But, more importantly, today is a big day because I’m in charge of bringing Boral on board as a full-fledged member of the prophecy fight squad.
I shouldn’t have spent so much time worrying over what to wear to this meeting. My clothes aren’t going to make an impression on Boral one way or the other, yet I don’t want to come across as weak.
Which meant nothing too feminine.
I didn’t want to seem immature—which meant no skinny jeans and Chucks.
Ultimately, I just went with one of my workout ensembles of black leggings, a long-sleeved gray t-shirt, and a zip hoodie over it. It’s my most comfortable clothing, but it’s also what I wear the most now because if I’m not working out in preparation for a fight, I’m waiting for an actual battle.
It’s simply who I am at my core.
Well, that’s not quite true. That’s my prophecy self at my core, but the woman Finley Porter has become is something distinctly different.
In the wee hours of this morning, I was most comfortable in a t-shirt, straddling Carrick’s legs as we talked, and while comfort isn’t the exact word I’d use to describe how it became after, I was most definitely right at home flat on my back with Carrick inside of me.
Carrick has become my home, and I don’t question the beauty of it anymore. I merely accept and enjoy the time we have together.
I wink at myself in the mirror, pointing a finger with a smarmy grin. “You got this, Finley. Let’s go bring Boral onto the team.”
I’m confident as I walk into the kitchen where Boral, Zaid, and Maddox wait for me. While Carrick left me in charge of this—having ultimate trust in me to do what’s right for our cause—he didn’t trust Boral and so Maddox is here as my guardian.
Boral may not be able to reveal any secrets he learns, but he’s still evil and dangerous, and Carrick would never let me be alone with him.
All three turn their heads my way when I walk into the kitchen. It’s become a meeting place, usually where we all take our meals together rather than the formal dining room table.
“Would you like some coffee?” Zaid asks, and I take a moment to revel in the change in his tone with me. Those early days when he could barely stand to be in the same room to now as a friend.
“Actually, no,” I say, moving through the kitchen toward the living area. I issue a simple command. “Follow me, Boral.”
I hear stools scraping on the tile floor, then the fall of heavy steps as all three follow behind. I move through the living area, past the grand piano, and into Carrick’s office. If Maddox and Zaid are worried about me letting Boral this far into Carrick’s home, they say nothing.
But then again, I doubt they would. They know this is my show, and my decision on what to reveal.
“Nice,” Boral murmurs as he surveys the decor and art pieces on the illuminated built-ins.
I ignore him and move to the end of the built-ins, where I reach under the decorative molding to depress the button that reveals the hidden passageway.
I turn toward Boral, who looks astonished as the door slides open, and say with a sly grin. “First secret.”
“I’m intrigued,” he admits and then follows me down the spiral staircase into the library, Maddox and Zaid not about to be left behind.
Boral whistles low when he steps off the last step, taking in the space’s enormity, which encompasses the entire floor below Carrick’s condo. His gaze shrewdly takes in the rows upon rows of bookshelves, housing thousands of books. Boral is an immortal Dark Fae. He’s smart enough to know there are some valuable items housed here.
“Let’s sit,” I suggest, sweeping my arm toward the large conference table. It’s covered with books and pads of paper filled with notes, mostly by our two best researchers—Rainey and Myles. They’re both at work today, or else they’d be here. Myles still does his regular old IT job, but Rainey is now in Carrick’s employ, overseeing One Bean’s rebuilding, and, frankly, I’ve never seen her happier.
I know when it’s all said and done, I’m either going to die in the prophecy, or I’m going to die by Rune’s curse, but it is incredibly settling to me to know that Rainey—and by association, Myles—will stay in Carrick’s life by virtue of working with him. They’ll need each other.
I take a breath. I know what I’m going to do because I’d been thinking about it almost non-stop since Carrick left to do whatever he’s doing. He’s leaving it completely up to me to tell Boral what I feel is necessary. It’s my choice if I reveal Zora’s existence or my light powers.
What I wouldn’t have given to have Carrick to bounce my thoughts off, but I also understand by him leaving, he’s forcing me to deal with it. Again, it goes back to the trust he has in me, so I need to have that same trust in myself.
Boral is the first to sit, and I intentionally take the seat opposite him rather than the head chair at the end of the table. I don’t want to infer I’m in charge but rather that this is a team. Plus, I want to be able to look him in the eye. Maddox sits next to Boral, Zaid next to me.
Leaning forward, I push some books away and clasp my hands before settling them on the tabletop. Boral is cocked back casually in his chair.
“There’s a prophecy of doom enacted by the gods,” I begin, and Boral’s eyebrows pop up. “You know some of it. You know Kymaris is here with the intent to do a ritual to bring the veil down that separates the Underworld from the Earth Realm. And you know she’s looking for something called the Blood Stone.”
Boral merely nods, accepting my succinct summary of the general situation.
“What you don’t know,” I continue in a matter-of-fact tone, “is I’m the one fated by the gods to stop it.”
That makes an impact and he straightens in his seat, leaning forward to match my pose with hands clasped on the table. “An ordinary human? How interesting…”
“I’m anything but ordinary,” I reply blandly. “The night I was born, a daemon came into our house and stole my identical twin, who had been born just six minutes before me. A changeling was left in her place. My sister, whose name is Zora, was brought to the Underworld, where she was raised and used as a vessel to store dark magic in. That was used to propel Kymaris into our world and grant her incredibly strong powers.”
“And your sister is still there,” Boral concludes. “That’s why you were asking about the Underworld when we first met.”
“Yes, and I intend to rescue her.”
“I’ll help in any way I can,” Boral says, and Zaid makes a scoffing sound from beside me. He’ll never trust a single sentiment his father utters.
Boral’s eyes cut to his son, but make no condemnation for the lack of respect. His gaze comes back to me. “Does Kymaris know you have an identical twin?”
Maddox stiffens at this question, and I could see why that would be suspect. It would be the most important information Kymaris could want right now outside of the Blood Stone’s location.
But I don’t take it that way.
The one thing I’ve been able to discern about Boral is that he’s whip-smart. He’s simply making a leap where Zora is concerned.
I shake my head. “I don’t think so. Kymaris would have been in stasis the entire time Zora was in the Underworld with her. The minute the changeling ritual was enacted, Kymaris immediately left her static form and projected into the changeling body, which was the woman who was my sister in this Earth realm for twenty-eight years. Her name was Fallon.”