Page 135 of Lunar Diamonds
He laughed again before his features contorted with hate.
“That slut of a sister,” he growled. “Not only did she bow to the High Coven when I told her to fight, show them we could eradicate the shades and prove ourselves, but she went and got pregnant. Passed on our birthright. Bitch. Because of her, we lost Janet.”
A shade killed the previous Star.
“But I showed her,” he rambled on. “I showed you all. Faked my death, hid the diamonds so well not even a scrying witch could find them. I’m unsure of their purpose now, but we’ll see.”
Drake…
I’ll fix this, Drake… For you. For everyone.
“And now here we are, at the end and the beginning.” Jonathon looked at his watch again. “Get ready, nephew.”
There had to be something inside me to stop him.
Magic curled up his arms, spreading around his body like vines. Black and silver, tinged with red.
From the corner of my eye, I saw the bloody swirls glow. Move like red snakes in constant rotation.
“Ten, nine, eight, seven…” he said.
No. No. No. I wouldn’t let him win.
“…five, four?—”
Sunlight hands cupped my face. Not quite here, but also definitely here.
“Riley,” Isaac said, his body transparent, shimmering with golden light. “Take this.”
Strength from my brother. A surge of power within seconds, giving me that burst of energy to break my uncle’s spell and jump to my feet.
“No!” Jonathon screamed, his countdown stopping at one. He came at me with the knife, taking a swing.
I cracked him with an uppercut Alice taught me. Pow! His chin crunched under my fists, his scrawny body soaring upwards in an arc.
“My blood!” he wailed before he hit the floor, his head smacking the carpet.
The arsehole went still.
Shadow magic poured from my nose as black liquid oozed down my chin, spilling down my clothes.
“I’m coming,” Isaac said, fading away. “Hold on.”
I looked back at Drake and April. Still breathing.
My heart lurched, an iron fist closing around it. I couldn’t lose him. I couldn’t lose them. But Drake… We were…
“It’ll be okay,” I said. “Everything will be okay.”
Jonathon sprang to his feet.
I hit him with a “Trip!”
Thank Hecate for the witch bangle.
“Riley!” he bellowed, tumbling. He grabbed at the wall for purchase, dropping his knife as he fell to his knees. He slumped forward onto his hands. “Don’t do this. I’m The Moon. It was meant for me.”
“It’s called passing on the torch!” I snapped, alien rage rising.
