For Evie, the world around her shuddered to a halt.

  As she first met this handsome newcomer’s eye, the stars sang to her louder than ever. This one—this man whose name she didn’t even know—he was special.

  She had never seen his face before, nor had she ever spoken a word to him. But something hummed deep in her soul, and she knew without a doubt that he was hers.

  The sounds of the festival faded away, replaced by a haunting melody that seemed to emanate from the very stars themselves. Evie felt herself being pulled into those fathomless eyes, falling deeper and deeper until—

  A vision bloomed before her, as vivid and real as the world she'd left behind.

  The vision exploded into being around her, as vivid and tangible as reality itself. A white mist enveloped her, blurring the edges of the world she could see. Shadows loomed in the fog, nearing her even as her full attention remained entirely focused on this man.

  And the music—oh, how it swelled and stirred the very essence of her being.

  The star’s song tumbled from her lips, carrying with it the sweetest melody they had ever channeled through her.

  Where ocean meets sky, I see you there,

  Dancing in moonlight, shadows sway.

  Your eyes are stars that guide me near,

  In dreams, by my side, where secrets stay.

  Oh, the tides, they pull me to you,

  Waves of fate, they call us near.

  Your life, your joys, I will pursue,

  And in my soul, I hold you dear.

  In a rush of magic and light, the vision showed her a sun-dappled forest, the air thick with the scent of pine and wildflowers. Shafts of golden light filtered through the canopy above, creating a dazzling play of light and shadow on the forest floor.

  A warm hand clasped hers, and Evie turned to see him—the mysterious stranger from the marketplace. Here, in the vision, his features were clearer, more defined. His storm-gray eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled down at her, a look of such pure adoration that it made her heart skip a beat.

  And the song continued.

  Beneath the azure waters, where all the seafoam sighs,

  your voice is like the thunder, echoes in my mind.

  each breath you take sends ripples through my heart,

  a song I’ve known forever, though we’re oceans apart.

  I’m caught between the shores of hope and fear,

  the siren’s call that brought you near.

  Will you follow where the currents sweep,

  or will you vanish in the ocean’s keep?

  Before Evie could respond, the scene shifted. Now they were running hand-in-hand through the forest, dodging trees and leaping over fallen logs with effortless grace. Evie's laughter bubbled up from deep within her, a sound of pure, unadulterated joy that harmonized perfectly with his deeper chuckles.

  They burst from the treeline onto a windswept cliff, the vast expanse of a turquoise sea stretching out before them. Salt spray kissed their faces as they stood at the edge, breathless and giddy. The mysterious man – her future love, Evie realized with a thrill – pulled her close, spinning her in a playful dance as the wind whipped their hair into wild halos.

  Through storm and calm, I’ll wait until the dawn,

  For fate has carved your name into my song.

  In every vision, love’s sweet refrain,

  I’ll hold you close, despite the pain.

  Oh, the tides pull me to you,

  Waves of fate, they whisper true.

  I see your face in every crest and trough,

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  In visions clear, it’s you I love.

  The scene softened, melting into a quieter moment. They sat together on a plush sofa, a book open between them. Evie's head rested on his shoulder, her eyes half-closed in contentment as he read aloud. The cadence of his voice rose and fell like gentle waves, weaving a cocoon of peace around them.

  In the warm glow of the firelight, Evie noticed the silver strands beginning to thread through his dark hair, the fine lines at the corners of his eyes that spoke of years of laughter and love.

  Growing old together, she realized, was its own kind of magic.

  One final shift, and Evie found herself standing in the doorway of a sunlit nursery. Her heart swelled with an emotion too vast to name as she watched the man—her husband, she knew now—cradling a small bundle in his arms. He looked up, his face alight with wonder and joy.

  “Come meet your daughter,” he said softly, beckoning her closer.

  Evie moved to his side, gazing down at the tiny face nestled in the blankets. The baby yawned, blinking open eyes that shimmered with all the colors of the sea. A tuft of silver hair, as fine as dandelion fluff, peeked out from beneath her cap.

  As if aware she was being observed, the infant turned her head, fixing Evie with a gaze that seemed far too knowing for one so young. In that moment, Evie felt the weight of generations yet to come, the endless possibilities that stemmed from this one perfect being.

  She could feel the vision fading, and the final verse flowed through her.

  Where the ocean meets the sky, I’ll find my way,

  In every dream, I call your name and sway.

  A love that flows as endless as the sea,

  I’m bound to you, and you to me.

  Evie felt herself being gently pulled back, the visions fading like mist in the morning sun. But the emotions they had evoked—the love, the joy, the sense of rightness—those remained, burning in her chest like a newborn star.

