Beautiful Darkness

 

Lila knew it wasn't true. Macon hadn't made his choice solely because of her, but she knew she was part of the reason. She faced Abraham, mustering all the courage she possessed. “We're going to find a way to end all that. Casters and Mortals should be able to do more than just coexist.”

 

 

 

Abraham's expression changed. His face darkened, and he no longer looked like an aging Southern gentleman. He looked sinister and evil as he smiled at Macon. “Your father and Hunting — we hoped you would join us. I warned Hunting that brothers are often a disappointment. As are sons.”

 

 

 

Macon turned his head sharply, his face changing to mirror Abraham's. “I am no one's son.”

 

 

 

“At any rate, I can't have you or this woman interfering with our plans. It's unfortunate, really. You turned your back on your family because you loved this filthy Mortal, and yet she will die because you dragged her into this.” Abraham vanished, materializing in front of Lila. “Oh, well.” He opened his mouth, baring his gleaming canines.

 

 

 

Lila covered her head with her arms and screamed, waiting for the bite that never came. Macon materialized between them. Lila felt the weight of his body as it slammed into hers, throwing her backward. “Lila, run!”

 

 

 

For a second she was paralyzed, as the two of them thrashed at each other. The sound was violent, as if the earth was tearing itself apart. Lila watched as Macon threw Abraham to the ground, his guttural cries ripping through the air. Then she ran.

 

 

 

 

 

The sky swirled around me slowly, like someone hit REWIND. Liv must have been talking to me, because I could see her mouth forming words, but I couldn't make them out. I closed my eyes again.

 

Abraham had killed my mother. She may have died by Sarafine's hand, but it was Abraham who ordered it. I was sure of it.

 

“Ethan? Can you hear me?” Liv's voice was frantic.

 

“I'm okay.” I pushed myself up slowly. All three of them were staring down at me, and Lucille was sitting on my chest.

 

I was sprawled out on the rotting walkway. “Give it to me.” Liv was trying to pry the Arclight out of my hands. “It's acting as some kind of metaphysical channel. You can't control it.”

 

I didn't let go. It was a channel I couldn't afford to close.

 

“At least tell me what happened. Who was it now? Abraham or Sarafine?” Liv put her hand on my shoulder to steady me.

 

“It's fine. I don't want to talk about it.”

 

Link stared down at me. “You okay, man?”

 

I blinked a few times. It was as if I was underwater, watching them through ripples. “I'm fine.”

 

Ridley stood up a few feet away, wiping her hands on her skirt. “Famous last words.”

 

Liv picked up her backpack and stood staring at the end of the almost endless dock. I pulled myself up next to her.

 

“This is it.” I looked at Liv. “I can feel it.”

 

I shivered. That's when I noticed she was shaking, too.

 

 

 

 

 

6.20

 

 

 

 

 

Sea Change

 

 

It felt like we had been walking forever, as if the bridge in front of us only got longer the closer we got. The farther we went, the less we saw. The air became brighter and heavier and wetter, until suddenly my feet came to the edge of the weathered planks — and what appeared to be an impenetrable wall of fog.

 

“Is this the Great Barrier?” I squatted down, touching the place where the wood ended. My hand felt nothing. No invisible Caster stairwell. Nothing.

 

“Wait, what if this is like a dangerous force field or some kind of poisonous smoke?” Link pulled out his shears and gently pushed them into the mist, then yanked them back, perfectly intact. “Or maybe not. Still, pretty creepy. How do we know if we go through that we're going to be able to come back?” As usual, Link was only saying what the rest of us were thinking.

 

I stood at the end of the bridge, facing the nothingness. “I'm going through.”

 

Liv looked insulted. “You can barely walk. Why you?”

 

Because this whole thing is my fault. Because Lena was my girlfriend. Because I might be a Wayward, whatever that is.

 

I looked away and found myself looking at Lucille, her claws digging into Ridley's shirt. Lucille Ball was no fan of the water. “Ouch!” Ridley put her down. “Stupid cat.”

 

Lucille took a few deliberate steps across the wood, turning to look at me. She cocked her head.

 

With a flick of her tail, she took off and was gone.

 

“Because.” Turns out, I couldn't explain. Liv shook her head, and without waiting for anyone else, I followed Lucille into the clouds.