“Love is a choice,” Saxony’s amja said. “You’re destined to simply impact. Two forces striking to create a wave of change.”

“Well, this wave isn’t going to have anyone else try to control her life,” Tavia said. “Thanks, but no thanks.”

“I think your Kin should have learned better about believing in destiny by now,” Wesley said. “We need to stop basing everything on fate and start using our heads.”

“I second that,” Saxony said, with a bitter glare. “The last time you put stock in destiny you took my brother and my mother from me.”

Her amja looked rightly chastened again.

“So what now?” Tavia asked.

“Now we get our fingers out of our asses and think of a real plan to take down Ashwood,” Wesley said. “If we’re together, then he doesn’t stand a chance.”

Those words were more of a comfort to Tavia than she had expected. So much had gone wrong, hearing Wesley’s faith made her own come back.

Tavia smiled and let out a satisfied exhale. It felt like she had been holding her breath for so long, biding time and worrying about what to do and how to do it. She had a cause but not a direction, a mission but not a way to achieve it, but with Wesley here, every missing thing came back into focus.

Though Tavia wasn’t sure if anyone would dare to call them heroes, when Wesley was by her side, she felt young and unending. She felt magic, not just in her pocket or in the air, but in her heart.

Family was strange that way. It had an uncanny knack for leveling out the world and bringing order to the chaos. Wesley was Saxony’s family, but he was hers, too, and now they were going to take on the world.

She felt sorry for anyone who stood in their way.

24

ZEKIA

You have to trust me, kid. You have to be brave.

Zekia looked into the mirror and smiled, hoping Wesley could see.

She hadn’t thought he would ever speak to her again, let alone puncture her mind like this. But hearing his voice was a relief on her heart, and she was glad he hadn’t abandoned her after all.

That he hadn’t left her alone again.

I’m sorry, Wesley said, reading her mind like always. I didn’t want to go without you.

“But you did anyway.”

Don’t be selfish with my company, he said. You know I’m a very popular guy.

Zekia snorted and scrunched her nose up at the mirror. She didn’t think anyone could hate Wesley, but she’d bet a lot of people wanted to punch him.

Hey, he said. I heard that.

Zekia turned away from the mirror to hide her smile.