Chapter26
Farrow
I knewsomething was up as soon as I walked in the door.My brother was in the living room looking far too happy with himself—that always meant trouble, and it was the last fucking thing I needed.All I wanted to do was get changed and go for a run, maybe stop by the park to join a ball game.Anything other than think about Bridges, sorcerers, and Timothy, but I needed to check the messages and respond to my subscribers.
There was also a recording that I needed to edit.
Having the channel was akin to having a second job…though I did like the extra money and the actual recording.Though there were a couple of videos that would never be seen by the public.They were for me and Timothy.
I should make him watch one while I fucked him.
“Busy day?”my brother asked with a smirk that made me want to punch his face.
It was lucky he had chitinous plates that, from experience, would cut my knuckles if I did.I’d managed to find the gap between plates with my horns a couple of times growing up, though my tail was far more successful at getting into tight spots.
“Yeah.”I don’t think he understood the reality of jumping from house to house and being on guard for cats and dogs, while searching for traces of magic.It wasn’t all watching Timothy dress up in lace and ride tentacle dildos.Though that was a welcome reprieve and a chance to relax and let my guard down a little.
Not too much, though, because of what he was.Or, more correctly, what he was capable of.I didn’t want to be turned into an enchanted dildo…
My brother?
No, even then, he’d fail to satisfy.
While I doubted Timothy would turn against me, it was a risk.While only sorcerers could fix the damage in my world, they were also the ones able to do the most damage.I didn’t want others using Timothy, and I didn’t want him to grow his own power by using children as a conduit.If he did that, I couldn’t protect him.He was being surveilled by someone who’d make a recommendation, so it was out of my hands and entirely in his.
I’d warned him.Now he needed to show that he was the right kind of sorcerer, the kind who cared about the damage done instead of about power and personal gain.
My brother only cared about the latter.It was a good thing monsters didn’t have magic.I dropped my bag and grabbed a couple of snack balls and sauce out of the fridge—I’d made them yesterday, and there were a couple left.I was surprised he hadn’t eaten them all.The idea of heading out, just for the sake of getting out, became more appealing by the heartbeat.
“Must be grand to double dip.”He stood and walked into the kitchen area.
“I didn’t.I poured the sauce onto the ball, and even if I did, I made the balls and the sauce.”Ew, had he double-dipped in the sauce?Had he done something to the sauce?I eyed the dish as if I’d be able to identify any contamination if I stared hard enough.
“I’m not talking about the sauce.You’re onScream and Steam.”
The ball became lodged in my throat, and I couldn’t breathe.How the fuck did he know about that?I forced myself to swallow.“What?”
I played ignorant to buy some time for my brain to start working.I didn’t want to think when I came home; I was tired.The last couple of days had been a lot.I’d been interviewed by the higher-ups, and they’d examined my channel in excruciating detail, which had been awkward.Answering questions about videos and conversations and what happened off-screen.I’d almost wished I’d opted for theScreamside of things.
“I hacked into your?—”
“You did what?”I took a step toward him.I wanted to fucking kill him.
“You’re hiding something, and I wanted to find out what.You’re the new streamer my friends talked about.”His smirk grew wider.“But you don’t post everything, do you?”
My stomach hollowed.He’d seen the private videos.Okay, so the higher-ups had as well, but that was different, though no less mortifying.This unwarranted invasion of privacy by my brother was… From the hollowness grew a boiling rage that spread through my gut, poisoned my blood, and blotted out all rational thought.
I launched myself at my brother.I skidded over the kitchen counter and kicked him in the chest.“You had no fucking right.”
He stumbled back.“I had every right.I asked you to create an account so I could be involved, and you said no.You lied.”He threw a punch, which my tail grabbed.
I shoved him against the wall, my horn pressing beneath his eye.“I don’t want you in every part of my life.”
I didn’t want him in any part of my life.
“I want half, or I’ll post the video of you fucking him.”
My tail released his hand and slapped him across the face as I stepped back.“You are a sorcerer bleeding me dry.You take and take, and it’s never enough.My clothes, my food, my privacy.”
