.

I peeked my head out of the door to set my eyes on the woman in the corner again, but she was no longer standing there.

In that very moment, I knew no matter what happened with the mission, she would be mine.

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Lynn

Each step I took back to camp was heavier with the loss we’d just had. So many people gone in such a short amount of time. It was all I could think about.

“Lynn,” a voice said, pulling me out of my thoughts.

I glanced up and met the light eyes of my oldest friend, but didn’t say anything. His light hair slipped forward when he moved, and his thin frame moved with ease. He was dressed in a dark bomber jacket with dark jeans and an old rock band t-shirt. Not exactly something you’d expect someone with his kind of power to wear, but that was him.

“It wasn’t your fault,” he said, putting an arm over me and pulling me to him.

The last thing I expected was Ren to show up and literally save my ass, but here he was, and a part of me was grateful he somehow knew when I needed him the most.

“It wasn’t great, but not your fault,” he repeated. I shot him a look, and he raised his eyebrows and shrugged. “What?”

“You always take all this in stride,” I said, and he sighed.

“You get used to it.” He didn’t look at me.

I’d known him for years. We used to play in the trees when we were kids and chase each other all over the little village we lived in. That was before, when things made sense.

“Where were you?” I knew he’d travel when other parts of the world needed help. It wasn’t just the United States that was under attack. The entire world was also seeing its share of demons and low-level creatures.

“England for a while,” he answered. “Looks like I made it back just in time.”

“For me, but not everyone else,” I said.

“We can’t save everyone,” he answered, and I pulled away.

I knew he was right, but this was my fault. If I’d stayed back, they might have left the group alone, and everyone would be alive. As it was only a few people made it out and we still had to get the rest of the way back.

“Who’s the weirdo?” He changed the subject and pointed at Chris’s back.

“He’s the leader of this group,” I said, glancing around us. “Or at least what’s left of it.”

Ren nodded. “Maybe he should have kept them safe.” I shot him a dirty look, and he put his hands up. “Or not.”

“We were supposed to meet them and keep them safe. At least Miles got the kids out,” I said.

“Is Miles your new partner?” He said it in a way that felt ulterior.

I wrinkled my nose at him. “What the hell does that mean?”

“Just what I asked,” he countered.

“I’ve been working with him since I found him. You’ve been gone two years,” I snapped. “I’m still fighting a war.”

“So am I,” he said.

“Great,” I said, crossing my arms.

“Yep,” he answered.

I internally groaned. The fact that this man was so bent out of shape because I was working with a different person was annoying as hell. He was gone. Was I supposed to wait at the camp like some love-struck schoolgirl for him to come back? It wasn’t like we were in a relationship or anything. We just knew each other better than anyone else. At least, that was my impression.

I heard trucks coming up behind us and glanced at Ren.

“Yours?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” I answered. We ushered everyone off the road and watched from the other side. If they were back to finish the job, then we’d grab their attention and give everyone else a chance to get the hell out of there.

A couple of military vehicles pulled to a stop, and the driver jumped out. “We came to take you guys back,” a male voice said, and I stepped up onto the road, relief washing over me.

“Trevor, you have no idea how happy I am to see you,” I said, glancing back to Ren who was rolling his eyes.

“Paige said to swing back this way on our way back from our mission,” he said. “Guess she knew you’d need a ride.”

“Guess so,” I said and waved everyone to the trucks. “Can’t say I’m mad about it. I was not looking forward to walking.”

He chuckled and headed back to the driver’s seat. Ren came up behind me and crossed his arms. “Another one of your friends?”

I glanced at him and shook my head. “Get in the truck, Ren.”

He stared at me as if I’d told him to leave the country again. “Seems like a lot has changed around here.”

I ignored him and hopped into the back of the truck behind him. At least we’d be home soon and I could find out who this Tara was. She was the key to stopping everything. I just had no idea where to look for her.

