Anomaly (Causal Enchantment #4)(51)

“Evangeline and the others will never forgive me, will they?” I asked softly. Our kind didn’t know how to forgive. Our emotions governed us too deeply.

Mage’s mouth twisted. “Deep down, they all know that it was the right thing to do. Eventually, they will begin to accept the reality, which is why you mustn’t risk that by throwing your personal doubt at them. Perhaps they will forgive in time. Perhaps not. And if not, then you will learn to survive without it.”

“Maybe I have no interest in surviving without Evangeline’s forgiveness.” Maybe I was tired. Maybe this was too much. Maybe I should just give in, hand the Fates the winner of their game—whoever that was, if I hadn’t just incinerated them in New York City. And, if I had, then did that mean I had somehow won? Because I certainly didn’t feel victorious.

Seeing that look on Evangeline’s face, I was quite certain that I’d lost everything important to me.

“I don’t think I’m meant to be a leader in something so monumental, Mage. I think you need to take over making the decisions.”

There was a long pause as Mage stared out at that menacing skyline. I sensed her thoughts had wandered far into the past. When she spoke, it was with a degree of melancholy I’d never heard in her voice before. “There are only so many impossible decisions one being can make before the weight becomes too much. I carry that burden for my world. Now you must carry the burden for yours.” She looped her arm through mine. “But I will stand next to you while you bear your lot, my friend. That I can promise you.”

“I’m not sure how much more I can bear.” I inhaled deeply, hoping to somehow absorb some of Mage’s strength, hoping that I could at least appear resilient, knowing what I had to do next.

Evangeline and her friends would be focused on something other than saving this world—the impossible hope that Amelie was still alive. With the military waiting, their weapons adapted specifically for killing our kind, and with Viggo hunting, intent on Caden, Evangeline needed to be focused on her own survival and nothing more.

And that’s why I knew there was no safety in keeping her and the others here, with me.

I would have to go against what I knew they’d want—again—in order to keep them out of harm’s way.

“Now that we must wait for the dust to settle, I think it’s time we discuss something equally important.”

“Something more important than the end of the world?” I said dryly, though she had my attention. When Mage wanted to talk, it was never frivolous.

“Evangeline. About her transformation. You and I both know that it is not typical.”

“Besides her eyes?” Like shiny gold coins in their luminosity. Still beautiful, but odd, given they were once a pretty hazel brown. I sighed. “I expected as much from the Fates.” They could never honor their word with grace. That’s what you got, though, for meddling with dark magic. That’s the only way to describe dealings with causal enchantments, because any positive outcomes came twisted in darkness.

“Yes, but …” Mage’s perfectly shaped black brows pulled together. “I would have expected something disastrous. Undesirable mutations. But so far, I’ve seen nothing but strength in her. She is completely in control of her need for blood.”

“Yes, I have noticed that.” And I was thankful for it, in truth. Otherwise she would’ve been a sitting duck and Viggo would’ve slaughtered her when he discovered her in the mine.

“And she’s immune to merth.”

“Yes, I noticed that too.” I had no explanation for it.

“Her eyes followed the bubble when you were casting the last transportation spell.”

“Yes …” For the third time, I admitted, “She can see magic. I probed her before we left for the city. I found nothing strange inside. She felt exactly as she should.” The way Evangeline’s eyes had trailed the long tendrils of my magic startled me at first, enough to break my spell. “What I can’t figure out is why the Fates would give her such extraordinary capabilities?” My blood ran cold uttering their name. Those damn faeries and their trickery and their deception, their cold, callous decisions.

“Why indeed.” If Mage had any guesses, she didn’t offer them. “And then there’s the compulsion.”

I turned to regard her profile. Such delicate features for such a deadly creature. “What do you mean? We can all compel.”

Mage’s eyes were still on the horizon. “I’m quite certain that she compelled Mortimer to stay, back at the penthouse. If that’s the case, I believe she has also compelled Julian to resist human kills.”

My gaze searched the treetops below as I pondered this. Compel vampires? I supposed it would make sense. How else would Julian have had such control over himself after only a few hours? Veronique also seemed quite calm and composed in the video. And Caden’s odd comment earlier, when we reunited in Central Park … Did Caden know about this?

But compelling vampires? “That would be …”

“Impossible? Yes.”

I frowned. “Well, not impossible. I watched you compel others, remember? Back when we tested your venom, you compelled all of the Ratheus vampires to stand back.” Though Mage was an original, and Evangeline certainly was not.

“They were not fledglings,” Mage argued. “I have tried compelling true fledglings. It did not take.” She turned black eyes on me. “Not at all.”