Isla

  How do people keep getting past my very locked-down security?

  I’d set up layers—physical, digital, magic. And yet, here they were. Again. Was there a flaw I had missed? A workaround? A cold pit of frustration settled in my stomach, but before I could analyze it further, I noticed Finn.

  His expression tightened, his eyes narrowing like he was looking at something just out of reach. His breathing changed—slow, shallow.

  I knew that look.

  “Don’t open it,” he said abruptly.

  The snakes stirred, their unease curling through me. “Who is it?”

  Finn didn’t answer right away. His gaze stayed locked on nothing, his body rigid.

  I swallowed, my pulse ticking faster. “Finn.” My voice sharpened. “You’re having one of your visions, aren’t you?”

  His jaw clenched, and when his focus snapped back, the weight in his eyes made my stomach twist.

  “Poseidon’s guys,” he said grimly, already moving toward the window.

  I stood frozen for a second, the words sinking into my skin like ice water.

  “What?”

  “Come on,” Finn urged, already lifting the window open. “We don’t have time for questions. Out the fire escape, now.”

  Another knock. Louder. I hesitated, glancing back at the door. I should’ve seen this coming. Not with my eyes, not the way Finn did—but I should have felt it. Should have sensed the ripple of Poseidon’s people getting too close, the warning prickle of danger through the connection that had been forced onto me since I was cursed.

  If I had trained, if I had spent years honing my abilities instead of suppressing them, maybe I would have had an answer. Maybe I wouldn’t need Finn to pull me away from danger at the last possible second.

  Finn was already on the fire escape, holding out a hand. “Isla.”

  His voice was sharp, urgent.

  I grabbed my jacket, tucked my snakes beneath the hood, and followed him into the biting morning air.

  The metal groaned under our weight as we climbed down, my steps careful but quick.

  By the time we reached the alley, my chest was tight with adrenaline, my hands gripping the railing like a lifeline. Finn was already scanning the street, his jaw clenched.

  We moved quickly through the alleys, slipping between shadows, weaving deeper into the city.

  If I’d been stronger, I could’ve stopped this before it started. That thought churned in my gut, dark and sharp. I had gifts. Abilities tied to my blood, my curse, my magic. I could feel intentions like they were tangible things, sometimes see past the surface of a person if I focused hard enough. There was snake sight—something I didn’t understand, instincts I refused to listen to. And then there was my connection with water. I shivered at the thought. Pushing it away like I always did.

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  I had spent my entire life avoiding it. Avoiding the truth of what I was. Because power made you a target. Power made you dangerous. And I had already been labeled dangerous enough.

  Finn’s hand was firm on my arm, steering me with a certainty that only deepened my frustration.

  I wasn’t helpless. I wasn’t supposed to be helpless. The knock. His reaction. The way his entire body had gone still, his gaze fixed on something that wasn’t there—I knew now.

  “You were having one of your visions, weren’t you?” I asked again, breaking the silence.

  Finn glanced at me, his brow furrowing slightly. “Yeah,” he admitted, his voice low.

  I huffed, pulling my hood tighter. “I figured. You looked like someone hit the pause button on your brain. It wasn’t exactly subtle.”

  A faint, humorless smile flickered across his lips. “I’m sure it wasn’t.”

  “So, what did you see?” I asked, my voice sharp despite the fear crawling up my spine.

  He hesitated, his fingers flexing against my wrist before he let go. “I saw what would happen if we opened that door.”

  “And?”

  His pace quickened, his grip on my arm tightening just enough to make me realize he wasn’t planning to sugarcoat it.

  “They would’ve taken you. Dragged you out before I could do anything.” His voice was calm, but something sharp flickered beneath it.

  I exhaled slowly, my chest tight. “They always do find me eventually.”

  “They’ve been getting closer for weeks,” Finn admitted, scanning the empty street ahead. “This morning was the closest they’ve ever been.”

  I forced my mind to stay on the facts. “You saw all of that in a vision? Just…like that?”

  Finn gave a small shrug. “That’s how it works. They come on fast, and it’s not something I control. I just see what could happen if things play out a certain way.”

  I frowned, my boots scuffing against the pavement. “So, you’re basically a magical alarm system? Great.”

  He smirked faintly. “Something like that. But it’s not always warnings or danger. Sometimes it’s mundane things—small moments.”

  I glanced at him, my brow furrowing. “Like what?”

  “Like you laughing over something stupid. Or arguing with Noodle about whether or not a banana is a snack,” he said casually, like he wasn’t talking about my life.

  “You’ve seen me before we even met?”

  Finn turned to face me, his expression softening. “Obviously. That’s how this works. I’ve been seeing pieces of your life for…” He hesitated. “A while.”

  I stood still, my grip tightening on my jacket. How much had he seen?

  Me running. Hiding. Alone. Had he seen me at my weakest? My throat went dry. I crossed my arms, forcing my voice steady. “And you didn’t think that was worth mentioning?”

  Finn exhaled. “I wasn’t exactly sure how to bring it up.”

  I scoffed, trying to drown the unease curling in my chest. “Yeah, well, ‘Hey Isla, I’ve been seeing your life play out like a movie reel’ would’ve been a great place to start.”

  At my look, he spoke again, his tone firm. “It’s not like a movie reel and I didn’t choose to see these things. It’s just part of what I am. And if it helps me protect you, then I’m not going to apologize for it.”

  His sincerity threw me off, leaving me with more questions than I knew what to do with.

  “So, these visions…they’re always right?”

  “Not always,” he admitted. “But they’re usually pretty damn close. And when it’s something dangerous, like this morning, I don’t take chances.”

  I swallowed hard, the weight of his words pressing down on me. He’d seen me. For years, he’d seen me.

  I turned away, staring down the street ahead. How many times had I been running while he watched? How many times had I barely escaped, my life unfolding in pieces he couldn’t touch?

  “You’re sure we’re going somewhere safe?”

  “Yes,” he said without hesitation.

  “How can you be so sure?”

  “Because I’ve seen us get there,” he said simply, his gaze steady.

  The snakes stirred uneasily beneath my hood, their movements mirroring the tension coiled tight in my chest.

  “Fine,” I muttered, falling back into step beside him. “But if your visions get me killed, I’m haunting you.”

  His faint smirk returned. “Fair enough.”

  We turned another corner, and the narrow row house came into view, its peeling paint and drawn shutters doing little to inspire confidence.

  “This is it?” I asked, gesturing toward the house.

  “It’s warded,” Finn said, clearly anticipating my skepticism.

  I eyed the building, then him. “This looks like the kind of place where people disappear.”

  “Only the ones who deserve it,” he said with a shrug, moving up the steps to knock on the door.

  I exhaled, steadying myself. I should’ve been able to handle this. But as Finn’s fist rapped against the door, all I could do was brace for whatever was next.