  With a gasp, Evie's awareness snapped back to the present moment. But the song of the stars still echoed in her ears, and she now stood before the man with a broad smile on her face. Before she knew what she was doing, she grabbed his face with both hands and pulled him into a deep kiss.

  “Uh, hey there, beautiful,” he said as he stared down at her with confusion. “Have we met?”

  “No,” she admitted breathlessly. “But I will love you forever.”

  “By the gods,” she heard Nora mutter behind her. A deep sigh of resignation followed, and she figured Nora had realized what just happened.

  Yet again, Evie rose up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his in a kiss that tasted of starlight and destiny.

  The stranger stiffened for a moment, clearly taken aback by this turn of events. But then, to the astonishment of all present—and to her absolute satisfaction—he relaxed into the kiss, his arms coming up to encircle her waist.

  “Nope,” Nora said, batting his hand away from Evie’s rear end. “None of that.”

  “She started it,” the man insisted.

  Evie beamed up at him with all the radiance of a newborn star. “I'm Evie, and you're mine. I hope you don't mind, but the stars have decreed it, so I'm afraid there's really nothing to be done about it.”

  “Uh…” The young man blinked, a bemused smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “The stars, eh?”

  She nodded. “What’s your name?”

  “Gavin,” he managed to say, still looking somewhat dazed. “I'm not entirely sure what's happening, but I think I like it.”

  Evie laughed, a sound of pure joy that seemed to break the spell of silence that had fallen over the square. All at once, the noise and bustle of the festival came rushing back, but now it felt muted and distant compared to the connection Evie felt with Gavin.

  She turned, keeping one arm firmly wrapped around Gavin's waist, to face the stunned onlookers. Nora looked as if she couldn't decide whether to laugh, cry, or start swinging her fists. Cade wore an expression of amused bewilderment, his eyebrows raised so high they were in danger of disappearing into his hairline.

  “I suppose introductions are in order,” Cade said with a gesture to the man at his side. “This brooding pile of black clothes and anger is Orro.”

  Without a flicker of change in his expression, Orro elbowed Cade in the gut, and the blonde man let out another grunt of pain.

  “You’ve met Gavin,” Cade added with a nod toward him and Evie. “And you strangely already knew my name.”

  “The stars led us to you,” Evie explained, as though that made perfect sense.

  There was a moment of silence where everyone stared at her in gaping bemusement, evidently at a loss for words.

  His gaze settled on the paladin, who now stood protectively near Evie and Gavin.

  “Anyway,” he continued, “I caught this little songbird’s name, but I haven’t heard yours.”

  “Nora,” she replied flatly. “You mentioned a job for us?”

  “Yeah!” Cade said enthusiastically. He clasped his hands together and smiled broadly. “We could really use a paladin with an anger management problem. You’re perfect.”

  With a deep frown, Nora crossed her chest and simply glared at him.

  “We’ll do it!” Evie said with a happy glance up at Gavin.

  The man gave her an awkward smile, and she wrapped his hand around her waist.

  “Evie,” Nora chided. “We don’t even know what the job is.”

  “Oh, right,” the siren said, her cheeks turning crimson.

  “The Tournament of Life,” Cade answered, his tone even despite the gravity of what he’d just said.

  “Oh, is that all?” Nora said sarcastically. “Just a little death wish? A standard Tuesday for you lot?”

  Orro chuckled. “I like her.”

  Nora’s gaze shifted toward Evie. “You’re sure about this?”

  Evie smiled and nodded.

  The paladin muttered curses as she rubbed her eyes. It was what she did every time she was debating what to do next, and Evie had learned to just let her think in silence.

  “Look, it’s almost sunset,” Cade said urgently. “We need to sign up before dark. Are you in, or not?”

  Nora huffed and ran her hand through her hair as her eyes glossed over. The setting sun poured golden light over the alleyway, and as Nora’s brows knit in frustration, the fading light cast restless shadows over her face.

  Evie had known her friend long enough to recognize the struggle behind those stormy eyes. Nora was torn, weighing the risk of joining Cade’s team against her unwavering duty to protect Evie. It was all written in her stiff posture, the way she kept glancing between Evie and the bustling streets beyond, as if the answers lay hidden somewhere in the cobblestones and glowflakes nearby.

  The siren’s heart ached for her. She knew Nora would rather throw herself into the jaws of hell than put her at risk, but the stars had led them here for a reason. That alone weighed on Nora’s mind—Evie could see it in the way her friend's jaw clenched and unclenched, in the way she muttered under her breath as if debating with some invisible force.

  “Nora,” Cade said flatly. “What’s it going to be?”

  With a resigned sigh, Nora met Cade’s gaze. A flicker of determination flashed across her face as she nodded once, her expression hardening into resolve.

  “Yeah,” she said, her voice steady despite the turmoil Evie knew she felt. “We’re in.”

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