***

The minute we got to camp, I felt it. Something was missing, but I couldn’t quite figure out what it was. The people moved slowly around the camp, and none of the other witches were anywhere to be seen.
I glanced at Ren and he seemed as confused as I did. “You feel it too.”
Ren jumped out of the back of the truck and waited. I followed, and we both walked towards the main tent at the center of the camp. The one the others met in, and I’d hated for years. The surrounding commotion told me everything I needed to know. Someone was dead.
I opened the door and stepped inside, but Sam grabbed me and pulled me back out.
“You aren’t welcome here,” she snapped.
“What are you talking about? I’m a part of this… whatever you want to call it too,” I said, pulling my arm away from her.
“Not this time,” she said, glancing at Ren. “Who’s this?”
“I forgot; I only met Paige and Leah,” Ren said with a sigh. “I worked with them before… you.”
She crossed her arms and huffed. “This is for coven members only. Neither of you are allowed. Go to your tent and wait for orders,” she said, sliding her gaze to me.
“So, you think you’re in charge now?” I said. “What happened to Paige?”
She hesitated, and I felt my stomach drop.
“She’d dead, isn’t she?” I said. “What happened?”
“You did,” she said, dropping a pink flower into my hand. “Get out of here before the others see you.”
I stared at the flower while Sam turned and walked away. She was right. This was on me.
“Kalerian,” Ren grumbled.
“He killed her to get to me,” I said, barely holding it together. Paige was there throughout all of this. She was the only person I trusted after my mother. She knew everything about my past. The trouble with my father, the reason my mom ran. Everything.
“He killed her so you’d go after him,” he finished. I closed my hand around the flower and walked towards my tent. “And you’re going to walk right into it, aren’t you?”
I didn’t answer but quickened my pace. He was right on my heels as I walked into my own tent and grabbed my favorite weapons. I was in the process of grabbing a sword from my stash when he put his hand on it, stopping me from moving it away from the wall.
“You’ve done some stupid things, and I sat back and let it happen, but this would be suicide,” Ren said with his eyes on me, that one little strand of blond falling forward. It was always something that made me laugh when we were kids, but right now, it was annoying.
“He won’t kill me. He’s had plenty of chances,” I countered.
“No, it would be a hell of a lot worse.” He didn’t move.
“Let go,” I snapped, but he stayed right where he was. “I’m not going alone.”
The door opened, and Miles walked in. Ren snapped his gaze to him and back to me. “You’re taking him?”
Miles glanced at Ren, and then at me, confused. “I’m glad you’re back, but what in the hell is going on here?”
“She thinks she can kill Kalerian and save the day,” Ren mocked. “With you.” He added.
Miles gave me a look, and I rolled my eyes.
“What happened with finding Tara?” Miles asked. “You’re the one who likes to tell everyone to stay on mission.”
“I’m doing that too,” I said. Truthfully, all I wanted to do was stab Kalerian in his stupid face and then find the kid that would solve this whole mess.
“You’re falling right into his trap,” Ren said again.
“But you’ll be right there if I need help.” I let go of the sword and stepped towards him. “Whatever ability you have to find out when I’m in trouble will be monitoring me the whole time. If something goes wrong, pop in and save the day in good old dramatic Ren fashion.”
He set his jaw and shook his head. “You’re going to get yourself killed.”
“I know what I’m doing,” I lied.
He glanced at Miles. “If anything happens to her, I’ll kill you.”
Miles smirked slightly, and I swear I could see the rage all over Ren’s face.
I ignored it and grabbed the sword I wanted. Sure, I could use the more proficient weapons like the military guys did, but they were loud and would announce us. I preferred the silent method.
“What’s the plan?” Miles said, and I glanced back to Ren who was standing with his arms crossed.
“There was at least one of Chris’s group who knew where they were. We’ll start there,” I said.
“And if Sam figures out what you’re doing?” Miles said, and Ren raised an eyebrow. Great, now he wants to be friends with him.
“She’d probably find the information out for me just to get rid of me,” I answered.
“You’re not wrong,” Ren said.
“The group is at the far end of the camp.” He glanced at Ren and headed out of the tent. Finally, I’d be able to end all this. At least the personal parts and then close the door forever.

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Ren

I kept my thoughts to myself as Lynn and this Miles dude walked through the camp. She was always getting into trouble, but this, this was far worse than anything she’d done in the past. I scratched the back of my head. If she knew how intertwined she was with Kalerian, she wouldn’t be running off to pick a fight.
He was dangerous.
“Chris,” Miles yelled from the edge of the area the small group was setting up tents. Chris glanced up at him and then at me. He said something to the woman he was helping and walked to us.
“Is everything okay?” He said, letting his gaze linger on me for a little too long. I tried to read what he was thinking but couldn’t get a good read on him.
“We need the information about where the headquarters is,” Lynn said without waiting for even a second.
I shook my head. “She wants to run off and pick a fight,” I announced.
She shot me a hard look, and I couldn’t help but smirk.
Chris glanced at each of us before nodding to Lynn. “They aren’t hiding it. They have two headquarters right now and are working on a third.”
He glanced at me, and I cocked my head. “Is something wrong?”
Chris waited for a split second before answering. “No. You just have mixed intentions. It’s hard to get a read on you.”
I smiled bigger. “I’m a complicated man.”
He looked back at Lynn.
“I know him. He’s good,” she said, and he nodded, seeming to accept that.
“They have one in New York and one in Texas.” Chris shook his head. “The New York one seems to be the original base. It’s in the old library and very fortified.”
“Did you go there?” Lynn asked.
“No, but we had some defectors who worked there for a time,” Chris sighed.
“So, there are people here who worked with the enemy?” I shook my head. “They shouldn’t be here.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Lynn snapped. “We all have a past.”
I sighed. She was right. Even the best of us had something we didn’t want the world to know about. I shoved my hands into my pockets and pushed the thought away.
“You can’t just show up and expect them to let you in,” Chris said.
“Oh, she’s not. She’s going to blow shit up and see what problems she can start, and then I’m going to have to go in and save her ass,” I said.
Chris raised an eyebrow. “You two have quite the past, huh?”
“He’s just…dramatic,” Lynn said, and I laughed.
“Yep, that’s it.” I kept my gaze on her, and she narrowed her eyes. Maybe if I made her mad enough, she’d forget this whole thing and we could figure out another way to get to Kalerian, like bringing him out into the open. That’s what a smart strategist would do. Not to go into the lion’s den with nothing but hopes and dreams.
“Thanks Chris. Your people are welcome here for as long as you need,” Lynn said, putting her hand on his arm.
I rolled my eyes. She’d known this guy for a total of five minutes and was already acting like he was some great help.
“What is your problem?” Miles said quietly from beside me.
I glanced at him. “Oh, you’re still here? I thought you’d chicken out.”
“You’re a dick,” he said under his breath.
I snickered and walked towards the tent without them. They didn’t know how to travel with magick, I did.
I just hoped I wasn’t sending her right to him. Just because she said she wanted to go, didn’t mean it was the right choice.
The problem was when Lynn made up her mind to do something, there was no stopping her.

