“You're serious.” He glared.

  “I am.” I straightened my shoulders.

  I wasn’t backing down on this. Not now. Not ever.

  And it was one of the hardest decisions I’d ever had to make.

  Raz sighed. “Very well, then.” He gestured to the door. “You can do the honors of breaking your best friend's heart.”

  “Unlike you, I’m not afraid of sacrifice.” I blew out a breath, moving to the door, and headed to Phoebe’s room.

  She and Remie were sitting on the couch. They must have been eavesdropping.

  “Why?” Phoebe had tears running down her cheeks, but refused to look at me.

  “It's too dangerous.”

  She wiped away her tears. “So you can have a baby, but I can't?”

  “I have no intention of having a child, Phoebe.” I pursed my lips.

  “This prophecy thing.” She glared at me.

  “What about it?” I tilted my head. “It means nothing. Predictions, like the weather.”

  “I don't understand why you would do this to me.” Her voice shook as she held back more tears.

  “I'm not doing this to you, I’m doing it for you. Trust me.”

  “Trust you?” She scoffed. “After everything you’ve done the past eight months?”

  “That wasn't me. I know you don’t get it, but it’s true.”

  “Oh really.” She grit her teeth. “Well, who are you, then? Because I don't even know. When you figure it out, you let me know.” She got to her feet and headed to her bedroom door. She reached for the doorknob then stopped and turned to face me. “No.” She came back over. “This is monumentally unfair. Do you realize that?”

  “I do. And I don't take any satisfaction in this. But it's for the best. You may not see it now, but—”

  “Stop.” She shook her head and threw up her hands. “Whatever, I can't do this anymore.”

  Remie stood and eyed her cautiously.

  “Do what?” I tilted my head.

  “Be part of this. I should have stayed away when I had the chance back in Chicago. When Raz healed me, I should’ve known I wasn’t cut out for this life. I had an out. But I married Remie anyway. The love of my life. And for the first time, something was finally going right. I stayed strong, and I stayed by your side. I've been loyal. I’ve done what I was told was best, and now that I want to be selfish. Now that I want one thing for myself, this is what I get.”

  “I'm sorry, Phoebe.”

  “You’re sorry.” She shook her head. “That’s not good enough.” She moved toward her bedroom, Remie in tow. “I’m sorry, too. Sorry I’ve stuck by you all these years, thinking I was doing the right thing and that some day I’d get a little something in return. I'm going to bed now.” She glanced up, looking me in the eye. “I'd prefer you weren't here when I woke up.”

  I stared as she and Remie disappeared, and the door closed quietly behind them.

  I hated this. This new role I’d taken on.

  Everything about it was tearing me up inside, but I had no choice.

  We all had sacrifices to make.

  ~

  “Thank you for coming, Phoebe.”

  After a week of sweet talking, she finally agreed to come with to my first and final performance at Madison Square Garden—the shortest tour in all of music history.

  We sat in silence in a car Sam had sent for us, on our way to my show.

  Oddly enough, my nerves had nothing to do with this performance.

  I’d never been afraid of the stage.

  “So.” I tried breaking the ice. “Any leads on your parents?”

  “I already told you. My boss, she pulled my birth records. She said they appeared to be changed. When I was adopted, the original documents disappeared, and someone forged the ones I have now.”

  “Anything new?”

  “I was born in a private birthing center in Eden. The doctor who signed the certificate doesn’t seem to exist. And neither do my parents.”

  My stomach was in knots. Before my memories returned, I was all for her finding her birthparents but now, it only made the plan more dangerous. I’d have to talk to someone to throw her off the trail. At least for now. I couldn’t have anything messing things up when we were so close to setting everything in motion.

  “You’ve done a lot of work on this, huh?”

  She nodded. “It’s important to me. I want to know my parents.”

  “Aren’t you happy with your adoptive parents?”

