Page 48 of The Shadow Sanctum

The rain pelting the forest pauses—halting partway to the ground as if the clouds are holding their breath. That or I imagine the moment of eerie silence. Even my heartbeat ceases to drum in my ears.

“When?”

Angel’s lips stretch into a tight smile, eyes skeptically narrowed because, yes, that was a stupid question.

Have I ever seen Luna eat bread?

“Yesterday,” Angel answers. “It takes up to seventy-two hours for those infected to show symptoms, so they probably still don’t know.”

She eats mashed shit like an infant for most meals. Not once has the Keep served dinner rolls.

“H-how long do they have once infected?”

“A week or two,” Angel says carefully, eyeing me like he can tell something’s wrong. “It’s treatable with antibiotics if something goes wrong.”

“The cult doesn’t believe in antibiotics.”

Luna doesn’t believe in antibiotics.

“Well, that’s the entire reason this works… Is something wrong?”

Is something wrong?

Rubbing the back of my neck, I try to think of a lie. But it’s hard when my head spins and I’m not even sure I know the truth.

If she were sick… I could force the antibiotics into her. If I had to.

I drop my hand and force my head to shake. “Nah, just… It’s kind of a wild card when we don’t know who’s going to eat the flour, you know?”

“They’re stingy with it. I made sure. And it’s a small canister in the mansion’s kitchen, so… Relax, all right?”

Unspoken words: not everything has to be within your control. Even if I didn’t have… something… on the line, I wouldn’t like his plan. Too many variables. Too many possible outcomes, not all of which can be anticipated.

He knows this about me… It’s okay to look nervous.

Still, I try to keep it from my face.

“Yeah.” I nod. Too many times. “Okay.”

“Hey.”

The flecks of gold around his irises warm as I meet his gaze. I forgot about those flecks, but now that they’re in front of me… I recognize them for what they are.

The only kind of love I’ve ever known. From the only person in the world still alive to feel it for me.

That tightness in my chest unravels as if he had it wrapped around his fist. He stretches his arm around the fire, reaching his open palm toward me. “Brothers?”

My tongue feels so heavy, I’m not sure I’ll be able to speak, but when I stretch that way and take his hand, giving it a shake, my vocal cords perform a miracle.

“Brothers.”

CHAPTER 17

LUNA

It’s been two days since the ceremony. Two days that my … that the people have suffered the unmet agony of retribution, retribution that Father stubbornly has refused.

They swarm the Keep with angry fists, demanding retribution for their Head Keeper’s actions. But I don’t hear their furious cries.