Seasons End

By Amber Jaeger

In the third book of the Hemlock Bay Series, things seem to have finally worked out for Bixby when secrets from the past surface to threaten her friends and family.

Headstrong as usual, she makes her own plans to save the day only to discover she’s put herself in a position that endangers everyone she loves.

Who is the mystery djinni tormenting the missing Gatekeepers— and how is she going to defeat him without David and Jordan on her side?

Explore a new paranormal world where djinn rule and usually get what they want.

This series is complete. Be sure to check out the Hemlock Bay short story, Hunting Season.

Amber Jaeger is also the author of The Cold King and The Fire King.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Amber Jaeger
• Release date: Aug 13, 2016
• ISBN: 9781370838868

Amber Jaeger

Amber Jaeger is the author of five novels, including the completed Hemlock Bay Series. When she's not working on the next King book, she can be found camping, cooking, or wherever the cat happens to be napping. The Dragon King is forthcoming in Fall 2016.

Book preview

Chapter One

The dying fire crackled in the night air as we stood near with red cheeks and glazed eyes. Jordan shifted next to me and pulled his arm tighter before softly clearing his throat. It’s getting late and there isn’t really anything for us to do here… his voice trailed off while he watched his uncle for a response.

David still sat on his knees in the bitter smoke, his eyes red and unblinking.

The burning house before him shifted and crashed, sending out a constellation of glowing embers towards us. Most of them burned out as they floated but a few landed on David’s bare forearms. He ignored the tiny burns.

It’s getting cold, Martha offered, her hands shoved deep into her cardigan. Minnie stood between her and Luka, shivering as well. She looked at me and I looked at Jordan. Jordan looked at his uncle and shrugged. I scowled and elbowed him before taking a few steps closer to the giant kneeling before the ruins of the house he had kept a secret for years.

David, I called softly. He blinked and sighed just a bit deeper but didn’t respond.

I tried again. They’re gone and we can’t do anything to help them from here.

Finally, he turned his eyes away from the dying flames. The low light reflected off his one clear, blue eye and one milky eye. I believe they are beyond any help, he said, his voice hoarse.

Maybe we could have helped them before, Luka said, his voice sharp and full of accusation.

Things will look better in the morning, Martha offered with a wavering voice. I opened my mouth but this time Jordan jabbed me in the ribs. I folded my arms but didn’t say anything.

Come one, Martha, Minnie was saying as she wrapped her own scarf around her neck. "We’ll get it all sorted out.

We’ll find them, I added.

Luka stormed from the clearing and crashed through frost brittle undergrowth. My brother slipped away from the tree he had been leaning against to follow him. Martha’s eyes glowed in the firelight as they followed his path and her brows pulled together with worry and fear. The ring on her left hand gleamed in the firelight and she was worrying her thumb over it, back and forth, back and forth.

She’ll be okay, Jordan said, his voice low.

There was an edge to his voice and it was sharp with jealousy. The curse had thrown Luka and me together for a short time and Jordan was still unhappy about it. I sighed quietly but he still heard.

Really, he insisted.

I glanced at him, wondering how well he could see in the dark and he met my gaze with a flat one of his own. Then he offered a smile, just a twitch at the corner of his perfect mouth. I couldn’t help but return it, despite how bleak things looked.

I had thought everything was over. I thought breaking the curse would be the end of it. I had thought the Gatekeepers, all of us, would be free. I thought Luka would be free from the evil his uncle had tied to him with his dying breath.

But I hadn’t broken the curse, I had merely escaped it thanks to Jordan, so it had just continued on, selecting Martha again. I had volunteered myself the first time, to spare her, and it had been for nothing. She was still tied to Luka and he was still bound by details of the curse. As for all the girls that had come before us, the ones we had all thought dead, were now missing.

And while missing was better than dead, we had no idea who had taken them or where, even if David thought he knew why. I tried not to think of the why but his crude explanation had burned an image into my mind and I shivered.

Jordan rubbed my shoulder, mistaking my abhorrence for a chill.

The children of Gatekeepers and djinni could rip the veil between our worlds wide open. Despite Martha’s horror at the idea, I couldn’t fathom which was worse, djinni having free roam or what was being done to the missing Gatekeepers. I shivered again and prayed David was wrong.

After another quiet moment, Minnie slipped her arm through Martha’s and they followed the path the boys had taken. I glanced back at David, who still sat staring into the fire, before I pulled Jordan along with me. Maybe he just needs a few minutes alone, I suggested. Jordan didn’t agree or disagree but let me pull him away.

Once away from the burning ruins, the starlight filtered down through the winter bare trees and cast shadows that swayed in the wind.

Are you alright? Jordan asked quietly as he slowed his steps to let the others get ahead of us.

