Infinity Son(33)

I head back to our room.

Prudencia is in the hallway outside our door. She’s on the phone with her head hung low and one arm across her chest like she’s hugging herself.

“You better not throw away my stuff!” Prudencia is shaking. “Do you hear yourself? No one is threatening you. I’m taking care of a friend who needs me. No one is coming for you! I—” She looks at the phone and sinks against the locker. “She hung up. Why isn’t it easier to be happy that I don’t live with her anymore? It’s not like I ever thought I would keep in touch with her once I moved out.”

“She was the only family you had left after your parents died.”

Prudencia stares at our door. “I don’t know what Emil is feeling right now, but he was lucky to have grown up with a family that loved him so fiercely that he never suspected he was adopted. Is it horrible that I wish the same thing for myself instead of ending up with my aunt?”

“You deserved better,” I say. “We’ll take care of you.”

“It’s not about me. We should be more worried about Emil. He’s awake.”

We knock before entering, but still find Emil fully under the sheet. If it wasn’t for his phone screen shining through, I wouldn’t know if he was awake or not, because that’s how he sleeps and that’s how he hides from whatever is bothering him.

“Bro. You want to get up?”

“I’m trying to find info on how to break the cycle,” he says.

“Maribelle can get you Bautista and Sera’s notes on a potential cure,” I say.

“Only if I fight for them first. No. I got to figure out my own way to end infinity.”

“Let’s check the library,” I say. When he doesn’t budge, I pull the sheet off him. “Come on. You’re not going to escape this misery unless we do something about it.”

It takes a minute to get Emil out of bed, but in no time, I’m picking out a new shirt for him, shoving him into the bathroom to brush his teeth, and leading him to therapy. We’re walking side by side, saying nothing, like we’ve spent our entire lives talking and finally run out of things to say. The library is an absolute mess. I’m guessing there’s no librarian in here to stop everyone from completely disrespecting the books. It’s an elementary school library, so who knows how many texts they’re carrying that might actually spark an idea for how to free Emil from this cycle that Keon started, but I’m feeling doubtful right now judging by the Basilisks for Beginners picture book in the Prime Constellation section. Doesn’t matter. We’re not here for books.

“What’s going on here?” I point out the group of celestials sitting underneath a domed ceiling lamp that resembles the sun. “Come on.”

Emil doesn’t budge. “We should find the books.”

“We will after,” I say.

“Brighton, let’s do what we came to do,” Prudencia says.

“It’ll be quick,” I say.

I guide Emil by the shoulders. I know my brother better than he knows himself right now. This is the right choice, blood and bones. The younger celestials are excited as we approach, and they’re staring at Emil like he’s a god, but they have no idea how special he actually is. No idea how his first life is one of the reasons they’re all in hiding today.

“Morning,” Eva says. She’s the only Spell Walker present. “Come join us.”

“What is this?” Emil asks.

“Therapy. We get together every few days to check in.”

Emil glares at me as we join the circle.

Apparently, there have been new faces besides ours the past couple weeks, so some celestials are speaking up on how they got here. There’s Grace, whose voice can become as loud as a bullhorn, and she’s had a couple training sessions with Maribelle to act as security for the haven. Flynn can speak any language for every living being and was hunted by the Blood Casters, who wanted his talents to track down healthier creatures. Twelve-year-old Alberta can create earthquakes, and she and her family almost died when her power surprised them in New Jersey; she still doesn’t have a very good handle on it. Noted. This dude Zachary was cornered in the streets by someone trying to rob him, and when the robber pulled a knife on him, Zachary’s power to put someone to sleep surfaced for the first time, and he was accused of attacking the man. Then there’s Sapphire, who can create ropes of energy, but she’s not very good at it yet.

I raise my hand.

“You can just speak,” Eva says.

“How did you end up here?”

Emil needs to hear from active Spell Walkers.

“I’ve been hunted for years,” Eva says. “Two years ago, I was with my best friend when four men hopped out of a van and tried to kidnap me. I’d been terrified before, but that night still haunts me. We only got away because a celestial appeared and hit them all with her sleeper spell. My best friend and I escaped, but . . .”

My heart hammers. This is one of those stories where I know Eva is alive because she’s standing right in front of me, but I’m still so scared for her. “Is your friend here too?”

“That afternoon tore us apart,” Eva says. “She felt powerless, and . . . she sought out power.” She looks like she wants to say more, but unlike when she told me about the consequences of her healing, she doesn’t go on. “Emil?”