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have noticed it. And they say the soulmate principle is back.”
    The soulmate principle. The idea that for every person there was one destined soulmate, one true love, and that the two souls were bound for eternity. Jez lifted her shoulders and dropped them without meeting Hugh’s eyes. “Yeah, I heard. Don’t believe it, though.”
    “I’ve seen it,” Hugh said, and for a moment Jez’s heart stopped. Then it started again as he continued, “In other people, I mean. I’ve seen people our age who found their soulmate, and it’s really true; you can see it in their eyes. TheOld Powers really are rising, Jez…for good and for evil. That’s what’s behind all these other changes.”
    Jez sat very still. “And so what happens if they keep rising?”
    “What happens is…” Hugh paused and then looked at her. “It means a time of darkness is coming,” he said simply.
    “A time—?”
    “Of serious darkness. The worst. We’re talking the end of the world, here.”
    Jez could feel gooseflesh on the back of her neck, where her wet hair touched her skin. She might have been tempted to laugh if it were anybody else telling her this. But it was Hugh, and he wasn’t joking. She had no desire to laugh.
    “But then it’s all over,” she said. “There’s nothing we can do. How can anybody stop the end of the world?”
    “Well.” He ran a quick hand through his hair, pushing it off his forehead. “That’s why I’m here. Because I’m hoping you can.”

CHAPTER 6
    “M e?”
    Hugh nodded.
    “ I’m supposed to stop the end of the world? How? ”
    “First, I ought to tell you that it’s not just me that believes all this about the millennium. It’s not even Circle Daybreak that believes it. It’s the Night World Council, Jez.”
    “The joint Council? Witches and vampires?”
    Hugh nodded again. “They had a big meeting about it this summer. And they dug up some old prophecies about what’s going to happen this time.”
    “Like?”
    Hugh looked slightly self-conscious. “Here’s one. It used to rhyme in the original, I think, but this is the translation.” He took a breath and quoted slowly:
    “In blue fire, the final darkness is banished.
    In blood, the final price is paid.”
    Great, Jez thought. Whose blood? But Hugh was going on.
    “Four to stand between the light and the shadow,
    Four of blue fire, power in their blood.
    Born in the year of the blind Maiden’s vision;
    Four less one and darkness triumphs.”
    Jez blinked slowly. “What’s blue fire?”
    “Nobody knows.”
    “‘Four to stand between the light and the shadow…’ Meaning to hold off the end of the world?”
    “That’s what the Council thinks. They think it means that four people have been born, four Wild Powers who’re going to be instrumental in whatever’s coming, whatever battle or disaster that’s going to destroy us. Those four can stop the end of the world—but only if all of them fight together.”
    “‘Four less one and darkness triumphs,’” Jez said.
    “Right. And that’s where you come in.”
    “Sorry, I don’t think I’m one of them.”
    Hugh smiled. “That’s not what I meant. The fact is, somebody around here has already reported finding a Wild Power. Circle Daybreak intercepted a message from him to the Councilsaying that he’ll hand the Wild Power over to them if they make it worth his while. Otherwise he’ll just sit tight until they’re desperate enough to agree to his terms.”
    Jez had a sinking feeling. She said one word. “Who?”
    Hugh’s expression was knowing and regretful. It’s one of your old gang, Jez. Morgead Blackthorn.”
    Jez shut her eyes.
    Yeah, that sounded like Morgead, trying to shake down the Night World Council. Only he was crazy and nervy enough to do that. He was stubborn, too—perfectly capable of letting disaster come if he didn’t get his way. But of all the people in the world, why did it have to be him? And how had he found a Wild Power, anyway?
    Hugh