AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Thunder buddy.” My mutter is infused with a laugh. “I guess that’s a thing?”
“Look it up.” She hitches a teasing shrug. “Or perhaps…you don’t have to.”
Interpreting her intimation isn’t a mental hardship this time. I drop my head as wild memories of the first time with Kara wash over me. That night, not even two weeks past, feels like forever ago—yet I wish it were only last night. I’m already breathing down the telltale hardness in my jeans as if it were.
I mask the deeper feelings with a casual smirk and its matching one-liner. “So is this the so-called calm beforetheirstorm?”
She chuckles. “Let’s just say everyone has their dance cards in place, and I’ve got the situation under control. Liseli’s already inside, lending some additional support.”
“Cool.” I nod. “Well, if anybody gets out of line and wanders a paw where they shouldn’t…”
“We know exactly where to go for the backup.”
“For the next few minutes, I think that’ll be the sala. Time for me to find some sorcery called caffeine.”
During the walk to the main building, the canyon gusts on my face are once more an alternation of warm and cool. The currents turn the sunrise into a mesmerizing mix of golden light and lingering asperitas clouds. The cosmic light show gets so brilliant, pewter and blue swirling with amber and pink, that I stop for long seconds to absorb the colorful glory.
“Next time the squallismy fault…” I conclude it by pointing a determined finger to the sky, a weird promise that my next storm will be more of a creative endeavor. When and how I’ll accomplish that is my own desperate guess, but I’ve been officially inspired now.
As I approach the sala, I start to think my hour of solitude is becoming a good thing. I’ll make some coffee and then take it into the library with me. The idea of dedicated reading time is enough to spread a smirk to my face.
Until…
“No. I can’t agree to this. It’s too fast.Muchtoo fast.”
“We have no choice.”
“Wealwayshave a choice!”
“Not now. Not when our hand has been forced like this.”
I go totally still. And am instantly thankful that Circe and Hecate are so embroiled in their confrontation, they haven’t noticed the whisperedwhooshof the closing door behind me.
I scoot behind a group of hanging plants. I’m just in time, able to cloak my startle as one of the witches smacks a kitchen counter. I take a guess on Circe. Hecate would opt for a more dramatic demonstration, if at all. The harsh breath that follows is also Circe’s.
“That isn’t the girl’s fault, Goddess.”
“No?” Hecate counters. “Defying her underworld edict? Going to Maximus and lying with him when she did?”
“Events that were foretold! A destiny that was—”
“Accelerated by them both. Unnecessarily.”
“Which is nowtheirmistake?” Another whack on the counter. “I told you all that we should have arranged the coordinates differently. Had they met at the start of next spring, it would’ve been more than enough time. This isn’t on them. We’re responsible. We lost sight of the true magic. The power of the connection and passion we were unleashing. Thatwecreated.”
“All right,” Hecate bites out. “Fine. Do you want to hear that you’re right?”
“I want to hear that you’re still listening.” Circe shifts, giving me a chance to peek from behind the hanging tapestry. She’s in profile, though her slumped shoulders serve to hide her thick red curls. As soon as she jerks her face back up, I duck back into my hiding place. “In the space of just three mortal weeks, the girl has given away her virginity, defied her family, and been absconded to the underworld. When she finally thought her world was returning to normal, she had to face Magaera and uproot her life again. You can’t keep pushing her out of her comfort zone if it doesn’t exist anymore!”
There’s a new sound from Hecate. I can’t figure out if the huff is one of exasperation, authority, or both.
“I cannot care if she is comfortable or not,” the goddess issues. “For better or for worse, we’ve had to rewrite the coordinates and rush the timeline. The time for us to act is now. Unless you wish to wait another millennia for the next chance to do this?”
“Of course not,” Circe says. “She’s just…special. So rare. And watching her with him…” She pushes out a wistful sigh. “Their union is the best thing I’ve ever accomplished with my powers. Thatallof us have. But the idea of breaking her… I can’t stand it.”
A fresh rustle has me spying again. I peer out in time to see Hecate gripping the other witch’s shoulders. There’s an intense gold glow around her fingers. Though Circe seems to grimace, she also doesn’t make a move to fight the brutal hold.
“We’re about to declare war, my little lustre. You and I both know what that means.”
