Page 51 of The Heart of Moonlight Falls

Sebastian didn’t want to go after the mob. His stomach was already twisted in knots and his hands were shaking, but he couldn’t sit by while they went after Eleanor. It wasn’t lost on him that, in many ways, it had been easier to face a horde of shades than a mob of angry people. But he had friends in his corner, and with James beside him, he could face any horribleness the world threw at him.

Sebastian’s heart thudded as he rounded the diner, glued to James’s side. They marched across the road, ignoring the stone.

On the steps of town hall, the administrator who usually sat at the reception desk was blocking the entrance to the ruined foyer, a look of determined anger on his face. “You all need to leave town. An evacuation notice has been put out for Moonlight Falls. Didn’t you see the shades?”

“Get out of the way, Jay,” William growled from the front of the mob.

“You’ve been fired,” the administrator, Jay, shot back, tone full of authority. “Don’t tell me what to do.”

William laughed, and the sound made the hair on the back of Sebastian’s neck stand up. It must have unsettled Jay as well. He took a step back, his confidence cracking.

Eleanor and Hazel appeared in the doorway behind Jay. Eleanor wore an absolutely lethal expression. She stepped in front of Jay, releasing a gust of wind on the crowd. People stumbled back around William while he managed to remain unaffected.

James led the way, pushing through the people, Sebastian close on his heels with Parker and Eli at his back. They came to stand next to Eleanor and Hazel.

William’s nostrils flared, his eyes finding Sebastian. He shuddered, almost like he was cold. It was weird, given the day was perfectly nice for the season. Even his glare seemed to flicker, but he collected himself, saying, “Seems I have to do everything myself.”

“Authorities are on their way,” Eleanor interrupted before William could say more.

“Oh? And how’d that work for you last time?” William cocked his head. “Besides, I’ve got an hour before anyone gets here from Apple Valley. The town has had enough of you, Eleanor. You’re not fit to look after Moonlight Falls when you’re more interested in protecting the cause of our problems than fixing them.” His gaze settled on Sebastian.

Another chill coursed through Sebastian as his headache flared. He gripped James’s arm to steady himself, trying to ignore the angry crowd. William was bad enough on his own. Even his eyes looked strangely evil.

Sebastian hated all of this. He didn’t want to deal with it, especially not when he and James should have been back at Storm House by now.

“The only one causing problems here is you,” Sebastian said, surprised at how steady his voice was given his insides were in knots.

William bared his teeth at Sebastian, making an almost hissing sound.

Eleanor’s eyes widened at the strange display.

“There would have been nothing wrong if you’d stayed out of our business.” William ascended the town hall steps. “Everything would have gone to plan.”

“Plan?” Eleanor walked down the steps to meet him. “What the hell are you talking about?”

William’s gaze jerked away from Sebastian. “This isn’t your town anymore, Eleanor.”

“It was never my town. I’m the mayor, not the fucking king of the castle.”

William didn’t appear to be listening. He made a grab for Eleanor’s wrist. As if the move had been a signal to the crowd, they rushed forward.

Eleanor unleashed another gust of wind, stronger than the last. It halted the mob for a moment, but then William was on her.

A stab of pain shot through Sebastian’s head, and he lost track of what was happening around him. He felt sick. Why did he have to get his worst headache since using the veins now? He was useless. Forget standing by Eleanor. He was a liability.

James held him tight, and when the pain passed and Sebastian opened his eyes, it was James’s face that filled his vision.

“What’s wrong?”

Sebastian didn’t know. Something was coming, but he had no idea how he knew that.

Shouts echoed around them. Something tugged on Sebastian’s sleeve. He tore his eyes from James to find one of the angry Moonlighters clinging to his arm, trying to pull him down the steps. Sebastian wobbled, off-balance. James was the only thing keeping him from falling.

Without thinking, Sebastian said the words for fire. The man’s jacket caught around the cuff. He shouted, and Sebastian felt a flash of horror. It was fine using fire on shades to banish them, but this was someone living.

The man whipped off his jacket and stomped on it, putting out the flames. His wrist was red and his eyes were full of hatred as he looked up at Sebastian. “Motherfucker,” he growled but didn’t reach for Sebastian again.

Not that Sebastian was in the clear. More men pushed past the burned one, surrounding him and James. Eleanor, Hazel, Parker, and Eli were surrounded too, though it seemed Eleanor had escaped William. Their fight had turned physical. Someone grabbed Hazel from behind, and Eleanor shoved them off.

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