The moment I settled in beside Jester inside Agent Alveston’s vehicle, I closed my eyes and fell asleep. I didn’t dream. Whether it was because of Holly, or because I was too tired to even dream, I don’t know.It felt like I had closed my eyes for just a second, then the next thing I knew, Jester was gently shaking me awake.“Did I fall asleep?” I asked, once again waking up to see his handsome face over mine. Seriously, this is the third time in twenty-four hours. Was I an angel in my past life? What did I do to deserve such a blessing?“Obviously,” he replied, ever so rudely.“You could have princess-carried me like before,” I suggested. Next time, I won’t respond so he’ll have no choice but to do so.Jester snorted. “I only carry the injured and dying. Last time, you were both.” But he held out a hand to help me down from the vehicle, which I gladly accepted. AG vehicl

Jester was not impressed. “You know, you can give the Commander a run for her money when it comes to vague pronouncements,” he said with raised eyebrows. “Give me a name, or we’re leaving now.”“I don’t know his name! I would have told you if I knew,” the dwarf snapped. “I don’t even know what he looks like, but I know he’s one of them—whoever killed Estacio, it’s either him or someone who works for him.”“So, you don’t know anything after all.”“Wait, no, that’s—please, let me explain—” the dwarf struggled to rise from his seat, but the spells kept him in place. “Miss Vega! You’ll regret it, I know you will, if you walk away now! Please—”The desperation in his voice was sincere enough to make Jester pause—but it was Alisa’s hand on his arm that made him turn around.‘I think

I was hungry. I realized this after I finished scrolling through all the messages Bea, Sirel and Montana had left me throughout the night. I hadn’t realized until after I talked to Conrad that I hadn’t checked my phone since I arrived yesterday morning. So many things have happened, and it’s been barely more than a day. I became an official member of the Fourth Special Unit, was accused of being a spy and had a banned spell cast on me by the guy I like, after which I had to be knocked out because I lost control of my Gift and put a lot of people in danger. When I came to, Jester introduced me to one of his Summoned creatures, and had to explain to me the real situation behind the Wane and what the Fourth was really investigating. I then got to meet the team the Commander put together to counter the threat of the Coven, got dragged off to Oren for my first mission, and when we finally got back to HQ and I had some rest, I got yelled at by the criminal we had captured and near

Jester chose not to comment on his mother’s advice. For some reason, it had sounded almost like a plea.So instead, he pulled out a small bundle wrapped in paper. It was the object Alveston had gone to retrieve—earning him a black eye from its keeper—and Cressida’s eyes widened when she recognized what it was.“So, your elf friend succeeded,” she said, taking the package.“Not without difficulty, I’m told.”“No, I don’t imagine that little minx would have been glad to give this up. Even though she doesn’t know what this really was.”Cressida unwrapped it. Inside was a rectangular slab of black rock, roughly the same size as her palm. On one side was an engraved design of an eye and a star, sparkling as if drawn on with golden ink.  A Wishing Stone. It was basically pure power in the form of a tacky paperweight. And there were only six of these in existence. T

I gaped.You know that expression people use when they learn something shocking, saying that it feels like their whole world was suddenly turned upside-down? I never really understood what that meant. Until now.I was literally at a loss for words. I just sat there, and stared at my father as if he had suddenly sprouted a second head or something. What Dad just said was something so beyond my expectations, I’d normally think he was joking. But I know he isn’t. I can tell that much with my Gift. And he would never joke about something like this.“What do you mean…you found Mom?”Two possibilities immediately crossed my mind: one, Dad found her remains (bones, maybe?) somewhere and that’s what he meant; or two, Mom was never dead in the first place, and saying he found her means indirectly admitting to the sin of deceiving his entire family.“Mom’s dead…Are…are you saying you found her&he