by Adam Silvera
Everyone will know the truth soon.
I bring the meal to the dining hall. Eva is talking to Maribelle as we await the arrival of Iris and Wesley’s family, who we reached on the drive back. Emil returns with Ma just in time from standing guard outside the bathroom as she showered. She wanted privacy and protection and Emil gave her both. Prudencia is working on the Starstifler potion, which will be done sometime in the middle of the night.
Eva is half-asleep on the table and too sick to finish eating as Ma tells us all about how Ness was tricked into getting personal stories from them for the Silver Star Slayer’s interviews. Then she confirms our suspicions about Luna and the Blood Casters working with Iron. It’s despicable the lengths Iron’s team has gone through to rig this election. I wonder how many of his supporters will even care that his bodyguards had no problems assaulting two women, one of whom is a pacifist who wouldn’t fight back even if she had an offensive power.
“EVA!”
We all turn.
Iris is running so fast through the dining hall it’s as if she thinks she’s swift-speeded like Wesley, who’s coming up behind her with Ruth, Esther, and Tala. Eva nearly trips over herself in her sleepy daze, and Iris picks her up into the tightest hug. I expect them to say how much they love each other or something, but they’re both quiet and just breathing together.
This is the closest thing to a family reunion the Spell Walkers can have, but I only see one thing at this large gathering—our army is growing.
Everyone is packed into the Sanctuary’s lab. This reminds me when we first gathered with the Spell Walkers in Nova’s brewing chamber except we’re not guests this time—we’re in charge. It’s almost two in the morning when we finish updating the Spell Walkers and Co. on everything we’ve been up to since first arriving here.
“Wow. Time travel,” Wesley says. “It doesn’t seem fair that we hosted you in our secret home too, only to miss out on all the cool time traveling.”
“They also stole your car,” Iris says, her arm wrapped around Eva’s shoulder.
“Rules don’t apply to time travelers.”
“False,” Emil says as he puts what little muscle he has into stirring the Starstifler, which is thickening like paste. How on earth is anyone supposed to drink that? It’s going to be exhausting for him when he has to retrocycle again to figure out where he went wrong.
Ma fights back a yawn, refusing to rest because she misses us so much.
Maribelle is on my laptop with one earphone in. “Iron will be making a speech shortly.”
“Aw, he’s going to apologize for all the kidnapping and lies,” Wesley says.
“I’m grateful to everyone for saving Eva and Carolina,” Iris says. “I would’ve loved for it to have been less destructive, but we’re at where we’re at. What’s your strategy to offset this?”
“Going to use my channels—the ones you hate so much,” I say. I can’t help but be a little petty now that the tables have turned. Maribelle smirks too. “My platform has grown, so we have Ma and Eva tell their true stories.”
“But you don’t have proof,” Iris says.
“His supporters don’t care about proof.”
Iris scoffs. “They don’t care when it suits their narrative, but they will challenge everything else. I’m genuinely shocked you didn’t stream the whole rescue mission for your followers.”
Prudencia grabs my hand. “It says a lot about Brighton that he didn’t. Our plan wasn’t perfect, but we did our best not even knowing if there was anyone to save.”
I turn to Prudencia, noticing that Ma is smiling at her too. She’s always known there’s been something between us, and I’m happy she’ll be around to watch us grow.
“That doesn’t mean we won’t take accountability for our actions,” Prudencia says. “Brighton’s idea for an interview is great, and we can let everyone know about the Starstifler.”
“I thought we weren’t mentioning that,” I say.
“You and Emil are viewed as unnecessary threats since you’re specters. You’re not supposed to have powers in the first place, and if we can prove to everyone that you’ll be binding them, it could go a long way in building back some goodwill,” Prudencia says.
I want to let go of her hand, but I stay still.
“Oh, good,” Ma says. “Send those powers back. The ghost ones are so unnatural.”
Wesley’s eyes widen. “You have spooky ghost powers too? We need to start a group chat.”
“I phased tonight,” I say.
“Superstar,” Wesley says.
“But those powers are evil,” Ma says.
I don’t have my usual blood-and-bones instinct, but I can tell a classic gang-up is beginning. “Powers don’t have some bright or dark side by nature. I saved everyone tonight with phoenix fire and dashing and phasing. All I’ve ever wanted to do was help and make a difference. I’m continuing the work that started with my series.”
“What if you lose yourself?” Emil asks. “June doesn’t speak.”
“I’m chatting away, bro. And I don’t appreciate being put in the same category as an assassin when I’m a savior.”
“We just want to save your life too,” Prudencia gently says. “Orton had all of your same powers and he went up in flames.”
“We don’t have any statistics on hybrid specters beyond that. This Reaper’s Blood was designed with pure essences to be stronger than others,” I say.
“It was designed for Luna,” Emil says. “You have her parents’ ghosts in you. There might be some repercussions.”
