Page 98 of Ruby & Onyx

Moose joins me at my side and growls. He always knew that Olly was scum. Since the first time they met, Moose couldn’t stand him. I should have known. Always trust the dog.

“The last time I tried to say goodbye, you stabbed me.” I nearly yell the words at him, hoping that he feels every last drop of my anger. Both of them, Olly and Landers, and even the red-eyed invisibles flanking them in full form, deserve to feel the venom of my wrath.

Viola gasps.

Bas steps forward with a halo of fury as he unsheathes his still-bloody sword. A deadly gleam simmers in his eyes as he growls, “You did what?”

“You’re still alive, aren’t you?” Olly taunts without a hint of remorse.

“Mind your tongue, asshole.” Amin spits at Olly, but it doesn’t reach him.

“Oh, come on now. Don’t you think it’s a little exhilarating? Immortality is one hell of life,” says Landers with a smug stare. “You never have to worry about accidentally slipping off the edge of the cliff or drowning in the sea… unlike you.” His threatening stare falls on Amin.

“Back off,” Bas barks, and it’s as if I can feel the rage seething beneath his skin. It’s as warm as the blazing sun on our backs.

“If you so much as take a step forward, I will make sure that you spend the rest of your pathetic life begging for death.”

“It’s not too late to come back, Radya.” Olly’s face hardens.

“Why would I come back? You and Landers seem perfectly happy together. I would hate to intrude.” I wince at the pain caused by my fingernails clenching inside my fists.

“It’s okay. We can share him.” Landers winks at me.

“You’re delusional! Both of you! Your family tried to kill me in my past life and then banished me to a prison in this one! Why would I stick around to find out what new ways you’ll find to kill me next?” I can’t believe that he’s asking me to stay! Who in their right mind would agree?

“I’m going to kill you,” Bas says through gritted teeth.

“Even you wouldn’t be dumb enough to attempt that, Sebastian,” Olly says with an ear-to-ear smile. “You remember what happened last time, right?”

“You have no right to speak of it. You were still sucking on your wet nurse’s tit last time.” The murderous tension between them grows even more taut, as even Olly rattles.

Landers steps between the two, holding his arms out in a subtle show of protection. “Five hundred years wasted, only to spend the rest of your life licking the bottom of my boots. Tell me, will your immortal tongue still work once I saw off your arms and legs? I’ll test it one limb at a time to be sure.”

“You’ll both bleed.” Bas lunges forward with a howling battle cry that thunders all around us. His sword is poised for the kill, but neither of them flinch.

“Fine, have it your way.” Olly snaps his fingers and turns to the red-eyed invisibles behind him. “Make them bow to me.”

A rush of power rages over me, scorching through my body like it’s melting my bones and forcing me into compliance. My knees are bending against my will, plunging into the sand. I try my hardest to fight it, but it’s useless. The red-eyed invisibles’ power is too strong.

I manage to look to my side, and even Bas and Amin are struggling against it. Only one of us remains standing. Pain wrenches in her eyes as she looks at Gemma on her knees.

“I’m sorry, G.” Tears slice down Viola’s cheek as she shudders through heaving breaths.

“You told them we were coming here. Didn’t you?” Gemma chokes out with a voice racked with betrayal.

“I’m sorry, G” is all she says.

“How could you?”

“I’m sorry, G.”

“I trusted you! We all trusted you!”

“I’m sorry, G. I had to.”

Viola betrayed us. All of us. How could she do that to us? To her own twin?

Her words burn like embers in my chest, but I know that it pales in comparison to what Gemma must be feeling. My worst fear came true. After all that they have been through, it was me who cleaved the hole between them.

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