The Blood Legacy (The Lost Heir Book III)

Bonded

Two Months Later

On a cool autumn night, Isabella lay in bed fast asleep in her suite at the Foxworthy Hotel. On her dresser sat a certificate from Colin signaling the completion of her training. Her dream was pleasant enough. She'd been doing insane capoeira flips in class and impressing the students from school who always sneered at her. Seth was there cheering her on. But the sweet dream melted into cool darkness. She twisted in her sheets as words spilled into her ear. She tried to awaken, but the unintelligible whispers pulled her further into sleep. Then they rang clear. 

"The Dawn of the Empaths is near. And a new age of humanity is upon us. Only one diadem will survive," the voice hissed. It repeated several times over until Isabella ripped herself from her dream.

Isabella gulped for air. Her bones chilled though it was a warm Indian summer night. What had it said? The Dawn of the Empaths was near? A new age of humanity...and the last part. That was the most frightening of all. Only one diadem would survive what? All eternity or this dawn it was talking about. That couldn't be true. There were over a hundred diadems alive. She was one and so was her brother Colin and even Jack. They couldn't all die. But this was just a dream. It didn't mean anything. Deep down she knew that it did. Deep down, she knew this was as real as the necklace around her neck and the bustling city she'd found beneath her family's hotel. Isabella scooped up the lavender blanket she'd kicked to the foot of her bed in the night and wrapped it around her shoulders to block out the chill. "The Dawn of the Empaths is near. Perfect." She slumped back against her pillow. She wouldn't tell anyone about it. Things had just gotten back to normal and the people around her were happy. For now, she'd file it away as a dream to be revisited another time.

***

In the recesses of a dark foreboding castle tucked away on the other side of the world, Jack stood before a woman with long dark hair, ice blue eyes and ruby red lips, perched on a throne more suited for medieval times than present day. The woman, Thena Roschev, sat powerful and all-knowing while her sister Satrina stood off to the side feeding her pet crows in their golden cages. Between them was an alter adorned with candles and blackened rose petals. Jack flicked his eyes from Thena's younger and somewhat more beautiful but far less seductive sister to the woman before him.

"You heard the prophecy, Thena."

"We've known of the dawn for a decade. This is not news."

"Only one diadem will survive!"

Thena's laughter swarmed through room, causing the candle lights to flicker and Jack's irritation to mount. "This is funny to you? One diadem. There are two in this room that I know of."

Thena's eyes turned black. He and Thena were so similar in so many ways. The years in exile living here with her, Satrina and her mother had shaped him in many ways. When he'd left to snatch the Foxworthy girl and harness her power, he'd never expected to come back. He'd planned to take over his realm in the west, while leaving Thena here to rule in the east. But it seemed their plan would not come to fruition as easily as they'd hoped. "Mind your manners, Jack," she said. "You and your little minion are my visitors." Thena slid a fleeting glance to Satrina.

"Visitor?" Satrina spat, her owlish eyes blinking and her perfect mouth falling open. She carefully fastened her bird's cages and strode over to them. "Sister, you must listen to my master. He holds the key to the future."

"Mother left this home to me. Mother trained you when that Gaut would not. This home, her realm are mine. Her power is mine. And you, dear sister, dear Jack, must abide by my rules."

Jack shoved down the wave of fury threatening to pour from his senses and slipped into rage.

Thena smiled. "Fear not dear Jack. Not only will you be the last man standing, but I have a way to revive me." Thena folded her hands beneath her chin. "I always say two is better than one. But it will have to be you. I will also have a way to make sure that you follow through with it."