wouldn’t be forced to serve as leader.”
“Forced being the key word. But you are not forced, are you? You want it, I believe.”
Icy fear stabbed me at the thought of so much responsibility. “I’ve just discovered I’m magical, now I’m meant to be a guild leader? It’s crazy.”
“Only if you let your fear drive you and stop you from growing. Stop you from taking your rightful place.”
“And if I do this, my magic could grow in a way that helps me save Grey?”
“I believe it’s possible, yes. You must embrace everything that you are and have faith in yourself if you want to be powerful enough to save him. To save yourself.”
I heaved out a breath, worried.
She pressed the book into my hands. “Take this. Claim your place and believe in yourself. That is your only way forward.”
I gripped the book, hating that the solution to our problems was so vague and difficult. Believing in myself was a hell of a lot harder than accomplishing a set task, like fighting demons or finding a magical potion.
“That book will help you with your magic.” Evangeline nodded to it. “Keep it safe, always, and use its power when you need it.”
“Thank you.”
She nodded and stood. My heart raced, my skin chilling. Our time was almost over. She was finished, it was obvious, and ready to make a run for it. Ready to put the wheel of my past in motion.
I stood. “Can I visit you?”
Her eyes flickered with surprise. “You mean use the book to return to this time and find me?”
I nodded. “Yes. You’re the only living family I have.”
“Living?” She smiled. “I suppose that depends on what timeline you are in.”
I winced. She was right. She’d be dead and dust by the time I went back through the library.
“Perhaps you can visit,” she said. “Go home and sort out this problem with your beau. Once you’ve embraced your magic fully, you’ll know if you’re strong enough to come back here. But it’s a risk every time, remember. You must not change the past.”
I sighed, my heart hurting. I couldn’t come back. Not with so much at risk.
Grey stepped around to my side and met Evangeline’s gaze. “Do you have enough money to start your new life?”
“Enough?” She nodded, though it was uncertain. “I have enough.”
He frowned, then reached into his pocket and handed her a pouch like the one he’d given Mrs. Birch-Cleve. “Take this to help.”
She took it and looked down at it, shaking her head. “How strange this day has been.”
“No kidding.” I hugged her briefly, trying not to squash the baby, then pulled back. “We’d best be going.”
She nodded. “Good luck.”
I gave her one last look, then turned. We hurried out of the garden, cutting our way through the crowd. There was so much to think about and talk about—like what the hell was I supposed to do?
But first, we needed to find Rasla and erase his memory of Grey so that his past wouldn’t be modified.
We made it to the Haunted Hound in record time, passing through to Guild City a few moments later. It was late in the evening, the streetlamps illuminating the ancient city. People milled about, laughing and happy.
“Shall we go to his house?” I asked.
“Yes. That’s the best place to start.” He led the way, cutting through the city.
Coincidentally, the library was on the route to Rasla’s house. I almost wished we could just dart in and head home, but it was well worth stopping and erasing Rasla’s memory. There was no telling what kind of hell he’d cause for the other version of Grey.
We were only about twenty meters past the library when a shout sounded. “Devil!” Rasla’s voice echoed down the empty street.
I stopped dead in my tracks, right alongside Grey. We stood in the middle of the road. It was entirely empty. Finding Rasla here was just the most incredible kind of luck. Whether good or bad, I wasn’t sure.
I turned, spotting Rasla sprinting toward us. Two men followed him, both wearing the distinctive cloaks of sorcerers.
“I knew you were after my daughter,” Rasla hissed at me. “Did you find her? You look like her, you know. I can’t let you leave here.”
“You’re a stupid bastard,” I said. No way I was telling him a thing about his daughter.
“You will stop at once,” Grey said, his voice ringing with power.
Rasla laughed, pointing to his jacket. A gleaming red gem was pinned to the breast. “This protects me from your