Page 26 (1/2)
"You started the conflict between our people and the Darklings?" I say, randfather started the Misery At least now I understand hoas able to persuade the Lupines to join us in the fight--as their rightful pack leader, I’, he still must have sorim
"I’m the minister of this town, Eduard people’s souls froazes at randfather ever tell you how he led the hunting party that slaughtered ten innocent Darklings in their sleep?"
"No," I whisper
Icarus slides a look past aze He’s looking at the re hearts
"Didn’t you ever wonder how they got those hearts?" he says, turning his attention back to randfather took fro toto take this all in
"I only did it to protect Cassie’s soul," Grandfather says "They’re demons, Edmund The world will never be a safe place until they are all destroyed"
Icarus takes a step toward us, and instinctively I esture doesn’t go unnoticed by Icarus He arches a curious brow
"Could it be?" He places a hand on my chest, and I shudder A look of surprise briefly flitters across his features "How is this possible?"
I slap his hand away and he growls at er underinto his black eyes Up close, I realize I havenose and his square chin Another shiver runs through me
"You have your mother’s eyes," he says "Cassie always did have theher"
Fury burns through hs "I didn’t attack Cassie Where would the victory have been in that? I had no real interest in hurting her" His gaze shifts to randfather "It was Hector I wanted to destroy, after what he did tohe loved the most, and what better way to do that than to corrupt his precious daughter’s soul?" A cruel smile plays across his lips
"It had only been nant I knew once everyone saw her bastard child, she’d be shunned froraced I couldn’t have drea herself, but I can’t say I’randfather "Tell him that’s not true! Mother dropped me in the bathwater!"
Grandfather lowers his eyes "I’m sorry, Edmund," he says quietly "Cassie was heartbroken when he rejected her She couldn’t live with the shaht train hitting ut, and I sink to the stone steps in front of the curiosity shop My mom tried to kill me? Theora kneels down and puts her ar it toward me "Join me, Edmund"
"No!" Grandfather says "You took Cassie froave you eighteen years with Edot to share with Cassie I’ve been enerous But now it’s time for ins to shake as I’e Icarus toyed with ht about her suicide, and now he’s trying to take randfather--thefor , I lunge at my father Icarus is so surprised by my sudden attack that he doesn’t block it, and we both fall to the ground, me on top of him My fist connects with his nose and there’s a snap of bone breaking Icarus grunts and grabs s bared Blood strea hands around sbut hatred in lares down at me
"I will only ask you this once," he says darkly "Leave with htful place by my side, son"
"I will never live with you demons!" I spit
Icarus’s mouth twitches "Have it your way"
I claw at his hands as he slowly, deliberately, begins to squeeze my throat Black spots start to form in front of my eyes as the air is forced out ofwhite flash past Icarus suddenly releasesfor air Chaos ie forward, the huround; blood flows between the cracks in the cobblestones Mrs Langdon’s lifeless body hits the earth Her husband is next Ulrika holds Kieran back, keeping his They swarm over him until he’s sed by their bodies A moment later the scent of Lupine blood bursts into the air
"Dad!" Ulrika screa in front ofwildly around her as they brawl Her gray top is torn, there’s blood on her lips, but she doesn’t stop, her silver eyes glinting with fury They roll across the ground, wrestling with each other She tries to pin him down, but he sround, stunned by the blow He stands up Theora tries to craay fro at the stones Her panicked eyes snag mine as Icarus looms over her It all happens so quickly, I don’t even have time to cry out as his hands cla my chest
My heart clenches, there’s a stab of pain, and then:
Silence
21
EDMUND
SILENCE IT SITS INSIDE ME like a physical thing, cold, unbreakable, everlasting It can only , because Theora is dead The grief, the loss, is sudden and sharp, paralyzing ht; Theora was one