Page 17 of Lunar Diamonds (Celestial Magic #1)

DRAKE

R iley collapsed onto his knees. The instinct to help moved me toward him.

“Stay back!” Erin barked, getting to her feet. “Do not lay a hand on The Moon.”

Her soft-ish nature broke, a darker rage breaking free.

I froze, watching her move toward Riley.

“Moon be mine,” he whispered, rocking back and forth. “Moon is here. Moon is mine. Star cannot be followed. His light does not shine. Sun too bright, too bright, too bright.”

Isaac slid over to his brother’s side. “Riley?”

“Be careful,” Erin warned.

I moved around him, getting a better view of his face. His eyes were wide and glassy, the pupils dilated. He dropped his hands, wrapping his arms around himself while he continued to rock.

Lost. In a trance, possibly under a spell.

I put this to Erin and Isaac.

“No magic can pass the protection,” she responded.

“Are you certain?” I returned.

“Absolutely. Riley? Come back to us.”

“Moon is mine,” he said.

“What does that mean?” Isaac asked.

Erin pulled out her phone. “You may need to cast a spell if this doesn’t pass.” She fired off a series of messages, her brow furrowed.

“Shall I try using my sunlight on him?”

Erin shook her head. “Don’t touch him.” Her phone pinged with a text message. “Ollie will be here shortly with some ingredients.” She leaned forward to address Riley. “Hang in there.”

“We’re just going to wait?” The Sun said, his eyes narrowing.

“There is nothing else we can do.”

The supermodel didn’t like that answer, but he stayed where he was.

This protection spell meant nothing. Marcus had already breached the mansion once. He’d do it again. The gloves were off, the game in full swing. The new shadow master would not stop, and neither would his heir.

My fiancée. My moon and fucking stars. Her shadowy influence crawled inside me like a scorpion, dominating me with the threat of darkness. The ultimate sting in her tail.

“Tell me you want me, Drake…”

“I want you…”

That night in my bed, rampant and sweaty. We’d done it in every position. Fucking out the pain, fucking for the thrill. I didn’t want her, only the ecstasy.

Huge mistake.

We’d never slept together again since that night, and we didn’t share a bed. She got her kicks from locking me up or forcing me to make her dinner. I didn’t understand her but remained grateful for dodging her touch.

The spot where she’d injected her bond on my left wrist burned. Soon I’d have to leave, walk the streets of Coldharbour to find my betrothed, compelled to be by her side again. I’d tried running before, getting a whole day’s drive away from her, only to turn back and find myself back in my cell.

Shit. That couldn’t happen again.

Riley stopped speaking, closing his eyes. A sheen of sweat gleamed on his face, his complexion too pallid.

I wanted to help, poised to react if I had to.

I’m sorry, Riley…

Guilt chewed and spat me out, only to lick me back up again to repeat the process.

Selfish, useless trash.

“He doesn’t look well,” I said.

“And the first prize for most obvious comment goes to…” Isaac rolled his eyes.

Sarcastic wanker.

How wonderful to be a useless lump of clay. But I couldn’t cast spells or make potions. I searched and found, a walking detector of everything .

He’ll be alright…

He’d better be. Riley Aurora was my ticket to freedom.

Shit. I needed a hit of ginkgo power. Desperately. It’d been too long since my last dose. My hands shook from withdrawals, my skin prickling with abrasive itching.

“Riley?” Isaac touched his brother’s arm, giving it a squeeze. “Talk to me.”

Riley’s eyes shot open, his mouth opening as if releasing a scream, but he spoke instead. “It happened again.” His eyes returned to normal, as radiant as sapphires under a spotlight, his complexion healthy again.

“What happened?” Isaac asked, taking his hand.

The two brothers got to their feet, Riley talking about a blue orb—the first incident occurring earlier today.

Watching and listening to him spurred my guilt to hammer its nails into my soul. I tried rejecting it, to kill my conscience. Why should I feel any remorse for wanting to save myself? I hadn’t hurt him. In fact, I’d guided him into the arms of his destiny.

Man, I wanted to hug him, and I didn’t do hugs. And I never let anyone get into my head like this, leaving me wishing I’d kissed him back at the bar. Yet here I was, wrapped in those feelings, a pleasurable heat in my belly.

Shit.

My chest tightened, those guilty nails long and rusty. Riley couldn’t hide his hurt, his face an open book. But what choice did I have? And what choice did he have? He’d never find the lunar diamonds without me. Even if they found another scrying witch, it would take days or even weeks before they broke through the thick layers of magic hiding them.

Whoever hid those gems knew what they were doing.

“Fascinating,” Erin responded to Riley’s revelation about the blue orb.

And dangerous.

“Allow me to look into this,” she added.

“Thanks.” He nibbled on his bottom lip.

“Is he being hunted?” Isaac asked.

“I’m not sure. Let me think about it.”

The Sun rubbed his brother’s back.

If only my hand could take its place.

Ollie arrived with two plastic boxes filled with potions and various bits and pieces.

“Thank you, son,” Erin said warmly. “How are the Brambles?”

He set them down beside the cauldron. “They’re good. Shaking off the lingering effects. They’ll be up soon.” He looked at Riley. “You’re back to normal?”

The Moon nodded. “Yeah.”

“Cool.”

Erin glanced at me. “Let’s get started.”

And just like that, the wheels of my freedom were set in motion.