I collapse back into my seat, my mind reeling with questions. Before I can start firing them off, the gypsy is already shifting gears to the present.
"The High Priestess," she announces, and I perk up at the sight of the veiled lady between the pillars. "You have immense power within you, but it is blocked, trapped behind a wall of magic."
I nod vigorously. "Yes!" I exclaim. "That witch bitch put the whammy on me, and now I'm about as magical as a potato. Can you fix it?"
The gypsy shakes her head, a knowing smile playing at her mouth. "The Hermit," she says, flipping over a card with an old man holding a lantern. "You must dig within yourself, find the light that ignited your journey. Believe in it, and it will reawaken."
I take a deep breath, trying to focus through the haze of alcohol and cryptic bullshit. Could it really be that simple? Just click my heels three times and say, "I believe in me," and poof—powers restored?
Before I can voice my skepticism, the gypsy is already moving on, her voice taking on a spooky quality that makes the hairs on my neck stand up.
"The Wheel of Fortune," she whispers, laying down a card depicting various creatures clinging to a spinning wheel. "Dragons, darkness, death... Loss. Crossing times and realms. Your path is fraught with danger, child."
I feel my heart do acrobatics as a cold sweat breaks out on my forehead.
When I think I've seen and heard it all, the universe throws fire-breathing lizards into the mix. Who knows where or when I'll run into one of those scaly beasts, but this gypsy's track record is spot-on so far.
The word 'loss' sticks in my throat. I'm afraid to ask, my curiosity battling with my sense of self-preservation. Do I even want to know? I've already lost Adrian, and that wound is still raw.
So I stick to what's essential—the here and now. I can't afford to dwell on the unknown, or I'll drive myself crazy. Time to focus on the present and tackle the future when it rears its ugly head.
"You know, don't you?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper. "Who I am—What I'm meant to do?"
The gypsy's eyes bore into mine, ancient and knowing. "You are the Sun," she says, turning over another card to reveal a radiant sun shining on a child riding a white horse. "A bringer of light, a catalyst for change."
Suddenly, Rhyland's voice floats inside my head, and all hell breaks loose outside the tavern. I sober up quickly when I hear shouts and crashes echoing through the walls, and I'm on my feet in a flash, ready to investigate.
But the gypsy's hand shoots out, clamping down on my wrist with an iron grip. "Sit," she commands. "You must stay here, where it is safe."
I stare at her incredulously. "Are you out of your damn mind?" I hiss, yanking my arm free. "Something is going down out there, and you expect me just to sit here?"
Nixie's eyes narrow, and for a moment, I swear I see flames dancing in their depths. "No," her voice low and serious. "You are too important, child. Too vital to the fate of the realms. Whatever is happening out there, it is not for you to face. Not yet."
I feel my frustration bubbling up like a volcano, the rum and the gypsy's cryptic bullshit making my head feel like it's about to explode. I open my mouth to argue.
Nixie's hand slams down on the table, making me jump as she lays out the final card with a dramatic flourish. I feel a chill run down my spine as I take in the image—a horned, demonic figure looming over two cowering, chained souls.
"Heed my words, child," the gypsy whispers, her voice urgent. "The shadows are coming, hungry for the light that shines within your Viking. They seek to snuff out his flame, to claim him as their own."
I feel my blood turn to ice, a sense of dread settling in the pit of my stomach.
My nightmares come rushing back, hitting me like a freight train—Rhyland lost to the Darkness—Moretemis—Seraphina's warning pulsing in my head like a strobe light.
Rhyland
14
The red-haired bastard lunges at me with a roar, his fist connecting with my jaw with enough force to snap a mortal's neck. But I'm no mortal, and I've taken more brutal hits from toddlers.
I retaliate with a snarl, my fist slamming into his gut and doubling him over. I follow up with a knee to his face, feeling the satisfying crunch of cartilage.
But Bloodbane is tough, and he's back on his feet instantly, his eyes blazing with fury. He comes at me again, this time with a wicked-looking dagger.
I dodge the first swipe, feeling the blade whistle past my ear. But the second one catches me across the ribs, opening up a shallow gash that starts oozing blood.
Fuck. That's going to slow me down.
My anger skyrockets, a white-hot fury burning through my veins. I need to get to Dani, find her, and make sure she's safe. But this asshole, this fucking Bloodbane, is in my way.
