Page 26 of Fated By Fire
I realize I’ve stopped mid-reach for my own coffee. Dorian’s knowing smirk makes me want to snarl.
“Can we focus on actual business?” I grab my drink, steering us toward a corner table. “Malakai’s been breathing down my neck about the Heartstone.”
Dorian’s playful expression shifts, something darker settling in his eyes. “Yeah, the old man’s been particularly cranky lately. More than usual. And that’s saying something.”
“He claims the stone’s energy is fluctuating.” I settle back against my seat, stretching my legs out. These damn tables were made for midgets.
“Is it?” Dorian stirs his cup, then lifts it for a sip. I catch a waft of caramel and something sweeter.
“I don’t know how you drink that shit.” I scowl at the foamy beverage in his cup.
“Salted caramel and hazelnut.” He lifts it in a toast. “Drink of the gods.”
“Dunno what’s wrong with a simple espresso.”
“Caleb, if the whole world operated like you, we’d still be watching black-and-white TV. Now tell me about the Heartstone. You said the energy’s shifting.”
I realize I’ve steered us away from the topic. My head is all over the place, and that’s not like me. I take a slow sip of coffee, gathering my thoughts. “Maybe. It’s… different when I’m near it now. Like it’s trying to tell me something.”
Our eyes meet across the table. After all this time together, we don’t need words for some things. Dorian’s fingers trace patterns on the cup. Outwardly, he looks calm, but I can sense an underlying tension. My brother may play the role of a lighthearted playboy, but he’s nobody’s fool.
“You think Malakai might be right?” he asks finally.
“About the stone? Possibly.”
“And the rest? The deal with NyxCorp? He seems dead set on pushing it through, but you’re hesitating.”
“I understand where he’s coming from. On paper, it’s a good deal. But why was it so easy?” I swirl the contents of my cup around, the dark liquid sloshing.
“You mean, you should have been razing them to ash?” Dorian says, his tone mocking. He stirs more sugar into his cup.
“Jesus, Dorian. You’re going to get diabetes.” I grimace. He’s about to consume a cup of pure poison.
“Nah. We don’t have to worry about stuff like that, remember?” My brother waves a dismissive hand. He takes a mouthful, then makes a satisfied sound before going on. “Malakai Steele is old guard. He likes to follow the ancient ways. Rule with an iron fist. Vanquish enemies. And in the case of NyxCorp, he sees them as conquered, so he wants to move on to the next conquest.”
I purse my lips and consider this for a moment. “Yes. You’re right. But still…”
“Your instincts are screaming.”
I nod slowly. “Something’s coming. I can feel it in my bones.”
“The last time you said that, we ended up in that mess in Shanghai.”
“This isn’t like Shanghai.” I lean forward, lowering my voice. “The stone’s never reacted like this before. I felt it the moment it came to life. Not like its usual low buzz. This is a pulse, and it sets off every alarm bell I have, yet…” I trail off, unable to put the sensation into words.
The morning crowd has thinned, leaving the cafe quieter. Through the windows, I watch Seattle wake up, its inhabitants unaware of the ancient powers stirring beneath its surface. My coffee has gone cold, but I barely notice.
“Something’s shifting,” I say finally. “I can feel it. The question is, are we heading toward a new dawn or some sort of war?”
“A new dawn? Bit dramatic, bro. I think you’re overthinking it.” Dorian shrugs. “It could simply be that the stone is evolving. It wouldn’t be the first time.”
“Yes, but there’s usually been upheaval when it happened.”
“You’re thinking of Kael and the witch.”
“Lyria Rossewyn wasn’t just a witch, Dorian.”
“No, she was a thief sent to steal the stone. For some reason, people seem to forget that part of the story,” he says.
