Magic Undying (Dragon's Gift: The Seeker #1)(61)

“Exactly!” I cried. “How can I live up to that?”

I wasn’t half as good a FireSoul as Cass or Nix. I was just a book loving, boxed wine drinking mercenary, prophecy or no prophecy. I wasn’t ready for this. Maybe I never would be.

“You can do it,” Cass said.

“Seconded,” Nix added. “You’ve got some crazy powers that’ll help. I mean, you tore the soul out of that demon. Pretty scary.”

“Yeah.” It made me vaguely sick just to remember. I could always count on Nix for the truth, though. Between bringing back the dead, if only for a short time, and tearing souls from demons—I had some scary freaking powers. Someone with powers like that would be called the Demise.

“You’re going to have to learn to control your powers,” Cass said. “This newest power, the soul-snatching one—it’s important. You’re going to need it, I think. But no way you can let the Order discover that you have it.”

“I know.” She sounded like a broken record, repeating it all the time, but she was right. So right. My new power was the scariest one I’d ever heard of. No way the Order would let me live if they knew I could do that. “If Roarke lets me stay out of the Underworld and keeps my secret.”

“We’ll take care of him if he doesn’t,” Nix said.

Could we? Probably, between the three of us and Aidan. But I didn’t want to risk Cass or Nix getting hurt. And I didn’t want to hurt Roarke.

“You’re important,” Nix said. “The Guardian, whatever that means. Roarke will understand that we need your gifts. I don’t know for what—but for something.”

“But I don’t understand my gifts! I don’t know why I sometimes trigger historical sites, and why I don’t. I have no control!” There was no way I could handle this responsibility.

“You will,” Cass said. “You can handle this.”

It was like she read my mind. “As long as it doesn’t handle me. I mean, I could be evil. I liked the Phantoms when they turned me. It felt great. And I tear out souls. That’s scary shit. I’m scary. And what if I can’t harness my power?” That felt impossible.

“I have faith in you,” Nix said. “Even if you’re scary.”

“Me too,” Cass added. “And I think you can handle this. You’re strong enough. Whatever is coming at you—you’re strong enough.”

Warmth filled my chest, though doubt still tugged. “Thanks, guys.”

We clinked our plastic coffee mugs together. I hoped this wouldn’t be the last time I hung out with them. But I couldn’t say it wouldn’t be, not for sure. Because break time was over, and the reckoning with Roarke was about to begin.



I pulled Scooter onto the narrow road that led to Roarke’s house, my heart lodged somewhere in my throat.

He must have heard the roar of Scooter’s engine, because when I pulled up to the house, he was waiting for me on the porch. He looked better, though it was impossible to really tell without being able to see beneath the dark green sweater he wore. Some of his wounds had been deep, and his wings and back had been a mess.

I got off and removed my helmet, then climbed the steps, trying to subtly knock on my head. For good measure, I touched the lucky pendant I wore around my neck.

“How are your wings?” I asked as I approached.

“Fine.” His gaze was indecipherable. “How are you? All symptoms gone?”

“Yeah.” I held out my arms. “Human again.” Mostly. “I guess you have some questions.”

“Some.” He gestured to a porch swing to the right of the door. “Sit?”

“Yeah.”

The autumn air was crisp and orange leaves tumbled off branches as we sat on the gently rocking swing, exactly like two old people would after a life of fifty years together. Somehow, I didn’t see that in our future.

“You going to take me back to the Underworld?” I asked.

“I haven’t decided yet.”

“Yeah, those questions. Right.” My fingers drummed uncontrollably on my leg. I was an absolute wreck about this. If he insisted on taking me back, I didn’t know what I’d do.

“It’s no coincidence that those places came alive,” he said. “That the dead came back, even for a short time. You’re a Phantom, but that is impossible.”

“Apparently not.”

He grinned, as if unable to help himself, and my heart sped up.

I hurried to explain what I knew about the prophecy and what Aethelred had told me, putting emphasis on how I was necessary. “And believe me, I wouldn’t make this up. I don’t exactly like having some big prophecy sitting on my shoulders. I’m not even qualified to be the Guardian, whatever that is. Honestly, I’ve got some serious doubts I can even do whatever I’m supposed to do.”

I was pouring out my guts to him, but I couldn’t help it. Maybe I could tell him that I was a FireSoul as well. Get it all out on the table. But it wasn’t only my secret. It was Cass and Nix’s. I couldn’t put them at risk.

“I believe you.” He turned so that his gaze met mine. “Though I do think you’re qualified.”

That made one of us, at least.

“But you’ve put me in a tough situation.” He scrubbed his hand through his hair. “The rules are clear. Your magic is dangerous. Forbidden.”