Page 51 of Lunar Diamonds
Can you tell me what you are?I thought at it.
I saw a flash, a huge moon rising on the horizon of some night sky inside my mind. It bathed me in its radiant lunar light, intensifying the hum into a more fervent vibration.
What are you trying to say?
The moon rose higher and higher, its size shrinking the further away it got.
Wait. I knew this. Wasn’t it called moon illusion? An optical illusion where the moon appeared larger on the horizon in contrast to its height in the sky.
Illusion. Yes. The power of illusion—unique to me, able to confuse and terrify in equal measure.
Fabulous.
I blinked myself back into the corridor, feeling more energized, more in sync with the strange new life of mine.
Illusion.
“Did you find anything?” Aaron asked.
“I did.”
“So did I,” Isaac answered.
“Then let’s go.” Aaron wiped sweat from his brow. “There’s a grimoire upstairs we can use to fortify the mansion again.” He started moving again.
“Is that so?”
I jumped at the deep, unsettling voice rolling through the corridor.
Aaron froze, drawing a pistol. “Who’s there?”
A figure in black stepped around the next turn, shadow magic coiled around his fingers. His face was hidden by a mask, a thick hood surrounding it. A grim reaper-like figure, sans scythe, and wearing jeans, not billowing robes.
A big man, muscles straining beneath his puffer jacket.
Goosebumps prickled my skin, every hair standing to attention.
“How convenient.” The man came closer, the shadow magic in his hands slithering like a tangle of snakes. His fingers moved in a steady, rippling rhythm. Preparing. Ready to strike.
I backed away, bumping into Isaac. He grabbed my shoulders, steadying me.
I thought I heard his heart drumming in time with mine.
“Stay back,” Aaron warned, gun trained on the invader.
“Or you’ll kill me? You cannot kill me, lower being. There is nothing you can do to stop me.” He came closer, taking his time with confident steps.
Arsehole.
Illusion…
Aaron shot him in the chest three times, the bullets bouncing off his jacket.
Crap.
Laughter with the power to curdle milk followed. “What did I tell you? Sleep!” He clapped his hands, the magic blasting Aaron in the face.
“Oh…bollocks…” He yawned. “Run…doors…hidden. Look…” He dropped the gun, then fell to his knees. “Run…” He laid down, curling into a ball.
