Page 24

At that, Kole and Luther scoff in unison.

“What’s funny?” she asks, brow creased into a frown.

“Mack doesn’t fly commercial,” Luther replies.

“Okay.” She looks confused. “Well, I don’t think I’m capable of flying across the Atlantic. Let alone taking you guys as passengers. So…”

“He has a plane.” Tanner is attempting to make coffee in the charred remains of the kitchen.

“A plane?” Nova laughs then realizes Tanner’s not joking. “You have a plane?” she asks, folding her arms as if she’s annoyed this is something I haven’t mentioned before.

“My family had a plane. Now it’s my plane. I’ve called the airfield. It’ll be ready to depart tomorrow. Normally, I’d fly us myself but under the circumstances I don’t think that’s a good idea. So, they’re arranging a pilot.”

Slipping her hand into mine, Nova looks up at me and shakes her head. “Are you ever going to tell me where your family got all their money from?”

“Maybe.” I kiss her knuckles. “But not today.”

Turning to the others, as Tanner manages to get the stove to light, I put my hands in my pockets and inhale slowly. “We’ll leave town before sunrise. Get out while it’s dark as we’re having to cross through the shield. I’ve got permission from the SDB, so we’ll pass through with no problem. But still, I’d rather not risk coming into contact with a rogue AMA nut on our way.”

Crossing the room to accept a mug of coffee from Tanner, Nova takes a sip then smiles. “Our first vacation,” she says. “What’s the weather like in England at this time of year?”

At that, Kole chuckles deep in his chest. “Pretty much the same as the rest of the year… gray and raining. So, make sure you pack an umbrella.”

“Great. Our first vacation and I need a raincoat instead of a bikini.”

“At least the rain might cool you down for a while,” Tanner quips, looking at her over his coffee cup.

Nova gives him a look that makes him almost visibly start blushing. “Doubtful,” she says. “Highly doubtful.”

The night air is cool and damp as we load up the trucks. A knot forms in my stomach knowing that Sam and Luther won’t be coming with us. I understand it, but I don’t like it.

For the first time since everything was fixed, and was supposed to be ‘normal’, we’re going to be separated. And it doesn’t feel right. If this is even half the way Mack feels being separated from Snow, I suddenly understand how hard it must have been for him since their division happened.

Luther, as usual, is cool as fuck about the whole thing. He acts as if he’s not even remotely bothered and makes a joke about sexy video calling and dick pics while we’re gone. But Sam looks distraught.

I know he’s been finding it hard to reconcile the fact he’s not one of my fated mates. We haven’t spoken about it in months, and we probably should have because I can see it in his face every now and again – the sensation that he doesn’t belong. The questions he’s grappling with about how he fits into everything.

It shows most obviously in his reaction to Kole and Rev. He used to be completely open to the idea of seers, and fate, and he was the one who kept the others strong while I was gone. But now it’s like he holds them personally responsible for the fact that his purpose was taken away from him.

To me, it makes no difference. Nico was fated to help me save the world, not to love me. He fell for Rev almost instantly and they clearly have something special. Sam, as far as I’m concerned, is fated to me in a different way. He was fated to love me. He does love me.

Sam was a part of my story long before the others. In fact, I once pointed out to him, that he was the reason my powers first showed themselves. So, his role is bigger and more complex than a few words in an old prophecy.

I think what gets to him the most is the fact he is not part of The Original Six. After The Split healed, and The Shadow King was defeated, Mack filled Annalise in on everything and she released a press statement in which she explained exactly who we were. Who I was. How it was that I was the one who defeated him.

Of course, a lot of human vitriol followed. The Original Six, at its heart, is a piece of our joint history – supers and humans – that humans would rather forget. Having it brought to the forefront, and proved more than just a cute supernatural fairy tale, was not something they embraced.

But in the magick community, we have all reached something close to celebrity status. In fact, if Phoenix Falls wasn’t sealed off to anyone other than inhabitants right now, I’m pretty sure we’d be inundated with supers making pilgrimages to the site of The Original Six’s graves. To the place where Ava and her lovers came back to help us save the world, and where her ancestors now live – repeating her story, but with a happy ending.

For Sam to have to watch that, on the news and in peoples’ faces when we pass through town, must be extremely hard for him.

“Do you think he’s okay?” I ask Tanner, nodding to where Sam is sitting on the steps, elbows on knees, watching us.

Tanner sighs. He doesn’t need to use his powers of empathy. It’s obvious from Sam’s face that he is not okay.“Go say goodbye. I’ll finish loading the bags.”

I nod at him, and fight a smile as Snow struggles to jump into the back of the truck. “He’s not yet accustomed to his new size, I don’t think.” I sit down next to Sam and nudge him with my elbow when he doesn’t respond to me. “How you doing?”

“I’m fine.” He nudges me back.