Page 75 of The Fifth Soul

“Not everyone is built to carry so much power. Some people would turn rogue after a time. The chaos and devastation their power would rain on innocents was catastrophic,” Gabriel explains. His gaze looks troubled at the memory. “Their minds weren’t built for it. Good people would snap and commit heinous crimes.”

“Very few didn’t have those problems,” Mel points out.

“The Oscuros.” I nod in understanding.

“Not only the Oscuros.” Mel snaps his fingers, trying to recall something. “What was the word for those who got paired?” He asks his brother.

“Anchors,” Gabriel supplies.

“Those who found their anchors and bonded were also safe from turning rogue.” Mel looks up at the ceiling then adds, “I believe they are now called soul bonds. Nauseating.”

“The book seems to cap everyone at the maximum amount they can reach before turning rogue. That is why each of you has a different level of magic abilities. It's what nature intended you to have,” Gabriel finishes.

A million ideas circulate around my brain like puzzle pieces finding their place in my picture, I begin to see clearer. There’s only one thing to do. If they wish to destroy the Red Book, we must do everything possible to stop it.

“Did Klause ever figure out what could destroy the Red Book?” I ask.

“The deal was two souls. I helped you enough and satisfied my curiosity for an extra day. The outcome of this is now on your lap.” Mel walks to me and pushes the journal into my chest. “Looks like you have homework. I have the remainder of the day with my brother.”

He leads the way out, and Gabriel follows, not before giving Bianca and me a sympathetic smile. He might be a good person who hopes to keep the peace all around, but this isn’t his battle. It’s mine. It’s my people who need me.

CHAPTER 28

BRANDON

Afew hours later, I’m still running over all the details I learned. I read over a hundred journal entries. Maybe my brain needs a break because I can’t seem to understand anything I’m looking at. My skin is itching to return. I need Lexi Blue to look at the journal. Her eyes will find things I can’t see. But now, it’s our time to keep our part of the deal. This means we are stuck here until the end of the day.

“This is quite beautiful, you know.”

Bianca is staring off into the pond where Mel and Gabriel are kayaking. They’re so deep that they look like small dots from this angle.

I stare at her profile framed by the sunlight. Casting a beautiful silhouette, I feel I have seen it before many times. I can’t think of a single person resembling Bianca’s beauty. It must have been in my dreams. The tilt of her lips and the softness of her skin make my fingers ache to touch her. She turns to me with an expectant expression. I snap from my internal thoughts to the present.

“The view… yeah,” I hurry to say. “How is your head feeling?” I touch her temple, remembering the first mission to the glass library—especially the toll it had on her psyche.

“There is a small ache, but it just started. I have a few hours left in me. It helps that we’re doing nothing but standing around.”

I kiss her temple. I know what she means. Not being physically exhausted helps how long she can leave her gift activated.

“We should have corrected Mel when he called me the future queen.” Her hands fidget with the bottom of her shirt. A nervous tell I learn from her. “Feeding false notions to the demon I’m indebted to for the next two years isn’t a good idea. Next time, I will come here alone.”

I clasp her hands and stop them from fidgeting.

“You will never come here without me. I’ll always accompany you.” Looking deep into her eyes, I try to convey how serious I am about this. I gesture to the beautiful surroundings. “This is an illusion. The underworld is a dangerous, dark place. Mel might have constructed this make-believe for his sanity, but it’s not real.”

I take her hands in mine and bring her palm to my lips. “Is it so bad to let him think that?” I look down as I take a shot in the dark. “I think you would make a righteous queen.”

With her mouth agape and blinking eyes, Bianca says nothing.

It’s crazy that I didn’t know this person existed a few months ago. Someone who now feels like a part of me. When I picture my future now, I can’t help but imagine Bianca right there, too. I allowed Mel to believe Bianca was mine for multiple reasons. I couldn’t get myself to correct him. There isn’t a part of me that wishes to deny it.

When she finally closes her mouth, she looks off to the pond instead of facing me. I search her eyes. They may give me more insight into what is happening behind her walls.

She asked to stay in The Black Castle after everything was done. Would she ever consider for this—what is between us—to be more permanent?

When I am about to ask her what she’s thinking, Mel and Gabriel return. Since we are due to return soon, I want to cover all my bases.

“Before we go, I need to ask. Have you heard whispers of an uprising in Puerto Quinn?”

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