Scarven’s voice rang out, “I told you it was time I arranged a visit. Say hello to your sister.”
48
Nox
Ibarely recognized her.
It had only been five years, but gone was my near-sixteen-year-old little sister. In her place was a woman hardened by pain, by time, by whatever horrid things they had done to her.
Her legs were longer, but her frame was thin—too thin, the angles at her cheekbones too sharp and gaunt. Dirty-blonde hair was pulled back with a strap of leather, intertwined with red streaks of dye I’d never seen before. Her once golden eyes, bright and glowing from the power held within her small stature, were dark amber. Cold. Calculated.
But still, they had that defiant spark I’d always known. The one she had when hiding from Scarven’s guards at six years old. The one she had when she burned one of my claws off with a beam of light at twelve. The one she had when she was fifteen, and they said we were no longer allowed to see one another.
“Vera,” I said on an exhale, stumbling to her. I closed the space between us and took in her bony elbows, the worn, cracked leather of her bodysuit, the black veins at her neck.
I whirled to face Scarven, my snarl echoing down the hall. “What have you doneto?—”
A strong hand clutched my neck, cutting off my air and turning my words into a choke. Slowly, Vera twisted me to face her once more, nails digging into my skin as she lifted me inch by inch.
“Vera—” I gasped. “It—it’s me?—”
She simply cocked her head and stared at me.
“It’s—Nox,” I said, words garbled. “Your—brother.”
Something red glinted in her dark gold eyes. “I have no family.”
She thrust her elbow back and threw me forward. I soared past Kieran and Tessa and into the sidewall of the tunnel, my head bashing into the stone. Rocks crumbled around me as dust filled the air. A spike of pain shot down my spine, but I gritted my teeth and forced myself out of the rubble.
The air around her shimmered as she vanished from down the hall and reappeared before me in the blink of an eye.
“I’myour family, Vera,” I said, forehead pinched as I took a step toward her. She didn’t move. Didn’t speak. Didn’t seem tobreathe. Simply held my stare with that empty look on her face. When I got close enough, I reached forward, slowly, slowly, to cup my hand around her sallow cheek.
There was a blur of shadow, and her fingers clasped mine, glowing bright yellow as she forced her light magic into my skin. The smell of burning flesh made my stomach clench, pain searing through me when I tried to jerk my arm away.
“Vera, letgo,” I said through my teeth. “You don’t want to hurt me.”
“She doesn’t recognize you,” Scarven called out. “Beautiful, isn’t she? My masterpiece.”
I twisted my arm, but she was too strong. I could feel my Shifter healing kicking in, trying to fight against the slow burn of my skin.
“I’m your brother, Vera,” I tried again, voice labored. “It’s me. It’s Nox. Please, you have to let go.”
I didn’t want to hurt her. Icouldn’thurt her. This wasn’t the real Vera—she wasn’t in her right mind. But the smoke comingfrom my arm told me she wasn’t going to stop until she burned my hand straight off.
With a growl, I gripped her forearm with my other hand and carefully shifted my fingers into claws. They sank into her skin enough to make her loosen her hold. I quickly pulled away, my arm shaking as the fiery imprint of her hand branded itself deep into my flesh. Muscle and tissue peeked out from the charred skin. Within moments, it began to heal enough for me to flex my hand.
Vera narrowed her eyes and lunged at me, shadows at the ready. She swiped at my head while blades of shadow struck my torso, barely giving me time to dodge. I blocked her, but she shot another beam of light at my neck. It sliced the top of my collarbone like lightning.
When she moved to attack again, a large white animal burst from the side and knocked her to the ground.
“Kieran, don’t!” I cried out. “She doesn’t know what she’s doing.”
Kieran pinned Vera, his large stag form easily three times my sister’s weight. Vera struggled against him for a moment before baring her teeth. In an instant, she vanished.
Kieran shifted back into his human form right as Vera reappeared behind him, grabbed the dagger from his sheath, and plunged it into his stomach.
A roar tore from me, so violent, it shook the ground. I launched myself at my sister and heaved her away from my second, whipping around just in time to grab Kieran as he sank to his knees. His hands were wrapped around the handle of the dagger, his face pale and eyes wide.