I… fine, I guess, I finally settled on. Branches hung low with the weight of the snow and ice and I was careful not to disturb them as we made our way down the well concealed trail.

Jordan walked next to me, his hand occasionally brushing mine. At least the curse is broken, he said after a while.

My breath came out in gauzy puffs with each step. Fulfilled, I corrected him. Martha was the one after all.

He made a noncommittal hum and swatted snow off a dipping hemlock branch.

What? I asked.

He looked up through the trees and I followed his gaze to the moon. It looked especially cold and far away, a frosted crescent in the sky framed by black, skeletal trees. Do you regret it? he asked. His voice was carefully casual.

Regret… I dragged out, wishing to avoid the conversation.

His steps slowed and I slowed with them. Do you regret taking her place? He stopped me with a hand on my arm but I didn’t look at him until his hand slid down to envelope mine.

I had been terrified the night Emma had come to take Martha for the curse. But Martha, understanding the situation much better than I, had been even more scared. I thought I was doing the right thing.

How can that be? he asked. You knew hardly anything about your heritage or responsibility as a Gatekeeper and nothing, apparently, about the curse. Yet you just jumped right in anyway.

Yeah, I hedged, but she was scared. And I escaped from your bracelets once, I reminded him. I knew I could do it again.

Jordan shook his head, eyes wide with disbelief in the cold moonlight. Bixby, you should have never left your aunt’s farm, let alone offered yourself to the curse. You definitely weren’t the one it wanted and you would have known that had you learned anything from your aunts.

I opened my mouth angrily but had no argument. My cheeks started burning and my heart hammered uncomfortably in my chest as I thought furiously. Unfortunately, there was only a little for me to think about in that area.

I had learned that I was a Gatekeeper, a line of human women meant to defend our world from djinn, but not that an ancient enemy had ensnared our line in a curse after he was rejected by our original ancestor. Well, maybe I didn’t do much good, I stammered out, but I didn’t do any harm either.

No harm? he repeated, leaning away from me. What about your brother? This experience has changed him, and not for the better. And what about the girls the curse rejected?

I scoffed indignantly at that bit. I didn’t take them!

No, he agreed, but they were safely in a place where David could take care of them. Now we have no idea where they are.

How is that my fault? I asked, my tone sharpening. An owl hooted its displeasure.

It isn’t, he said, but he didn’t sound convinced. Another frigid gust burst through the bare branches and we both shivered again.

Come on, I said. We have to figure out what to do now.

I let him take my hand again even though I was annoyed. It wasn’t my fault the girls had been taken, there was no way it could have been. We didn’t even know who took them, I reminded myself.

The wind was picking up and howling through the branches. I shivered again and hurried over the uneven ground. My head was faintly thudding and I wondered if I’d be seeing a bed anytime soon.

I doubted it. Martha fulfilling the curse wasn’t anything we had predicted but it wasn’t as bad as what we had thought was certain death for the girls who didn’t. But they weren’t dead, they had been hidden in a house deep in the woods, one David had built and kept a secret.

I bristled with anger as I thought about his betrayal. He had let me believe I was going to die and would have never even told my brother I had survived. I would have been locked away and kept a secret like all the girls the curse had taken before me.

I shook my head, cursing David for not telling us sooner. But he had been afraid someone would take them and he had been right.

Wait a minute, I said, jerking to a stop.

He made it a few steps past me before turning around with a smile on his face. Yes?

If David was never able to get them out, how was someone else able to?

My question surprised him. He opened his mouth to answer then slowly closed it. I don’t know.

He grabbed my hand and led me free of the thinning trees. We hurried across the frosted yard to the warmly lit entryway and through the open doorway.

My brother was nowhere to be seen but Martha was building up the fire in the great room while Minnie grabbed blankets out of a giant wicker basket near the gathering of oversized chairs. I sank into one after pulling off my wet boots and sighed with relief.

I hadn’t been impressed with Luka’s castle on the night I had first seen it, but I had also just been dragged through the freezing rain thanks to a curse that bound me to him. I wondered if I would ever come here again.

A sleepy but curious looking servant followed Luka in, carrying a tray of tea. He set it down on a low table in front of us and I frowned. Shouldn’t you guys be free now or something? Some vague notion squirmed around in my mind but I couldn’t quite catch it.

Luka accepted a silver rimmed mug and took a sip before answering. They aren’t bound by the curse, my uncle wasn’t that cruel to his own kind, he said flatly. He seemed uncomfortable with saying anything of his uncle that could misconstrued as praise and I wondered if he had any fond memories of him at all.

Thank you, I murmured to the servant before I took my own cup.

