Page 86 of Lunar Desires
Jonathon bowed his head. “Please. Don’t do this.”
Riley strode over to his brother’s side. “Look who’s begging, big brother.”
He spoke with so much malice, in complete contrast with his personality.
I’d noticed a lot of that over the course of the day.
“Funny how things twist,” Isaac said.
To my surprise, Jonathon fell to his knees. “Don’t break it. You have no idea what?—”
“Careless of you to let us get our hands on it so easily,” Riley cut him off.
“I…I didn’t think you’d be alive. But let’s not dwell on nonsense.” Jonathon’s attempt at a course correction came with a squeaky tone. “I’ve been too arrogant. You know how it is, boys. The Aurora blood is so…vicious.” He grinned. “Even as diluted as it is inside me now, I still feel it. The expectations of it, the rage, the power. It’s never left. I…” He glanced at the sky. “I blame her, you know. Hecate. For making me this way. For making me do her dirty work.”
“But you didn’t do her dirty work,” Riley rebutted. “You failed. You made the world like it is. The shades are here because of you.”
His uncle narrowed those cruel eyes. I bristled, finger on the trigger. The moment I saw an opening, I’d put a bullet in his flaming skull.
“Breaking the stone will only lead to suffering,” Jonathon added. “Put it away. You need a powerful force to smash it anyway. Let’s talk. Fae magic is not to be trifled with.”
“But you trifled,” Isaac said. “Hypocrite.”
“And you’re scared,” Riley spoke, his voice sending a shiver down my spine. “Which makes me think you’re really screwed.”
Isaac nodded slowly.
Anger flickered in Jonathon’s eyes, the flames of his body scratching at the air. “You have no idea what will happen if you break the stone.”
“Your demise?” Isaac wondered.
The former Moon growled. “Don’t be fools. Listen to me.”
“Shut up!” Riley bellowed. He snatched the stone from Isaac’s hand. “We’re done. You’re done.”
“Listen to me!” Jonathon screamed, lurching forward, his hands desperate claws.
Riley spun, dodging him, unleashing a trip spell as he lumbered past. Jonathon lost his footing, hitting the flamingwall face-first. The flames spat but didn’t burn him. He grunted, pushing himself off the fire, turning with his hands up.
“You’re a smart man, Riley. If you do this, it’s game over for all of us. Andnobodywants that.”
Nobody? Meaning the fae woman?
Shit. I had to stop this before something bad happened.
Riley wiped his mouth with his left hand, his right curling around the stone. “Translation: Your death happens. Yeah, I’m smart. Clued up enough to know when I’m winning.”
“Riley—”
“I’m a great force. Tidal Pull can break it.”
“No! Listen to me!” Jonathon wailed.
“Maybe we should think about this, little brother,” Isaac said.
“Agreed,” I added.
But Riley didn’t hear us, his grip on the stone tightening. A darkness consumed him, his jaw tight, everything about him shifting into the shadows.
