Page 63 of Fade With Me

Izzy smiled, but it quickly faded, his expression turning serious. “If he could pull that off, he’d do it in a heartbeat.” His gaze fixed on mine, his eyes burning with a quiet, lethal intensity. “But you’re not in possession of your powers right now. For the blood ritual to work, your power needs to be flowing through your veins. But it’s stored in the Siphon. If he killed you, your magic would die with you. And if he took the rings off, he wouldn’t stand a chance. He’d lose. Keeping you alive but powerless is his best option.”

He paused, staring past me at something only he could see. “Besides, a blood ritual is incredibly difficult and requires immense control,” he said. “Reggie tried it once on a very young witch. He failed, but…” The words trailed off, and a thread of sorrow pulled at him. “She died anyway.” He grew still, the silence lingering in the air like smoke, as if paying silent tribute to her memory.

The sentence slithered under my skin, an icy grip tightening around my bones. I didn’t know the girl, had never even heard her name, but I couldn’t shake the image: a life stolen, her magic ripped away by Reggie’s unrelenting thirst for power. His failure had left only death. A wave of revulsion rose in me as the full extent of his cruelty settled in.

Eventually, his eyes dropped to my hand, fixating on the Ruby. “Reggie would sacrificeeverythingto ensureyou never take that ring off. And that only makes him more dangerous.”

He returned his attention to my face, his concern evident as his gaze lingered on the bruise. He studied it intently before his fingers hovered over it, though he didn’t touch it. “I’m not even sure how breakable you are right now,” he murmured, the thought etched across his features. “You can clearly be injured in this state. It’s strange to see you like this—so…vulnerable.”

But just as quickly, he dismissed the idea, picking up his spoon with a casual ease as if the moment had never happened. “But don’t worry, I’ll protect you,” he added with a wink, the tension in his tone dissipating. “Just remember that when you get your memories back, and I ask for a favor, and you say…” He mimicked my voice in a high pitch, “‘What have you ever done for me?’”

I rolled my eyes, smiling despite myself. But the seriousness quickly returned, and I leaned in a little. “So…Zeke told me that Reggie has waged a war on our kingdom.”

“Yes…but he hasn’t left this realm in nearly a hundred years, thanks to the rings. Instead, he projects his essence into our world to command the Shadowweavers.”

“He…projects his essence?” I whispered, struggling to wrap my mind around it.

Izzy nodded, absently swiping a hand through his short hair. “He can’t be there physically,but his presence can still manifest. He can’t touch anything or be touched, but he can see and speak. It’s a powerful ability, one that makes him nearly invulnerable.” He shrugged slightly. “Not that he really needs it, with your powers.”

His words hung in the air, laden with significance. It was hard to ignore the feeling that something crucial was missing.

“This place was never meant to be his home, just a temporary refuge while he set everything in motion. Though he seems quite comfortable, doesn’t he?” He scoffed, his lip curling with disdain. “Lets his brotherhood do the heavy lifting. Never liked to get his hands dirty.” His expression hardened. “He’ll come back when the moment serves him. Probably plans to keep you locked away, hidden, preserving your power. Then he’ll spread the lie that the Vespera abilities were just a myth, that you’re dead.”

I froze, my eyes wide. No, he wouldn’t. But as the thought sank in, I couldn’t deny the truth. Yes, he would. I focused on my breathing, trying to steady myself, to block out the panic creeping in.

Izzy's lips curled into a half-smile as he patted my back, his tone lightening. “Don’t worry, we won’t let that happen, of course,” he said, winking.

Just then, Zeke arrived home, his presence a welcome distraction from the ominous conversation. “Why thelong face?” he asked, his eyes scanning my solemn expression.

I quickly forced a smile, eager to deflect his concern. “Nothing. Just asking Izzy if there are any other long-lost siblings I should know about.” I didn’t want him to see the heaviness of my worries, not yet. I knew he would’ve told me if I’d asked directly, but some truths were easier left unspoken. Knowing about my past wouldn’t help me get the ring off.

Zeke laughed, his easy grin infectious, and the tension in the room seemed to vanish. “No, trust me,” he said with a chuckle, “two of us are more than enough.”

Izzy nodded, pointing his spoon as if to emphasize his point. “Exactly.” With a flick of his wrist, he made the cereal bowl disappear, leaving the table spotless. He stood, his eyes gleaming with determination. “So, my plan for today is to visit Reggie.” He raised a hand before Zeke could protest. “I’m not going to confront him—just want to gather intel, see if I can overhear something useful. Worst case, I fade out. He won’t follow me. I’m the perfect person for the job.”

I rolled my eyes, leaning back in my chair. My tone dripped with skepticism. “Good luck with that. Reggie’s never home.”

Zeke’s gaze darted to me, studying me with an intensity that made me question what I was missing. For a long moment, he remained silent, clearly hesitant to upset me.

Ugh, what now?

My brow furrowed, confusion clouding my expression. “What is it?” I asked, my tone sharp with impatience, urging him to spit it out.

Finally, he spoke, his words landing like a bombshell. “Reggie doesn’t live at the farmhouse,” he uttered with a sense of reluctance, as though unsure how to begin. “That was meant to be…your house. He lives in a large estate in the mountains, where he spends most of his time. Sal has a house on the property, too.”

I just stood there, my jaw hanging open, stunned. Then the anger hit, my stomach twisting as adrenaline prickled at my skin. “That little...” I trailed off, my throat dry, disgust rising sharp and bitter.

Zeke’s expression softened, his gaze filled with sympathy. “I know,” he murmured, his hand moving to my back, rubbing it slowly in a quiet gesture of comfort.

Izzy, however, seemed to find the whole thing more entertaining than anything else. “Don’t worry, Bryn. When this is all over, I’ll turn him into a frog for you,” he said, winking dramatically.

I stared, stunned. “You can actually do that?” I asked, half-expecting him to pull out a magic wand. Honestly, it wasn’t a bad idea.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” he grinned, wiggling his eyebrows. Then he grabbed his backpack and walked toward the door. “Be back tonight,” he called over his shoulder, lifting a hand in a loose wave.

Zeke poured himself a cup of coffee and took the seat beside me at the table. “How’d you sleep?” he asked, his gaze skimming over me like he was checking to make sure I was still in one piece. “Love the outfit, by the way.”

I let out a quiet laugh, a flutter of warmth blooming in my chest. “Thanks. Borrowed it from a friend,” I said, trying to sound casual. But my smile faded as I shifted. “I slept okay…after the dream, anyway.”

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