Page 94 of The World Undone

She nodded. “That means only four left. Hopefully the others had better luck locating the stone than we did.”

The fight left Levi’s body, his shoulders slumping as he bent down. He lifted Evelyn’s body, cradling her in his arms.

“What are—” I swallowed the question when his gray eyes met mine. I let my gaze drop briefly to her face. Her eyes were open and empty. She looked frail, almost childlike in his arms. For the first time in years, I wanted nothing more than for her to look at me again, to pull me to her in a hug, to smell her hair as she pressed a kiss to my forehead.

I sniffed, shoved down the wave of emotion, and ignored the pressure tightening around my ribs.

“We’re not leaving her here.” All the teasing arrogance I was used to in Levi’s voice had deflated.

I studied him, seeing small pieces of her etched into his face, pieces of me, too. For the first time that I could remember, he looked almost helpless, lost. A far cry from the man who’d been barking out orders and playing hopscotch on my last nerve for months.

Now, I saw him for what he was. Just a kid. One of us. Just another pawn who’d been abused by the fucked-up rules of the power-hungry Guild.

My little brother.

And I’d spent his entire life trying as hard as I could to push him out of mine. None of it was his fault. He hadn’t asked for any of it.

No wonder he was such an insufferable asshole during the few times we’d been close enough to lodge insults.

A hollow ache carved itself deep inside of me, taking shape and making itself a permanent home.

The familiar sense of loss I’d long associated with my mother grew dense, unmovable. It was sharper now, and I knew it would be permanent.

She was gone. I wouldn’t get a do-over with her.

But I could have one, maybe, with Levi.

I nodded. “You’re right. We’re taking her home.”

And then, a bolt of pain, white-hot and angry shot through my stomach.

I bent over, fighting to catch my breath, but it was impossible.

When my hand pulled away from my stomach, I saw only red.

Until even that bled to black.

18

DARIUS

With every shift away from The Lodge, I felt more like myself.

And with Max wrapped in my arms, I felt loose, giddy even. Which was maybe strange seeing as we were about to confront another building filled with protectors.

“You alright?” Max whispered. The dark knowing in her eyes always seemed to see further into the depths of my own than I often wanted her to.

“Right as rain.” I cracked my face into a wide smile that had her brother Rowan taking a few steps back, whether in repulsion or fear, I wasn’t sure.

He’d insisted on being part of this mission. Something Max had fought him on for days.

She wanted him safe.

He wanted to come because he wanted to help keep her safe.

It was all very…saccharine. Familial.

Still, I couldn’t help but like him more for it. There was a warmth to their sibling connection that I’d never had with my own brother.

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