The Blood Legacy (The Lost Heir Book III)

A Special Guest

The sound of clicking filled Isabella's ears as she entered the gymnasium at the base of the hotel. It had been seven months since Jack disappeared, and in those months Colin's training of Isabella and her cohort had become a regularity in the wide windowless oblong room set up with a training mat at its center. He gave each of the young empath the option of working alone or with a partner. At first, Isabella practiced with Seth, but she'd asked to begin private lessons two month ago. Seth acted as if he understood and didn't make a fuss, but she knew he'd been hurt by it or at least, whatever pull he had to protect her as his diadem made him feel hurt by it. She couldn't stand the thought of him wanting to protect her because of some destined thing. She tried to ignore her doubts, but that was the thing about doubts. The more you tried to forget them, the more they grew and festered and took over your mind.

The sound of feet shuffling across the mats screeched as she walked down the hallway that led to the gym. Colin was early. She'd asked him to switch her workout time to the morning so she wouldn't have to see Seth. Her eyes grew wide when she saw who was on the mats. What was he doing there? She wanted to turn and leave but she couldn't.

Her eyes pinned to Seth's muscular form as he flipped and kicked through several graceful capoeira moves he'd brought to the table with the shadow boxing techniques Colin taught. Both Seth and Isabella preferred the graceful dance of capoeira for the most part, so about a month ago, Isabella had suggested they train with her old teacher. Colin had shot that idea down, stating that their training had to be precise, secret, and incorporate their powers. Isabella and Seth conspired to meet with her old coach together a couple of times, but then, after a very long makeout session in the back of the taxi that was taking them home from their lesson, Isabella voiced the thoughts that had been plaguing her since she'd read about guardians and their diadems in Joseph Gaut's book.

"Is this really a thing or are you just into me because of something neither of us can control?" she'd blurted out to Seth that day. The look on his face mirrored the quick sting she felt from him before he'd thrown up the wall he was so good at using to block her from feeling his emotions. They may have been connected, but Seth had control of himself naturally in a way that was nearly polar to her. She was still trying to bind herself together, but it was hard.

"What do you mean by that?" he'd asked.

"I just think, you know like you said on my birthday, before our first kiss," she looked away and blushed. "We're drawn together for different reasons than a normal couple."

Seth laughed. "Is that what we are now?"

"What?" She frowned and looked at him again. Why had he laughed?

"A couple?" he looked at her, eyes hard.

She felt incredibly stupid after he'd spoken those words. "I never said that," she said, moving away from him, eyes pinned to the buildings flashing beside her as they entered the boundaries of Culver City. Five minutes later, they'd be in Culver Hills, winding up the road to the Foxworthy.

"I think that book is off. I just don't think this has to do with any of that."

"That's not what you said before."

"I was wrong," he said softly.

She let a minute or so pass without responding. Her mind twisting and jumbling, not sure of what to think at all. "How do you know that?"

"I just do," he said.

They arrived back at the hotel. He knew, but she didn't. She had to focus on whomever she was supposed to be—this diadem child. Being with Seth confused the rules.