Emil. The name rang a bell, too loud to ignore. Emil’s fingers moved exactly like my Cayden’s. I blinked in confusion; although I’d seen people with similar magic, no two were identical, or maybe Cayden had said something different about his family.
The older Cayden looked behind him, then at Cayden, and finally down at my feet, flattened to the ground and covered in sparkling magic. He removed his hand from my arm.
“You’ve found a diamond, brother, a jewel. Her potential radiates through me like the sun, the source of all. She should already have your baby growing inside her. She’s exactly what our family needs.”
I trembled.
Chapter 26
Ezra
Oneminute,Iwastailing Quinn on her first real outing. The next, chaos erupted. I’d tried to rush to Quinn’s side, but a body snatcher with greasy espresso hair in an unkempt topknot appeared out of thin air. I barreled into him. We hit the ground. I recovered first. He died under my sword. Those seconds cost me my path to Quinn.
‘Quinn. Trapped. Royal Mile. Abernathy bakery.’I shot it across my link and charged.
Body snatchers fell under my blade. Another dropped, and a man in a red uniform threw up his hands and backed off. The few Griersons on The Mile had rallied behind the twins, but Quinn wasn’t with them.
Brit seamlessly worked with three of my enforcers. They broke up bystanders while targeting body snatchers, who were already turning tail and fleeing. Racing clouds crossed the sun, breaking apart the light and shadow around me. I flitted from one outline to the next until I found her at the bakery front. A triangle of Lawsons stood too close toQuinn. Rowan stood off to one side, looking like a pincushion, with his elemental Majekah swirling around him.
I stepped into Cayden’s shadow, ready to cut him down.
“Quinn will never carry Lawson offspring.” Cayden’s voice was even and firm. “The Prophet has lied to us. He’s a sick man.”
The words struck like lightning, burning away centuries of obedience in a single breath.
“How dare you!” an older man, who looked just like Cayden, spat. “This was your test, your chance to bring all of us closer to God. And you’ve destroyed it. The Prophet warned us you would either glow with his warmth or wither in the world’s poison. And look at you!”
Cayden flinched. Shame filled his face, but he held his ground. “Women do not belong to anyone. Especially not us.” A prayer, not a protest.
I didn’t have to ask my lover what he wanted or what would be best for our family. The Lawson. Cayden had just declared war on his own blood for the woman who’d stolen my heart.
I’d seen people go to war for power, for land. Never like this. Never so purely.
I couldn’t stand back and watch.
I stepped from Cayden’s shadow, sword to the older Lawson’s throat. For once, shadow and light stood on the same side. Rowan didn’t leave Quinn’s side, and his elements hovered above her, ready for anything.
The older Lawson clenched his jaw. “They’ve forced you to take their side.”
I hadn’t noticed the younger Lawson casting, but he thrust his hands down. A spiderweb of runes expanded at our feet.
“Bloodshed will not fix what they’ve broken in you, brother,” the older Lawson said. “I love you. All your family does. Aludena still criesevery night from the loss of her daughter, your daughter, and now you as well.”
Cayden shook. Anguish I couldn’t imagine twisted his features.
Wind roared. Pressure dropped, crushing my ears. Magic tore through my chest like a heartbeat too strong for one body. The runes swirled, and the two Lawsons phased out.
A single cold shiver of fear ran down my spine. Transportation. My lover had the juice, but I didn’t. Only a handful of people still existed with that much magic. I had no doubt Cayden was one of them; how much of his family could do the same?
Quinn wobbled, but her magic pinning her in place didn’t ease.
“Ezra, stay with her,” Rowan commanded. “She’s drunk.”
I didn’t appreciate my subordinate giving me orders, but I’d have stayed by her side regardless. Rowan and Cayden sprinted to the nearest building and pissed. I didn’t know what to make of it.
Quinn wobbled. I moved closer. She clung to my bicep. Her grip left a burning trail through my sleeve; I couldn’t breathe for wanting her to hold tighter.
“Your arms… sssso nice. And abs.” Her words slurred.
