and that she had found out almost too late. Things had already been set in motion and she’d had to adjust within minutes, make a decision, and follow it through.
A book of demonic spells had been created by Xavier, the high mage. Every spell recorded in his deadly tome had been the blackest and darkest of what he’d wrought. Death. Destruction of species. Everything he had created over the years to destroy or command every other species. He had wanted complete power, and his spell book could give that to anyone knowing how to use it. She was one of those who could. Her father and two brothers would know how to use it as well.
Julija had abandoned her idea to warn the prince and she’d tracked Iulian instead. That book could never see the light of day. The Carpathian people believed the book had been sealed with the blood of three species—Jaguar, mage and Carpathian—because that had been seen in a vision of Xavier actually sealing the book. She knew it was more than that. The blood sacrifice of a Lycan had been made with a different ceremonial knife. She didn’t know for certain, but it stood to reason that Xavier had included the sacrifice of a human as well.
Xavier had grown extremely paranoid over the years he’d been was alive. He’d wanted immortality and complete rule over every species living on earth. He’d thought himself superior to everyone, incapable of making mistakes, yet she knew that he had. She’d studied him carefully, brought up every recorded scene she could find from everyone who had memories of him—specifically, her father and two brothers. They had been privy to his work. She was female and expendable. They were not. Still, she had studied the great mage through her family members. They believed it was harmless to share information with her.
Julija was a mistress of illusion. That was why she knew someone had built that sky to look as if it were the real deal. The constellation, with infinite slowness, was turning toward her location. She countered with her own illusion. She was no lone camper that would draw scrutiny. She was a dark series of low, rounded boulders sitting among so many other larger and smaller rocks. Up on the bluffs overlooking the valleys, beautiful rock formations were everywhere. It wouldn’t raise the least suspicion to have a few more. She would have to create an illusion each time she stopped somewhere to rest.
Julija had followed Iulian from the Carpathian Mountains in Romania to the United States. He had traveled in a private jet. She didn’t have that luxury. Her family was wealthy, but when she’d broken from them, she’d been cut off from the money as well. That didn’t mean she was penniless; she had prepared, but it did mean she couldn’t overspend on luxury items like private jets.
Iulian had gotten ahead of her and gotten into the Sierras before she had. She’d connected with Elisabeta and had allowed herself to be captured by those holding the woman prisoner in the hopes of breaking her free. That had taken precious time, and she’d been wounded. Still, she’d gotten on the trail again fairly quickly.
In spite of that, she always seemed to be one step behind no matter how hard she tried to get in front of things. Twice she’d made a guess as to where her quarry was going, and both times she’d been wrong and had to backtrack. Fortunately, she could “feel” his presence and the draw was much like a magnet—until, unexpectedly, that, too, had disappeared.
Did he know she was following and that she could catch glimpses into his mind? Had he deliberately tricked her? It was possible. She was strong and had endless power and talent, but she wasn’t as adept as she’d like or needed to be. Not when it came to dealing with a Carpathian ancient. She was a direct descendant of Xavier, the high mage. Treacherous, greedy blood ran in her veins. She knew Xavier had committed far greater sins than anyone knew about, and she didn’t want those sins to come to light, but if it meant being able to stop those in a race to find the book, then so be it. Let the world find out about Xavier and the unholy things he’d done.
She remained very still as she stared up at the clear night sky. The breeze ruffled the hair on top of her head. She made certain it