Alex,” she says. “It’s people’s choices and decisions that map destiny, too, like your father’s.”
That’s the last straw that pushes me over the edge.
“And this is such bull!” I slam my fist against the armrest, causing her to flinch. “You sit there and say all this like it is her destiny to die. Like it’s fair. It’s not fair. It’s my father’s fault all of this shit started.”
“Life sometimes isn’t fair, sweetie. I’m sorry, but that’s just how it is.”
“This isn’t fair.” I grind my teeth, restless and angry, on the verge of exploding. “There’s got to be a way around her dying.”
“There’s no way around it,” she says. “The portal’s opening unless the star’s power is destroyed.” She tosses the blanket off her and stands, gripping onto the armrest for support. “Have you ever wondered why Stephan is so focused on you two, but not Aislin, Laylen, and Aleesa, even though they play a part in the ritual of opening the portal? Because Malefiscus has the power of the star in him, too.”
I look down at my hands where I can see the faint lines of my veins that carry blood through my body and the same power that’s apparently inside Malefiscus. It makes me hate myself for being connected to him.
Sucking in a deep breath, she lets go of the armrest and stands straight. “There are three ways this could go. Either Stephan can bleed you two out, mix your blood with Laylen, Aislin, and Aleesa’s, and free everything inside that portal. Or you can run and hide, let the portal open, Malefiscus will be trapped inside it because the star’s energy still exists, but all the Death Walkers inside the portal will be freed to enter the human world. Or you can destroy the star, destroy Malefiscus, and stop the portal from opening.”
“But you already know which way it goes, don’t you?” I ask quietly.
She presses her lips tighter and nods her head once.
“This isn’t fucking fair,” I say again, adrenaline coursing through my body as my anger nearly hits the roof. “You sit here and talk about life and how it’s hard and how some people just have it tough, but Gemma hasn’t even had a chance to have a life. She’s spent most of her time walking around half dead and out of it, with no memories, no emotions, no nothing. That’s not just a hard life; that’s no life.”
Not wanting to hear any more of what she has to say, I storm out of the room and up the stairs. When I reach the top, I rest my head against the wall and take a few measured breaths, trying to settle the fuck down. But then I hear someone crying from Marco and Sophia’s room.
Worried, I rush toward the open door to find Gemma curled up in a ball with her wings wrapped around herself. My heart splits in two as I kneel down beside her and touch her shoulder.
“What happened?”
Her body tenses under my hand, and she wipes the tears away before she turns her head and looks at me. “Nothing happened. Everything’s fine.”
“Nothing’s ever fine.” I look around the room. “Where’s Aislin?”
“Stealing some witch’s power.” She sits up, tucking her wings back behind her. “Did you find your mom?”
I nod, still sensing something’s wrong. “She’s downstairs.”
She perks up. “Is she okay?”
I nod again, examining her from head to toe, trying to figure out what’s wrong. “She’s tired, but yeah, I think she’s okay.”
“Does she know how to help us?”
“Yeah, she’s got a plan and everything.”
“Why do you sound so mad about that?”
“Because I hate the fucking plan.”
“Alex, I know you don’t want me to do this, but—”
I cover her mouth with my hand. “Let’s talk about something else for a bit, okay?”
She nods and then I remove my hand, not ready to accept this vision destiny crap just yet
My mom told me my job is to be there for Gemma, to protect her. And that’s exactly what I’m going to do until I take my last breath.
GEMMA
After Alex finds me crying, we go downstairs so I can meet his mother. Alana doesn’t seem that shocked by my wings, like she already knew I was going to end up with them.
We chat a little bit about what’s going to happen, and then Alana takes a moment to touch my stomach. The whole belly-touching thing seems to be happening more and more, but I’ll admit, it still makes me uncomfortable, mostly because I’m not