  I tried to redirect her, but one thing I’d learned with Phoebe is when she was determined to figure something out, very little would stand in her way. And while I respected that about her, it wasn’t going to work in my favor with this one.

  “I am, that’s not why I’m doing this. I guess all the Empath stuff, being tossed into foster homes when I did, and with Eli. I mean, doesn’t it seem kind of suspicious? Like it wasn’t an accident?”

  “Few things are accidental, Phoebe. Besides, I told you once, you were sent there for me.” I grabbed her hand, squeezing her fingers gently.

  “I think so, too, but still. I think something else is going on,” she whispered.

  “Like what?”

  “I’ve been having strange dreams. Ever since Madie died. It’s like she’s trying to tell me something.”

  “Really?” My chest tightened.

  Phoebe shouldn’t be having visits from dead people.

  That wasn’t part of the plan.

  I wondered if someone was interfering that shouldn’t be.

  “She keeps repeating the same phrase when I see her.”

  “What does she say?”

  “You must fall before you rise.”

  My heart was in my stomach. Is this about Phoebe? And why would Madie contact Phoebe and not tell me?

  Yeah, I had to talk to Gabrielle.

  “That’s what I hear in my visions, too.”

  The best way to keep Phoebe out of this was to include her. Keep her distracted. I had to intervene.

  “Really?” She perked up.

  I nodded. “Yeah. So Micah being there, all the things falling apart around me. Part of me thinks he’s going to come around, and that’s why I haven’t pushed to get him back. Why I asked you to trust me. We don’t always like what’s going down, but it’s always for a reason, even if we don’t understand it.”

  She was quiet for a minute. “So this baby thing. It’s not because you’re jealous?”

  “Jealous?” I narrowed my eyes.

  “That I can have a baby, and you can’t.”

  I grabbed her hand and squeezed. “I wish you could have a baby. I’d love to be an aunt. I want you to be happy. I didn’t know you wanted a child so badly.”

  She shrugged. “I don’t understand it. I guess being adopted and never knowing my parents or where I come from has made it more important to me. But I’m totally cool adopting or fostering kids, too. It’s just—it would be amazing to have a family of my own.”

  I blew out a breath. I felt terrible for her. This was so unfair, to all of them, but there wasn’t anything I could do about it. Every bone in my body wanted to tell her to go for it, and that I was behind her and would support anything for her happiness.

  But I couldn’t.

  “I’m so sorry, Phoebes. I hate seeing you unhappy, but this life. We were all called to lead it for some reason. And we’ll have to make sacrifices. I know you didn’t directly ask for this, and it’s not fair. But I want you to know I love you. And we’re all grateful for your sacrifice. It’s a thankless job, being part of something greater than ourselves, but the rewards are worth it. I promise. It won’t always be like this, okay?”

  She nodded.

  “Remember in Chicago, when you said you wished your life meant as much as mine?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Well, it does. It will. I knew then there was a special mission for you, and I meant it. Your life is special. Rare. You don’t see it yet, but you will. I need you. Genesis needs you. Humanity needs you. Your sacrifice isn’t about me. It never was.”

  She nodded, tears in her eyes. “I’m sorry. Now I’m the one being selfish.”

  “Oh no, Phoebe.” I set my hands on her cheeks, tilting her chin up. “You’re not being selfish. You’re human, and I would expect no different.” I dropped my hands and set them in my lap. “This life is a lesson in humility for sure. But just knowing what it means on a greater level? It truly does make it all worth it in the end.”

  “Okay. I won’t ask about having a baby.”

  “Phoebe, listen to me.” I lifted her chin. “One way or another, you’re going to be a mother. It may not be a child you grow in your belly, but I promise. It will happen.”

  And I meant it.

  Somehow, I promised right then, I’d make this all up to her.

  Phoebe never intentionally agreed to any of this. The least I could do was make her a promise, that someday, I’d make sure she got what she deserved… her own happily ever after.

  Phoebe wiped away her tears.

