Page 64 of Lunar Diamonds
Shrapnel popped out of Erin’s wound, clattering on the floor. She drew in a sharp breath, her eyes fluttering open. The mess of her chest knitted back together under the sunlight.
“You did it!” I rejoiced, returning to the attic with a big smile stretching my lips.
Drake moved into my eyeline. “What’s going on?”
“A miracle,” I answered, elated.
Minutes later, hurried footsteps sounded outside the attic. Isaac stumbled into the room, panting. “Fuck me hard!” He put his hands on his hips, wincing as he caught his breath. His perfect hair was flat and messy, destroyed by sweat.
My brother. My blood. Part of my family. I beamed with pride for a man I didn’t know anything about other than he was a model. Whatever. I liked this prideful warmth.
Could he return the favor with the energy boosting?
Isaac cocked a brow at me. “You’re bleeding.”
“It’s nothing.” I didn’t realize I’d released my nose. “Spell kickback.”
“What happened up here?”
We swapped stories, me going first.
“Illusions, huh? I love it.” He beamed at me, nodding at the grimoire. “What are those pages sticking out of it?”
I plucked them out of the grimoire. “Oh. They’re about our powers.”
On the silver page, with the heading of Moon Powers, someone had written Moon Illusion and Tidal Pull in a spidery scrawl, along with some extra details.
Moon Illusion could be used once per day, which confirmed the weird, replenishing sensation inside me. But it also weakened in potency over time, requiring an hour-long ritual within a circle of moon-blessed crystals to repair the wear and tear.
Inside the celestial room.
Dammit.
Tidal Pull worked like telekinesis, with no mention of any conditions on the page.
Isaac showed me the golden page for Sun Powers—Healing Light and Defensive Sunshine. The healing didn’t remove magical ailments and wouldn’t work beyond a certain point. Because Erin had crossed that line, my boost helped yank her back.
Also, the healing power came with a condition of use—fatigue. Too much healing and he’d be out for the count.
The pearly white paper was for The Star. Preston. But the ink was smudged, only four letters of a word clear:rnov.
By Hecate, he really was wreathed in mystery.
“Erin will be up shortly,” Isaac said, keeping the golden page. “She’s with Ollie. Fuck…” He lowered himself to the floor.
I went to him, crouching. “What is it?”
He waved a dismissive hand at me. “It’s sit-down time.”
I sat with him. “Good idea.”
He rested his head on my shoulder, and I didn’t mind one bit. “Fatigue is right.”
“Are you okay?” I asked.
“Nothing resting won’t fix.” He yawned, scratching at his chest. “Ollie’s got some potions to help the Brambles.”
“Thank goodness.” How weird to be sitting here with a brother I never knew existed before tonight, yet felt at complete ease with him.
