KARIN POV “It was awful, Mags,” I say, hardly able to keep calm. “I’ve had no one be afraid of me before. I don’t remember everything that happened, but I know by the look on their faces and the blood in my mouth that it wasn’t good.” “Calm down, Lady Karin,” she says as she rubs my back. “I’m sure things will work out for the best. Sir Ansel will take care of things, but beyond that, I know you’ll figure out what’s going on with you.” The smell of gin and cedar enters my nose, and I instinctively look up. Ansel stood in the doorway with his arms folded over his broad chest. Though his training was over, he remained shirtless with light jogger pants on. “Maggie, I need to speak with Karin alone,” he said firmly. “Yes, sir,” Maggie replied and leaves the room. Ansel shut the door behind her. “Well, it has been an eventful day, to say the least,” he said. “I don’t know what to say,” I whispered. “I don’t know why Ada took control that way, kno

    “It’s been you the entire time,” Ansel said, standing. “You were pretending to be Karin and my daughter.”       She teetered her head back and forth. “Yes, and no. Every conversation has with Jemma is one that shows the personality she will have. She will be happy, bubbly, funny, and powerful. With a combination of your and Karin’s powers, she will definitely be a force to be reckoned with.”       “By God,” Ansel muttered, then quickly gave her an apologetic look. “Slip of the tongue. This is a lot to take in at once.”       “It’s all semantics, anyway. I’m as real as the earth, the stars and the sky as are many other things.” She stuck out her hand that still glowed. “Selene. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”   &

 “Wow, this is beautiful,” I whisper to myself as the limo driver escorts me from the car. Unable to look away, I continued to stare at the regal castle in front of me. It was mesmerizing, and so was the high peak it was built on. Crystal waters so blue I could see the fish swimming inside even in the dark of night, surrounded everything but the land that we drove in on. Its medieval architecture, juxtaposed with the manicured hedges and yellow lights that illuminated it, made it look like something lost between two time periods. “Well, what do you think?” Ansel asked as he placed his hand on the small of my back. “Is it up to Lady Karin’s standards?” “What do I think? I think it’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen in my life.” He smiled. “Wait until you see inside,” he said. Taking my hand, he ushers me up the massive staircase. “Sir Ansel,” one of the men at the front of the door says. “It’s a pleasure to have you here tonight.” He faced

ANSEL POV Where is she?       Ansel scanned the room for what felt like the hundredth time. He’d been searching for Karin since his discussion with King Mair and a few others who bombarded him with questions about his father and to congratulate him on the way the polls are only growing more in his favor. It was politics, and while he knew he had to play the game, he couldn’t wait until the entire thing was over. Continuing his search, he started to link her, but he soon spotted her. Walking over, he immediately noticed something was wrong.       “What’s the matter?” he asked, but she wouldn’t look at him. He lifted her head with his finger. “Karin, what’s the matter?” Before she could speak, from his peripherals, he saw Edwin entering the ballroom from the same direction that she did. The moment he spotted the two, f

Ada!I sit up with a jerk, rousing Ansel who seems to have drifted off. My stomach is doing somersaults.“Something wrong,” Ansel asks, drowsily.A flash of lightning brightens the sky. Behind it, is the rumble of thunder.The driver, a portly man with silver hair, has just pulled up in front of the manor. He comes around to open our door, but Ansel is still watching me, waiting for my response.“I’ll tell you when we get inside,” I say.Ansel nods and we step out into a misty rain. The stars are blotted out with clouds.The driver hands Ansel an opened umbrella.“Thanks George,” Ansel says, and despite my distress, I catch the gleam in George’s eye as Ansel says his name. Ansel’s getting better and better at treating his staff like actual people. Who would have thought?George breaks into a broad smile. “You’re welcome, Sir.” Another flash appears and fat raindrops begin to splatter down against the umbrella. We dash inside.The manor, for once, is empty. Ansel holds my hand while we