Then his hand dropped, and his eyes closed.
Lucy screamed, raw and broken.
The world around her blurred, and she was back in the void. there it was just like the other one the unobtainable golden orb, A sphere of crimson came spinning fast towards her. It slammed into her core, and her instincts took over.
When she came to, the energy burst outward from her palms. Red streams coiled around Barnaby’s body, swirling faster andfaster until they became a storm. His blood slowly drew back into him.
Barnaby’s torn skin shifted. The edges of the wound drew together slowly, muscle pulling inward first, knitting with deliberate care. Skin followed, sealing in a smooth line that faded as it formed.
Lucy could see it, his spirit, faint and shimmering, sinking back into his chest.
Then he gasped.
His lungs filled with air again, eyes fluttering open and closed before his body went still, alive, but weak
The energy faded, and both lowered gently to the ground. Lucy collapsed beside him, her strength gone.
Benedict stared, eyes wide with awe. “She truly is… remarkable,” he murmured.
Byron turned and drove his fist straight into Benedict’s face. The man dropped instantly, unconscious before he hit the ground.
“Ethan,” Byron barked, “tie this prick up downstairs.”
Ethan nodded, dragging Benedict away. “I thought Mary had eaten him,” he muttered.
Mary looked away, ashamed, wiping blood from her chin.
“Mum,” Corey said quietly, his voice heavy with exhaustion. "Come with me.” Byron scooped Lucy into his arms while Corey lifted Barnaby. They made their way back toward the house, the sky above them turning blue while the earth around them, was blanketed in blood.
Chapter 19
Lucy woke after two days of sleep. The room was dim, a soft golden light seeping through the heavy curtains. Byron sat in the chair beside her bed, half-asleep but alert enough to notice her stir.
Her voice came out hoarse. “Was it a dream?”
Byron turned his head toward her, a tired smile tugging at his lips. “No, it wasn’t.”
She blinked, struggling to sit upright, the memory of the fight replaying in her mind like static. “Barnaby—” she gasped, shooting up too fast.
“Oh, no, he’s fine,” Byron said quickly, standing to steady her. “I think you may have… improved him.”
Lucy frowned, still foggy. “Improved him? How?”
“You’ll see.” He chuckled, helping her swing her legs off the bed. “Come on, you need to see it for yourself.”
He guided her carefully toward the front room where the sound of laughter filled the air. Everyone was there, Corey, Davina, Mandy, Michael, even Erin perched quietly beside her mother. Barnaby sat in the centre of it all, animated and radiant, talking faster than ever.
The second she opened the door, Barnaby leapt up and darted toward her. “Lucy!” he shouted, wrapping her in a bone-crushing hug.
“Barnaby,” she breathed, hugging him back tightly. “How do you feel?”
He stepped back, his grin wide enough to light up the room. “Whatever you did, you made me 2.0.”
Lucy blinked. “What?”
“2.0!” he repeated, laughing. “I was already smart, Lucy, but now I’m like a mega mind, not like the cartoon character, anactualmega mind! I can absorb and store information like never before. I feel like I know everything, sometimes it’s overwhelming, but Mandy’s been helping me stay grounded.”
Lucy tilted her head, amused and a little bewildered. “So, I gave your brain a boost too?”
