Fate's Surrender (Eternal Sorrows Book 3) by Sarra Cannon (android based ebook reader txt) 📕

They might not get many opportunities beyond tonight to have a conversation like this and make their plan, so he wanted to make sure everything was perfect.

Relax. It’s going to be okay.

He could tell that Zoe heard him in her head. She nodded and stopped her fidgeting, finally calming down enough for them to reach out to the others.

He held both hands out to her and she carefully placed her small hands in his.

Together, they both took deep breaths and closed their eyes.

With his mind and power, he reached out to the guardians. To Parrish specifically, at first, because he could feel that she held the stone. But then, to all of them as a connection was created, like threads being woven together.

And then, with a jolt, he was transported. His body was still sitting in the small New York apartment, but his spirit or essence was there with them in a house on the beach in Jersey, not far away.

“Hello, old friends,” he said, smiling. Coming into their presence again was like coming home after a long absence. It was like finding peace for the first time after centuries of war.

Like finding his voice for the first time in several lifetimes, its magic having been drained away from resetting the spell over and over again.

And then, as he studied the faces of his dear friends—the first ones he had ever come to love like family—he suddenly remembered his name.

Somehow, he’d forgotten it when all of this started, but now, it was here. It was a part of him.

“I am so glad to see you all again,” he said, his voice more like an ancient wise man than a ten-year-old boy. “You’ve been searching for me for a long time. The fifth. The boy. But my real name is David.”

Twenty-Three

Parrish

The boy—David—sat in the center of the circle. He was both there and not there. His image was transparent, but their connection to him was the best it had been yet.

Parrish had only gotten a glimpse of him the first time they had connected to his energy. He had been there with them only for a second.

When she’d connected with him and Zoe yesterday, she’d only heard their voices in her head.

Tonight, though, she could see him as if he were sitting there with them now.

The boy had black skin and short, black hair. His eyes were brown and bright, and in them, she could see both strength and wisdom far beyond his years.

He smiled at them like he knew them.

She had a feeling he saw them as they had once been, rather than as they were now.

When she studied him, she could also see a little bit of the man who had been on the island with her in her dreams. He’d been much older then, with thick dreadlocks falling over his shoulders and creases near the corners of his eyes, but it was him.

“David,” she said, his name sounding right on her lips. “Is Zoe with you?”

He nodded. “She’s holding my hands right now,” he said. “She’s the only reason I could connect with you like this. She told me about your bone marrow transplant. I think she has some of your magic inside her.”

“That’s how you found her, isn’t it? Did you know there was a witch who was coming for her? To take her to the Dark One?” she asked.

She had no idea how much he could see or what he remembered about all of them. He’d been alone this whole time, and yet he’d known who they were.

David shook his head, the first sign of fear showing in his expression. It was the first time he’d looked like a child since he’d appeared to them.

“It’s hard to explain, but some part of me knew I had limited time. Who is she? Is she human? Or one of the Dark One’s zombies?”

“Her name is Lily,” Parrish said. “And she’s human, but she’s not from this world.”

She explained to him how they’d found the witch inside the closet, at first believing it was him.

The story seemed to put something into place for him, and he nodded, as if understanding something he’d questioned for a long time.

“I knew the Dark One was looking for her and that she was alone, but I didn’t realize it was your sister,” he said, smiling. “I thought it was you. I could feel your magic inside of her.”

“Thank you so much for getting her out of there,” Parrish said, choking a little on her words and trying not to cry.

She wanted to ask if Zoe could appear to her the way he was, but she didn’t know for sure how much time they might have together. Would the connection hold for as long as they wanted? Or would their ability to connect fade over time? Or drain their power?

She wasn’t sure how it worked, and she wanted to make sure they used the time wisely.

“Please, tell my sister I love her,” she said.

He smiled again.

David had the kind of smile that could light up the whole room. There was something so beautiful and calm about him. So strong and grounded.

“She can hear you,” he said.

“I love you, too,” Zoe said softly. “I miss you.”

Even though Parrish couldn’t actually see her right now, just the sound of her voice again brought tears to her eyes. Noah squeezed her hand.

“David, can you tell us where you are in the city?” Crash asked. “We made our way to the coast in New Jersey, and we’re planning to take a boat into Manhattan tomorrow. We want to get both of you out of the city, but we’re going to need your help.”

David shook his head. “We’re not in Manhattan,” he said. “We’re in the Bronx. Concourse Village. Do you know where that is?”

David gave them the exact address of his building, but Parrish wasn’t sure where that was at all.

“I know where the Bronx is,” Crash said, running a