instantaneous. I watch as the magic lifts them off their feet, vine tattoos snaking up their arms as their bodies glow with the green light of life magic. So this is it, I think grimly. This is how he finally wins. But there’s nothing for it; the sounds of mum’s heartbroken sobs are enough to make me sure of that.
After what feels like ages of watching their power build, the intruders finally drop to the ground, their new tattoos a horrible reminder of the magic we now share. Neritous gets to his feet slowly, staring down at his hands. “Yes,” he breathes, his face lighting up. “Finally.”
The twins get to their feet, exchanging a wondering look as they process what’s happened. The rest of us are left to watch them turn and wordlessly head out the door, as casually as if they were wrapping up a normal family visit. Neritous follows them, pausing briefly in the doorway to meet my gaze and smile. “Thank you,” he says, and the words are like a knife to the heart. “I won’t be requiring any more of your services at this time.”
Like it’s my fecking job.
With that, he walks out the door, leaving us in the midst of the fruits of his destruction. I watch him go for a long moment, trembling.
And then, finally, I give myself permission to cry.
Chapter 14
It feels like the world has shrunk to a point in front of me. Sound seems to ebb and flow, and in spite of the fact that my brother is lying dead in the corner of our living room, all I can seem to do is stare down at my hands. The vine tattoos seem to stare up at me like they’re issuing a challenge, and I’m helpless to do anything other than give in. The tears are coming before I even realise it, pricking at my eyes before spilling over and rolling down my cheeks like a waterfall. And then I’m sobbing, my shoulders shaking with the force of my grief as I slowly sink onto the floor, still unable to do anything other than look down at myself in horror. The room blurs with tears, and the sounds of the others around me make me feel like I’m underwater. Vaguely, I’m aware of my mother sobbing, and the sound of my dad’s broken voice as he does his best to comfort her, but it’s clear even without looking that he’s struggling to hold it together. This is my fault, I think, and the tears come even harder. I did this. It’s my fault. If I hadn’t said no to him, if I had just given him what he wanted…
I nearly jump out of my skin when a hand drops to my shoulder, and I look up to see Killian staring down at me, his face a grimace of sympathy and despair. Storm is watching us from the corner, his arms crossed over his chest, and it’s clear that he doesn’t know what to do. Seth, too, seems out of his element as he swallows hard, looking like he doesn’t know what to do with himself. I can’t blame him; the guys didn’t know Hugo the way they know me, but that doesn’t make it any harder to witness. Realising that I’m shaking, I lean into Killian’s touch without meaning to, reaching up to grip his hand like a vise as I do my best to compose myself. “Here,” he murmurs, covering my hand with his own, “let me help you.”
I can’t even bring myself to resist, instead letting him pull me gently to my feet and envelop me in his strong arms. I bury my face in his chest like a child as he strokes my hair gently, treating me as delicately as if I were made of porcelain, and as haughty as I can be, I don’t even object. Right now, I feel like the smallest touch could shatter me. I continue to cry, aware that I’m staining his shirt with tears but unable to help it. “Shh,” he murmurs, pressing his lips to the crown of my head. “It’s okay. Let it out.” That only seems to bring on more tears, and my grip on him tightens almost instinctively.
Hugo is dead. Hugo is dead. Hugo is dead. It doesn’t seem real. At any minute, I’m going to wake up safe and sound in my bed and sigh with relief when I realise this was all just a bad dream.