  “You ready to rock this today? One last time, you and me?”

  She nodded.

  The car pulled up outside the staff entrance behind Madison Square Garden.

  The door opened, and Sam and Dr. Lucci stood together, grinning.

  I tilted my head, inspecting Lucci, head to toe.

  Yep, she looked different. Weak. Worn, not the shiny put together woman from Chicago.

  “Here we go,” I mumbled. Grabbing my bags, I climbed out of the car.

  “Why is she here?” Phoebe nudged my shoulder on my way out.

  “Zoe. Oh wow, do you look—different. Is it me, or are you taller? And your hair? It’s pitch black.”

  “Nice to see you, too.” I eyed her. “What are you doing here?”

  “I couldn’t miss this.” She waved her hands around in the air. “The Garden? Ironic.” She winked. “Yeah, wouldn’t miss this.”

  I narrowed my eyes.

  “Sam called him a few weeks ago. He told me about the recording session and tonight’s performance.” She glanced behind me. “Where’s your boyfriend?”

  “Husband,” Phoebe interjected, nudging my waist with her hip.

  “What? You’re kidding me, right?” Lucci gripped her hips, sending me a look of death.

  “Nope.” I stood tall, shoulders back.

  “That’s a giant step for a twenty-one year old girl, isn’t it?” She tilted her head.

  “Yes, but she’s very much in love. And you should be happy for her.”

  Lucci scoffed at Phoebe.

  I couldn’t help but laugh at Phoebe’s mother hen routine. She had my back, that’s for sure.

  “You need to see something.” Lucci grabbed my arm and pulled me down the sidewalk around the corner of the building.

  “Where are we going?”

  “You need to see what you’re giving up.”

  We walked around the outside of the arena and stood before a never-ending line of people strung out along Eighth Avenue.

  Although these people didn’t technically buy their tickets to see me, in a way, they kind of did.

  “Look.” Lucci pointed up at the marquee on the building, flashing my name.

  My jaw dropped to the pavement.

  “You did it, Zo.”

  Phoebe ran her fingers down my arm and squeezed my hand.

  “You’re a star.”

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Cade

  “We have to trust her, Raz. You of all people should realize that. I don’t understand why you’ve been so against it. Putting up a fight with all of this.”

  “I’m simply doing as I’ve been instructed,” Raz said. “Chayah said to fight her if I felt the need, so I did. And you should be doing the same. I’m sure it has much to do with her plan, though it may not appear that way.”

  “Hey boss, been a breach in New York City.” Julian, Rainah, and Remie stood on the terrace outside my home. “It’s Lilith, we think,” Julian said. “Not sure, though. Nate and Lydia are there now. They detected a breach, but when they got there, nothing. But they found someone else.”

  “Who?”

  “Your Gemini.” Julian stood straight.

  “And mine.” Remie glared, arms folded. He wasn’t happy, and I understood why.

  “Let’s go.” I shook my head and opened a portal, focusing on my Gemini. We moved through it, landing in an alley outside Madison Square Garden in New York City.

  It was getting dark and the buildings were lit up all around us. Noises from the city streets blared in our ears.

  “What the hell are we doing here?” I glanced around.

  She’d told me nothing about this.

  Zoe had requested I warn her before dropping in, but this was a whole new level of deception. She was supposed to be keeping Phoebe safe, but an impromptu trip into such a crowded location was far from a safety measure.

  We ran around the corner of the building. People were scattered all along the sidewalks.

  “Did you know about this?” Remie pointed to the marquee with Zoe’s name scrolling there for all of the city to see.

  “What the hell is going on?” I turned to Raz and Julian. “You guys know anything about this?”

  Everyone shook their heads.

  “Nothing, boss,” Julian said.

  I growled. Damn it.

  We went around the corner to a back entrance, which of course, was blocked off. I turned to Raz. “We need to get inside somehow.”

  “Zoe, where are you?” I tried connecting with her internally.