I’m not going to tell them about how unnerving and difficult the power is when active; they’ll only use it against me. Slinging fire-bolts and running swiftly can be depleting, but those abilities don’t cut off my air like when I’m in that ghost zone. Besides, there’s still so much for me to explore. June doesn’t seem to feel any physical pain and it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world to not have that slowing me down in combat.
“I’m still me,” I say. “Just upgraded.”
“Time-out on this,” Maribelle says. “Iron is talking any minute now.”
I gather with Emil, Prudencia, Ma, and Maribelle around my laptop while Wesley and Iris find it on their phones.
Let’s see how Iron tries to spin his crimes.
Fifty-Eight
The Speech
NESS
I’m awaiting my punishment in the panic room.
The gleam-shield is humming. It’s ridiculous that Jax turned it on when locking me in here as if I can shift into some insect and escape through the tiny vents. No one is using their gleam to get through this barrier. That’s the point.
It’s been almost an hour since Luna and the Senator started speaking, and they must be planning something awful for me. What could be worse than posing as Sunstar and tanking her chances at the election? For me, it would be anything that hurts Emil. I’m sure it would be great if they could get some footage of me posing as Emil and physically assaulting the camera. I’ll die before I do that.
I’m bracing myself for that reality.
I snap up from the couch at the sound of the many footsteps coming down the stairs. Through the door’s window I see the Senator and Bishop leading the charge, followed by Jax and Zenon, and then Luna with Dione and June at her side.
The Senator’s appearance isn’t as manicured as usual. He’s abandoned his glasses and jacket, loosened his tie, undone his top button, and rolled up his sleeves like he’s been doing some manual labor for once in his life. He turns off the gleam-shield and opens the door. “Eventful evening. I’ve seen tremendous, threatening powers in my life, but nothing as terrifying as resurrection.”
“The dead should stay dead,” Bishop says, looking at me.
“You’ve never known true loss, then,” Luna says.
The Senator holds up his hand to silence them. “Resurrection is the greatest danger to our world, and the American people must understand what’s at stake w
ith Election Day approaching. There are numerous reporters outside our gates wanting a word about the invasion in our home, and you will have the great honor of delivering this news, Eduardo.”
“But they think I’m dead,” I say.
“That’s why you’ll be delivering the speech as me,” he says as he withdraws a folded sheet of paper from his pocket.
I step out of the panic room and take it. “This is a horrible idea. The general public doesn’t even know resurrection is possible. You’re better off keeping this quiet.”
The Senator steps into the panic room. “Stop putting your hormones before your country, Eduardo. It’s embarrassing for me as a father and a politician. I will not allow us to become more vulnerable to those who already outpower us. Do you want our soldiers going into war against enemies who can come back to life on the battlefield? This country needs to take a stand now against those who will allow this imbalance to come to pass. This includes the Spell Walkers, the Blood Casters, and every last alchemist who can build this army against us.”
He nods at his team, and it all happens so suddenly.
Bishop shoves Luna into the panic room, and she falls flat on the floor. He slams the door closed. Zenon quickly turns on the gleam-shield as June races for Luna, and when she collides into it, she’s blasted across the room and phases through the wall. Dione runs at the Senator while growing an extra set of arms, only for Jax to telekinetically snap her legs, bones puncturing as she falls. I’m tempted to run, but Dione’s screams are enough of a warning.
Zenon’s eyes glow. “June is returning.”
“From where?” Jax asks.
The top half of June’s body ascends from the floor, and she grabs Dione before they both sink away like the concrete is quicksand.
“They’re teleporting,” Zenon says. “I’ll stay alert.”
“We caught the big fish already,” Bishop says.
The Senator pushes me up the stairs with everyone following as Luna screams my name as if I can, or would, help her. “That alliance is over,” he says. “I’m giving you one last chance to maintain ours.”
“Screw that. Go give your own speech.”
“If your friends were bold enough to break into my home, I wouldn’t put it past them to attempt an assassination.”
I don’t even have to ask him if he’s willing to let me die in his place. He already tried to have me killed for his future.
“The press is waiting,” the Senator says. “Read every single word as I have written it.”
“Or what?”
“You haven’t come this far to die now, have you?”
He makes it impossible to think of him as my father when he threatens me like this.
Gray light.
I transform into the Senator once again, mirroring his loosened tie and rolled sleeves. He studies me. Does he know his face as well as he thinks he does? I know it really well from all the times he was up in mine yelling at me to be better, to give him space to work when I wanted him to spend time with me. There were some evenings during my Blood Caster days when I was on edge whenever I saw someone who bore the slightest resemblance to him. His face has haunted me, and I’m wearing it now to lie for him like I have my entire life.
“That power is remarkable,” the Senator says. “Don’t disappoint me.”
“Not sure that’s possible,” I say as I leave, followed by Bishop.
I pass Grandpa’s statue, wishing he’d been a better human being instead of the gleamphobic piece of shit who raised another one. Flashing cameras greet us at the gate. The last time the media swarmed to the manor like this was after the Blackout when the Senator was grieving me. They’re back for another lie.
Roslyn silences all the reporters and photographers.
