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“Pru, get my mom outside!”
I don’t even wait for her reaction before dashing toward Emil, skidding to a halt as the bodyguard attacks. I grab Emil and hope to every star that my power doesn’t fail me now. The lightning phases through us, exploding in white-hot sparks against the fireplace. While Emil is shocked, I hurl a fire-bolt straight into the celestial’s chest and he lands in the ruins of the grandfather clock.
“I saved Ma and Eva; let’s go!”
We yell for everyone to follow us out of the house. We run past a statue and get to the front gate, which Prudencia has pushed open with her power. The Haloes whistle for their phoenixes and Emil runs straight into Ma’s arms. There are sirens in the distance, so I give Emil and Ma three whole seconds before we have to keep it moving. It’s such a rush as we make it back to the car and peel away, Emil and I sitting with our mother’s arms wrapped around us and crying together.
We did it. The Reys of Light, the Infinity Kings—mostly me—saved our family.
Fifty-Six
Changing the Narrative
NESS
I hide my smile as we walk through the wrecked manor.
This home that has belonged to our family for generations has been turned upside down. The bodyguards tasked with watching the grounds have been beat and bloodied, and Jax and Zenon are scolding them in the destroyed sunroom. Roslyn is outside speaking with authorities and reporters, keeping them away from the manor while Luna, Dione, and June hide out in the attic just in case.
The Senator is looking pale, like he’s seen a ghost. His fists have been clenched since getting the news that his captives have been freed by the Infinity Kings, Maribelle, Prudencia, and a couple Halo Knights. Carolina and Eva are going to expose everything.
I wish I could’ve been here to greet Emil. But reuniting him with his mother is my big win tonight. It’s given me some of my soul back.
Bishop steps over the cracked TV and rests a hand on the Senator’s shoulder. “They’ll all be locked away in no time, Edward.”
“I know.”
The Senator storms into the sunroom and we follow him, my face disguised as the same white bodyguard from when we arrived at the university. The Senator is known for being charming, but even he’s not bothering to hide his absolute disdain at all the four guards who failed him tonight. “I entrusted you all with my home. I have stood by you even though my supporters have warned me of the ways celestials may betray me.” He doesn’t bother acknowledging Jax’s and Zenon’s undying loyalty.
“I’m sorry, sir,” says one of the guards with silver hair.
“Your apologies won’t save my reputation. Spinning this story in my favor will. Politics is steered by narratives. It will certainly make sense to the American people that after I dominated my celestial opponent in tonight’s debate, Spell Walkers would attempt an assassination. My support skyrocketed after losing my wife and son, though the outpour when they hear this news will be monumental. The voters will see that I’m doing something right if these vigilantes were willing to have me killed instead of see me rise to power.” The Senator walks in a circle around the guards. “Death is political, even the senseless ones.”
He snaps his fingers.
Jax’s eyes glow and he telekinetically breaks the necks of all four guards.
They all drop dead, and I turn away before their faces can haunt me. I try to reason with myself that anyone working for the Senator can’t be good, and that Carolina’s and Eva’s lives are worth more than theirs. But I know all too well that people with good hearts get caught up in wrong situations. Sometimes even grow up in them.
“Burn their bodies,” the Senator says. “We’ll pin that on those Infinity Kings.”
I’m sure Brighton has already burned people alive for unfollowing him on Instagram, but Emil isn’t a murderer. I can’t even picture him killing in self-defense.
“Drop the face,” the Senator says to me.
The gray light washes over me to my great relief; holding all these morphs tonight, especially Sunstar’s, has been weighing on me.
“It’s no coincidence that this break-in, Eduardo, comes on the heels of the first time we let you out in public.”
“I did what you asked of me,” I say.
“Not completely. You went off script at the end.”
“Going on about butterflies,” Bishop says.
“Fireflies,” the Senator corrects as he gets in my face. “Was that some sort of code for your allies?”
I shrug. “
