“What is that?” Ezra asked.
“Night of the lanterns is when the people of Falgon ask the heavens to grant them one wish. They believe the heavens grant three wishes a year,” Thomas answered.
Fuck, Elowyn would’ve loved something like this.
“We should go,” I sighed.
“Wait, god of gods. You have something coming for you.” He smiled as he pointed into the sky.
A single lantern was coming toward us. Thomas’ eyes watched in awe as it drifted straight to me. I held out my hands and caught it, the flame under it going out as soon as it was in my hands. I stared at the small symbol on it. Three stars in a triangle around a crescent moon. Elowyn had this tattoo on her hand.
I looked at Ezra then to Thomas. Something pulsed from the lantern, like magic or power.
“You feel it?” Thomas asked.
“I don’t understand what I’m feeling.”
His grin widened. “It appears Elowyn’s lantern found its way to the only god who can make her wish come true.”
“This is Elowyn’s?” I gripped it.
He nodded, and I didn’t bother asking any other questions. My magic wrapped around Ezra and I. When it moved away, we were at the lake in a crowd of people. We began searching around for her. My eyes moved to anyone with dark hair, but I couldn’t find her.
I moved through the crowd and stopped dead in my tracks when I saw a woman off to the side by herself. I didn’t need to see her face to know it wasmyElowyn. The crowd parted, and I stepped toward her. She turned slightly to look over the lake, and I paused to admire how pretty she looked.
I swallowed hard as relief filled me. My throat tightened as tears stung my eyes.
“Elowyn…,” I whispered as I took another step.
But then he appeared, a man that was smiling at her. He was tall and good looking. Gods, he looked similar to me. Ezra stepped up next to me, and I could feel his anger.
“That is Philip,” he growled.
Philip handed something to Elowyn, and she took it. Then his gaze flickered up to Ezra and I. He reached forward and moved Elowyn’s hair off her shoulder. My eyes flashed red when he smiled at me—a cocky, knowing smile.My magic surged instinctively, answering a command I hadn’t given. The world narrowed to the space between them, her laugh, his hand, the way she leaned just a fraction closer.
The worst part wasn’t that she was smiling. It was how easily it looked like she could learn to smilewith him.
He said something to Elowyn, and she nodded, turning away from him. As soon as her back was turned, he waved to us before flipping us off.
“This motherfucker.” I started for him, but before I could get far, they disappeared with magic.
“Godsdamn it!” I yelled so loud that everyone stopped talking and stared at us.
This was my fault. I left her alone long enough for fate to fill the space.
“Okay, well now we know she’s in Falgon.” Ezra was trying to find the positives.
“And with her fucking mate.” I was losing control. “I’m too late. She is going to love him and forget me.”
Ezra turned toward me and frowned softly when he saw how devastated I was. She was already seeing Philip. Did she know he was her mate? They looked comfortable with one another.
“She isn’t going to pick Philip over you. She loves you,” Ezra reassured me. “We will have to figure out a plan on how to get to her.”
“I will destroy him… even if she loves him. I will not let her choose that monster.”
“Then let’s go to my house, and we can come up with a game plan on how to kill your mates and save our women.” Ezra grabbed my shoulder and squeezed. “I’m always here for you. We will do it together.”
Chapter 23
