"You cannot fight her," Elijah says, speaking over Callia.
"Yeah, I just got the lecture from the unicorn. I get it. Let's do our jobs so I don't have to." I reach for the carriage to get in, when Callia passes a hand over mine and a flash grips me so hard my stomach clenches and I double over in pain, vomiting what little food is in my stomach.
Liam rushes to my side, holding my hips as I continue to heave.
He's speaking, but I can't hear him, as my head pounds with the grip of a vision I can't stop or control.
Callia stands before me, but she looks different. Her horn is missing, shaved off at the base. And then the vision shifts and I see a rider on horseback, making a mad dash through the woods towards the portal. He wears a black cloak and at his hip is a dagger that glows silver, made from unicorn horn.
And he's trying to leave the Otherworld. Ahead of him the Dragon's Breath wall looms large, and he's heading straight towards it.
The vision begins to fade, and through the pounding in my head, I force it to last just a little longer. I need to get a closer look. To see who's on the horse.
Something burns my eyes and just before I slam back into my own body, I see his face.
No.
It can't be.
Pain grips me as Liam continues to hold me, his body hot against mine.
I realize I'm crying and swipe at my eyes, only to find crimson staining my hand. Was I crying blood?
"Eve!" Liam's voice finally penetrates my haze and I feel power from all four brothers pour into me, relieving the pain in my head and in my gut.
I struggle to sit up and find that the world is spinning just a little bit less. "I'm okay," I say.
I look around for the unicorn and find her standing to the side, her face unreadable. "What was that?" I ask her.
"I am still connected to my horn," she says. "And you just saw a vision of where it is right now."
I stand and Liam offers support, but I feel stronger and stronger by the moment. "I have to go," I say.
"We're going home," Liam insists.
"No, you all get the kids home. I have a lead on a possible murder weapon. I'll explain later but I don't have time now."
I look too Callia for guidance. "How do I get there?" I ask her.
She shrugs. "You could always try flying."
My eyes widen in stunned amazement. "Fly? I can fly?"
"Well, you have hovered before,” Elijah says. "That's not how air magic is supposed to work but…"
"That's not how his air magic works," Callia says. "But you're different. Don't let them limit you. Try it. It's the only way you'll make it there before the suspect gets away."
I nod and focus, calling on my air and light magic. And just like that, I am airborne. I look down at the Night brothers. "I'll meet you back at the castle. Trust me."
I know they'll just argue with me, so I don't wait for their response. I take off flying high and fast, manipulating the winds around my body to give me speed without discomfort. I use my fire magic to warm me and earth magic to stabilize me. For a moment I forget what I saw in the vision. I forget about Lyx dying. About the orphaned children we are bringing home. And I am completely absorbed in the present moment, relishing the freedom and intoxicating wonder of doing something that previously I'd only done in dreams.
I truly can't believe I'm actually flying. Racing through the air like a bird, wind and freedom all around me.
But the flight ends too soon, as I reach the edge of the world, the grove where Kaya's tree lives, and the place where the rider was headed.
I see him now. He's moments from reaching the portal.
I drop down from the sky and land right in front of him. He swerves his horse to avoid knocking me over, and then topples off gracelessly.
He storms over to me, his face a confusing play of emotions when he sees me.
"Eve?"
"Hello, Cole."
There's a lump in my throat as I say his name. The last time we saw each other, I found out he'd been lying to me about everything, and he discovered I was the Fate who ordered his torture. Being this close to him now is almost painful. All the hurt and anger are there, but so is the love, the desire, the passion he ignited in me. He feels achingly familiar and like a stranger all at once. I want to reach out and touch him, to pull him into me, to feel his lips on mine, but he's standing here, trying to flee the Otherworld, with a weapon that could kill a dragon hanging from his hip.
"What are you doing here?" he asks.
"I was just going to ask the same of you."
He shakes his head, clearly confused. "I'm riding a horse."
"Obviously. I mean where are you going?"
He shrugs. "I'm enjoying the afternoon before a meeting I have scheduled."
"A meeting?" I scoff at that. "Does your meeting involve killing dragons?" I ask. Though I sound flippant, my heart is racing in my chest and I feel close to vomiting again. I can't bear for him to be guilty of this crime, but I can't ignore who he is, or what he is capable of.
"What are you talking about?" he asks.
"Lyx. She's dead. Stabbed through the heart with something that looks suspiciously like that unicorn horn dagger you've got there."
His face pales and he stumbles back a bit. "Lyx is dead? Are you sure?"
"I saw her body myself."
His eyes widen. "Her body remains? How? Why?"
"That's what I'm trying to figure out, Cole," I say with as much cool as I can muster. "The Mother of Dragons herself showed up and is pretty pissed. Things will not end well for me if I don't solve this murder, and right now, you look like the prime suspect."
"Mon Couer, I didn't do this. You must believe me. Look at your ring if you think I am lying." He glances down at my hand and raises an eyebrow when he sees all the dragon rings lining my fingers.
I don't even bother considering his suggestion. "Do you really think I still believe this ring protects me from your lies?" I ask. "I've known for some time that it's a tracking device more than anything."
He cocks his head, his dark eyes unreadable. "You are a surprising woman. If you know, then why do you still wear it?" he asks, stepping closer to me until we are inches apart from each other. He raises a hand to caress my cheek, and though a part of me wants to turn away, I find I cannot. I'm mesmerized by him, as I always have been, and despite everything, I still crave him, body, mind and soul, and the bastard knows it.
I force myself to step back, just out of his reach, though the action pains me. "I wear it as a reminder not to fall for a pretty face."
He grins, stroking his chin. "I am rather dashing, it's true."
I roll my eyes but can't help but laugh. "You're impossible is what you are."
"By the looks of it, you're quite skilled at handling the impossible, mon cher."
"I'm not here to flirt with you," I say, though my voice lacks the confidence I try desperately to instill in it.
"Of course not. How can I be of service? If you do not believe me, how shall I prove my innocence to you?"
"Where did you get the dagger?" I ask. "And where are you going with it?"