A chill slithered down my spine.
No.
The air shifted and warped, when a low hum vibrated through the room, crackling at the edges of reality.
We turned—slowly. Hesitantly.
A portal closed behind him, colorful and seamless.
That smirk. That fucking smirk.
It twisted my stomach into knots.
Mocking. Knowing. Infuriating.
Of course.
Fucking Julian.
EIGHTEEN
EMMA
It was too much.
Too much information. Too much at once.
The brain can only handle so much before it fractures. And this—this was too much.
James. Not a real Leader.
Stephen. Behind my attacks. Working with Caden.
Caden. Possible father of my son.
A son who was the future of our world.
And now Julian. Here. Again.
A sickening wave of dizziness rolled through me. My head spun, and I could feel myself spiraling, drowning in the weight of it all.
"What the fuck ishedoing here?" James’s roar tore through the air, sounding raw and unhinged.
“Hi, Emma. You look lovely tonight.”
It took me but a second to realize Julian’s lips hadn’t moved.
No. No, no, no.
My pulse spiked, a jolt of fury cutting through the brain-fog, and I shot to my feet so fast the room tilted around me.
“Stay the fuck out of my head!” I barked, while my red translation crackled at my fingertips.
James’s eyes darted between me and Julian, before rage and recognition tangled together.
“You’re dead,” he spat, then launched himself at the Elder, his fury wild, and reckless.
But he never made it. A flash of silver haze lashed through the air and James was yanked back, slammed into his chair like an invisible force had pinned him there.
