I shake my head. “We didn’t destroy Novandia. Only ensured the curse would never break again, even at an eclipse.”
“He’s still powerful?”
“Only one way to find out?” But I already know that answer. The power I now feel as Novandia’s hasn’t left me, so Fenix will still have his.
I break off into a run, and I curse that my brother, after everything, is making me run after him. My legs feel like jelly after no time at all, despite the training.
“I hate running, Fenix. So just stop. You’ve got nowhere to go.”
Up ahead, he slows, but his stance is nonchalant. He sways on his heels, makes an exaggerated step to the side and turns to face me. He holds his hands up as if to say, ‘Well?’
“It’s over.”
“Oh, no, no, no, no. It’s far from over.” He waggles his finger at me. “There’s still a battle going on. I’m not sure Kirrians like the cold, do they?”
“Who’s making it so cold?” I ask, the air biting against my skin now that the heat of my power has subsided. “Has the Usher got more puppets working for him?”
“You think we’d wait this long and not have the strength to fight?”
“Everyone in his army was weak, as though their magic was diminished somehow.” I think of Clare, the girl who helped me, or at least tried, back in their camp. Nobody was strong, except for Selina.
“And you think we’d just roll back the carpet and share everything with you?” He starts to laugh. A cackling, full-body laugh, tilting his body back to the sky as it reverberates off the snow around us.
It sends a wave of dread over me. We were deceived—in every possible way.
My magic stirs, as if it wants to fight, not content to be held at bay, but I lock it down, not ready to fight both Fenix and my wayward magic.
But it’s Fenix that makes the first move. He grapples to control me with his power, to take me off guard, but I easily push his reach away, my magic weaving between his, throwing us back into a moment in time, trapped by our own powers. The familiar friction between us is still evident—the two sides ofus.
Ten’s safe, away from danger. So, I take the time to quiz my brother. “What did you want with me, then? If you had this plan all laid out. Was it my power? Because it sure as hell didn’t seem like it was ourfamilylink.”
“See, Sister. You always see the worst in me. As everyone always does. I came for you. We’re twins. Born of Fifths. I’dfinally have someone else like me. The Usher, well, of course, he wanted us. That potential was far too great a lure.”
“I don’t want to know about the Usher. I want to know about you,” I spit out. But I take a deep breath, my magic rumbling to the tune of my emotion.
“I thought we could grow to be friends,” he shouts back. “Ever since Kalan told me I have a sister, I’ve wanted you to be part of our plan. To do this together, like our parents wanted.”
I shake my head at him. “Friends? I don’t believe that. You’ve never treated me that way.”
“My power has always ensured people understand my intentions. When I was young, they were always suspicious of me. Distrusting. You were just the same. And it’s clear you won’t believe a word from my mouth. Right from the start, you didn’t want to acknowledge what we are, so I did what I know.”
“Can you blame me? After what you’ve done. The Usher has manipulated you. Used you. And us. We were only a means to his end: keep everyone distracted while he goes for the ultimate power. And now you’re running away.” He bristles at that. “Isn’t ityourarmy doing the fighting? You were proud of that fact when you took me. And now look at you. Were you only going to watch and then take the spoils?” I pace the few feet of ground we’ve shielded ourselves within.
“You’ve not won, Sister.”
“No. But you’ve not, either. The Usher is dead. And right now, that feels like a pretty big fucking win.”
His eyes bore into mine, and I watch the many faces of Fenix shift before me, as if he’s wrestling with what to do in this situation. Calculating.
“Are you going to stay here? In this place that despises and fears what you are?” He backs up with his arms out wide, getting closer and closer to the lake, stretching our magic. And it’s thefirst time I sense it. He’s weaker. I check that our magic is still holding, despite Fenix’s depleted power, but it is.
“Maybe. I’m not excusing everything the Orders have done. But this isn’t the way.”
“It is the only way!”
It can’t be. I hold on to that. The belief that violence and fighting won’t win out. It can’t.
“It’s ironic that you say that here. Of all places.” His lips twitch, and I have that familiar sinking feeling that he’s got something on me—more information that he’s saved to deliver at just the right time. “This,” he looks around at the edge of the lake, “is where our parents are buried. I told you I knew where they were. I have never lied to you, sister.”
