Page 89 of Children of Blood and Bone

“Ibeji,” I rush out. “I’m sure of it.”

“Very well.” Kaea straightens up and sheathes her sword. “I came because the bridge is finished. If they’re in Ibeji, I’ll take a team and leave tonight.”

“You’lltake a team?”

“You must return to the palace at once,” Kaea says. “When the king finds out about this—”

I can’t wait, the girl’s voice returns.I can’t wait till he finds out what you are. Let’s see how bold you feel when your father turns on his own son.

“No!” I say. “You need me. You can’t track them without my abilities.”

“Your abilities? You’re aliability, Inan. At any moment you could turn against us or endanger yourself. And what if someone finds out? Think of how it will look for the king!”

“You can’t.” I reach for her. “He won’t understand!”

Kaea eyes the hallway, face ashen. She starts to back away.

“Inan, my duty—”

“Your duty is tome. I command you to stop!”

Kaea takes off in a sprint, tearing through the dimly lit halls. I race after her and lunge forward, tackling her to the floor.

“Kaea, please, just—ugh!”

She drives her elbow into my sternum. Air catches in my throat. She breaks free of my hold, scrambling to her feet to scale the stairs.

“Help!” Her screams are frantic now, echoing through the temple halls.

“Kaea, stop!” No one can know about this. No one can know what I am.

“He’s one of them!” she shrieks. “He has been all along—”

“Kaea!”

“Stop him! Inan is a maj—”

Kaea freezes as if she’s run into an invisible wall.

Her voice shrinks into silence. Her every muscle shakes.

Turquoise energy swirls from my palm to Kaea’s skull, paralyzing her just like Lekan’s magic did. Kaea’s mind struggles to break free of my mental hold, fighting against a force I didn’t even know I could control.

No…

I stare at my quaking hands. I can’t tell whose fear surges through my veins.

I’m really one of them.

I’m the very monster I hunt.

Kaea’s breath turns ragged as she writhes. My magic continues to swell out of control. A strangled scream escapes Kaea’s mouth.

“Let go!”

“I don’t know how!” I shout back, fear wrapping around my throat. The temple amplifies my abilities. The more I try to push my magic down, the harder it fights to get out.

Kaea’s cries of agony grow. Her eyes turn red. Blood trickles from her ears, trailing down her neck.

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