Page 142 of Dark Rival

Sam stared at her and Allie stared back. Then she looked at Aidan. “He has power, lots of it—and it’s not demonic.”

“Yeah, he has power. There’s a secret Brotherhood filled with guys like him who have taken vows to protect Innocence no matter what,” Allie said. “The Masters time travel as well as vanquish evil. They are descended from the gods, Sam.” She almost added, so was she. “They’re almost immortal—and almost invincible.”

“Holy shit.” Sam then said, low, “There’s a spell in the Book we never understood, Allie. It’s about Fate interrupted, and Fate corrected.”

Allie hesitated. Sam had referred to the Book she and Tabby lived by, handed down to them by their mother, a book only a Rose woman could use. It was filled with wisdom, magic, myths and spells. “I don’t exist here anymore. And that means one thing—my Fate is the past.”

Sam appeared dismayed and she hugged her, another totally uncharacteristic action for her, as she was the least touchy-feely person Allie knew.

The door opened and Tabby walked in. She saw Allie and rushed to embrace her. Allie realized she was crying. “It’s all right.”

“No, it’s not. Sam, Brie and I have spent nights trying to figure out what happened to you and what it meant. Brie said you weren’t coming back! Thank the gods she was wrong!”

Allie hesitated. “This is temporary, Tabby. My life is the fifteenth century now.”

Tabby gaped.

Allie whispered, “I found him. I found the Emperor.”

Tabby gasped. “Then why do you look as if someone has died?”

Allie tried not to cry.

“Oh my God,” Tabby whispered. “I’m sorry, Allie. I’m so sorry.”

Allie sucked it up. “I need Brie. I have been trying to summon her, but I don’t think it’s working. Can you call her? I have to speak to her before I go back.”

Sam was already on the phone.

“Aidan? This is my other best friend, Tabby.” Allie realized Aidan was staring at Tabby in surprise.

Tabby did a double take and appeared confused. “Do I know you?”

“I dinna think so—Lady Tabitha.”

Tabby started. She glanced at Allie but before Allie could divert her—she didn’t think she should tell Tabby she was going to meet her destiny in another year and that he was very medieval—Sam said, “Brie left the office, like, ten minutes ago.”

“How do you know me,” Tabby asked uncertainly, “and why are you addressing me as ‘Lady’?”

The words weren’t even out of her mouth when a soft knock sounded on the door. Allie gave Aidan a warning look and ran to it, knowing it was Brie, her heart leaping wildly. She needed a final, definitive answer about Royce. She needed to know that he was alive and out there, somewhere.

Brie stood in the doorway in a shapeless brown suit, looking flushed, as if she’d walked the twenty blocks from CDA to the loft, her brown hair pulled tightly back, tendrils sticking to her damp skin. She wore her heavy black I’m-A-Brain glasses, but they were crooked. They embraced and clung.

“I heard you calling!” Brie exclaimed breathlessly. “What are you doing here? You can’t be here!” she cried. Then she looked past Allie and saw Aidan. She turned redder and glanced aside. Then said, “I have missed you so. I have thought about you so much!”

“Everything has happened so fast and I didn’t know how to get word back to you guys.” Allie held her by the upper arms. “Everything Tabby saw in the cards was right. And you were right—he was there, that night at the fund-raiser. Brie, please. Is Royce alive?”

Brie shifted her weight, as she usually did when nervous. “Allie, you know I can’t see on demand.”

“Please!” Allie cried, and instantly, she knew she was on the verge of hysteria. Her grip on Brie tightened. “Try to see…try for me. I can’t believe he’s gone forever!”

“I don’t know,” Brie cried back, strained. “I only know that I saw him coming for you. A big, golden, beautiful man, a warrior. You were meant to heal his heart—and he was meant to take you to your Fate. That’s all I know!”

“Allie,” Aidan interrupted. “Yer hurting the lass.”

Allie released her. “I’m so sorry!”

Brie wiped one of her cheeks with her knuckles—she’d started to cry. She was terribly empathetic. “I know your heart has been ripped out. I’m sorry, so sorry!”