Page 95 of A Story of Sinners

Darkness and light. Shade and Luminary. The prophecy always foretold of a future of the two combined. It’s how I’d always known Duana was supposed to be mine and mine only. We were two halves of the same whole, meant to intertwine and reform as one to rule over worlds.

But that was long before I learned my father had another son. I had a brother, who not only had the darkness to complement her light, but who contained both darkness and light, all wrapped in one, arrogant form.

With the combination of mine and Matilda’s powers, we’d been able to peer into the future, the past, and the present. We were able to rip the protection spell that blocked Ryken from sight to shreds, and what I found, well, it wasn’t good news, not for me. He was not only shade, but also fae and luminary, thanks to his mother’s heritage, which made him everything the prophecy spoke of.

I couldn’t have that. Iwouldn’thave that.

It was clear why the former fae queen had gone to such great lengths to protect his secret. He had a very large target on his back indeed.

I pocketed the crystal that contained his power and nudged his unconscious body with my boot. What he was didn’t matter anymore, because he was useless without his power. I would leave him alive for now, for Duana’s sake, but if he were to ever become a problem again, I would kill him on the spot.

She lay unconscious atop his body, the transformation I’d been waiting for now complete.

It was time to go.

I brushed my fingers through the feathery wings at her back, so soft and delicate, and rolled her over, studying the way her glorious red hair was now painted with golden tips. I tried cutting her hair multiple times to spur the change, thinking it would turn to pure gold, but instead, only the ends had turned.

She was half human after all.

Her hand was linked with his, and though he was clearly confused, with eyes that remained shut, his fingers gripped hers tightly, refusing to release his hold. My knees bent as I crouched down, sliding my arm beneath her back, and a sound of protest left my brother’s lips, his grip on her hand tightening.

Even now, broken and bruised, in a state of half awareness, he fought for her.

I plucked his fingers from her hand and held her tightly against my chest, inhaling that sweet scent of lavender ingrained into her skin. Muffled protests sounded through the battlefield as I stepped over the inert forms of her friends. A few arms lazily reached upward, as if they could stop what would happen next.

She would come to the Otherworld with me, where she belonged.

As shadows twisted around us, the human king shouted, running in our direction, as if he could reach before we disappeared. To his credit, he came close, but not close enough.

The shadows swallowed us whole, and we careened towards that rift deep in the mortal canyons. Her hair fluffed about on a light wind as we landed outside of the portal, and I kissed her forehead. She was so sweet when asleep.

Sleeping Duana had always been my favorite version of her. There was just so much potential when she was knocked out cold. I would give her the chance to get used to having me as a mate, but if she refused, I would either compel her or bite her as she slept.

The portal danced at our arrival, celebrating the return of its king and queen, and I stepped through, breathing a sigh of relief.

The molten volcanoes nearly exploded as they rejoiced. Dark maroon lightning cracked through the stormy sky. Shadow creatures flew above us, whipping by as they screeched their victory. With Duana asleep in my arms, I gazed around the Otherworld.

She would be happy here.

She had no other choice.

As if sensing her presence, the dark clouds in the sky parted, light shining through and beaming onto the large stone steps set into the mountaintop, leading high into the sky.

The entrance to the land of the Luminaries.

I clucked my tongue. We couldn’t have that.

I held up my arm, shifting the shadows and ensuring a storm hung heavy over the pathway, concealing the entrance to the kingdom in the sky.

She could never know of its presence.

Once the staircase was swallowed whole, I turned towards the portal and gripped the crystal in my pocket. I would have kept my brother’s powers if they weren’t so toxic to my own. His powers were ones of portals and worlds, light and dark, they burned hot to the touch even through my leather clad palm.

The crystal dropped to the ground, and a silver light poured from it, spreading out to form a barrier like that of a cobweb. With a few spoken words in the ancient shade language, the portal sealed.

Others would come for Duana, but they would not be able to enter, at least not for a very long time. They may try to get to her, but they would never succeed. To open the portal would require a ritual of the darkest of sorts, one her friends would never perform.

It was true my brother would stop at nothing to reach her, and it caused a slight anxiety to nag at the base of my skull. He might discover the ritual, and he might sacrifice the three virgins deemed necessary to open the portal, but if he did, it was unlikely my sweet Duana would still love him.

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