She twisted her hands again. “Those men in New York—” Her throat worked a swallow, her face paling. “They’re collecting powerful supernaturals, I know that much. And they’re doing something to them. They want something from them, but I don’t know what.”

My mind whirled again. They’d spoken about a key, if I remembered right. But what did that mean?

Recent news stories flashed to the forefront of my thoughts. I’d seen a story just the other day, about that uber-powerful millionaire in New Hampshire who’d gone missing. Could it all be related? Could one of those supernaturals they were abducting possibly be the key they were looking for?

I shook my head, my mind spinning, but then I focused on what I knew—what I now understood. “So that’s what they meant,” I said, recalling Sinister Fairy Dude’s words. “It was me they were after, my power that they wanted, which they falsely believed you had.” I turned another accusatory glare at her, but instead of apologizing, she fumed.

“Well, it’s not fair, Tala! It’s not fair that you got all of the power and I got none! So sue me for wanting attention every now and then. It’s the only enjoyment I have in life.”

My lips parted, my heart breaking. It was the secret both she and I kept, about our store, about our life here. It wasn’t Tessa who was infused with powerful magic, who was the one behind our spells, potions, and brews which were well renowned in our region. It was me. All of it was me, but I didn’t want the attention, didn’t like the spotlight it would put on me. My entire life, I’d been hiding who I was, fulfilling the promise I’d made to our mother, so we’d hatched this plan to pretend that Tessa was the star of our shop, when in reality, it was me.

“You promised me that you’d never tell anyone. That was the deal.” Angry tears formed in my eyes again.

She huffed but wouldn’t meet my gaze. “I know, and I’m sorry, but try living in my shoes, would you? I got nothing, Tala. Nothing! You took everything from me in the womb, and all I’m left with is weak magic that can barely control the spells and curses that you create.”

She crossed her arms and sat back in her chair.

I shook my head, resenting that she went so low. Our entire lives, she’d blamed me for her lack of magic, coming up with the theory that somehow in utero, I’d stolen all of the magic from her, which had made me so powerful and left her nearly magicless.

But as for my forbidden power, neither of us had any clue where that came from.

“This is so shitty of you.” I planted my hands on my hips. “You broke your promise to me, and you’re acting like the victim.” Hot tears scalded my eyes. Why did she have to be so selfish and immature? For once, couldn’t she comfort me and own up to what she’d done to me?

She sniffed. “I’ve been through too much to talk about this right now. I was the one who was held captive the last two days. Not you.” She stood and stiffly walked out of the room.

I couldn’t stop biting out, “Yeah, karma’s a bitch, isn’t it!” as she slammed the door to her room.

Seething, I paced the kitchen back and forth, so freakin’ mad at the only flesh and blood I had left on this planet that I could spit.

But after frantic pacing and cursing, some of my ire left me as I started thinking more practically. And the longer I thought about what Tessa had revealed, the more uneasy I became, because it wasn’t Tessa that Jakub had wanted all along.

It was me.

OceanofPDF.com

Chapter 21

By mid-afternoon, Tessa had only come out of her room once to shower and get something to eat. Even though we’d bumped into each other in the hall, neither of us had spoken.

I fumed as I pulled my jacket on by the front door. Not only did I have to pay another visit to the SF to report everything that had happened in the hope that they could find Jakub and put a stop to whatever was going on, but I also had to visit Practically Perfect. I hadn’t been there in two days, and since I’d stupidly left my purse at the Fire Wolf’s man cave, I had no way of contacting Nicole to see how things were going.

The door slammed behind me when I stormed out of our apartment. A part of me had wanted to just leave and not tell Tessa what I was doing, but that would have been childish and stupid. Because the truth was, if my power had been the target all along for Jakub, then logic said he might still want that power—if he was still alive. I fervently hoped he was one of the supernaturals the Fire Wolf had killed, but Sinister Fairy Dude had spoken of Jakub like he wasn’t there, so I also knew that was probably wishful thinking. So I could only pray that Tessa hadn’t revealed that I was actually the powerful one during her captivity, but if she’d been pressed in any way to explain her lack of powers, it was possible she had.

That wasn’t a conversation we’d had yet, but it would certainly be happening once I could bring myself to speak to her again.

The cold wind bit my cheeks when I stepped out of our building. Since I didn’t have my purse, wallet, or phone, I’d have to walk until I got to the L train and could use the measly change I’d found in our junk drawer. I knew I could have asked Tess for money, but that would require talking to her.

My feet tapped along the sidewalk as I set out, but I hadn’t even made it one house down before a voice rang out behind me.

“Tala!”

I stopped dead in my tracks. The tone of that voice . . . no, it couldn’t be.

I swung around to see Carlos jogging toward me.

My lips parted in surprise when the tall supernatural grinned. He looked just as I remembered him—raven-black hair though it was shorter now, deep-set brown eyes, permanently tanned-looking skin given his heritage, and a large build. His teeth flashed white in his smile, and my stomach clenched.

Three years ago, that smile was powerful enough to bring me to my knees, but now . . .

A flash of fire-filled irises blazed across my mind.

I shook myself. I did not just compare the two.

“Carlos,” I said by way of greeting when he reached me.

“Hey, I was just stopping by to see you. I’ve texted a few times but haven’t heard back, and then I stopped by the shop and Nicole told me about the trouble you’ve been having.” A worried expression washed over his features. “Why didn’t you tell me? I could have helped.”

I cocked my head. “Well, it wasn’t your problem, and I only just found out you got back here and, you know—” I looked at him like it was ridiculous that I was having to explain this to him. “We’re, uh, not a couple anymore, so I don’t see why I’d turn to you.”

He frowned but didn’t argue. “I wish you would have, though. I joined the SF again, so when I inquired at work this morning about whether or not they knew about Tessa’s disappearance, imagine my surprise when I read the report you filed with Commander Klebus this week.”

My jaw dropped. “You joined the SF again?” Carlos had been in their Magical Forensics division before he’d left for his around-the-world trip. It’d never occurred to me that he’d try to get his old job back now that he’d returned to Chicago.

The wind ruffled his midnight-black locks. “I did, and I’m here to help. It’s been forty-eight hours now, so the Supernatural Forces is opening a full investigation. I told them I would deliver that message to you personally.”

Now they’re willing to search for Tess? I wrapped my coat tighter around me, shivering. Damn, it was cold today. “But Tessa’s back. I hired a hunter and we already found her, and ironically, I was on my way to the SF to report everything that happened because she was abducted.”