The lights continued to burn out throughout the entire city. Fear was rising as their connection to the sparkling place was fading. Youth was taken to those promised it, and deals were breaking as the heart that kept them alive and connected was dying.

Merida giggled as she passed by shops and businesses, listening to the cries of people losing the things they loved most. She passed a boutique shop where she stopped and took in the outfit in the window. She looked down at the jeans and t-shirt she wore and felt this other outfit would demand the respect she wanted from the faction council. Merida snapped her fingers, and instantly, the clothes on the mannequin were now on her. Merida smiled as she looked down at the tight-fitting clothes. This was a better choice when she went to visit the faction council.

“I don’t understand why you felt the need to change my clothes,” Amanda said inside her head as Merida started strutting down the street.

“Oh, my naive little hybrid. When we meet with the faction council, we need to make a statement, and your clothes will not cut it. Besides, these clothes feel so tight and amazing against our skin,” she purred as she ran her hand down the dark leather that coated her.

Amanda rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms.

“Why are we going to meet with the faction council? Weren’t they the ones that banned you?” Amanda asked in annoyance.

Merida waved her hand around like it was nothing. “They did, but someone else orchestrated the whole thing, and I’ve been waiting patiently for the perfect moment to present itself to get me back here. The amount of untapped power that you hold inside of you will help me get the revenge I need.”

“You don’t have to do this,” Amanda told her.

Merida sighed.

“You don’t understand if I don’t do this, he’ll come after me and try to bring me back. I need to end this once and for all.”

“So, who’s coming after you?”

Merida reached an intersection and didn’t know which way to continue. “Can we talk about this later? I need to focus.”

Amanda stretched and placed her hands behind her head casually. “You’re in control; I’ve got nothing but time right now.”

Merida huffed. She turned her head, looking both ways before proceeding in the direction she was already heading.

“My boyfriend.”

***

Emil was able to escape with little to no harm done to himself. He went to his car, where Hemsworth was waiting for him. “To the penthouse, Hemsworth,” Emil ordered.

“Very well, sir,” Hemsworth answered.

Emil looked out the window as he contemplated his next move. He wanted to wrap his hands around that devious little witch's throat. Rita had betrayed him and taken the pages that he needed from the book. Emil knew he should have killed her when he had the chance. Now, that vixen was out there, reaping havoc and causing fear and worry in the community. He needed to think of a plan to catch her.

Emil pulled out his phone and attempted to call Reese.

The phones had been acting up since the earthquake. Emil pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. This was going to be a long night.

“Sir?” Hemsworth called out.

With his eyes still closed, trying to reign in his anger and frustration from the night, Emil answered, “What is it?”

“I think you need to have a look for yourself, sir.”

Emil shook his head as he pulled his hand away and looked out his side window. Emil’s brows furrowed as he saw nothing but darkness. No glittering lights, no shiny little stars that sparkled, nothing; it was all black.

His phone rang, and he answered it.

“Reese, I’m glad you called. We need everyone to be out looking for Rita; she is the cause of all the troubles happening around town. We need to find her and stop all these shenanigans,” Emil ordered.

“Your Highness, I believe we have bigger problems than Rita at the moment,” Reese admitted.

“Oh, what do you define as a bigger problem than the city going pitch black?”

“Pemberly called; Merga has returned to Silver City,” Reese replied.

A devilish grin swept over Emil’s lips, and his brow lifted, “Well, this should be exciting. Meet me at the Town Hall,” he ordered before ending the call. “Hemsworth, change of plans. Take me to the Town Hall; there’s some unfinished business that needs to be handled.”

***

Vita was gathering her clothes and putting them in her suitcase when the lights went out, and everything outside went dark. She pulled out her phone, turned the flashlight on, and moved slowly out of the bedroom. “Deak?”

“In living room,” he called out.

Vita walked toward Deak’s voice and found him searching for something. “What are you looking for?”

“A lighter, something; there are candles around room.”

Vita whispered a spell, then snapped her fingers, bringing the room to light.

Deak smirked as he shook his head. “This must be tied with earthquake from earlier, lot of oddities been happening lately.”

Vita froze when she heard the word oddity come from Deak. “What did you just say?”

“What? Oddity, weird things.”

“Omens,” Vita confirmed. She pulled out her phone and tried to call Amanda, but it went straight to voicemail. Vita started to panic. She paced around the room as she counted how many omens had surfaced.

“What omens?” Deak asked.

“The omens Merga threatened when she was sentenced to her imprisonment,” she answered. “Now, let’s see, Merida said there were five; first was rain; we had that acid rain. Second was death to the animals, and all the crows died in groups of twelve. Third was about the factions turning on each other.”

Deak interrupted. “Tonight, at the ball. Factions were turning on each other.”

Vita nodded. “Right.” Just like she had turned on him so quickly, she didn’t know if she would forgive herself.

“Fourth?”

“The fourth is city going dark.” Vita motioned toward the window. “Which means….” Her heart raced as the fifth omen crossed her mind.

“What’s fifth omen?”

Vita shook her head and shrugged, “I’m not sure; that was about when I was pulled out of there.” She didn’t want to say the words out loud.

Deak looked at his mate for a long moment; he could tell that she was keeping something from him, and he wanted to know. How bad could the fifth omen be?

Deak walked over to Vita and pulled her chin up to look at him. “What’s fifth omen?” he asked her in a firm tone.

Vita’s eyes watered as she gulped before she responded, “Anyone with a curse would be condemned until their death.”

Deak closed his eyes as his heart filled with panic. He opened his eyes, stared into his love's eyes, and said, “Then death it is.”