Infinity Reaper (Infinity Cycle #2) - Adam Silvera Page 0,28

of how dangerous celestials are. If the Spell Walkers are risking their necks for me, it’s only because Emil made the case that I came back for them during the invasion at Nova.

Then I’m hit with a terrible thought that would track against me: What if Emil just thinks I ran away again and never comes looking for me?

Jax tells me to follow him, and I cooperate to buy time to figure out my next move. I’m tense as we go down the hall. Glass shatters from the downstairs foyer, and we pause at the top of the stairs. The backup security alarm goes off for mere seconds before being disconnected. Even I couldn’t have disabled the alarm that quickly; maybe Wesley dashed in and handled it.

While Jax is distracted, I run toward the Senator’s office so I can open the window and climb down the terrace. I don’t make it far before I’m telekinetically yanked back so hard that it feels like my spine might snap. I’m suspended in the air, all my joints stiff as Jax rotates me toward him.

“You’re not going anywhere,” Jax says with glowing eyes.

Zenon’s voice booms from Jax’s communicator: “Above you!”

We both look up. My heart sinks when it’s not a Spell Walker falling from the ceiling, but a Blood Caster. Dione drops fast like this one time she fearlessly jumped out of a building to escape enforcers. She tackles Jax in front of the office with her six arms, pinning him down before he can defend himself, and she unleashes a flurry of punches on his face and chest.

The telekinetic hold on me breaks.

I have to run. If I’m not fast enough, being locked up won’t be my biggest problem. The Casters will torture me for betraying them, bone by bone. I don’t want to be around to see if Luna succeeded in her ritual. I can’t go through the office without risking Dione grabbing me with one of her arms. I run downstairs, rounding the corner and sprinting through the dining room and into the kitchen. The Senator and Zenon are standing in the doorway, and I skid to a halt. But Zenon knew to expect me, and he slams me against the wall before I can reverse course.

“Why are the Blood Casters attacking?” the Senator asks.

“You tell me,” I say.

“I bring you home and the gang arrives not even twenty-four hours later! If you sent them a message—”

“I ran away from them, remember? You’re the one who spoke with Luna last. Maybe she’s trying to clean her hands of you for good.”

He looks like he wants to throttle me.

“Acolytes approaching,” Zenon says as his glowing eyes flash like twinkling stars. “They’re all armed.” He releases me and aims his own wand at the doorway.

Unless he’s a sharpshooter, I’m our best shot. I take a deep breath, and the familiar gray light washes over me as I transform into Dione. This is the first time the Senator has seen me use my power. I hate that in saving myself I’m also saving him. I step out into the dining room with my shoulders hunched, doing my best to impersonate Dione’s mask of determination when she’s hunting. The acolytes freeze when they see me.

“What are you doing down here?” I bark in Dione’s voice. She’s never patient with the acolytes. “Go upstairs and spread out.”

They follow my orders. This will buy us a minute at most—just until they find Dione laying into Jax. I have to escape before Stanton shows up. If he’s focused on hunting me, my morph won’t mean anything. He’ll be tracking my scent.

“Get to the panic room,” the Senator says as they all come out of the kitchen.

If I’m locked in that room with the Senator, only one of us will come out alive.

“Someone’s coming in,” Zenon says, pointing at a wall without a door.

We’re all confused until my nightmare comes true—Luna and June emerge from the wall holding hands. Luna’s silver hair is dirty, and there’s blood all over the same ceremonial cape she wore the night I got my powers. More bloodstains decorate the stomach of her silky white blouse. If she’s been wounded and is still managing to hold herself upright like this, this must mean she’s won.

She’s unkillable.

Zenon fires multiple spells from his wand but they sail through Luna and June as if they aren’t really there.

Luna’s green eyes study me. “Dione, dear, why haven’t you snapped this fool’s neck?” She’s right. Dione’s allegiance is