Evidently Varun wasn't the only jealous Cutter.
“We need to talk,” Chance said. “Can we go
someplace private? It's urgent.”
“I've got class,” I said. “I can't afford to miss it – not
if I want to make it into college. I've been doing terribly the
last couple of days – I'm so distracted...”
“Leave it to me.” Chance led me to Dr. Newton's
office, where he silently handed a note to the principal.
She read it and nodded. “Are you sure?”
“I'm sure,” Chance said, and the principal nodded.
“Take as much time as you need,” she said.
And with that, Chance led me out of school and
towards the grounds of the hotel.
193
KAILIN GOW
“What was that all about?” I asked.
“Technically, the note said that you've contracted
Aeropagite disease, a highly infectious illness to which I,
luckily, am immune, and that you need to be quarantined.
But, of course, Dr. Newton knows as well as you or I do what
that means?”
“Meaning?”
“Olympian business.”
“Everyone knows...” I sighed. “I can't believe this.
It's like I'm going to Hogwarts or something.”
“Not quite,” said Chance. “That, Evers, was fiction.
This is fact.” We were by now in a secluded glade along the
beach. Chance turned to me, his eyes full of longing. “I've
been gone on business of my own,” he said. “But now I'm
back.” He smiled at me. “And so incredibly happy...I saw the
truthssayer...”
“And?”
“And she senses a great change coming to Aeros. A
presence that will change everything. I can only assume she
was speaking of you. Of Vesta – of my Queen.” He took my
hands, pressing them to his lips. “Of the one for whom I have
194
Princes of Paradise (M.A.G.E. #1 )
been searching for centuries.”
“Chance...” I faltered. I wanted to tell him about
Varun, to pull away, to put a stop to my temptation before it
started. But I found that I had no words. My desire for him
was beyond speech. Before I could regain control of my
senses, Chance had taken hold of me, whisking me through
the air once again with dizzying speed.
We came to rest on a secluded cliff, in the shadow of
what appeared to be the ruins of an ancient Greek temple.
“Sorry about the nausea,” Chance said, as I tried to
regain my balance. “You'll get used to it.” He motioned to
the Temple. “But you see, I had to show you this...”
“What is it?” I looked up at the ruins.
“It's a temple,” he said. “Built by the Veteri. In honor
of the goddess Vesta. Your resting-place. Your home. You
were there when this place was built...” He took my hands
again. “I want you to try to remember, Mac, please. Do you
remember this building?”
“I've seen it in my textbook...”
“Not a drawing,” Chance cried, “in reality! If you are
Vesta – deep down you must remember this place. You must
195
KAILIN GOW
feel a connection to it. Your dwelling-place among mortals,
my darling. Your home!” He pulled me into his arms and
kissed me again, his rough touch as thrilling as it was
terrifying.
I forced myself to pull back. “Chance, I can't...” I
started. “I've started dating Varun…”
“What does it matter whom you're dating?” Chance
snapped. “This is greater than any teenage romance – this is
greater than petty attachments! This is your identity –
powerful, elemental! This is your history, Mac, and mine...”
He took a deep breath before he finished. “This is true love.”
“But I've never been here!” I pleaded. “Chance, this
is insane, I've never seen this...”
And then it hit me, all at once, like a ball of fire.
Boiling heat, searing flame, a pain in my head that made me
stagger back into Chance's arm.
A vision, laid out across my field of view like a
curtain. The temple began to shimmer; its fallen columns one
by one seemed to rise up; the collapsed roof was new again.
The temple was gleaming white, newly-painted, surrounded
by fresh flowers.
196
Princes of Paradise (M.A.G.E. #1 )
I turned to Chance with amazement. But where
Chance was standing I saw not a man but a god – twice the
height, clad in scarlet armor, flames shooting from his
fingertips and lapping at his torso. A face I recognized in the
very depths of my soul. I felt a sudden rush of love, of desire,
of need – stronger than anything I had ever known.
“My twin,” I heard myself saying. “My king, my
love. My Mars.” I felt myself run to Chance, enveloping him
in my arms, pulling him in for a kiss.
And then the vision was over, and although Chance's
body was still twined with mine, the flames had vanished.
The temple was in ruins again.
“What did you see, Mac?” Chance took hold of my
wrists, his face frenzied. “You saw something, didn't you?
Tell me what you saw!”
I was breathless with shock. “I saw the temple,” I
said at last. “As it was when it was new. It was so
beautiful...flowers everywhere. So white...” I looked up at
him. “And I saw you – surrounded by flames...” I tried to
make sense of it all. “I recognized you. I mean – I knew you
as Chance,
