Shadow Council Dagney Rhodes pushed her blonde hair behind one ear, round cheeks pink with a flush of emotion. “We know discord is the last thing we need right now.” At least someone understood it. We had to work together, to trust each other. Our separate ways, the privacy witches clung to, the secrecy, had to stop. At least, to the point we could go to each other with problems and ask for help without losing face. “But our numbers are so reduced.” The Rhodes coven had once been over two hundred witches, now down to just over twenty. I knew personally. I saved them from the Brotherhood the same day their beloved leader, Violet, was killed. “And we are helpless if the Brotherhood returns to finish us off.” “We’re proposing a second layer of connection,” Karyn Barrett said. “A shadow council to watchdog the NAWC. And we want you to lead it.” It’s been six weeks since the near-destruction of North American witches, six weeks since the Brotherhood stripped the territory of its Council magic. Nervous times are only intensified as the other paranormal races begin their own power struggles, drawing Syd and her friends into a seemingly endless spiral of complications. Add to that her frustrating search for the next piece of Creator, and Syd has her hands full. Too bad she’s about to discover not everyone she trusts has earned her faith…

The Times They Are A-Changin' _"My people," Mom said, rich voice vibrating with emotion, "as your chosen Council Leader, I propose a vast and sweeping change to the way we care for each other. That we embrace all covens, all voices. That we rule, not by the dictates of a few, but with the voices of many." She rose to her feet, arms wide as though to embrace everyone in the room. I felt the soft, kind touch of her power and fed it with my own, the light, sweet caress of each and every witch in the room joining mine until Mom glowed like a pale, blue star. "From this day forward," she said, "this Council is comprised of all coven leaders of all duly registered covens in this territory. And every coven, small or large, shall have an equal vote. So mote it be."_ Cautious optimism is the rule of the day as paranormals come together as never before. But, Syd's worry about her missing friend, Femke, and the constant strain on her family over her absence makes it hard for her to appreciate what's going on around her. When the drach are successful in their plan to capture an old enemy, Syd's hope for a quick resolution to the recreation of Creator's statue is shattered by the realization change is—and always will be—inevitable.

Unwelcome Fate The air of the chamber whispered behind me and an accustomed power touched mine. Anger rose against her as I felt my jaw tighten on its own in response to her arrival. The last time I’d seen her she’d betrayed me. I didn’t get up, didn’t even look at her as Fate waited for my attention. “Zoe,” I said, voice rough. “I was wondering when you’d show up.” Syd’s back home and it’s business as usual as she, her son and the drach leader do their best to track down the rest of Creator’s statue before it’s too late. But, when Max reveals to Syd doing so might not be in the Universe’s best interest after all, she’s confronted with a choice: quit now or become the Doombringer everyone believes she is. Like she has a choice. The only problem? In order to proceed with her task she must finally face the terror that haunts her—Dark Brother and his powerful army.