Page 28 of Broken Destiny

Chapter Fourteen

Bren

My brother is freaking out. At any other time, I’d be enjoying the tumult his usually calm, logical, and crazily determined brain is experiencing, but the woman beside me draws the entirety of my attention. I’ve had visions of her since I first realized I had the ability. I grew with her snippets at a time. She’s been through so much, and she refuses to remember half of it. But finally, I’m here. She never would have accepted me without assurance from the library, so although I knew where she was at all times, I had to wait until she got here. Luckily, this is all my brother has dreamed of - just not in this way.

“Ignore what that asshole said,” I murmur to her under my breath. “You are beautiful and complete, and the library knows what she’s doing.” Her eyes fly to me, a combination of blue and gold that resemble a sunny day. They’re delightfully alive. Her soul speaks through her eyes, and it’s an old soul.

She doesn’t know what to say, and I remind myself for the hundredth time that I’m a stranger to her. Regardless of how well I know her through my visions, she’s never met me before today.

“Bren.” My brother’s control finally snaps. Everyone is staring at us. The ghost hovers nearby, sullen and irritated that he can’t touch the woman he loves. The blind vampire is frowning at me, but we formed a truce in those seconds when we protected her together. It will take him a while to get used to me, but we’ll become the best of friends…like brothers.

Rett, though; Rett might blow a gasket. While it would be spectacular to see him lose control, I owe him an explanation. The man who entered with Walthers is still here. If things go the way of the majority of my visions, he won’t live much longer. Everything will happen soon. Everything will be tossed into chaos, and only the five of us will protect this spectacular repository of information. My eyes fly around the room, marveling again at the height of the ceiling, the rows of books. It’s a universe in here. There’s an unexplored world in each of these books.

“Bren,” my brother repeats. Right. I forgot.

“Garrett,” I respond calmly. He releases a huge breath and loudly pulls out a chair across from us, sitting down with a thump. His large hands coast through the hair that’s just a couple shades lighter than mine. He doesn’t always make as much noise as a mountain troll, only when he’s so frustrated he can’t control his bulk. Zosia is a little scared of him, but that’s okay. She’s already starting to trust him, and that’s all that matters. The rest will come.

“I need you to focus. I need an explanation.”

I frown. “Actually, I can’t tell you much more, or it might upset the delicate balance of the future.” That’s not exactly true, but it sounds pretty and it has some merit to it. The fewer people who know, the better. Not everyone is equipped to know their destiny.

“Bren and Garrett Addington?” The older man asks with a slight frown. “You haven’t signed the book yet.”

Ah, right. Ansel is the interim protector. His role and connection to the library will disappear as soon as we sign that book and finish the circle of five. I shrug. “That’s because you interrupted us. The little goblin was about to bring it to me.” I’ve seen this moment a thousand times, and it’s even brighter now that it’s about to happen.

Ansel’s eyes flash to Garrett. “You’re one of the most powerful shifters of the next generation, possibly the most powerful. It’s said you’ll become Alpha of North America if your father ever steps down.” While Zosia draws in a cute breath of surprise, my brother merely looks bored.

“Yes,” he replies calmly.

“And you’re a powerful seer.” Ansel’s brows draw together as he studies me.

“And that’s all you know about me because my father doesn’t speak of me. Oh, he loves to brag that he has a powerful visionary for a son, but when people meet me, they get the impression I’m not quite right. He’s waiting until he has me under his control entirely before he spreads that information around. If I’m his puppet, it doesn’t matter that I’ll piss off someone powerful with my lack of social skills.”

“That won’t happen. He’ll never control you,” Garrett growls. It rumbles through the table between us. Zosia’s hands tighten on the arms of her chair before her stomach growls in a sound almost as loud. While her cheeks heat, I push the plate of food toward her.

“Eat,” I direct her and look back at my brother. “That’s why we’re here. He can’t get me here, Garrett. Even if this pretentious, elitist, waste of space academy were to accept me, I’d still be available for him to taunt. When you’re sent away on your first diplomatic mission, he’ll have me. Not anymore. As soon as I sign that book, I’m free. You won’t have to keep me safe anymore.”

