“Die!” she screeches with her mouth aimed at the sky and thunder booms even though there are no clouds in sight.

Aleesa screams as she jumps to her feet in a panic. Aislin’s eyes snap wide as Aleesa sprints off through the cemetery toward the iron gate.

I look from the flaming woman to Aislin, hesitating. “Should I go get her?”

“Yes! Go!” Aislin cries, her hands out to the side, her eyes locked on the flame woman. “I’ll be fine!”

Moments later, I’m on my feet and weaving around the graves as I chase down Aleesa. I lose track of her at one point but then spot her climbing over the fence and I speed up. As I reach the fence myself, I don’t slow down, accelerating and springing up on my toes. With one quick leap, I’m up and over the fence, landing gracefully onto the gravel on the other side. Then I glance from left to right, searching for Aleesa, but she’s nowhere. On a whim, I take off to my right, since it’s the way to the house and I’m hoping she’s headed back there. But as I’m barreling around the corner at full speed, I slam into a rock-hard surface. It almost knocks me to the ground, but I keep my balance and quickly regain my footing. But when I look up and see what I ran into, my heart stops.

A guy, tall, with skin like snow, and eyes as black as the night sky. He’s dressed in black, hair as pale as the moonlight, and he smells like rust and salt. He sizes me up with his dark eyes and then smiles, flashing me his sharp, shiny fangs.

Chapter 21

“Well, what do we have here?” He grins as he stalks toward me. “I think I’ve ran into a bit of luck, haven’t I?”

I start to back away, but he matches my movement, taking a step toward me every time I inch back, as if we’re dancing. He pushes up the sleeves of his shirt and things get a little more frightening as I spot the Mark of Malefiscus branded on the back of his hand.

“Don’t you know that wandering around at night is a dangerous thing? Especially at a place like this.”

I need to do something quick to get myself out of this situation. Foresee my way back to the house? But what kind of person would I be to bail on Aislin like that?

Before I can come up with an answer, the vampire lunges for me. I instinctively lift my leg and kick him right between the legs. The vampire crumples to the ground, and taking advantage of his momentary weakness, I jump for the fence, but his fingers wrap around my ankle and he drags me back to the ground. I stumble forward and smack my head against the iron fence. I see stars all around me.

Focus, Gemma. Foresee your way to Aislin.

I shut my eyes and concentrate on the graveyard, but the vampire sinks his fangs into my leg and it feels like my skin is on fire. But I focus past the pain, grab a nearby stick off the ground, and flip over onto my back, plunging the stick into the vampire’s back. He screams as I scream, my whole body feeling as though it’s melting, my skin hot wax, my veins ash.

Blood. More stars. Alex. Then I’m sucked away into the darkness.

Chapter 22

When I open my eyes the sun is rising over the mountains and across the valley, painting the land with hues of pink and orange. Birds are chirping and a light breeze caresses my skin. I blink against the morning light, roll over to my stomach, and push myself to my feet. There’s no sign of the vampire anywhere, but there’s ash is scattered in the gravel just in front of my feet so I’m guessing when I stabbed him, it went through his heart.

I stretch my arms above my head and start walking, rounding the corner and crossing the cemetery, looking for Aislin, trying not to think about how I saw the mark on the vampire, which means Stephan’s been getting more followers.

Aislin is in the spot where I left her, gathering her candles, looking pleased with herself. When she sees me, however, she frowns. “You didn’t find her.”

I give her a funny look. “Who…Oh! Aleesa. Shit.” I glance back at the gate. “I completely forgot about her… I ended up running into some trouble.”

“What kind of trouble?” Aislin asks as we hurry toward the entrance. “And why is your leg bleeding?”

I look down at my leg where blood is soaking through my jeans. Then I sigh and tell her what happened as we leave the cemetery and head back toward the house, searching yards and places nearby, looking for Aleesa.

“So he’s marking vampires now?” Aislin shakes her head, frustrated. “God, this is getting out of control.”

