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“I’m not drinking it,” Brighton says.
“Please, Bright.”
“These powers are mine—I almost died for them!”
“You almost died because of them!”
“I’m not Dad; I’m a survivor!”
There’s complete silence in the room except for Ma gasping. Phoenixes are screeching outside but somehow my beating heart feels louder. I can’t even fight back the tears, thinking about how grateful I am that Dad isn’t around to see Brighton being so absolutely horrible.
“Don’t insult your father’s memory like this!” Ma shouts. “If he were around, he would tell you that you’re not supposed to be playing judge, jury, and executioner with these unnatural powers.”
Brighton is red in the face. “None of you appreciate how extraordinary I am! The Spell Walkers treated Emil like he’s some chosen one, when I’m the one who has defied death to become the most powerful gleamcrafter in the entire world. I will make the most change and protect everyone from anyone using their powers to terrorize. Overpowering the enemy is how wars are won, and that will sometimes mean deciding if someone lives or dies.”
I remember my nightmare of Brighton terrorizing everyone with all his reaper powers. I tried to shake that off as nothing but a dream, but maybe that was my subconscious trying to brace me for this dark reality.
“Am I your enemy?” I ask.
“If you’re not with me, you’re against me.”
“Then overpower me.”
Brighton and I stare each other down, and in an instant, we draw fire.
My gold and gray fire-orbs blast apart his silver-and-sapphire fire-bolts, driving straight into my brother’s chest.
This is not a fight I want to have, but it’s one I got to win.
Seventy-Nine
Shining Brighter
BRIGHTON
I should’ve known it would come to this.
My chest burns from the fire-orbs, but I won’t be the only one in pain. I throw fire-bolt after fire-bolt as I rise and they all explode in the air as Emil keeps countering
with his own attacks. It takes so much agonizing soul-searching for Emil to justify fighting actual enemies, but now that it’s me he has no problem being so aggressive. He can’t dominate me like this, not with his one set of powers. I dash in a zigzag, dodging his fire-orbs, and I’m so close that I’m about to uppercut him with a flaming fist when Prudencia telekinetically shoves me back across the library.
“Stay out of this!” I shout.
“No! I’ve been with you both since the start and I’m seeing this through to the end,” Prudencia says.
“You’re supposed to be on my side.”
She shakes her head. “You’re supposed to convince me that your side is worth taking. I’ve never worried about Emil abusing his powers, but I can’t say the same for you.”
“So what, you preferred me when I was powerless?”
“You’re the same person, Brighton. The powers only shone a light on how much of a dangerous egomaniac you are.”
Something inside me is cracking, and instead of giving in to the heartache, I retaliate: “You don’t deserve to be with someone great like me. Go run back to your pathetic ex.”
Prudencia grins like I’ve told some joke. “You really think I’m so weak to be heartbroken by that. Your pride is wounded and always gets in your way of admitting when you’re wrong. Get yourself under control now so you don’t have to live a lonely life.”
“I have millions of people who love me—”