  “I’m fine,” she said. “I’ll see you tonight.”

  “Like hell you will.” I growled. “We’re outside, get us in. Now.”

  “What?”

  “We’re in the street staring at a marquee with your name on it. What in the bloody hell is going on?”

  “Oops.”

  “We need to get in, the doors are all blocked out here.”

  “So jump a bridge, Cade. Have Raz compel someone.”

  “Zoe.” I grit my teeth, keeping my anger at bay.

  “I’m busy,” she grumbled. “Figure it out.”

  And she was gone.

  Raz used his powers of persuasion to get us inside, along with all-access passes so nobody would bother us.

  We all split up to search for Phoebe.

  While roaming the halls, Julian called.

  “Just got jumped by three demons, boss. We got this covered, find Chayah and Phoebe. Raz is heading your way.”

  “Are you sure you don’t need me?”

  “So far, so good. Remie will feel better if you have his girl.”

  “Got it.”

  I ran down a long corridor, shoving my way through stagehands and other people.

  This was a terrible idea on Zoe’s part.

  As I searched for her, I tried speaking to her, but she refused to respond, clearly shutting me out.

  “Everything okay, Julian?”

  I waited for a moment, but got no response from him either then became concerned.

  “Julian. Remie. Talk to me. How are you holding up?”

  “We’re managing. You got Phoebe yet?”

  “Not yet, I’m still looking. Keep me informed, Julian.”

  “Got it, boss.”

  The building was full of people, not a safe place to keep watch on anyone, and with a demon and Fallen battle taking place in the middle of a public arena, I was more concerned than ever.

  I roamed up and down the hallways, searching for any signs of Zoe or Phoebe when a familiar voice echoed from the stage.

  Zoe.

  She’d already begun her performance.

  I turned the other direction and headed toward the sound of her voice.

  At the side of the stage, Phoebe stood beside the curtain, watching Zoe in her final public performance.

  “Phoebe.” I exhaled a relieved breath. “Are you all right?” I held her arm.

  “Yeah.” She nodded. “What are you doing here? Is Remie with you?”

  “Yes, but there’s been a demon breach, so stay close.”

  She swallowed nervously. “Okay.”

  I glanced out onto the stage at Zoe.

  Just past her, stood Dr. Lucci, along with Sam Gaits from the record company.

  I kept close eye on them both.

  Dr. Lucci did, in fact, have a dusky aura. It was dark and shadowed. Not necessarily demon, but not a pure human soul. Certainly had some darkness to it. I’d not seen one shaded in such a way, and I had a difficult time placing its origin. Perhaps Zoe could explain more when she finished performing.

  I watched Zoe sing and play for the crowd. She was vibrant and beautiful. Yet dejected, by the tone of her song choice.

  Her words conveyed her mood perfectly—she felt lost, like the rest of us.

  The Eternal war was coming.

  I understood the moment Zoe retrieved her memories. Though I couldn’t breach Chayah’s mind, her heart was impossible to hide.

  As she sang for the crowd, her aura lit up the room. She didn’t need a spotlight, but one had certainly risen there.

  I glanced beside me, recognizing Phoebe’s ring was in full form, the invisible shield had risen around her. “Phoebe, are you sure you’re all right?”

  “Yeah, why?”

  “Your shield is up.”

  “It is?” She glanced around her. “I don’t see anything.”

  I looked to Lucci and Sam, but they’d disappeared.

  “Stay here, I’ll be right back.”

  I roamed the building, but couldn’t find them, so I returned to watch Zoe finish her performance. The tempo increased, and she began her second song.

  She glanced over at me. “I’m sorry,” she whispered into my thoughts then returned to finish her song.

  As the applause took over the arena, Zoe bowed and thanked the crowd, then moved off stage toward Phoebe and me.

  She was glowing and beautiful—and in a load of trouble.

  “I know what you’re going to say, and I’m sorry.” She pressed her palms to me.