“I know,” I say as we reach the corner of the street. “I need to get into that mapping ball and hopefully fix it.”

We hop over the curb and start across the lawn toward a park, searching for Aleesa.

“I don’t even want to think about where she’d go,” Aislin says as she looks around the slide and swing area of the park

She’s right. Aleesa is so new to the world and the idea that she’s wandering around alone out here is frightening, especially if there are marked vampires and probably other things as well.

“What is that?” Aislin asks, squinting at the road.

I track her gaze to a Mazda parked beside the curb. “Shit.”

The car door opens and Alex gets out, looking pissed. At first I think it’s because we snuck out of the house without telling anyone, but then I see Aleesa sitting in the passenger side of the car.

“Did you two lose something?” he asks as he strides across the lawn toward us.

Aislin lets out a nervous laugh. “Yeah, where did you find her?”

Alex crosses his arms as he halts in front of us. “She came running into the house, screaming at the top of her lungs,” he says. “When I got her to calm down, she told me you two were at the cemetery and that there was a crying fire woman there.”

“Hmmm… that’s weird,” I say, trying to get us out of an Alex lecture. “Maybe she imagined it.”

“It’s okay, Gemma,” Aislin says then looks confidently at her brother. “We were at the cemetery doing a spell which is going to hopefully remove the Mark of Malefiscus… I just need to try it out and see…” Aislin glances at me. “I’d like to try it out on your mom, but I understand if you want me to find another person to test it on first, just in case something happens. We could maybe track down that vampire.”

“I think it’s dead,” I say. “At least I think that’s what the ash was on the ground in front of me.

“Wait, what vampire?” Alex interrupts, with that look on his face that warns me he’s about to go into “Protect Gemma at All Cost Mode”, so I quickly explain to him what happened and that I staked my very first vampire. And for the moment, he kind of looks proud of me, which is a first for me, from anyone. And it makes me feel kind of proud of myself, which is also a first.

Chapter 23

When we arrive at home, Aislin goes up to my mother’s to try and see if she can get the mark off her. After Alex gives me a brief lecture on being more careful with myself then tells me that he thinks that I should start training, to get a better grasp on my fighting skills. But then says that he wants Laylen to do it, not giving an explanation why. But I know the answer—because he’s trying to keep his distance from me.

So I agree and then go up to my room to change out of my pajamas and pull my hair out of my face. As I’m waiting for Laylen to show up, I decide to flip through the Foreseer book some more, to see if I can find the answer to the Purple Flame. It seems more important than ever now that I know the mark is traveling throughout the world.

But after searching through page after page, I grow frustrated and become desperate. I’m not sure if it’s meant for what I’m about to do, but I decide it’s worth the risk of trying.

“The Power of a Foreseer’s Mind.” I shut my eyes, focusing on seeing what I need to see, but am retaliated by light.

See past the light, see what you need to see. I’m not sure whose voice it is but I do as it says and look past the light.

The Purple Flame… the Purple Flame… the… Purple… Sharp pain erupts through my skull, like my head is cracking apart. I tip sideways on the bed and fall out of it. When I hit the floor, I slip deep inside my mind.

***

I’m energized, powerful, glowing. I can feel the energy inside me, about to combust and go out into the world. I’d be free from it and I realize I want to be free from it.

“Open your eyes, Gemma,” a familiar voice whispers.

I open my eyes and then step back. I’m in the City of Crystal standing in front of the massive crystal ball that’s about the size of a football stadium, flaring brightly within the enormous space of the cave. Attached to the crystal, solely by chains are people with tubes embedded in their skin, giving energy to the ball for the Foreseers.

“What you need is not in the book,” the voice says to me. “It’s in there. Touch it and you’ll see.”

I inch tentatively toward the crystal ball then taking a deep breath, I extend my hand toward it. My fingers are magnetized, begging us to connect. When I place my palm on it, the hot surface scorches my skin and a fire blazes through me. My heart slams against my chest as energy zips through my body, charging me. Powerful. I am powerful. I pull away and hold up my hand where a purple flame burns vibrantly in my palm.

