Page 59 of Shadowed Spirits

I stare at them, uncertain what I’m supposed to be doing until I feel a sharp tugging in my chest. Letting my eyes slipclosed, I feel like I’m free-falling as I tumble through space in my mind until I land in a shadowy area with twin flames. One flame is electric blue, and the other is the same royal purple as mycuramagic.

A tendril of the purple flame floats toward me. When it wraps around my hand, I flinch and close my eyes, expecting it to burn me. After a few seconds of no pain, I hesitantly open my eyes to find myself sitting back at the table, with a wisp of purple magic winding playfully through my fingers.

Now that I have the magic in my hand, I can feel where it connects in my chest. I don’t think I can call it as effortlessly as my mage power, but at least I know how to now. When I’m done staring in wonder at the magic, I direct it toward the compass that’s resting on the oak table. I hold my breath as my power sinks inside the pendant, but nothing happens.

I flick my confused gaze to Angerona.

“It only shows those who are in the same realm, and Lua is not here currently. To use it, you need to place the compass on a map and picture her in your mind. If Lua is on Earth, it will direct you to her general area. Once there, you can follow it to her precise location.” When she finishes her instructions, Angerona starts coughing violently. She covers her mouth with a napkin as she shakes with the force of her coughing.

I watch her in concern, wanting to do something to help her but unsure what will. After a long minute, her coughing quiets and she pulls the napkin away from her mouth. She hurriedly folds it and places it on her lap, but not before I see it covered in blood.

Mateo notices it too, if his jaw clenching is any indication. “You’ve talked a lot,abuela. Maybe it’s time for some rest? I’m sure I can answer any other questions our visitors have.”

Angerona reluctantly nods and pushes up from her seat. Once she’s on her feet, Mateo offers her his arm to hold. Shetakes it gratefully, and they start to walk out of the room. Before they can get very far, Angerona pauses and pins me with her intense stare. “Follow your magic, Isabel Gallagher. It will never lead you astray, unlike the lies your mind whispers to you and the deceits your heart plans.”

With that confusing warning or advice delivered, Angerona slowly shuffles out of the room with the help of Mateo. I sightlessly stare after her for a moment, trying to figure out what she was talking about before glancing around at my mates. “Anyone know what that means?”

Archer shakes his blond head before flashing me a wry grin. “Not a clue, sunshine.” When no one offers up any explanation, I let out a soft groan at yet another thing I have to figure out.

The good news is that we now know how to find Lua. The bad news is that we still don’t know how to stop her. A whole army ofcurawasn’t able to kill her last time, but apparently, a clueless twenty-two-year-old mage-curahybrid is supposed to be able to. I’m sure nothing will go wrong with that half-assed plan the universe cooked up.

Before I can go down the rabbit hole of every way I’ll screw up and fuck over everyone on Earth and in all the other realms, Cerberus licks my chin, nose, and cheek. I jerk back from the three doggie tongues that just slobbered all over my face. I snort when I see how pleased they look with themselves and give them a scratch behind all six ears.

It’s only a few minutes before Mateo comes back to the dining room. He doesn’t sit, instead choosing to lean against the doorway. “So, I guess you will be able to stop LuaMater.”

I let out a choked laugh. “Supposedly. I’m at least seventy-two percent sure Angerona is talking about another Isabel Gallagher because there’s no way I’m the only hope the world has. I mean, have you met me?” I gesture at all of my five-foot-six inches of pure trouble, with a dash of snark and a heavy heaping of screwup thrown in for good measure.

“We’re all going to die, aren’t we, kid?” Aggie floats to sit on the table in front of me and puts her head in her hands in despair. That is the only sensible reaction to learning that the fate of the world rests on my shoulders, not the cautious hope my mates and Mateo are staring at me with.

I shrug. “Well, you’re already dead. But the rest of us? Probably.”

Levi sighs at Aggie and me. “You need to have more faith in yourself, little raven. We all believe in you, and the fates do as well, it seems.”

“I’m pretty sure I have the exact right amount of faith in myself, but sure.” From everything I’ve seen, the fates make extremely questionable choices, so I’m not going to put much faith in them. Fastening the compass chain around my neck, I gently set Cerberus on the ground before shoving to my feet. “Should we go check out the final meeting place and then make a plan of attack?”

“That’s probably a good idea.” Bishop stands up and opens a portal. The rest of my mates voice their agreement before going through, grim determination on their faces.

Once they’re all on the other side, it’s my turn. “Isabel?” Mateo calls right before I step through the portal.

I pause and twist to look at him over my shoulder. “Yeah?”

“If you ever need it, the entire armed forces ofLa Esperanzaare at your disposal.” He thumps his fist over his heart and bows at the waist to me.

“Why?” I whisper. “You don’t even know me.”

“AbuelaAngerona believes in you, so we do too,” Mateo tells me with a nonchalant shrug, like it’s just that simple.

I give him an uncertain nod as I walk through the portal, wishing that stopping Lua were as easy as having people believein me. Unfortunately, it’s going to take way more than that, including one of our lives, if Angerona is correct.

CHAPTER 31

IZZY

It’s been two weeks since Doyle ordered my arrest, and a little over a week since we visitedLa Esperanzaand Angerona. Every day, multiple times a day, I’ve used the compass to try to locate Lua. The needle has been still each time I’ve tried, so either Lua hasn’t been to Earth, or the compass is broken. Here’s hoping it’s the former.

Today’s the day she’s supposed to meet with Doyle. If she hasn’t been to Earth since we killed him, there’s a chance she doesn’t know that he’s dead. The best outcome would be her completely unprepared for us because surprise is about the only advantage we have on our side.

All six of us are camped out in the Nightshade’s dining room. There’s a large map of the world spread out on the light oak table. Archer, Levi, and Bishop are sprawled out in the cream tufted chairs. Luca and I are pacing on opposite sides of the table, and Cain is leaning against the table, talking quietly with Prue.

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