What?
Letting you in.
I will not hurt you.
You already have.The broken nature of her melody, at that thought, pierced soul.
Ah, but have I?Then I shared with her my memories of that night when I first met her, the night her life changed, and the night when I came to realize that she was the one who could save us all.
Chapter sixteen
Islammed my fist into the steering wheel. I was still in front of Emma's house, sitting in my car after dropping her off. That had not gone to plan–she saw far too much into my past. She was never supposed to see that, what my life had been like on Terra. The pity in her eyes made me ready for murder. I was strong, and I was still in control. Even though I hated both Tarick and my father, what they had done to me had made me strong. Images of a dark, wet dungeon flashed before my eyes. She saw it: me beaten and tortured. She saw the blood splatters on the wall. I squeezed my eyes shut and put my head on the steering wheel. I thought over the moment again.
What was that?She soul-spoke with me, her soul confused.Did you beat that boy?
I would never beat a child, Emma,I told her. I quickly tried to sift through the memories, being even more careful about whatI showed her, not letting her pull anything else from me. But it was too late; her melody was making guesses, connections, and forming conclusions; she thought it was me. She had gotten to the truth.Blast it all.
I banged my head on the steering wheel with a grunt, I needed a break. My melody was out of control, and it reached out loudly. I was so tired.
I lay my head back on the head rest, looking through the sunroof at the stars.
Cadian?I looked to the door, wondering if Aiden was beside me. No one was there. Was I going insane just because Emma had seen one small glimpse of my life?
Cadian?
Cadian?
Cadian.
I froze, realizing that it wasn't someone outside. It was coming from within me. But it wasn't Emma's voice, nor was it her soul, speaking to me.
Is it a memory?What is happening?
I closed my eyes, telling myself that it didn't sound like my brother, that such a thing was impossible.
Then it became clear that I was wrong–oh so wrong.
I wanted to leave you a message, brother,Shad’s voice spoke from within my soul.You may have my soul for the moment; you may think you have won, but nothing, and I do mean absolutely nothing, will keep me from Emma. Even if I can never reclaim my soul from you, I will cause my soul to take over your entire being and body, just so I can be with her. Allof your memories will then fade away, and I will take you over, mind, body, and soul, if I must.
I gasped, clutching my heart as his intensity of fury flowed through my soul.
Those words from my brother had been placed there when I removed his soul and placed it inside the midnight crystal. It was impressive how he could plant such a message inside my soul to be revealed at just the right time, when I was the most vulnerable. I did not want to admire my brother, but I did admire that skill. But if he could do such a thing, so could I one day. I cursed my brother's name under my breath as my breathing became heavy and shivers overtook me.
Someone slammed into the side of my car door, causing me to flinch in my seat. I looked outside after rolling down the window, and there he was–Shad, staring down at me. I got goose-bumps.Ancients, I could not handle another thing being thrown at me.
“We need to talk,brother,” Shad said, his black-blue hair so similar to my own, except it partially covered his eyes. Slightly unnerved, going from one threatening message from Shadrict to him in real life, glaring at me, I took in a deep shuttering breath. I feigned confidence.
“Oh, really?” I asked, opening my door, then closing it to lean against it as I crossed my arms. He looked as awful as I felt. He appeared to be transforming into a soulless faster than anyone else I’d ever seen.Why?I wondered and then pushed back any remorse for him. He had some dark circles under his eyes, and there was a paleness to his skin, so light that I wondered if it had come from the moon's glow, or perhaps, from the loss of blood. I wondered when it was that he had first started to lose blood. He stood there, wearing a black sweatshirt and jeans, hands inside the pocket of his sweatshirt. He just glared at me. “What do you need to discuss, brother?” I asked.
“What are you doing?” he asked, his eyes burning into mine.
“I just dropped Emma off.”
“I mean, what is your endgame here. I know that it isn’t to play nice and have some happy ending to your sad excuse of a life,” Shad asked.
“Excuse me, but need I remind you that, although we are brothers, we do not know each other,” I spat at him.
“I heard what you did. All of the kingdoms know. You will not receive a warm welcome."
