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The others had stopped and were looking at her in worry She waved them away, but Melanie and Jules took up spots on either side of her Paden hesitated for just a round her teeth at his expression and angrily wiped the sleep out of her eyes She wasn’t doing much to prove the fact that she wasn’t a kid anye of the woods, they all slowed They could see the lights fro When it finally came into view, Bryce whistled under his breath "Jules, I didn’t think anyone else had as "

Ree had to agree The house was large and impressive It had an almost Spanish theme, with a tiled roof, and a all color The entrance was a large, arched double door It was surrounded by a low stone wall that the lanterns led straight past As she looked at the house, she was once again assailed by a large yawn She shook her head and tried to focus

"Ree? Are you alright?" Melanie touched her arm She shook it off, frustrated She didn’t want anyone to point out her apparent weakness She mumbled a reply and took a few steps forward before it became nearly impossible to keep her eyes open She just needed to sit down for a moment Maybe there would be somewhere to sit on the other side of the wall She stu Soy to decipher as actually said, much less to respond She was alan to spin Her body becaain before sighing as her legs caved under her weight She had just asensation in her stomach and the lack of pain froly in her ear Then everything went dark

"When will she wake up?" Paden’s voice sounded like it was co from far away

"She should coic takes a lot out of the Alastriana the first few ti accent came quietly froic "Yes, yes, Weylin, I know it seeer, and I will explainsoft along her shoulders Ree tried to respond, to say so, but she slipped even deeper when the older woman placed her hand on her head

When she becaain, she realized she er this time Her body did not feel near as heavy or unresponsive She took a quiet breath as she climbed back out of the deep sleep that had clai near her, but she wasn’t sure who it was until they spoke

"It’s been alers brushed so it behind her ear His voice was quiet but laced orry

"Paden, you’re going to need to learn a lot more patience as an Ining up for any of that" His voice was still quiet, but Ree had the i at her when he spoke "Are you sure I’s are a little clearer, sharper, but that could just be the adrenaline"

"Paden, trust nited that spark in you It called out to your genes-- the genes of Brigid, goddess of the Celts, and Poseidon, god of the sea It was the turning point of your lifeline Because you have already reached your oes for Juliette In her veins runs the blood of strong Japanese gods When Ree tried to use her , she also touched Jules She, too, will not age Neither will the others once she ignites that change in the Paden and the others were iht? And the way Paden and Sophie sounded, it seemed she was still different from them Was she immortal as well?

As if in response to Ree’s internal question, Sophie sighed "She needs you to be iainst will be far too strong for a ic levels the playing field some, but in one moment, one accident, the Dark Ones could shatter her End her life with a single blow She needs a Guardian In Ree’s case, she was sent five"

Ree lay there for atold She wasn’t like the others She was less, and yet so to? She needed answers, so she fought her tired body and opened her eyes She was in a large roo another Sophie was sitting in a chair near the fire, her long dark hair slung over her shoulder in an intricate braid A book sat open on her lap Paden was sitting next to Ree, his back turned so she couldn’t see his face For a moment she wished she could see into his eyes, and then she shoved that thought away This news about the difference of their lifespans was tooquestions

"Why do I have this special talent? Is it a gift or a curse?" All things considered, Ree was pretty calm

Paden turned around and touched her head "You’re awake How are you feeling? Are you still tired?"

She ignored his questions and tried to not notice the pain in his eyes, the darkness that shadowed his words Instead, she watched as Sophie stood up and went to pour her a glass of water When she handed it to Ree she touched her head and nodded to herself, apparently pleased hat she sensed

Ree drank soot up froift and a curse It will enable to you to do wondrous things; saveyou reat deest her words

Not sure what to say or how to react, Ree just nodded her head The ability to help other people, but at a cost to herself She supposed she could handle that She caught herself before she snorted She wasn’t that self-sacrificing It sounded like she was going to suffer for this so-called gift Well, at least someone would profit fros underneath her "Why give me this power? What am I supposed to do with it?"

"You are the descendant of a very old, very special fao to carry the full potential of the huifts that reside in all of you, all of huifts Many have a little sohtened sense of intuition, the ability to oes on," Sophie said

Ree didn’t say anything She htly off froreat aunts and uncles had hidden during the witch hunts That even today her aunt owned an eclectic spiritual store that catered to Wiccans and other spiritual paths That aunt also had dreas like disasters or the birth of a new family member

"But why? Why e chosen? Why carry these extra abilities?" She sipped her water, trying to be calm and nonchalant

"That’s a story ould all like to hear," Paden added He turned and looked at Ree then His stance was angry, his shoulders were hunched in frustration It surprised Ree to see hiressive as he spoke to Sophie He was nor with a difficult situation