Page 39

Dani

Adonis sits on the couch, trying to read the torn piece of paper I found in Octavia’s hut. I sit with my feet resting on his lap and my back leaning against the comfy armrest of the giant couch.

The front door opens, capturing both of our attention.

“Dani! Dani! Dani! Guess fucking what?!” Jules says quickly and practically sprints over to me on the couch. “I found THIS,” she says, placing an ancient article in my lap. “And I found it all on my own!”

“Oh, boy. Here we go again,” Killian says as he walks into the living room, looking sexier than ever. His hazel eyes find mine, and he smiles.

“Don’t let her fool you, little dove. We were all onto something, and Jules here just got lucky,” Dax gives a sheepish grin. His amber eyes soften when he catches my gaze.

He is so perfect.

Amelia, Dax, and Killian stay standing while Jules kneels by me. I examine the photo above the article.

Long, curly, grey hair, beautiful green eyes, a soft smile… Yup, that’s Suzanna, alright.

“Is it her? Is this the Suzanna you’ve been seeing?” Jules asks. I smile at her. “Bloody brilliant!” I say in my best English accent. Something Jules and I do all the time.

“You did not just do that,” Dax barks a laugh, throwing his head back, and Killian and Amelia join.

“Adonis, look. It’s Suzanna.” He has been so wrapped up in the spell I found—that no one can even read—he hasn’t been present with all of us .

The article says Suzanna Agatha Shay—Shay, that’s my last name. My mother never changed her last name when she married my father, and my father gave me her last name, thinking it would make her happy. Boy, was he wrong.

Suzanna died nearly 500 years ago. It looks like this is her obituary. It says her cause of death is from an arrow to her heart and throat…

I feel bad for her. Even though I don’t even know her.

I didn’t see any wounds on her when she spoke to me… Maybe this is how she wants me to see her, how she wants to be remembered.

Adonis’ eyes go wide when he looks at the article I slapped on his lap. “My gods…”

“I thought it was her when Dani said her name for the first time, but I wasn’t sure. Now, I’m sure,” Killian says. I look at him puzzled. “She worked with Octavia,” he quickly adds.

Of fucking course!

Dax chimes in with his cocky smile. “Yup! We sure do know her. And it turns out, she is a great-great-great, honestly, I don’t know how many greats, grandmother of yours, Dani,” Dax says as he points to the article in Adonis’ lap and then back up to me.

“You have her eyes,” Jules says.

“I didn’t know Suzanna had any kids,” Adonis remarks, his brow furrowed in bewilderment as he struggles to comprehend the revelation.

“Yeah, me neither,” Dax shrugs.

“I remember Suzanna well,” Killian starts to say, “She worked with Octavia, like Adonis just said. She was a psychic. She was killed not only because of her connection to Octavia but because the townsfolk men claimed she was also a witch using dark magic, and they killed her with two poisoned arrows in front of Adonis. But, she wasn’t a witch.

Suzanna had a gift. She could see the future and she just knew things.

My last encounter with her was… interesting.

I never told you, Dax, or you, Adonis, and I now realize I sh ould have.

” The room falls quiet as we all watch Killian walk back and forth as he talks.

“She once told me, ‘with eyes of green, like leaves in spring, centuries pass, but our fate’s a ring. In time’s embrace, our paths shall intertwine; she’s the secret, the key, to love so divine.

’ Which, obviously she was talking about you, Dani. ”

Dax and Adonis stare at Killian. Adonis raises his left brow curiously, and Dax rubs his chin.

“Well, fuck. Guess she saw me summoning you all,” I say, trying to lighten the mood a bit.

“Why didn’t you ever tell me any of that, Kil?” Dax asks.

“Because I didn’t think it was important. I thought Suzanna was bat-shit crazy just like Octavia. Honestly, I forgot about all of this, even Suzanna, until I saw her photo. Then the memories came pouring back.” Killian shrugs his words off his shoulders.

“What are you looking at, Adonis? You can’t read the old language,” Amelia states, changing the subject from Suzanna to the delicate piece of paper.

“Yeah, no shit. Dani found it in Octavia’s little hut,” he says casually.

“Woah, I’m sorry, what? Why the fuck were you there?” Killian chimes in.

I wave off his worry. “We were…”

“Playing,” Adonis says with a big grin. He fingers his onyx hair.

Killian and Dax smile at me.

“Ew. Y’all are nasty as hell,” Jules jokes.

