Fated Encounters

By Stephanie Barr

Ever wonder why magic is so pervasive in history yet so absent today?
What if there were an explanation?

Have you ever wondered why smart girls stayed with men who mistreated them?
What if there was an explanation?

Every wondered why cats can be total jerks but we still love them?
Of course not, they're cats.

Encounters that change the trajectories of their lives.
Precursor tales to Catalyst

• Language: English
• Publisher: Stephanie Barr
• Release date: Oct 14, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463835999

Stephanie Barr

Although Stephanie Barr is a slave to three children and a slew of cats, she actually leads a double life as a part time novelist and full time rocket scientist. People everywhere have learned to watch out for fear of becoming part of her stories. Beware! You might be next!

Book preview

Fated Encounters

Precursor tales for Catalyst

by Stephanie Barr

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2019 Stephanie Barr

Discover other titles by Stephanie Barr

Conjuring Dreams: Learning to Write by Writing

Tarot Queen

Beast Within (First of the Bete Novels)

Nine Lives (Second of the Bete Novels)

Twice the Man (Third of the Bete Novels)

Saving Tessa

Musings of a Nascent Poet

Curse of the Jenri

Legacy

Ideal Insurgent

The Taming of Dracul Morsus

Pussycats Galore

Catalyst

The Library at Castle Herriot

Dedicated to Stephanie, Roxy and Alex, always.

To Mirren Hogan, Chuck Larlham, and Jen Ponce proof that good beta readers are worth their weight in gold

Cover by Jen Ponce

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of Contents

Desperate Measures

Fated Encounter

Support System

Something Familiar

Family Ties

About the Author

Preview of Catalyst

Desperate Measures

The pain that Raven had been sure would tear him to pieces finally retreated, letting him pull back from the blackness that almost consumed him. He blinked open his eyes and was dazzled by the ageless face of Kahli. You healed me? he asked her.

I did but it was not without price, she said. I am grateful you were so strong else I would not have been able to save Morgan and Selene before you.

Raven tried to pull himself upright, but he was too weak. He reached for the ether that filled his world and willed his body to strengthen. Did we win?

Yes, Kahli said. And no.

You ever given a straight answer to any question ever?

She frowned and it just made her more beautiful. I am always truthful.

That's not a straight answer either. I need to cultivate that ability, Raven said, grinning despite his lassitude. I think I love you more every time I talk to you.

Your love is cheap, she said. You've shared it with everyone.

This was a conversation they'd had before, too, but the circumstances had surely changed, hadn't they? That's the way of magi and dragons.

I am bound to Titus, she said softly, but implacably.

Titus is dead. Titus tried to kill you!

"Titus is dead, Kahli said calmly. Kerew killed me using Titus' body. And neither circumstance changes that I belong to Titus only."

That makes no sense, Raven said, his body feeling better but his heart heavy. And you're not dead.

I will be. And it makes sense to me. It need not make sense to you. For me, there is only Titus, now and forever.

Preposterous. No one should know better than you how long forever is.

Indeed. So, I have reason to know. She had been kneeling but not with her normal upright carriage. At this, she slumped further. Around the room, other healers, her children and grandchildren, worked among the injured, sharing her healing gift. But no one came for her.

Raven found himself moving when she collapsed and caught her in his arms, only then realizing how light she was. What's wrong?

I cannot be saved. The organs that keep me alive have been destroyed. She took a shaky breath. I could only save my heart and lungs and they will not last much longer.

He believed her, she felt so slight in his arms, her skin paler than the moonlight shade her skin usually was. Tell me about the battle.

We fought most bravely. Titus approached me and I realized his body was unoccupied too late to prevent his destroying me just as the spell hit that incapacitated you, Morgan and Selene, and me. I was the oldest so I had time to save myself from the spell, then Morgan and Selene, though they were many others lost among our families. Among the humans, too, who fought bravely against the undead. She looked up. Even attacked by the spell, you fought, too, bought us time to retreat and treat the magi and others we could. There were too few unicorns to fight, but the shapeshifters fought furiously. I don't think Kerew expected that. However, in the end, it was the dragons that allowed us to survive this battle, destroying Kerew's hordes with fire and chasing Kerew into the human city.

So, we won?

No, for when they caught up with Kerew, his body was empty, his soul with its awful power passed to who knows what other person. Kahli's breath came in harsh gasps. "Call the magi. We