I’m fully aware that everyone is hanging on my words. Rett hates how I’m spilling our family secrets in front of men he considers strangers, but it doesn’t matter. They’ll soon be closer than family.

Garrett studies me in his typical fashion. He’s always accepted me exactly as I am, never expecting anything I can’t give. But it still bothers him that I’m so unpredictable, no matter how much he tries to hide it. I can’t help it. Some things I can’t reveal and some things I don’t want to. Besides, there’s far too much to attract my attention. Right now, I’m having a hard time not watching Zosia as she tries to eat noiselessly, as if I could ever forget she’s right beside me.

“Is this the only way?” Garrett finally asks.

“It is for me,” I answer resolutely. I focus all my attention on him, letting the gravity of my words penetrate his thick skull. “You still have a choice.” I barely manage to keep the sadness from my voice before it spills over. He can choose to leave, but it won’t end well. And I love my brother. I want him here with me where he belongs. The library has already accepted him; she did so the moment he helped guard her librarian against an unknown threat. But if he chooses us, his plans will be different than he envisioned. He’ll have to watch from the sidelines as our father topples from his throne. We’ll be working behind the scenes, but he won’t get the joy of direct revenge.

“But I don’t,” Garrett replies with the calm intelligence Father doesn’t have. “I made my decision when I stood with this woman against the liaison.” His eyes cut to Zosia. He isn’t sold on her yet, but she’ll grow on him. She’s more authentic than every woman Father has paraded before him put together. She shrinks under the directness of his gaze, but not out of fear. She still doubts her worth and doesn’t believe she’s a suitable alternative to his solid plans.

Before she can object, I place my hand over hers. My simple touch quiets her. Avery can see that I’m touching her. Our auras must meld together. He’s no longer jealous, though. Of course, he can’t see how handsome I am. It doesn’t matter. Zosia has room for all of us, even her irritable ghost. Jealousy and frustration practically emanate from the spirit in waves. We’ll need to act fast to keep him from leaving. He doesn’t even know he can, but it would be the worst possible scenario.

“But I need to know what I’m getting into. This is one of the two great libraries, isn’t it?” Garrett asks Ansel, and the man nods.

“Yes. It’s the Western equivalent to the one that currently resides in rural China. There’s more power on the first floor than your father could ever hope to have.” Ansel puffs his chest out. The library has already grown on him, and it will be difficult when he’s severed. Pity fills me. It will be like losing a lover. “Zosia will have a seat on the delegation equivalent to the alpha’s position, but she can choose to send a representative in her place.”

Garrett examines Zosia with renewed interest, and she heats under his perusal. She’s attracted to all of us, even her ghost, despite his lack of solidity. A hard body has its advantages. I don’t begrudge the cantankerous specter his frustration. Her skin is warm under mine and she hasn’t moved her hand yet. I’ll win her over, hopefully soon. I’ve been waiting a long time for her.

“Thank the universe for that,” Zosia breathes. “I need information on the political beat of the world and this academy. I feel so lost. I ignored it while I was at the orphanage, thinking I’d never have a place in this world. I’ll need someone more skilled in diplomacy and delegation, someone that people won’t dismiss, unfortunately.” Her eyes flicker to me, Avery, and finally Kodi. There’s a touch of sadness in her gaze as she looks at the ghost, and I wonder if he’s already experienced a flicker of life. If he has, it’s the reason why he’s so wound up. They’ll find the key soon, the way to make it real, if he stays.

I don’t blame her for stating the truth, and Avery doesn’t either. We’ve both been judged our entire lives. He faces discrimination for his lack of sight, his ability to walk during the day, and the blood running through his veins. I’m disregarded the moment I open my mouth. Sometimes, I make it worse on purpose. People are so fun to fuck with. Sometimes, I don’t even realize what I’m doing wrong. There are so many rules, and I’ve much better things to think about.

---