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Kalerian

I stood at my window, waiting.
“You wanted to see me?” The blond walked in and I turned to face her.
She was unusually jumpy. “You, Mara are a problem,” I said. “I wanted you to intercept them, not kill them.”
“What’s the difference? It did the job, didn’t it?” She said, keeping her stance in the doorway.
“It killed potentials,” I snapped. “How many witches did you kill in your little show?”
She shrugged. “There might have been a couple.”
“They could have been turned.” I shook my head as I spoke. “And what about Ceril? Where is he?”
She looked at the floor. “Your old pal killed him.”
I narrowed my eyes at her. It’s been years since we’d dealt with Ren. He was preoccupied with Eryx in England. “He’s back?”
“He got in the way or I would have brought you your precious witch,” she said, crossing her arms.
“Somehow I doubt that,” I said with a sigh. “Keep an eye on the girl. We’re going to have visitors soon.”
“They wouldn’t be stupid enough to come here,” she said with a laugh.
“She wants revenge for her friend’s death. She’ll come.” I looked back out the window and watched the clouds for a bit. “Once she’s secured, your men can finish the job at the camp.”
“Does Robert know?” She asked.
Fuck, that human had no idea I knew where the camp was and hadn’t said anything. “I’ll handle him.” I turned to her again. “Just do your job.”
“As long as I can kill that lightning-yielding asshole.” She waited for me to respond.
“You can do whatever you want to him,” I said. Maybe if she had a body to play with, she’d stay out of my business with Lynn. Once I had her, I could end this war and bring my brother’s home.
Then the world would be ours.

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Lynn

“Tell me how to do it, Ren,” I snapped. There was no time for waiting. The sooner I got there and took care of this mess, the better.
“I think you should reconsider,” he said, pulling up a seat at the table just inside the tent. Miles was watching the whole thing play out. He wasn’t being helpful at all.
“I’ve told you, I’m going. You can either help me get there faster and undetected or I’m going to steal a truck and drive all the way to New York on my own.” I crossed my arms and waited.
He shook his head. “You are so stubborn.”
I pulled the chair across from him out. “Listen, Miles will be there the whole time, and the minute anything goes sideways, you’ll know. It’s as safe a mission as this can be. Please, just tell me what to do.”
He groaned and leaned back in the chair. “Fine. It’s a meditation. Simple really. You focus on the person you’re tracking. You’ll see a cord from their magick and you grab it.”
“That’s it?”
“That’s it,” he answered.
“Is that how you’re always finding me?” I watched him, and he shifted in the seat.
“Not exactly, but it’s close.” He met my gaze. “Are you going to do it or not?”
“What about Miles?”
He glanced up at him. “Do it in a circle, and anyone in the circle will go too.”
I nodded. It seemed simple enough, but with magick there was always room for error.
I grabbed the salt from my altar setup and created a circle big enough for both me and Miles. Once I was done with that, I took a seat and motioned for Miles to follow suit.
Ren was pacing like a psycho on the other side of the circle.
“Are you going to do that the whole time?” I asked, settling in to meditate.
“I don’t like this. Something is off,” he said, and I hesitated. What if he was right?
“I’ll be fine,” I said, hoping it would make me feel a little less uneasy. He was right. Something felt wrong. I pushed the feeling away and took a breath. It was now or never.
I closed my eyes and felt myself falling into a meditative state. The sound faded around me, and there was nothing but darkness. I thought about Kalerian and all the trouble he’d started for me, a weird tinge of guilt for something I couldn’t remember and flashes of memories.
A touch.
A laugh.
I pushed past them, further into my own mind and this life. The war and everything that was at stake. Slowly, cords came into view. It wasn’t just one, but several. A silver one that was slightly faded and a white one wrapped around it. Another cord glowing brightly with electricity sparking out of it. Then I saw it. An electric-blue cord. That was him. I recognized the way his energy moved and flowed, but the power from it was almost deafening.
My hand slid around the cord, and I felt myself get thrown forward. I landed on my chest with my hands under me on the cold wood floor. I blinked, and the dark room came into view. I was lying face down on what looked like a library floor. The books were still lining the walls.
I glanced around for Miles, but I was alone in the room. I got to my feet, but something shifted.
I wasn’t alone anymore.
“Finally.”

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