The flames in the fireplace guttered as the large wooden door swung open and a sharp wind cut through the room. David stepped in looking cold and defeated and I felt a little twinge of sympathy for him. Even though I was angry, I knew he had done what he thought was right.

Come sit by fire, I said, pointing to the empty chair next to mine.

He didn’t seem to hear me as he walked over to the mantle, his boots thudding hollowly on the flagstone floor. His thick cloak was sodden and dripped murky water on the floor around him but he made no effort to take it off.

David? I called.

He didn’t answer so I got up, pushing Jordan’s staying hand off my arm. I went to stand next to him, tiptoeing around the slushy piles. We’ll find them, I said, when he finally met my eye.

He scoffed, a loud, tearing noise that startled me. How? Question every djinni? Do you even have any idea how many we number?

Well, I didn’t say it would be easy, I said, reaching up to undo the clasp at his throat. The wet cloak was heavier than I thought and nearly dropped to the floor before David grabbed it and hung it on a hook that was higher than my head. Besides, you said it was impossible to get the girls out of that trap and you were wrong about that. We’ll figure it out.

His eyes narrowed. I’ll ‘figure it out’."

I rolled my eyes as I poured him a cup of tea. Drink, I demanded, shoving the dainty cup at him. Martha gasped. She and Minnie were gaping at me. I scowled back. I wasn’t going to let that grumpy giant intimidate me.

David accepted the cup and I let him enjoy it for a moment before I asked. So, if you couldn’t get the girls out of there, how did someone else manage it?

His growled with frustration and glared down into the cup. I don’t know, but I will find out.

Lincoln cleared his throat. David ignored him but I didn’t. Well, he said when he saw he had my attention. Wasn’t the prison in the woods part of the curse? And if the curse was broken…

Understanding lit David’s eyes. Yes! The barrier would have come down the instant the curse was broken!

So maybe the girls just walked away? I asked, sitting up in my chair so fast my tea sloshed onto my lap.

No. His eyes darkened again as he slumped back into his own chair. No. They were taken, I’m sure of it. A djinni set that fire, it burned too hot and too fast in just a few moments. If the girls had been inside, they would have died, and if they had just wandered out at the exact moment the curse broke they would have still been standing there.

So who took them? Jordan asked.

I don’t know, David admitted. But I will be finding out.

Okay, I said, pushing my hair back. Do you have a list of people you suspect? Are you going to talk with them? My mind was already in high gear, thinking of ways to track down the stolen girls.

David seemed to read my thoughts. Oh no, you are not helping. You are going back to the farm, where I hope Jordan will be able to keep you safe.

I stood up from my seat and crossed my arms. I had to crane my neck to look David in the eye and knew I looked tiny standing up to the rust haired giant. Martha and Minnie’s eye were rounded in shock and fear but I didn’t back down. I can’t just go back there and pretend everything is normal while—

Stop trying to fix everything, my brother grated. He stepped up next to David’s chair and I could see the anxiety in his tense body. Every time you try to help you just get into deeper trouble.

My brother’s obvious concern took the edge off my anger but I still didn’t agree. The first time I ‘tried to fix things’, you were gone and I got you back. The second time I was trying to protect Martha and I did. Luka raised a brow at me. Well, sort of, I amended.

David put a hand on my shoulder, warm and gentle. Whoever took the girls will view you as their most likely source of gaining access to your world. Going off and looking for them would be the worst possible thing you could do.

The chill was back and I wrapped my arms around my body. What do you mean?

Not only are you untrained, you don’t even know enough to be afraid, he said bluntly. Trained Gatekeepers are taught to fear and hate us, it keeps them safe. You’d be easy to trick and they would correctly assume Jordan would do anything to get you back, so you’d be valuable as well. I’m sure your brother would do anything as well, but being human, he wouldn’t be nearly as safe.

I knew what he was trying to do. Insulted, I opened my mouth to volley of an angry retort but a glance at my brother made me close it. His eyes were filled with fear and pain.

I had felt that same fear and pain when I thought I had lost him.

Martha stood and took a tentative step to stand beside David. I have to agree with him, Bixby. There is so much you don’t know yet.

I looked to Luka and he shook his head. The best thing you can do is stay as far away from them as possible. You would be a weapon in their hands, through you they could cause a lot of chaos and hurt a lot of people. Martha looked at him with surprise. I don’t want that, he said defensively. I’m not like them, I never wanted anything to do with this curse.

He’s telling the truth, I told Martha when she stiffened under his gaze. She just glanced at me and then sat back down, eyes on the fireplace.

Minnie was still sitting, her legs drawn up beneath her. And what do you think?

Me? she squeaked. I don’t know! I don’t even know what you guys are talking about. But rather than being afraid she seemed curious. "But I think maybe you