Page 20

Nix gestures at the students visible through the windows. “We are meant to rule them, not protect them.”

“We’ve had this argument before,” I remind him. “Many times over many years in many different cities.”

“And you’ve been wrong every time.” He says it without malice, as if stating a simple fact. “But now it’s time to stop fighting your own destiny, Lucien.”

I turn fully toward him now. “You’re still trying to fulfil Darius’s vision, even after all this time? You still believe that what he saw was real? Instead of the ramblings of a creature who’d simply lived undead for far too long.”

Nix’s voice hardens. “He made us what we are.”

“He made us monsters.”

“He made us immortal.” Nix steps closer, close enough that I can feel his breath. “And with The Covenant, we can finally become what we were meant to be.”

Something in his proximity makes my skin prickle.

“Darius said nothing about The Covenant. And besides, the girl is mine. You will not touch her.”

Nix’s eyes darken and, for a moment, I see something like jealousy flash across his face. “Is she really?” He smirks and licks his fangs. “Yours?”

He nods and steeples his fingers.

“And does she know what you were? What you’ve done? Does she know about your shadows, Lucien? After all, it wasn’t so long ago you were taking commissions from the Human Extinction League.” He scratches his chin. “Isn’t that how you found your little pet? Because you were looking for the Phoenix and stumbled upon her instead?”

“I’ve changed.” I don’t ask him how he knows what led me to Luna; he wouldn’t tell me even if I did.

“Have you?” He reaches out, his fingers brushing my jaw before I can pull away. “Or have you just buried the monster deep enough that you can pretend it doesn’t exist?”

I catch his wrist, holding it inches from my face. “Don’t.”

He withdraws his hand, but the sensation of his skin against mine lingers. “She’s awakening, you know. I can feel it. The shadows are responding to her in ways I’ve only read about in the oldest texts. It began when The Shadow King was destroyed. By your fire witch – The Phoenix – I believe?”

I do not answer him. He knows the answers to his questions or he wouldn’t be asking them. And he’s right. It began with Nova. What she did saved the world, but evil never stays buried. And removing the King left room for The Covenant to call its queen.

“If Luna is the queen you seek, it does not mean she will fight for the darkness, Nix. I know her. I’ve seen her light. She will not be corrupted by you or by the power of The Covenant.”

Nix leans against the stone wall, studying me. He laughs softly. “It’s fascinating, it really is.” He shakes his head. “Did you think I wouldn’t smell it on you? The lust you feel for her? The love?”

I look away.

“After all these centuries, you still haven’t learned, have you? They aren’t meant for us. Not for keeps. So, I think you need to separate your feelings for this human – alluring as she is – from the facts, brother.”

“This isn’t about my feelings for Luna.” I step back, putting distance between us. “It’s bigger than that. It’s about your hatred for humans⁠—”

Nix sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. “Lucien, you’ve convinced yourself you’re one of them.” His voice carries a note of pity now. “But you’re not. You never will be. You are what Darius made you. What we made each other.”

Suddenly, he’s right in front of me, our faces inches apart.

My muscles tense, every instinct urging me to stop him before he can put his plans into motion. But something holds me back, and we both know what it is.

Nix rests his hand on my chest, directly over my heart. “I have to say, I never thought I’d need to rely on Darius’ insurance policy. I never imagined – even after you killed Darius – that there would be a time you’d wish me harm.” He meets my eyes. His hand is resting above the place where I carved Luna’s name into my ribs, and suddenly an image flashes across my mind of the three of us. Fucking. Surrounded by darkness and shadows and power.

It is not my vision. It is his.

I pull back. “I may not be able to kill you, but I can stop you. Luna will stop you. She won’t be drawn to what you can offer her, Nix. She has known darkness. She will not want to be part of a future where there is more of it.”

Nix steps back, nodding. “You are so very confident that she won’t be seduced by what I offer?”

His words send a chill through me, but before I can respond, he’s gone.