“Okay, any-fucking-ways. I was hiding and came across the little shit hole and decided to hide inside. There was a little closet, and that’s where I found that piece of paper.”

“Let me see,” Killian says as he takes the paper from Adonis and eyes it over. Once he realizes he can’t read the old language, he hands it to Dax, knowing he can’t read it either, but he’s equally curious .

Amelia sits on the opposite side of the couch, legs crossed, picking at her long hot-pink manicured fingernails. She looks like she wants to say something.

“I don’t know what the fuck it says. We can’t read this shit. What do you think it is?” Dax asks anyone.

“Let me see it,” Jules says. “Oh, right. Because you’ll be able to read this language. Silly human.” Jules flicks Dax off playfully, and he sticks his tongue out at her. “You can’t read it either, dipshit,” Jules continues their playful banter.

Adonis takes the paper back from Jules’ hands. “Dani has tried the spell multiple times with the necklace, and nothing. And now we have what seems like a spell in a different language that none of us can fucking read!” Adonis’ frustration is evident, and everyone stays quiet.

Amelia clears her throat. “I can.”

We all silently look over at her.

“What?” Amelia sits, smiling innocently. She shrugs her shoulders. “I’m a celestial being. Of course, I can read the old language!” She remarks.

“You could have spoken up sooner,” Dax says while standing with his arms crossed.

“Sometimes it’s fun watching your heads spin.

I like being the only one who knows something.

It keeps things fun around here.” Amelia stands up, walks over to me and Adonis, and holds out her hand. Adonis gives her the paper.

Amelia examines it, running her fingers over the fabric, reading the front, and checking the back even though it’s blank.

“Yup. It’s a spell…” Amelia stops, and her eyes go wide.

“Holy smokes! ‘in ruby’s heart, a spirits plight’…

” She pauses again. We all sit quietly, watching her.

“Oh my gods… ‘from this gem, let love flee’… YOU GUYS! This is the spell for Adonis’ necklace!

Not the one you’ve been reading! Octavia clearly wanted this hidden. ”

“What?” I ask, feeling a bit confused .

“The spell you’ve been reading, the reason it hasn’t been working is because it’s not the right one. Maybe a fake? But this, this is definitely the right spell!”

“Well, that makes perfect sense then on why you’ve been unsuccessful,” Killian says to me.

“However, it’s not as simple as just reciting it. There are instructions on how to read this spell, but it’s faded. I can make out the majority of it, though.”

“Okay. What does it say?” I ask her.

“Basically, this is for you to read, Dani, you are their mate. When you are most vulnerable, you must shed your blood, but it’s important that you have all of your mate’s blood streaming through your system.

You have to make a sacrifice. There is a sentence I can’t fully read, it’s faded too much.

But I can make out the word ‘fire’, but unfortunately, that’s it.

I don’t think you should mess with this, Dani.

None of you should.” Amelia looks around the room at my mates and then back to me.

She runs her fingers over the spell again.

“This is dark magic. You were right before, Adonis… If Dani does this spell to free your soul from the necklace and break the curse… I’m afraid the sacrifice is your life, Dani.

A life for a life. Magic always comes with a price. ”

“Well, she sure as shit isn’t reading it then. Ever!” Adonis’ voice bellows as he takes it back from Amelia and tucks it in his pocket.

“Hey! That’s for me to decide!” I whine.

“The fuck it is, Dani! I agree with Adonis. I am NOT letting you perform this spell! It’s a fucking death sentence!” Jules yells.

“She’s right. They are all, sunshine. I can’t let you go through it either,” Killian says, looking at me with an ‘I’m sorry’ look.

“Little dove , we love you. It doesn’t matter where the fuck we are; as long as we are with you, we are happy.

” Dax walks over and kisses my forehead, and I sigh.

“We don’t need you to set us free. You’ve already freed us just by loving us.

We are happy here as long as we have you.

That’s all that matters. You’re all that matters. ”

A single tear rolls down my cheek. Not because of what Amelia revealed, but from Dax’s words.

They don’t get it. None of them do.

I would do anything for my mates.

Jules stands up and hugs me. Not letting go, she says, “Promise me, Dani. Promise me you won’t read that fucking spell.” She pulls back to look in my eyes. I don’t say a word.

“Oh, she fucking promises. I’ll make sure of that.” Adonis says, breaking my silence.

“I don’t understand why Octavia would trap Adonis’ soul and curse the town. So much of this doesn’t make sense,” I say.