Prologue

My stomach flips as I stare down at the compass in my hand. I can't stop thinking about what the future is going to hold for me, the future that this compass is pointing me towards. My mind is racing a million miles an hour and there's no slowing it down in sight.

As a familiar, I've been thinking about finding my spark since I was a little boy. I can't speak for my cousins, but I'm almost positive they've been looking forward to meeting their magical counterpart as much as I am. In order to help us find our sparks, our grandmother gifted us this magical compass, enchanted to lead us to them.

Jude, our oldest cousin, found his spark and his true mate within the same night of using the compass while one of my other cousins, Willow, found his spark after five years of looking.

Will my journey be quick like Jude's? Or will it take years?

I flip onto my stomach, tucking the compass under my pillow so I don't keep myself awake all night staring at it. I can hear people downstairs talking. It's been about a week since Eileen, Willow and Callan's daughter, was born.

Harbor, Bently, and I wanted to be with Jude and Willow for Eileen's birth so we decided to take a pit stop on our road trip to visit the place Jude has set down roots. His spark and mate are both retired hunters who run a hunting network these days. Don't ask me how but Jeff, their unofficial leader, acquired this cul-de-sac for their group. One of those houses just so happens to be a large guest home that we're currently staying in.

If hunting pays this much, maybe I should look into it.

My hand reaches under my pillow, my fingers connecting with the hard edges of the compass. My stomach flips once it's in my hand.

I don't know why it's my turn to take the compass. Once Jude found Cooper, he passed the compass to Willow. And now that Willow has found Nash, he's passed it onto me.

Don't get me wrong, I genuinely want to find my spark. As a familiar, I can sense magic, but I can't wield it. There's a part inside of me that's filled with nothing but longing, wanting to be connected to my spark, to feel them wield magic through me. I crave being their catalyst. They're going to be brilliant.

But me? I'm just me.

I'm nothing special. I'm the funny guy who isn't afraid to say something stupid to make everyone laugh that they overlook once they're done having a chuckle. In my head, my spark is a rainbow and I'm just gray.

Part of me wonders if it would be better for everyone if I tried to pass the compass onto Bently instead of me. Surely it would be better for him to find his spark than for mine to be stuck with me, right?

Even as I think it, my stomach flips with something like disapproval. I let out a deep sigh, knowing there's no fighting against what Lady Fate wants. It's my turn. I need to keep my chin up and prepare myself for what that means. All I can do is present myself and hope for the best.

Lady Fate wouldn't lead me to someone who didn't want me, right?

This is all without thinking about possibly meeting my true mate! I thought Jude was an outlier, finding his spark and his true mate at the same time but now that the same exact thing has happened to Willow, I can't help but think this is becoming a pattern.

Am I ready to be someone's mate? Would I even be a good mate to someone? I've never dated. I've never kissed anyone. Hell, I've barely even attempted to flirt with anyone before! The idea of having some fling with a random person on the road was about as appealing as a tuna sandwich that's been sitting out in the sun all day. I'm just not interested, but will that change once I meet my true mate? Will those desires and instincts reveal themselves?

I've been in my cousins' pockets since we started this road trip, I haven't had time to learn how to flirt even if I wanted to. I have no idea how Jude and Willow went straight from being with us to being in a relationship. Can I handle doing the same or am I the cousin who's going to fuck it all up?

I pull the compass out from under the pillow, looking at it again. I swear it's moved ever so slightly. Is my spark on the move?

I'm starting to get a bit antsy about leaving this place. I'm sick to my stomach with nerves, but under that there's another feeling. Tentative excitement. As much as I adore being here with everyone and meeting the hunting crew, I'm ready to get this show on the road. For better or for worse, it's time to find my spark.

I just hope they're as excited to meet me as I am to meet them.