Page 109 of Winterfall Destiny

Jamie says nothing. Lies. Like Tobias.

I push my fingers into Jamie's hair, then kiss him again. "Can we agree that you don't confront Tobias about Anastasia? Agree that he's proved himself since?"

"Are you sure Tobias didn't affect your mind to stop you reacting badly?" he asks cautiously.

"No, Jamie. I can focus on changing the future; I've no possibility I'll change the past. The past only affects the future as far we allow, and this piece of the past can't weaken us."

With a sigh, Jamie drops onto the bed and sits cross-legged, holding a hand out for me to join him. I sit opposite, mirroring his stance, and place the warm crystals between us.

"Your decision to tell me about Tobias might help," he says. "Seems that I help with your visions when I'm annoyed."

I smile. "Not as intense as last time, please. Would you like to look into the scene where I speak to Andrei?"

"No. We've got nowhere with that over the last couple of days." He brushes hair from my cheek, averting his eyes. "I understand you want to help, but let's push further into the future."

"If we can."

"Maeve," he warns and places both hands on my cheeks, the magic pressing into my skin. "Positive thoughts."

I nod and grip his fingers.

We've practiced a few times since the day Jamie triggered my vision, although I don't find myself in the state as quickly as that time. Whenever the whispering darkness comes into my mind and the world fades, I give myself wholly. I no longer fight the visions as I did before I understood what I am.

Is Jamie correct that the shadows always came with me and influenced my visions? Fog obscured Jamie's death in the early visions until they became clearer, but I don't remember every past one as obscured.

What happened behind the mirror when my fathers and their friends stepped into the shadow realm? I'm positive they saw something. The future? Another world? I'm annoyed Lex gave Jamie vague answers, and although I've no desire to travel through mirrors to unknown places, Lex should tell us everything if I'm to understand what the shadows are.

As my awareness of everything, including Jamie's hands, melts away, I'm taken to a vision of the future. I'm not in that place with Andrei or somewhere I recognise, but the confusing scene around me opens up a future planned by Gabriella. Or the First. Or both.

40

TOBIAS

I eat at a café close by before wandering home, preparing myself for a situation I'd normally avoid. I glance up at Maeve's window, as I did when I walked away last night. Then, she focused on the battle, not my lies and emotional hits. Please let that continue.

My key slides in the door and I step over the runes beneath the woven doormat and into the house. Ash and Andrei are clearing up in the kitchen—if you count dumping everything into the sink rather than the dishwasher as clearing up. Every time I enter Andrei's space, his aura unsettles me, but I never say anything. He's aware I watch him more closely, but we've a mutual understanding to stay out of each other's minds.

Ash's expression remains neutral, but he knows my secret. No way will Maeve hold back information from Jamie, and if Ash hasn't told Andrei, I'll need to.

Great.

"Found your way home at last, huh?" Andrei says and nothing in his demeanour suggests he knows about Anastasia. "Busy night?"

I pull off my jacket and dump it over a chair. "Are Maeve and Jamie around?"

"They're scrying," replies Ash and stands. "Should I find them?"

"Uh. I'll wait." Sitting, I rest my forearms on the table and regard them with weary eyes. "I've discovered a lot of information, and we'll need to act soon."

Andrei sits straighter in his chair. "Where did you go with Dorian?"

"I told you: to find Dominion." Ash opens his mouth to protest. "Come on, that was part of the plan, if we found any leads last night."

"Yeah, you and Maeve together and calling us in for backup if needed." Andrei pauses. "But you left the house on your own instead."

I shake my head. "Guys, we can't waste time, and after what I discovered later last night, that time's short for a lot of other people, too."

"Yeah. Dominion arseholes and my mother," mutters Andrei.

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