Page 6 of Mostly Shattered

“I don’t know if that makes me feel better or worse.”

Anthony’s body shakes with a small laugh. “If our father taught us anything, it’s we can have hundreds of true loves, but they only last a few months at a time.”

“That is so…” I shake my head.

“True?”

“Mean,” I correct. “Poor Lady Astrid.”

“I don’t think anyone has ever felt sorry for our mother. I, for one, would not tell her you pity her.”

“Right. Appearances.” I nod.

“It’s funny that you ask about that now because?—”

“Tamara, get back here!” Diana’s voice rings out, and I stiffen, instantly sitting up at the sound. I turn toward the child in fear and anticipation. My heart beats to hear my name.

Diana chases her dog.

Anthony laughs. “That dog has your name.” He tussles my hair like I’m a pet. “You’re such a good little sister. Who’s my good little sister?”

I slap his hand away. “You’re an asshole.”

Diana named her dog after me? I’m not sure what that means. She doesn’t recognize me. I’ve seen her look in my direction.

“That’s fair,” Anthony agrees.

“Hey, I have a magical question.”

“What’s that?” He settles back against the bench and stares at our surroundings. I feel his chest lift with a deep breath as he holds it.

I glance at Paul. “Do magically erased memories ever reverse?”

“Like coming out of amnesia?” Anthony shakes his head. “No. It’s easier to subtract than replace.Once you kill something like that, it’s dead. Not even the necromancers can bring it back.”

I again turn my head to watch Paul, forgetting to look away. “So Louis will remember nothing?”

“Maybe shades of things, like from a dream. Residual thoughts or feelings. He might walk past a bar we went to and recognize the name but not remember how or if he’s ever been there. The real concern is that he might run into people he doesn’t remember meeting, but they might remember him. You have to stretch the magic out, spreading over connected people like the silken threads of a spiderweb.”

That makes sense. The dog’s name is residual magic, like the distant echo of a lost dream.

“So you can’t undo it.” The statement is unnecessary, but I need my heart to hear it. “That hardly seems fair. People should be able to make their own choices without fear of… never mind.”

Anthony sighs. “Since you currently think so highly of me, I guess I should tell you why I’m here.”

I frown. “Why are you here?”

“Uncle Mortimer is looking to speak to you.” Anthony seems torn over whether to be sympathetic or laugh at me. “He’s called a family meeting.”

I stiffen. The last time I talked to Uncle Mortimer had been during Anthony and my parents’ funerals in the other timeline. He’d wantedto set me up with one of his supernatural friends. No, that’s sugarcoating it. He wanted to marry me off to a supernatural ancient, then perform magic rites to ensure I became impregnated by said supernatural so that our Devine magical bloodline could carry on.

I’m so happy that didn’t happen.

“He gave me a funeral plot for my birthday and is waiting for me to pick it out,” I grumble. “I’ve been avoiding his calls.”

What is it he’d said to me when he gave me the gift?“Since at twenty-eight and mortal, you don’t have much time left, Tamara.”

Jerk face.

---