“One of these days, you’re going to have to figure things out without me,” the voice says and this time I recognize who it belongs to.

I turn around and look behind me “Nicholas…”

I don’t see him but I swear I detect the faint lingering scent of flowers and rain.

***

I bolt upright, lifting my hand in front of me. There’s no fire burning from it, but I know what I have to do. I slip my shoes on and grab the Traveler’s Ball that was left on my bed with the note. Maybe I should say something to someone. It’d probably be better if I did. But I know if I do then Alex will put up a fight so instead I shut my eyes, grasping onto the crystal ball filled with rubies and a few seconds later, I’m there.

Chapter 24

I land gracefully at the City of Crystal in the cave that has a charcoal ceiling that maroon crystals dangle from. Beneath the translucent floor, there’s a midnight river flowing and carrying pieces of gold. And rubies wave across the snow-white walls.

I hurry and put the crystal ball into my pocket then sprint towards where the massive crystal ball is. My stomach churns as I enter the room and catch sight of the bodies strapped to the crystal illuminating with energy. Their eyes are shut, bodies still slack and lifeless. It makes me sick to see, but I don’t look away. I hold my breath and block out everything but the flaming crystal ball they’re attached to as I lean forward and place my hand to it, just like I did in the vision. Energy simmers through my veins and my heart accelerates so swiftly it aches inside my chest. It feels so different… like it’s sucking the life from me instead of feeding me power.

I can’t breathe…

It’s killing me…

I jolt back and gasp as my eyes roll into the back of my head and my body begins to convulse. The crystal ball starts to hiss and sparks shoot out from it and land around my feet like embers. I start to think about how stupid I am for trusting a vision put in my head by Nicholas, but then I see my hand and the Purple Flame burning from it.

“Thank God,” I say to myself as my body begins to calm down. I shut my hand as I distance myself from the crystal ball and the flame goes poof. When I open my hand again the flame ignites.

I’m in awe, opening and closing my hand a few more times before stopping in front of the door and taking the Traveler’s Ball out of my pocket. I cast one last glance at the people trapped to the crystal ball and tell myself that one day I’ll come back and free them, even if it means there will be no more Foreseers. The world can live without visions being read and will be better off too.

I smile at the thought and shut my eyes to leave this place. But right as I’m about to slip into the crystal ball, the door swings open and smacks me in the face. The crystal ball falls from my fingers and crashes against the floor, breaking the outer shell and rubies and water spills out onto the porcelain floor. Dyvinius enters the room wearing his silver robe that matches his eyes and a look that lets me know I’m in deep shit.

“Would you like to explain why you’re here?” he asks, staring down at the broken crystal.

“A… um… would you believe me if I said I was lost?” I said innocently with a shrug.

He stares at me blankly. “No.”

I deliberate my options. I could go all ninja on him, but kicking an old guy’s ass doesn’t seem right. So I let three seconds tick by, and then take off toward the massive crystal ball, hoping to wind around it and backtrack, then use my Foreseer power to get me out of here.

“Gemma.” Dyvinius’ calls out from right behind me. “I don’t understand why you’re running away from me.”

Bull shit he doesn’t.

I pick up my pace and smile when I see the door again. As I feel the power of the crystal ball fading, I decide there’s enough room between us and close my eyes. But my own power is absent.

“There’s no use trying,” Dyvinius says in his monotone voice. “I have the place on lockdown. No one may leave or enter, even with a unique Foreseer gift like yours.”

Dyvinius knows about my gift? This is not good.

I open my eyes, attempting to stay calm as I turn around and face him. “How do you know about my gift?”

He offers me a small smile as he stops in front of me. “You are your father’s daughter. How could I not know?” He turns around, his silver robe swishing lightly across the floor. “This way please. We have much to talk about.”