I open the speech, a full page handwritten by the Senator. Interesting how he can find the time to write up these lies in minutes but can only spare a sentence for my birthday cards, if that. There’s so much suspense in the air as everyone waits for me to speak.
I’m silent as I quickly read through the speech.
It opens with grief for the bodyguards who were killed by Emil and Brighton.
Lie.
How the Spell Walkers want to assassinate him.
Lie.
How resurrection in humans is real with phoenix blood.
Fact.
How he is responsible for the capture of Luna Marnette.
Fact omitting the greater truth.
How all vigilante groups are uniting to become invincible.
Lie.
How Emil Rey is the latest incarnation of Keon Máximo and Bautista de León.
Fact.
How the Senator is the true hero this country needs.
Lie.
I look up at everyone with genuine tears in my eyes, knowing what has to happen next. The Senator must be stopped. It’s frightening how quickly he’s adapted to tonight’s events. He wrote all of this before he even detained Luna. In the time we’ve been back, he plotted a whole betrayal to try and save face.
This might be the last time I’m let out of my cage.
I rip up the script with a pounding heart. “You’re all being lied to! The Blackout was orchestrated by—”
A spell bangs through the air.
There are screams in the crowd, but I can’t see where anyone is going. I’m on the floor with blood spilling out of my stomach and gray light washing over me to show the world my true face.
One last time.
Fifty-Nine
Fury
EMIL
Senator Iron has been shot on live TV.
I’m horrified while standing beside my mother, and her hand squeezes mine. No matter how much we don’t mess with this guy, especially after everything he put Ma through, this isn’t how justice is supposed to go down. Brighton and Prudencia are staring at the screen in shock as pandemonium erupts outside Iron’s front gate—the one we escaped through hours ago. Even bloodthirsty Maribelle looks away.
“Not good,” Wesley says as Ruth steps away from the video streaming on his phone.
The cameraperson still has eyes on Iron on the ground as others run away. First I think someone is flashing a light on him, but I know that gray glow. My eyes immediately water. I might throw up.
“NESS!”
The real Iron hobbles past the gate, and he has a black eye. Did Ness fight back? Iron is breaking down in tears as he calls for help and presses down on Ness’s wound.
“HE’S A LIAR!”
The news teams are hovering all over them as if it’s more important to cover this groundbreaking story of Ness being alive all along and impersonating his father instead of getting him medical attention. Someone tried to kill him and these vultures can’t even give him some damn dignity.
This was probably Iron’s doing. He’s punishing Ness for helping me.
Punished.
I step back, and Prudencia stops me from accidentally knocking over the cauldron with the Starstifler.
I’m blazing hot thinking about how much Ness deserved a better father, someone who loves him so much that he couldn’t possibly be a suspect in his attack. Gold and gray flames burst around me as if I can protect Ness. I might burn down the Sanctuary’s lab. Everyone’s telling me to breathe, but I can’t control myself.
Brighton braves my fire and wraps his arms around me, shouting as he drags me toward the wall with swift-speed. Before we collide, we phase right through, out into the courtyard.
“Go for it!” Brighton yells as he crouches in pain.
It takes me a sec to figure out what he’s telling me to do.
I give in to my fury and shout at the night sky, hurling fire-orb after fire-orb toward the stars until it looks like a gold and gray meteor storm shooting over the river. I’ve disturbed some sleeping phoenixes, even scared some into flight. I exhaust myself and collapse to my knees, and Brighton wraps his arms around me and tells me to breathe over and over long enough that I finally listen t
o him. I cry against my brother’s chest, hating this life that forces me to grieve Ness again.
Sixty
Unmasked
NESS
First there’s darkness, then the smell of salt water, then extraordinary pain.
For a beat, I wonder if someone has stolen an organ before remembering what happened outside the manor. I’ve been hit by a lot of spells during my time as a Blood Caster. Most have blasted me across the room, or at worst, stunned me. This one tore through me. I thought I was going to bleed out.
I try touching my wound, but my arms are bound.
I open my eyes, and the light hurts even though it’s not that bright. I’m strapped into a stretcher. Someone is taking me to Gleam Care. I turn my neck to find the Senator watching me. He has a black eye and a cut lip. There are life jackets above his head. I’m not on my way to receive medical attention. I’m back on the same boat where we first reunited.
The destination is obvious.
“You tried to make a fool out of me,” the Senator says. “Thankfully Jax has impeccable aim.”
“He didn’t kill me,” I say, my throat raw.
“You weren’t useful to me dead. This time. The country already saw me grieve you. What they needed this time was to watch me condemn you—my son who came back from the dead. It’s a sign of my strength and commitment to protecting everyone from celestials and specters. I’ve been playing the long game thanks to my friend here. . . .” The Senator spins my stretcher and Luna is handcuffed in the corner with her eyes closed. “Then of course I beat her before she could try and cheat me out of my victory.”
“You talk too much,” Luna says with a bored sigh.
“Enjoy the conversation while you can. You’ll miss it when you’re in solitary confinement.”
