Page 137 of Madness Behind the Mask
Tears fall down my cheeksoverall I’ve lost.I want to die and join her. I want the suffering to end. I want to go back to my bottle.
But first I need to save my baby brother.
Closing my eyes, I reach for my magic. It comes to me quickly, an instinct not even alcohol can rip away from me. I grab hold of the atoms making up the door, inhale calmly even as my brother screams, and then push my power forward. The door rips off its hinges, splinters into five large stakes, and each one buries itself into the throat of the five people hurting my brother.
“You...fool,” Myers says as he looks at me with the one eye he has remaining. They scooped the other one out with a broken bottle, and it now lies beside Garrett’s body. “They’re going to kill me anyway. You should’ve let my death mean something.”
I stare at him as I pushsome ofthe alcohol out through my pores.It leaves me shaking and instantly missing thehazeI need to survive Sau’s death. But Myers needs me right now. I can’t fail him like I failed Ryo.
“You’re not going to die,” I say. “We’re going to get you out of here.”
“I’m not going unless you are.”
“Don’t be a fool.”
“Like you?”
My eyes narrow. “Myers –”
“I’m not leaving unless you’re with me.”
“I can’t leave. This is Sau’s home.”This is where I want to die.
He struggles to his feet; the pain in his head must be crippling,but he makes his way over to me. “Then protect it for her. She wouldn’t want this.This is her legacy.”
This is the last of her that’s left.
And I’m ruining it. Destroying it.
Falling to my knees, I scream out a sob.
I’m killing her.
Myers puts his hand on my back, and I can feel him shaking. I can feel his urge to get me on my feet. I can hear the gunfire outside. I canfeelthe bodies hitting the ground to move no more.
Reaching into mymagic, I offer the five bodies to the void. Their sacrifice lets me pull on dark magic, lets me strengthen the power already inside me. Throwing it out, I erect the ward on our street to hide us from the humans, and then I stop everything.
Every person.
Every bullet.
Every bit of madness.
Walkingout of my house – out ofourhouse,Ipick up the crown I tossed away after my queen’s death.
The weight of this Family will forever be mine. I will rebuild it in Sau’s honor.
“For you, my sweet girl.”
I will die for you…
But right now I will live for you.
Forty-Six
CADEN
18APRIL1963
