I reach across the table and squeeze her hand. “You’re so brave. I’m sorry you had to do all of this alone.”
“It’s okay. It made me strong. I had a good life. The people who raised me, who became my parents, are awesome. They helped me discover my history and didn’t shy away from it. What happened to you after you left?”
“Survival. I learned to navigate the world and harness my magic for good.”
“In what way?”
Glancing over my shoulder, I lean closer. “I hunt down cursed objects and remove them from the hands of people who would do harm. There are thousands of them scattered around the globe. I have them all ranked by how dangerous they are, then I go find them. It’s my way of making up for all the evil I was forced to do as a child.”
Rhiannon’s face lights up. “That’s incredible. Could I… help?”
“You’d want to?”
She nods. “We have some catching up to do, and it would be nice if we could prove our family legacy wrong. We could be good. We could make things better.”
The idea of hunting with my sister warms my insides. “I think I’d like that.”
After coffee, I roam the crowded streets of the Quarter, reveling in the pleasant memories still lingering in my mind. Maybe someday Atlas and I can come here and make new memories to drown out the bad ones. We could eat fresh beignets and gumbo and po’boys. A smile tugs at my lips. I know what I need to do while I’m still here.
Before long, I find myself somewhere new, transported clearly by magic. I wander down the busy streets, drawn by the pull of magic in the air, a strange blend of dark and light intentions filling the air with powerful, tangible magic.
I arrive at a small shop. Kallis is in there. Approaching the door slowly, I carefully pay attention to everything around me. Kallis could strike me down if I’m not aware of my surroundings.
I brace myself as I enter. A woman appears, dressed in a long black dress and tons of jewelry. Her gray hair is wrapped messilyin a scarf and piled on top of her head. Her cloudy gaze pierces through me, and I feel her psychically poking at my brain.
“Rune. It’s been ages.”
“Kallis.”
“What brings you here? I very explicitly told the gargoyle not to bring you.”
“I’m here of my own accord. Can we talk?”
Kallis looks past me over my shoulder, and then, apparently satisfied, she nods and steps to the side.
The shop is cluttered with antiques and various items common to magic users. The air is thick with incense smoke and her magic swirling together.
Kallis watches me with her eerie eyes and pursed lips. “Well?”
“I came…” My stomach twists uneasily. Oof, this is harder than I expected. “Er, I came tothankyou.”
She raises an eyebrow. “I’m sorry?”
She’s going to make me grovel. Fine. I owe her this.“I said I came to thank you. You helped Atlas find me, and as it turns out, he’s my fated mate.”
Her jaw drops. “Fate handed you a mate? Well, isn’t that rich?”
“Apparently, I was worthy.”
She scoffs. “Or fate had an off day. I feel for the gargoyle. He seemed sweet.”
“He is sweet, and I deserve him.”
“Those two things can’t be true at the same time.”
See? This is why I don’t bother with people, supernatural or otherwise. “Never mind.”
I turn to leave, but Kallis’s magic wraps around my arm, halting me. “Were you hurt?”
