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laws of the Commission.”
    â€œFrom what I’ve heard the Queen of Bitches thought she should be ruling the world. I can’t imagine she was happy to be reminded she had to obey the laws.”
    â€œIt’s true our little visits tended to sour her mood.” The woman heaved a small sigh. “A pity she did not heed my warnings.”
    Jaelyn glanced toward the crumbling walls. There had been endless rumors concerning Morgana’s last battle, but no one seemed willing to reveal what had actually happened to the woman.
    â€œIs she dead?”
    â€œWorse.”
    â€œWhat—” Jaelyn abruptly bit off her question. “No, I don’t want to know.”
    â€œA wise choice.” The Oracle’s black, unblinking gaze held a hint of warning. “I have discovered that curiosity does indeed kill the cat.”
    Yow. Jaelyn squashed her lingering questions, fiercely reminding herself that for once she wasn’t the baddest, scariest thing in the room.
    Not the happiest thought when she had to accept there was only one reason that an Oracle would seek her out.
    She cleared her throat, forcing herself to stand with her spine straight and her shoulders squared.
    â€œAriyal mentioned that time passes differently here.”
    â€œIt does.”
    â€œWhat’s the date?”
    Siljar immediately understood her question.
    â€œThree weeks have passed since you entered the mists.”
    â€œDamn.” She’d missed her deadline. It didn’t matter that she’d been jerked onto an island wrapped in mystical mists that altered time. Or that there was a looming apocalypse. She’d been given three months by the Addonexus to track down Ariyal. And the head honchos of vampire hunters didn’t accept excuses. “I have failed to fulfill our contract.”
    â€œThe Sylvermyst is proving to be surprisingly resourceful,” Siljar agreed.
    Resourceful?
    â€œHe’s a pain in the ass,” she muttered.
    â€œA male is allowed to be a pain in the ass when he is so wondrously gorgeous,” Siljar murmured, shocking Jaelyn. “It’s a pity I’m not a few millennia younger.”
    Jaelyn wisely kept her thoughts to herself. She had all the troubles she needed, thank you very much.
    â€œDo you want me to return to the Addonexus?”
    Siljar paused, as if puzzled by the question. “Why would I want such a thing?”
    â€œThe Ruah will send another Hunter to complete the contract,” she explained, referring to the traditional leader of the council.
    â€œSo you can be executed?”
    Jaelyn shrugged. “My fate is irrelevant.”
    â€œI must disagree.” Pressing her palms together, Siljar stepped forward, her unrelenting stare starting to make Jaelyn twitch with unease. “Your fate has become of utmost importance. As has Ariyal’s.”
    Jaelyn knew she should be grateful that Siljar wasn’t in a hurry to have her executed. No matter what her training, she wasn’t anxious to take one for the team. But her spidey senses were tingling, warning her that she wasn’t going to like where this conversation was going.
    â€œI don’t understand.”
    â€œNeither do I,” the Oracle bluntly admitted. “The threads are shifting.”
    Jaelyn wasn’t sure what bothered her the most.
    The fact that the Oracle was baffled, or that she seemed to be implying that Jaelyn was a part of her confusion.
    â€œThreads?”
    Siljar gave a wave of her hand. “I am not a true seer, but I am capable of occasional visions, and more importantly I can detect those individuals who are to be woven into destiny to fulfill those visions.”
    Jaelyn took a hasty step backward. “You can’t mean ...”
    â€œYou, Jaelyn.” She paused. Dramatic effect, anyone? “And Ariyal.”
    Shit, shit, shit.
    â€œThat’s impossible.”
    â€œAh, the cold logic of a vampire.” Siljar