Infinity Son(60)

I’m powerless and speechless. Of course I was drinking Brew like those clowns in the park. It was so lifelike, but the reality of Ness being a traitor is just as crushing. My brother thinks Ness is trying to turn over some new leaf and make an honest guy out of himself.

Dione drags me through the hall with ease, even though I’m resisting and dragging my feet. She throws me into a room where I skid across the concrete, scratching my arms and face, and rolling into Stanton’s feet. June continues reading through a dusty book, not glancing up at me once. Luna is the last one in and locks the door behind her, as if I stand any chance at getting that close to escape with three Blood Casters here.

“Your fantasy of what makes someone a hero is your downfall,” Luna says. “Not a long fall, of course, since you’ve never known great heights. To save and rebuild the world demands a soul that will do what is necessary. You don’t possess the nature or the heart that I do. But that’s okay. Everyone has their role.”

Stanton lifts me by the back of the neck and forces me into a chair against the wall.

My camera that I dropped at the cemetery for the wand is here and facing me.

“You crave the spotlight so badly,” Luna says. “Go ahead and give us a smile.”





Thirty


The Brightest Fire


EMIL

I’ll never forgive myself for putting the world before my family. Turns out Eva can’t heal hearts, but Wesley was quick to grab Ma’s nitroglycerin, and we’ve got her stabilized down the hall while the rest of us are working away in the boardroom. I’m about to check in on her again when I get a notification alert on my phone.

Celestials of New York just uploaded a new video: Return the Urn.

“Brighton!”

Everyone turns to me. Prudencia snatches my phone. He’s got to be alive. No one else knows his super complicated password for any of his accounts. Unless they tortured it out of him. I’ve imagined so many nightmares for what they’re doing to Brighton the past four hours I’ve been without him. If Luna was so cruel with her parents and their ghosts, she would be merciless with my brother. Not going to lie, if things are as horrific as my gut thinks, death might be better.

“Play the video,” Prudencia says.

Atlas projects it onto the wall, and all the Spell Walkers are still.

The thumbnail shows Brighton with a scratched cheek and swollen eye. I thank the constellations that Ma took the sleeping pill so her heart could have a break. If she almost died imagining what was happening to Brighton, this video would finish the job. Prudencia is shaking, and when she grabs my hand, I don’t have the strength to clutch hers.

In the video, Brighton is in a chair with a grimy wall behind him. I’m immediately hit with all those memories of when Brighton watched wild spectacles, and how I never thought he would be the subject of one. My heart is slamming when I hear Stanton’s voice from the other side of the camera.

“Tell your brother what has to happen,” Stanton demands.

Brighton sits up. “Go to hell.”

“Do what they say!” Prudencia shouts as if this is a video chat.

Stanton comes around the camera, growling, and chokes Brighton. Brighton’s face is a deep red in moments and his eyes are bulging. I almost look away, but I’m never turning my back on my brother again.

Stanton releases him and he gasps for air. “Do it,” he says through clenched teeth.

Brighton is near tears, all stoic broken. “Emil . . .”

I have no idea what he’s going to say. Maybe that this is all my fault or how he’s about to die because of me.

“The only way to get me back is to return the urn and prisoner by seven a.m.” Brighton is shaking. “If you don’t, I’ll be executed on a live feed. Meet us at the place where we spent the last few minutes of our birthday.” Stanton brings the camera closer to Brighton, and he flinches. “If you don’t bring the real urn, they will kill me. If you show up without the prisoner, they will kill me. Do not play games. His life isn’t worth mine.”

Stanton clocks Brighton so hard that the chair rocks back and Brighton hits the floor, laid out.

The video ends.

This was never fun and games, especially not since I joined the Spell Walkers, but it’s never felt realer. I’ve never wanted to set another living person ablaze the way I do now. I’m not a killer, but I’m already so outside of myself that I could become one to save my brother’s life.

Prudencia sinks to the floor, crying. Maribelle slams her fist against the table. Wesley stares out the window.

Stealing powers from creatures didn’t mean the Blood Casters had to be monsters. Threatening Brighton’s life wasn’t enough; no, they had to go ahead and humiliate him on his own channel. No doubt waking him up from Stanton’s lights-out punch to upload the video himself. The views are coming in fast, and I wonder how many of these people have reported it or called the authorities. I bet people are sharing links left and right like our lives are some drama series they can’t believe is unfolding in real time.

“Brighton’s talking about the rooftop of our building,” I say. No one says anything. Too stunned, I guess. I’ll get the phoenix singing. “I don’t know if I can fly again, but I’ll show up with the urn, and once we trade for Brighton, then we can ambush them. Come back with Brighton and the urn.”