“Freya!” Mom snaps and my face blooms red. Jasper gags, but Alec and Harlow roar in laughter.
The First Witch blinks. “Anyway, they were made with Light spells, so they’re Light creatures. Exactly how Alec here, a Dark creature, is descended from the first vampire, who began as a mortal until a demon—one oftheoriginal Dark creatures—gave them the abilities.”
“You use Dark and Light to explain so much,” I muse, considering everything Sloane pointed out. “Isn’t everything both?”
“Someone’s been talking to Sloane Yarrow, I see.” A fact we both know and my eyes resist rolling back at her statement of the obvious. “A history lesson for another day, friends.”
“Alright, so if my shifter side is keeping the black magick in check, am I useless to Sloane?”
Freya lifts her head, her expression graver than anything else so far. “Far from. This simply makes it easier to control. Your hair colour says enough; you’re Dark like Adalyn and Sloane. Difference is, your shifter side grounds you enough to control it.”
If my shifter DNA grants me control, then with how much Darkness Adalyn and Sloane play in, they must permanently hear Darkness talk to them. Poor Archer.
“Can I shift?”
“No. When you meet your father, you’ll understand why.”
“Which is when?”
“That I cannot say.”
“Can you tell me about the Seer?”
“Which one, I know many. Wynter?”
“Wynter?”Mom practically chokes, coming closer. “Wynter’s a Seer too? Starfall’s been keeping that hidden.”
Freya moves onto fiddling with the ends of her braid. “Wouldn’t you if you had one?”
“Has she seen the future too?”
“Not the future you’re asking about, but parts of her own, yes. She knows she must come here to be with all of you.”
I share a look with Mom, my heart racing. “Caden Blackstone is going for her. He’s bringing her to Sloane. She’d never get here first.”
Freya cuts in, dispelling some of the concern. “Wynter will take control of that situation, don’t fret. You’ll see her soon enough.”
“Caden would never willingly bring her here.”
Freya reaches into her knowledge of everything happening and simply laughs. “Blackstone is about to get his ass handed to him in ways worse than even you.” She winks at Alec. “His entire life will change, and you’ll see soon enough what that means, but I can’t share more than that.”
It’s a lot to digest, but I move on. “What about Sloane’s Seer, Rowan?”
Her nose picks up. “Never call himherSeer, but I get the question. Rowan knows what he’s doing; don’t worry about him. Anything else?” She scans the room, and Jasper pushes off thewall, holding up the bracelet he’s been carrying around with him since he was given it.
“What happens to Adalyn?”
“You obey your High Priestess and stay away from Adalyn Yarrow for now.”
For now.
“Well,” Freya’s cheery voice permeates Jasper’s disappointment, “I shouldn’t stay any longer or else you’ll all keep rooting for more facts.” She lifts to her feet, taking my hand to pull me up with her. With a final squeeze, she murmurs, “Make smart choices, Carina. Take up camping again. It looked good on you.” She passes me to tilt her head in respect to Mom, and then pauses in front of Jasper, staring at the leather bracelet now tied around his wrist. “Don’t make dumb choices,” she tells him and then heads for the doorway, which Harlow and Alec block. “Keep being kickass, Sinclair. Proud you haven’t slaughtered this one yet.” She thumbs towards Alec. “Hecate knows, I would have. And you, bloodsucking asshole vamp—” She reaches up and flicks the tip of one of his fangs, earning a hiss. “You, I don’t have time for. Keep being fun to piss off. Toodles, all. See you next time.”
In a blink, the First Witch is gone, leaving me to wonder when exactly “next time” will occur.
Sixty-Nine
RYDER
