Page 49 of Infinity Son (Infinity Cycle 1)

Brighton shrugs off my hand. “Don’t ‘or something’ me like editing the video is equivalent to literally anything else. Not after I’ve personally started turning the tides to restore this team’s reputation.”

Atlas and Wesley exchange a that’s-our-cue glance and take off together, leaving me alone with Brighton and Prudencia.

Brighton stares at the door. “You do realize they’re about to interrogate Eduardo, right? There’s no way Maribelle is going to go easy on him.”

“Even more reason why you shouldn’t be in there filming,” Prudencia says.

“Whatever.”

He walks off.

“Nothing is ever enough for him,” Prudencia says.

Truth. We’ve given him access to the missions, even though I hate risking his and Prudencia’s lives. We let Brighton film the Spell Walkers exposing their stories to launch his campaign. His hunger can’t be satisfied, like when his power brawl video did astronomically better than anything he’s uploaded before, but he was down on himself because it wasn’t viral enough. I really miss those simpler days when we were brainstorming names for his channel. Dad was his first subscriber. Ma pawned off family jewelry to buy Brighton his first camera. Maybe Brighton’s ego is our fault.

I’m about to chase after him when I hear commotion inside the closet. I stare at the door with a pounding heart. There’s no way Eduardo has gotten the jump on Iris and Maribelle.

“Want me to stay with you?” Prudencia asks, watching Brighton turn the corner.

“Yeah, but no. Go ahead.”

She nods at the supplies room. “Good luck with that.”

“Back at you.”

I let myself in. Maribelle is hovering over Eduardo, who is massaging his new bloody lip.

“What are you doing?” I ask.

Maribelle ignores me. “Tell me how I can find June.”

“Also how Luna infused a celestial with creature essence,” Iris adds.

“And maybe how you survived the Blackout?” I ask, my voice cracking.

Eduardo shakes his head. “It may not seem like it as you turn me into your punching bag, but this is not some negotiation. Besides, I’ve already won.”

“Oh yeah? What did you win?” Maribelle asks.

Eduardo looks from wall to wall. “I mean, I could go for a bed and some rosewood candles to get rid of the dirty mop smell. But I’ll take whatever security I can get from the Casters.”

“Are you serious?” Iris asks.

“I’ll settle for vanilla candles if that’s all you have.”

Iris folds her arms. “You can turn into anyone. Move across the country. They would never find you.”

“The last time a shifter specter fled, he didn’t make it very far before the gang tracked him.” Eduardo goes still as a statue. “He was tortured for so long that he died between morphs—absolutely unrecognizable. Stanton very kindly showed me pictures the night of my initiation. Friendly warning.” He looks up at us. “The only way I can truly be safe from Luna and the Casters is in this hideout. Wherever we are.”

Maribelle crouches and gets in his face. “Tell us everything we want to know or we’ll release you.”

“That would be more threatening if I wasn’t holding the keys to the car you want to drive. There’s no way you’re letting me out of your sight.” Eduardo’s cocky grin reminds me of his father’s confidence during speeches. “You won’t find anyone alive more calculating than Luna. She’s taught me how to play the long game.”

“I promise you’re not as smart as you think you are,” Maribelle says.

“Maybe not, but I was clever enough to get you to the arena,” Eduardo says.

She doesn’t say anything.

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