Skyla,
Forgive me for the length of time it took me to pen this. Truthfully, I was afraid to share it sooner. There are things happening here on earth that have been whispered in the heavenlies—but more so they are whispered on earth as well, and that’s where I gleaned this information to begin with. Back in junior year, a few days before we took off to go on that fated ski trip, I went shopping with my mother. I headed off on my own in search of the perfect ski pants (to match my jacket!) and I saw Emma Oliver there speaking with another woman—one I didn’t recognize. What I’m about to tell you, I learned in partial that day at the store while accidentally listening in on a conversation I wish I never heard. The rest I gleaned in heaven. As I drew closer, Emma discovered me. I’ve known Emma all my life, but I had never seen the wickedness in her eyes like I did that day. Later on, I would find out she was one of the only people who secretly cheered my death. In her heart, she thinks that killing me was the only thing you didright.
What I heard Emma discuss that day was about Gage. This, Skyla, is how your husband came to be. Emma wanted to have power, to have control over not only her world, but the entire world. She knew Demetri was a powerful Fem. She sought him out and wanted to be with him for power, not love, but he outright rejected her. When she realized she couldn’t have him, she renewed her relationship with Barron, but not before leaving her mark. Demetri confided to her that he needed a child to meet his purposes, and Emma’s gift to Demetri was Gage. She wanted to be an instrument of benevolent importance. She wanted her child to be something special. Emma knew that she was putting the Factions in peril, but according to celestial rumors, they have never been important to her to begin with. There’s something else, something that she doesn’t want another soul on the planet to know. Emma believes that once her son is in power, she will be, too. However, she doesn’t realize what it’s going to take to get himthere.
Anyway, that’s all I know. It must be strange hearing all this from me, a human through and through, but you’re my friend, Skyla. And that’s what friends do. They help one anotherout.
Emma is trouble. She always has been. She always will be. Her objective is to see Gage rise to be a great ruler. Her interest has always been in power—just notyours.
Lovealways,
Kate
“Wow.” I can hardly breathe, let alone take it all in. “Emma really is trouble.” Truthfully, I’ve known it deep down in my bones—but only after I got together with Gage. “It all makes sense now. She adored me when I was with Logan, but for whatever reason saw me as a threat once Gage and I gottogether.”
“A threat, indeed. You are inherently hisenemy.”
“No, I’m justhers.”
“Nevertheless.” Marshall extends his elbow, and I’m quick to hook my arm through it. “It’s time to parade my bride past the royalgentry.”
“There’s no time like the present.” I slip Kate’s letter back into the envelope and shove the whole thing down the front of my dress until the parchment warms across my ribs. There’s no way I’d risk losing it—here of all places. For tonight, I’m going to do my best to set it and its contents out of my mind. I’m sure I’ll scrutinize it once again comemorning.
Marshall takes us through a thick crowd of glorious beings, all too shining and beautiful to ever be real or human for that matter. We hit the end of the line and I spot Dominique Winters carousing with someone who looks suspiciously like Marlena, and I gasp once I see those familiarfeatures.
“I completely forgot to mention that debacle with Chloe to my mother. I’m sure there’s something she cando.”
“She can, but I’m afraid she won’t. Or perhaps I should rephrase it. She alreadydid.”
“You mean?” I suck in another lungful of Paragon prime fog. “My mother set Chloeup?”
His brows rise above his mask a moment. “Let’s just say that certain celestial beings may have colluded to procure a certain desired outcome—each for their ownbenefit.”
“Wow.” Just the thought makes me lightheaded. “Is it at all possible that the CIA discovered her on their own? I mean, she was everywhere at once, reporting all sorts of asinine things that just so happened to pan out.” Chloe is right. I put her in harm’s way without realizingit.
“I suppose anything ispossible.”
“Speaking of possibilities—” Logan steps between us, breathless, with his teeth gleaming under the duress of starlight, and he wastes no time in wrapping his arms around me. He’s shockingly gorgeous with that bright white mask that gives off an ethereal vibe as if it weren’t made of anything more than an illuminated mist. “I believe we haven’t shared a single dance.” He edges Marshall out of the way. “Dudley.” He whisks me away from the wary Sector. “I was given strict orders by Candace Messenger to two-step with her beautiful daughter, and I would be remiss todisobey.”
A laugh trembles from my chest. “The last thing I would want is for you to be on Candace Messenger’s naughty list. You’re liable to have your head choppedoff.”
He gives a subtle wink. “Chloe beat her toit.”
“That she did.” I cringe because I dread what I’m about to say next. “I really want to helpChloe.”
“I know.” He leans in and bumps his nose to mine. “That’s because you’re a sweetsoul.”
“And I made a covenant withher.”
“And that.” He averts his eyes to the woods. “I’ll helpyou.”
“You will?” My spirit soars at the thought, and yet I can’t seem to digest theirony.
“Yes. I thought about the terms of your union with her, and I think it’s brilliant. Keep her to the hip, gain her trust, use the shit out of her.” His grip over me intensifies. “Above all, be careful. She’sdangerous.”
“And she’spissed.”
“And she’s pissed.” He shakes his head. “But I don’t want to talk about Chloe anymore. You look amazing. As soon as you stepped into that room tonight, you took my breath away.” His voice strains as if he were aching. “I am jealous foryou.”
