Bound by Prophecy (Descendants Series) - By Melissa Wright Page 0,43
brought her here. She was safe, no one had even known she existed, and I’d brought her among us, thrust her into the middle of our war, and nearly gotten her killed in the process. I could see the car again, smashing into brick just shy of her legs as she ran down the alleyway. I could see her sneaker slipping from the iron railing ten stories up the side of a building. I could see her now, in the hands of the Division. The Division her mother had always warned her would be the death of Brianna…
I was suddenly moving, leaving the room without so much as a word to either of them.
The chaos of my thoughts had aligned, given me a purpose. I had made it to the library, was sifting through papers, when Brendan’s voice cut through my resolve.
“Looking for something particular?”
My hand stilled. I took a steadying breath before I glanced up, the picture of ease. “Just hoping we missed something.” I closed the folder in front of me. “What brings you out this evening?”
Brendan’s chin tilted down but his eyes never left me. “We need to talk, Aern.”
“Isn’t that what we’re doing?”
He crossed his arms loosely in front of his chest. “Word spread about what happened with Eric this morning.”
I stiffened despite myself.
“There’ve been whispers,” Brendan said casually, as if it weren’t a warning.
“I know how you hate whispers.”
Brendan’s mouth moved, but it wasn’t exactly a smile. “They’re saying I should keep the two of you apart,” he said. “They think maybe she’s the reason you’re refusing the union.”
He was wrong. So, so wrong.
Brendan’s eyes shifted in a “well?” gesture. “Don’t be absurd,” I said, glancing down to arrange the papers lying over the desk.
Brendan stepped forward. “I don’t have an answer for them, Aern. Because, by all accounts, you are too close to the girl.” When I didn’t respond, he shifted uncomfortably, lowered his voice. “I’ve seen the way you look at her. She matters to you.”
The last folder slammed a little harder than I intended onto the stack. “So they would abandon her to Morgan then? To keep her away from me?”
Brendan’s brows rose.
I sighed. “Of course she matters. She’s Brianna’s sister. She should matter to all of them.” I put the folders under my arm and stepped around the desk. “She’s the only thing Brianna has left. Morgan would use her like he used Aiden.”
It was a low blow, I knew. But there was no way I was backing down now, not after what I’d learned.
“Aiden is the reason I’m here,” Brendan said.
“And Brianna is the reason I am,” I said on my way past him toward the door.
He didn’t stop me, but Kara had been listening from the hallway. She spun to follow me, the pound of her heels punctuating her angry whispers. “How could you? How dare you? I can’t even—” She picked up her stride, rushing to overtake mine. “Aern. Look at me.”
I glanced at her, not bothering to slow my pace.
“His brother? After all that, you would bring up his brother?”
I did stop then. In heels, she was nearly as tall as I, and her momentum left us too close. “Maybe that’s what he needs to be reminded of, Kara. Maybe that’s what you all need to be reminded of, the reason we’re here. The reason he broke from Morgan. This isn’t a game.” I leaned toward her, my voice low. “He’s a monster. A killer. I’ve seen it with my own eyes, and there is no one to stop him but me. His blood. His brother.”
She backed off, breathless and speechless.
“I will do what I have to to save us. You can tell them that.”
Her face fell and she raised a hand, readying her apology, but I waved it off.
She nodded, shamefaced, and turned to go, but I stopped her. “Kara?” She glanced over her shoulder. “Tell them anyone who touches her dies.”
I didn’t wait for her reaction, but I knew she understood. Emily was off limits, or their savior was gone.
As I sat alone in my room, Brendan’s constant warnings swam through my head. It needs to be now. You are our only chance. You know what needs to be done.
I could understand him, could understand all of them. I felt the urgency. I knew the prophecy. But I hadn’t acted. Something, all along, something had held me back.
And now, I had a secret. Only three of us knew the truth about the chosen. Only one